TRANSPORTERS

[Scott]

you will see that I do have a pair of cross members and that they will have a heavy flat plate welded to the bottom of them to create the top half of the friction part of the turntable. Then I need to attach the axle to a bottom plate and drill the hole needed for the pivot bolt. I like your idea of the handle as I did want something easily removed when at a Rally or at home.
Does your pivot bolt go through your axle?
This is the part that bothers me at the moment as the axle is 1 3/8" diameter bright steel and wont be fun to drill and I don't want to weaken the axle either.
Can the axle go in front or behind the pivot bolt?
How have you attached your handle holder? Does it have the axle running through it?

Hello Cobba.
If it was mine I would weld another bit of heavy angle or some U-beam (with the flat down) as another cross member behind the front member and have the axle welded to another bit of the same sized U-beam (flat up this time). With the U-beam you can have 2 good sides to weld your axle if you place the axle towards the front or rear of the U-beam. This will position the axle towards the rear or front of that U-beam. There would be plenty of support if the 'axle member' slides over the two runners you have there already. The steel isn't going to wear real fast.
Seeing the axle is towards the front or the rear of the U-beam I'd put the pivot pin in the middle of the U-beam effectively putting the axle in front or behind the pivot pin. I don't think it would matter much if the pivot is not in the centre of the axle. I cannot tell any difference in this trolley. I did not drill the axle for the pivot pin on this trolley. The pivot pin on this trolley is through the 2x1 steel, the handle attaches to, just forward of the axle. Does that make sense? I think I'm a bit confused reading it. 

Some pictures of my handle and also of the bracket I use to winch the engines onto the high trailer. On this trolley I have the axle welded to some flat (so I can screw it to the timber) and the handle holder butts up to, and is welded, to the axle and is also welded to the flat ribbon the axle is welded onto.

I've found the removable handle very convenient. No need to make a heap of handles ie one for each engine, no tripping over handles, no handles getting tangled up in the shed, saves a lot of room in the shed and on the trailer and it might make it harder for people to flog the engines when 'overnighting' at displays.
Cheers Scott

[cobbadog]

Hi Scott,
Had to read it a couple of times for my 'pea brain' to absorb and understand what it is that is required. I now can take some measurements to get the steel and start putting it together. The only change I will make in your design for me is that I already have a place to hook up the winch on this frame and the difference is that I will be dragging it up onto the back of Lorry backwards. I want to be able to steer it as it goes up the ramps as I saw a scarey event at the RIR recently when someone was loading their big engine and it all went pear shaped because he couldn't steer it properly. As this Lister weighs just under the half tonne I am not sure what diameter HT bolt to use as the pivot bolt. Any suggestions or would a 10mm bolt be alright?

[Scott]

Hello Cobba.
If you look at the second picture you'll see the Tee handle is still attached to the tow hook/loopy thingo. I can steer the engines up with the Tee handle still. I had a scare once as well. Not really a scare but had a lot of trouble. I was loading on uneven, slopey ground and it was a pain in the date trying to keep the engine on the ramp.....henceforth, the need to steer engines whilst been pulled up the ramp.
The setup I've put the pictures up for uses a 10mm pin. The pin is not high tensile and I use the setup shown for the Bartrams, Wolseley, Crossley and Lister L/J's etc and had no trouble. A high tensile bolt would be a lot stronger. A factor you'll also have to consider is the surface and angle of the ramps. My ramps are smooth and they extend out 2.4m with a 700mm rise to the top of the trailer so not much of an angle for the engines to up. Did you build a smooth top for Lorry's ramps? Anyways, if in doubt go bigger. 12mm??

Cheers Scott
PS: looking at the pictures I notice the possum has found it's way back into the shed and left a surprise. Time to start and run another engine in the shed for a few hours. They don't like the noise and tend to leave for ages after that.

[cobbadog]

What did you see to make you think you saw evidence of a Possum?
I think I am comfortable with the 10mm HT bolt with lock nut/s. I have not put anything down on the ramps of Lorry as yet but this too must be done and soon. I was looking at (in my dreams) that expanded mesh, looks great but I think may be way too expensive so will look at it when it is time or something similar. I intend to darg any and all transporters backwards up the ramps onto Lorry and using the cordless remote switch and steering at the same time. If I also put a snatch block (I think) (loop the cable) it will slow it down even more. But as a straight pull it is not too fast anyway.
Called into town today doing work and visiting Pa in the nursing home and then went to pick up the steel to carry on, OOPS boss man was not a happy campaigner as there was nil stock of what I needed to start to make the turntable so that is on hold until I get back in there, stock arrives this Monday sometime.
Thanks for all the tips and information so far, I appreciate it very much.

