Need your thoughts

[Arkansaw]

I have been welding for a few years now for fun after taking a welding class out of curiosity at the local technical college. When I finished the class I had the opportunity to get my first certification in arc welding. I have worked/created/failed at many projects, but learned from them all.

Question is, I have a friend that works for a foodservice company in the state and they are needing a utility trailer to transport equipment & food for catering jobs. My friend called and asked if it would be possible for me to weld a roof on it?

Basically, they are wanting a roof to keep rain in transport to a minimum and water off of it when parked. I am working on ideas, but not too sure how to create something that won't create too much drag/lift and will hold for transport. Any ideas would be appreciated. I think it would be advantageous to have something that could easily collapse when in transport. I could be wrong.

Trailer dimensions are more than likely around 5x10' or something close. Any input would be greatly appreciated

 

[classicJackets]

So he wants you to just weld it on? Or engineer a roof design, build it, then add it to an existing trailer? What part exactly are you doing and where are you starting, then hopefully we can chip in and give you some support.

 

[Arkansaw]

Thanks for the reply. They are wanting to purchase the trailer and then have me weld on the top. His idea was to simply put a roof on it but I have several concerns about the design (if even safely possible) of attaching a roof with metal to a basic utility trailer. Only input I received was that he was thinking "somewhere along the lines of the roofs you see on the prefab metal carports"

 

[Kevin54]

Add drop down tarps to it when in tow to reduce lift on the trailer roof. If you look at a lot of semi trailers (covered wagons) they are nothing more than a roof with heavy canvas sides pulled tight. You have to add hooks and eyes in the tarp, and hold downs on the bottom. Once in place, pull the tarp off and store it in a box on the tongue of the trailer.

Or why not buy a covered trailer, and modify the side(s) to open up? Split the side where one half folds up, and the bottom hald folds down.

 

[Lippyp]

I don't understand why they wouldn't just buy an enclosed trailer to start with. Much more secure if you have to park up somewhere even just for a bathroom break. You could even add a/c to keep it chilled so the food stays cool. Are they wanting to actually serve food from it? In which case an old travel trailer like a small airstream would make a cool food stall.

I turned my little 6 x 4 utility trailer into a box with a simple angle steel frame, for the sides, and a top and tailgate made out of square box section. Sides are ply as is the top although I want to replace that with some aluminium chequer plate and the tailgate is skinned with galvanised steel sheet. Lid is detachable. The whole thing can be padlocked up for security.

 

[Arkansaw]

Thanks again for all the advice. I agree that it would be better if they would simply start off with an enclosed trailer. I like the idea of using the drop down canvas. I beleive that might be the easiest (for my sake) option if I end up tackling the project.

I think that they might have found a deal on a specific trailer which is why they are debating having something fabricated. Please keep suggestions coming. I will speak to him this weekend & hopefully return with more info.

 

[RXtacy]

Have you thought about a pop up style roof? Something that you can lower to eliminate the uplift concern? Similar to a pop up camper.

 

[iajonesy]

By the time you get done with the tarp idea and all the attachment points it will need, you will have as much in the cost as an enclosed trailer would have been.They should go enclosed from the git go as Lippyp said.

Mike

 

[tndude]

Not to be the party pooper here but I'd be worried about the liability you get when you modify a trailer. Obviously, it depends on what you do to it but that sounds like a material change. Just make sure nothing can fly off when its going down the HWY. Nobody mentioned that so I thought I'd share my 2 cents. Good luck and keep welding.

 

[Arkansaw]

Tndude,

I truly appreciate the thought. I sell prof. liability insurance for a living so that was my biggest concern. Might avoid the project all together if I have to. The "pop up" idea sounds like a good way to go, however, I agree that it would more than likely be more cost-effective for them to purchase something already suited for their needs. Thanks for the input guys, it is greatly appreciated

 

[kerrynzl]

Tndude,

I truly appreciate the thought. I sell prof. liability insurance for a living so that was my biggest concern. Might avoid the project all together if I have to. The "pop up" idea sounds like a good way to go, however, I agree that it would more than likely be more cost-effective for them to purchase something already suited for their needs. Thanks for the input guys, it is greatly appreciated

Don't be frightened [ I know selling fear is your living ]
Mind you this is easy to say from NZ where "she'll be right mate! is the national attitude"

The whole thing can be made from angle [if I used alloy angle there would be no welding involved]

Weld up an angle frame that drapes over the outer edges trailer [ drill it to bolt it on ]
Weld up an identical frame that is the edges of the roof.
Weld to it 4 x angle posts to lift the roof off the base.

