Comp trailer build

garyeng · Posted: Fri May 18 12 9:26 pm Post subject: Comp trailer build

I have been thinking about it for awhile now, a few years to be exact. It is time for me to start my comp trailer build. I would have started it sooner but I needed to rebuild my metal shop building first before I started any new big metalworking projects.

I have thought over and over again about how I would build the pits as I first thought, I would just build a standard offsets. After thinking about it and the fact that I would still be adding tuning plates to the pits, I have decided on a reverse flow. The trailer will have a total of 3 pits on it with one being from a 250 gal, a second from a 150 gal propane tank. The third one will also be out of a propane tank but will be quite a bit smaller as it will be for just cooking stuff to eat while at the comp.

I have drawn up the plans to figure out the list of material needed in Visio and here is what I have so far. As you can see the 250 gal tank will be just a pit setup for reverse flow. The 150 gal tank will also be reverse flow but will also include a vertical warmer. The third pit will be stored in front of the 150 gal pit but will be on rollers so that you can slide it out when you want to use it. The fireboxes on the 250 and 150 pits will be insulated.

I drew the trailer to be 12’ long, not including the tongue but I am halfway tempted to make it 14’ long to give a little more room on the trailer for stuff. I have not made up my mind on that yet but I need to pretty soon as I plan on picking up the steel for the trailer on Saturday/tomorrow.

Top View

Left Side

Right Side
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Big Ron · Posted: Fri May 18 12 9:37 pm Post subject:

garyeng- you have come to the right place and I am sure several Smoke Ring member will have some great info for you. Design looks great and I look forward to watching the build
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k.a.m. · Posted: Fri May 18 12 11:26 pm Post subject:

garyeng, I like the lay out. Very Happy

I would go 14' in a heartbeat. Mine is 13'6" and I wish I had 16'. I know mine is a walk on but the extra real estate is nice to have. The boys trailer 13' and I ran out of room fast. Plan for your axles to be as far back as possible cause your gonna need the front room for tongue weight with two fireboxes hanging off the rear. Also the extra length of the trailer will help allow you to throw weight forward.
I hope this helps. Smile

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garyeng · Posted: Sun May 20 12 12:22 am Post subject:

Thanks for the input. I think I am going to go to 14' as I would hate to build it at 12 and get so far then want to make it longer. I do plan on putting the axles way back, I just put them in the normal 60/20 position in the drawing.

I did pickup the axles and the other needed running gear yesterday to include the wheels and tires. Today I picked up all the 20' sticks of steel being I took my utility trailer today to get the steel. I also picked up the material for the deck of the trailer. I will go back and get the 1/4" and 10ga plate as I need it as I was not interested in dropping the money for everything today. I know, no pictures so it did not happen but I have not had alot of downtime today. As soon as I got home from getting the steel, it was lunch time then time to mow the grass. I will get some pictures taken either tomorrow or Monday as I get a little time.

Gary
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tanglediver · Posted: Sun May 20 12 3:13 am Post subject:

Nice layout, and very busy! Smile

You could take a trick from the boat trailer builders and mate the running gear to the frame with a carriage and U-bolts. That makes it handy for adjusting tongue weight.
It has the makings, carry on! Cool

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garyeng · Posted: Fri May 25 12 1:50 am Post subject:

I know, it is not Monday so I am a few days late with the pictures. It has been a very busy week. I have tomorrow and Monday off so I hope to get the trailer frame cutout and welded together. Now on with the pictures

This is a picture of my metal work shop building where the build will happen.

This the utility trailer that I built about 3 years ago.

The steel on the floor along the wall is the steel I have bought so far for the build.

A pic of the welders and other equipment

Another pic of the shop and equipment

Gary
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Wreckless · Posted: Fri May 25 12 11:05 am Post subject:

Nice little shop. Sure is clean...for now Laughing

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TrailerBuilder · Posted: Fri May 25 12 11:53 pm Post subject:

You have a nice design and a awful clean shop to be building it in. You have alot of items set up on your drawing, 16' trailer might not be a bad idea, your gonna fill one up fast. Im looking forward to following your build Smile

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mrcustomsteel · Posted: Sat May 26 12 12:36 am Post subject:

That's going to be one heck of a nice comp rig. You might think about a roof and sides. Murhpy's law of BBQ comp weather.

I'd build it on blocks and figure out where to put the axles last. Super nice clean shop but the doors look small for getting this bad boy out the door but woodwork is cheap and easy if you have to cut it out.

