Variable length/width trailer - round 2

[columnshift]

"Where is round 1?" In a topic that rapidly degraded due to complexity and too many questions at once. Simplifying back to the most important priorities first.

Here is my problem - I basically need the functionality of a 22 foot long car hauler, but the space I have to store it in is closer to 16-18 feet available length with no other alternatives to put it anywhere else. So i'm trying to engineer a custom solution.

Is there any reason I can't have a folding toungue (actually an entire folding front section of the trailer bed) and folding or removable tail section/dovetail on the rear? I was looking at this picture:

And although it's a truck bed not a trailer apparently the dovetail is removable. So is there any reason I couldn't just do something similar on the trailer? Right behind the rear axle just have an entire section pinlocked or bolted in with 2-6 strong big pins or bolts and locking nuts of some sort. It doesn't have to vary length with load - only needs to go short for storage.

The second part of that would be having the toungue fold in the front, similar to how smaller folding trailers work:

Except i'm not trying to lift or fold the entire too-heavy trailer, just the bits too long for garage storage. However i'd like to fold more than just the big frontal Vee - what if I folded maybe 2-4 feet of bed along with it?

So basically the normal car hauler bed would just have 3 pieces instead of a single piece - front 3 feet, middle 16 feet, and rear 3 feet. The front folds (along with the entire vee, coupler, and everything forward) and the rear either folds or is a removable dovetail. Between the two I should be able to get the trailer down to 16-18 feet long and still have it be safe. Does anyone see any fundamental problems with such a design?

 

[Pop_Rivit]

It's been done before-a company called Kendon if I remember correctly, however I think they discontinued it.

Unless you really know what you're doing (and it doesn't sound like you do) you'll be creating weak points when the trailer is loaded. Without some real engineering you'll be a rolling hazard when you put a 4,000 load on a jerry rigged trailer and then drive down the highway.

Most people don't care if you are a hazard to yourself, but rolling down the highway with a home made fold-able trailer loaded with a vehicle makes you a hazard to everyone else.

 

[eljefino]

Why you don't get the car trailer you want and just park it on a side street somewhere, or at work.

 

[bullwinkle]

Ever tried the U-Haul car trailer? They're built like tanks, I actually carried a Suburban & the GMC C3500 SRW in my sig on one-they can handle a lot.

 

[skyactiv]

No alternatives to put it anywhere else? Or do you not wanna rent an outdoor space at a self storage facility? I can understand not wanting to perpetually pay to store something you own.

If your really savy, have some money and are willing to take a risk, you could find someone on Alibaba.com in China to whip you up something cheap.; may need to order a few and sell all but one which could potentially make yours free. Or try to find a custom fabricator/welder and bring up relieving him/her of liability with a notarized letter if need be.

 

[Nate1979]

If the back part is supporting any kind of weight I dont think you can do it easily and not without knowing what you are doing.

 

[Nick1994]

Buy a car hauler trailer and find a local lot you can rent for like $30 a month to store it.

That would be cheaper than having something custom fabricated to fit your garage.

 

[supton]

I don't know about the decking material, but what if you use six lengths of C sections, 10' long each, three per side of the trailer, and able to be nestled in each other. Put holes in every foot or so. Pull the bolts, slide trailer to needed length, rebolt. Insert crossmembers as needed. Add decking and axles.

It may be possible to have the axles on the center section, thus allowing some ability to adjust the distance from tongue to axle, and then axle to rear, so as to balance the load. Or just put the axles onto the same 1' spaced holes.

I have zero idea how this could be made into a working idea, but it's the idea off the top of my head. My idea is basically a big Erector set, and apt to take an hour or more to adjust length. If you add cables or hydraulic rams you might make it into a one man operation (pull bolts, work the system to adjust length, insert bolts); but unless if you do that, due to the thick wall C sections this may require a second person if not a second vehicle to pull the trailer to desired length.