Attaching a Removable Body

[st]

Hello, first post

I am planning an offroad teardrop (probably a grasshopper shape) with a removable body design (so I can use the trailer for other things), and am toying with ways of fastening the body to the trailer (neither are made yet).

I've done a search and most topics about removable bodies are how to move the body off the trailer, not how to fix it in position.

I've seen this method
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=3041

but don't particularly like it as the nut is not accessible if something goes wrong (nut corrodes to bolt, spins in its hole etc).

I don't want to put holes in the floor, and bolt through them, because they can't be sealed properly in a removable body design.

I've come up with this design, but it is slightly heavy for my liking and doesn't allow attachment inwards of the edge of the body (because there is no angle iron sticking up in the centre of the trailer). The 25x25mm (1 inch) SHS is permanently glued and screwed to the body. It is attached to the trailer frame (angle iron) by a bolt:



Any other ideas or suggestions would be great


Simon

[toypusher]

Simon,

You could put the angle iron under the tear body completely and fasten upwards to the body and sideways to the frame. this would allow you to place angle anywhere there is a member in the frame and be able to bolt it down to the frame. If the trailer has a permanent bed on it you could put 'U' bolts down through the body and fit them over the members of the frame (just drill holes in the trailer deck if ther is one) allowing you to fasten down anywhere you want.

Hope that all made sense!

Kerry

[st]

I think I understand what your saying

Having the angle iron point down in the centre makes sense. I'd have to put nuts in the SHS to attach bolts to - could be a bit difficult.

Using channel instead of SHS might be better - easy access to the nuts:



I don't want to drill through the floor (is that what you were suggestion about the U bolts?) for water sealing reasons (don't want water coming in during creek crossings ).
Clamping downwards is prefereable to claming sideways

Simon

[st]

Or were you meaning this Kerry

[toypusher]

Sosmething like that is what I was refferring to. The u bolt thing could be done by putting the u bolt through a piece of angle that is attached crosswise under the tear body. Us a truckbed liner paint or spray on material after attaching a angle and bolts and there shoudl be not threat of water leaking in.

Kerry