I hope you have a good supply of wood running three RF's. I'm looking forward to build pics.
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garyeng · Posted: Sat May 26 12 3:10 am Post subject:

I know the shop is very clean as this is the first real metal project, besides the welding table, in the building after I completely rebuilt it from the ground up. I try to always sweep at the end of the work day but that does not always happen.

I have really thought about the trailer size and I am going to stay at 14' and 5' wide minus the fenders. At that size, I should not have an issue with getting it out the doors. If at anytime it does become an issue, it will become an outside project.

I did make a little progress today. The basic frame is cutout and I have all the coupes completed on the frame members. I went to place a few tacks as I was squaring things up and I ran into a small snag. I have a new Miller Syncrowave and the welding leads are to short to reach anything, have not used it yet at all. I did not buy the running gear with running gear so I will get to build that tomorrow. I do have longer leads but the new welder uses dinse connectors so I cannot attach them. No big deal, I will adapt and overcome. I could use the MIG to weld the frame but I would rather not as I want to stick weld the frame and the tongue to the trailer. There is always tomorrow. Smile

Thanks folks,
Gary
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garyeng · Posted: Mon May 28 12 12:25 am Post subject:

Made some progress today. i welded the frame together, flipped it over and finished welding out the back sides of the cross members. Tomorrow I should get the tongue cutout and attached and the running gear.

I just wish it was not so hot already in the mornings.

Gary
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Logtrucker · BBQ Fan Joined: 28 Mar 2010 Posts: 332 Location: Dallas,Or

Its looking good I grew up in corpus it does get hot fast Smile

daddywoofdawg · Posted: Mon May 28 12 3:58 pm Post subject:

What is that grey under all your equiment?LOL!I have heard of something like that under all the cr@p.LOL.
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k.a.m. · Posted: Mon May 28 12 11:05 pm Post subject:

Gary, very nice progress I like it. Very Happy

I will be watching for more pics and updates. Very Happy

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Reverse Flow
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garyeng · Posted: Tue May 29 12 1:42 am Post subject:

I got pretty much everything accomplished today that I wanted to with the build. I cutout and installed the tongue and I welded on the hangers for the springs. I did not finish weld the spring hangers yet as I will wait on that for when I am sure they are sitting in the correct place but I think they are. I cannot put them any further back and still have room for the fenders and the tail lights.

Once I had just about all I could do with the frame upside down, I flipped it back over. I still need to add a few cross members to the tongue but I can easily do that it the current position.

Here are a couple of updated pictures.

Gary
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garyeng · Posted: Thu May 31 12 1:12 am Post subject:

I have been doing some thinking ahead about the inlets for the fireboxes. As you can see from my drawing, both the fire boxes are going to be next to each other on the end of the trailer. Building it this way, only leaves 6" between them. I was planning on putting all the inlets on the sides of the fireboxes, 3 on each side. The thing that has me wondering is that with the fireboxes being so close together, if I should place inlets also on the doors to the firebox. I am just concerned that with the inlets being in such a tight space, it they will even function when sitting in a 6" area. I think I have answered my own question and that I need to plan on having inlets also on the doors to the fire box and not even bother with having them on the firebox near sides.

I have not had a chance to work on the build sense Monday but plan on hitting it again this weekend.

Gary
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Maniac · BBQ Super Pro Joined: 01 Oct 2010 Posts: 1269 Location: Pa

you got a jump and a half on that bad boy Very Happy

looking good Exclamation

weekends just around the corner.
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whiteboycustom · BBQ Fan Joined: 09 Aug 2010 Posts: 154 Location: Vidor,Tx

my 2 cents.......add some type of wood holder on top of the firebox to preheat wood, just something nice to have that you dont really think about
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Beertooth · Posted: Fri Jun 01 12 5:18 pm Post subject:

Looking good so far Gary.

I'll be watching your progress. Smile

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garyeng · Posted: Mon Jun 04 12 1:04 am Post subject:

I had a full weekend and not alot accomplished on the build. Saturday I picked up all the steel plate I will need for the build and then I had a high school graduation to attend for my niece.
This morning I unloaded the plate from my utility trailer so it would be out of the weather. I made a plate lifter that made it easier to move the plate, need to post a picture of it as it worked really well. This afternoon I went to the graduation party for my niece. When I came back home, I finished welding on the tongue and mounted the springs and the axles.
Hopefully this week i will get the wheel hubs lubed, installed and the tires mounted.

Thanks for watching Smile

Gary
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