[Scott]

What did you see to make you think you saw evidence of a Possum?

Last picture, front end of runner on the right hand side. Looks a bit like a chook pellet. 

[cobbadog]

No, no chook pellets. Is either rain, surface rust or just a another piece of rust. All chooks end up in oven around here.

[Scott]

Hello Cobba
Another thing to remember is to have the heavy (engine) end of the trolley going up first. If the heavy bit is on the downward side it is possible for it to tip over. If the heavy bit is on the topside then the rest of the trolley acts as an outrigger preventing the engine going belly up.

Cheers Scott

[rustyengines]

If the heavy bit is on the topside then the rest of the trolley acts as an outrigger preventing the engine going belly up
That would only happen on a trolley that is to short with the wheels on the heavy end to far under the flywheels ? (heavy end) 
 10mm HT bolt with lock
What grade ?? 10mm a bit small diameter I have used 12mm mild steel you will not shear that. Why go to HT ?? over kill
No, no chook pellets. Is either rain, surface rust or just a another piece of rust.
No on the floor under the engine looks like as Scott said Chook Pellet

[cobbadog]

Well I made a bit of progress today by finishing the welding of the new  engine mounting cross members. The engine is now positioned to sit in the middle of the transporter and not on one end which was going be a disaster. Hopefully since last Friday some more steel has been delivered and when in town tomorrow I can pick up the next lumps of what I need to progress to the next stage.
So with the engine now sitting in the centre of the frame I am happy that it will be ok and wont want to buck about.

I thought of using a HT bolt as it would be stronger that a mild steel bolt and that way I could use a 10mm bolt instead of the 12mm. If you advise that the 12mm would be more suitable I will go that way.

Once I have the next lot of steel in place for the turntable and the rear axle mounting I will double check the width of the axles I want and then buy them.

[cobbadog]

Well didn't get a lot done so far this weekend with a little bit more to do tomorrow but so far I have strengthened it a bit and the 70 x 40 - 6mm "U" channel is now a permanent part of the frame. Happy with the welding job I have done as usually I manage only 'cocky shit' as weld. (maybe that was the pellets you saw earlier Scott) 
I have also welded into position another section of the same sixe "U" channel up the front end and it is facing down as it will be the top half flat part for the turntable. Another piece of "U" channel will then be the bottom part of the turntable. Tomorrow I will work out the final length of the axles and get them cut and ready to put in place.

I believe that the type of steel mentioned was 'Bright' steel for the axles. Is this right?

Does welding bright steel effect its' strength as I intend to weld them in place?

[cobbadog]

This where I am at now. Played around with different width axle and settled on one at 1400 wide in total. This gives me enough clearance from the crank handle when its time to start up and what I feel will be enough turning circle. As suggested I used a piece of water pipe and tried all different widths until I settled on the 1400. This gives me a length of 225mm from the side of the transporter to the inside edge of the wheel hub which is then 150mm wide and then 25mm left on the outside to put a bolt or something else in place to keep the wheel in place. These wheels have a cast hub with 1/2" thick spokes running out to the tyre which is rolled into shape and joined using a butt join, flat plate and 4 hot rivets. I like the look of them and feel they will help set it all off as a transporter.

[cobbadog]

Bought the axles today and then dropped them off to have a couple of millimetres shaved off the OD to suit the wheels. IT's just a waiting game as to when they can turn them to size for me.

[Scott]

Hello Cobba.
It looks as though things are nearly done.
I'm sure the trolley will never fall apart by the looks of things. Well done young fella.   

I wouldn't worry about the welding of the axles and the loss of strength. They're big enough, just weld the buggers on and be done with it  .

Cheers Scott

[cobbadog]

Yeah, I was a bit worried about the over hang of 400mm from the edge of the frame but once I picked up these bright steel axles and felt the weight I am not concerned anymore. No work is planned on this over the weekend as Saturday is a Tractor Trek from Kendal to Hannamvale via Bird Tree and back. About a 60klm round trip which we are both looking forward to as we need a break from work and just now a couple of light showers of rain are settling the dust and washing the trees so it should be just a beautiful Trek. Sunday is my one day of the year to go to church in the lounge room, Bathurst Race Day.

[cobbadog]

Picked up the axles today and sat the wheels on one of them and this is what it looks like. Tomorrow I will pick up more steel plus nuts, bolts and washers to carry on with the next step. I know I have to build up that step so the wheels don't bind up on it and move towards the frame. I managed to drill the holes for the pivot bolt. I upgraded its size to being 3/4" so there will be no chance of it breaking under any strain that might come its way.
"Build it once" is the way I want to go.