trailer design

[splodrod]

HI
First off hi to all. New to the site.
I'm interested in designing a utility trailer, not sure it'll ever get made but it's the fun of thinking about it more than anything and what I learn along the way.
I'm not a mechanical eng but have some knowledge of stress, strains etc from my electronic times (for some reason we studied some mechanics).
All I know at the moment is it'll be no heavier than 1 1/2 ton fully loaded and probably in the region of 8ft x 5ft.
Obvious things that I need to know are...
strengths of various sections of metal, how much of an increase in the loading is realistic when hitting ramps, cornering etc.
There will be many questions along the way.
I have thought of getting some private tuition from a lecturer but that would not be cheap and too much of a straight line.
To start with I'm looking for some recommendations of good reading matter that will cover the maths, principles etc. I tried Amazon but the trailer books didn't get very good reviews.
Also where is a good source of metal characteristics? It'll be mild steel due to availability and ease of construction I imagine.
I'm sure there must be a good book recommended to students of mechanics. Nothing too deep. I really would prefer not to have to remember what calculus is
On a post to another forum the answer was "you have to decide what you want first". My attitude is you start with a very basic idea then change it as you find out what is possible. Adding and taking away all the time. Also modifying if you find a cheap source of various bits.
Cheers for any help
Ian

[PinkertonD]

Hi Ian,

Can't help with tutoring books, but I can say that it would be a pretty fancy trailer if it needed Calculus.

Load increase on hitting ramps etc would be an assessment you make for your design, but generally a 2.5 safety factor is considered a minimum, but it can be anything up from that as long as you can afford the extra metal.

The "decide what you want," is good start advice. Another good start is to find what costs are involved for the things you will not be fabricating, such as axles, wheels, springs etc. They will define the style, size and weight of the trailer and it's load.

No point designing a trailer that requires an axle that is an inch wider than something freely available off-the-shelf for a third the cost. So, I suggest you figure out what you want then look for stuff that will work for you and build the trailer within those confines. If money is no object then design and build anything you like.

Probably the best all round book for reference and formulas is Machinery's Handbook. Generally referred to as the "Bible" in Engineering circles and now in it's (I think) 28th version.

[splodrod]

Had a quick look at that book in the library. Can only look since it's a reference book :(
But ordered a cheap copy..Well physics hasn't changed that much
Thanks for your reply. Sure there will be more questions to follow.

[PinkertonD]

But ordered a cheap copy.

Happy to help, but I seriously doubt there is such a thing.