Glue aluminium pre-finished composite signboard panels to the roof [using Simson ISR 70-03 adhesive ]
Glue the sides to it [ using countersunk pop rivets to hold it in place ]
Glue aluminium angle on all the edges as a cap [ where corners meet etc ]
This covers all the rivet holes.

I haven't elaborated on how to make the door but it is a simple frame and gas strut system. with glued signboard as well.

The only real structural strength needed is at any door/window opening.
With signboard , you won't need any diagonal bracing because the panels are the stiffener
This is a true monocoque arrangement.

Even if your welding is birdshit, the glued panels are the real strength. The welding is just to support the frame while the glue sets.

You can buy signboard in panels large enough to do one piece, and it is cut with a craft knife and snapped like a ceramic tile.

 

[EdT]

I do a lot of light fabrication work for the car restoration hobby. I am not a "professional" and I do it mostly for fun and challenge. I won't do any parts that, if they fail, might be a hazard. That is, no brakes, no suspension bits, not parts for any safety related functions. In the good old USA, people will sue you for almost any reason and often win. Even if they don't, you can be out a lot of bucks to prove your innocence. So, since you are in the business, you need to prepare yourself for when the trailer top unexpectedly parts company from the trailer and goes through the windshield of the school bus behind it. I wouldn't touch that job with a long, vaccinated stick when there are many commercially available options that are probably cheaper and better and less likely to have your house sold out from under you to cover the settlement. Not worth it IMHO.

 

[kerrynzl]

I do a lot of light fabrication work for the car restoration hobby. I am not a "professional" and I do it mostly for fun and challenge. I won't do any parts that, if they fail, might be a hazard. That is, no brakes, no suspension bits, not parts for any safety related functions. In the good old USA, people will sue you for almost any reason and often win. Even if they don't, you can be out a lot of bucks to prove your innocence. So, since you are in the business, you need to prepare yourself for when the trailer top unexpectedly parts company from the trailer and goes through the windshield of the school bus behind it. I wouldn't touch that job with a long, vaccinated stick when there are many commercially available options that are probably cheaper and better and less likely to have your house sold out from under you to cover the settlement. Not worth it IMHO.

Going by that sort of fear, you dare not have a beautiful women in your pickup truck just in case somebody twists their neck while staring as you drive by.

 

[EdT]

Litigation varies a lot from country to country and it's probably worse here in the US than anywhere else. The limits of what can be successfully pursued in a court of law is continually being stretched and there are plenty of contingency lawyers who even advertise on TV hoping to get another successful suit since they get paid a big chunk of the settlement if they win the case. When any misfortune occurs here the first thing that happens is that there is a search for who's to blame for the event (there are no accidents). Because if someone can be blamed, they can be sued and if sued they may lose even if it's a seemingly frivolous case especially if the person or entity allegedly at fault has deep pockets. You may have heard of the woman who dumped a cup of coffee from McDonalds in her lap and successfully sued McDonalds for failing to tell her that the coffee was pretty hot. So, you may be fortunate enough to live someplace where accidents happen and it's no ones fault, but here that is not the case. There are no accidents and someone is to "blame" for every thing. Often the injured party will sue everyone who is remotely connected with the misfortune and then they have to fight it out to decide who pays. So if I drive by in my pick up with an "attractive nuisance" aboard and someone is distracted by that and has an accident that they claim is a result of that attractive nuisance then I may have to pay to defend myself against that claim. It may be very easy to do, but it can still be quite expensive and time consuming. It sounds crazy, but it's entirely possible. Again, I wouldn't touch that job, but that's just me. Certainly the OP is more familiar with the risks and consequences that I am since he is in the insurance business and has seen some of the lunacy first hand. His choice, my opinion (valued as much as you paid for it).

 

[classicJackets]

Going by that sort of fear, you dare not have a beautiful women in your pickup truck just in case somebody twists their neck while staring as you drive by.

You nailed it. Obviously exaggerated, but not by much.

As EdT said, lawyers advertise everywhere. Many promise that if you lose the case, you don't pay any money (to the lawyers). So, it's really easy for less reasonable people to ride that train all the way to the jackpot payout. There's no risk.

I'm with EdT, I don't see how this could go well unless the OP had the buyers sign a waiver of release a mile long.