You may have heard the ol' saying, "You can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear." Well that doesn't stop me from trying. I picked up this trailer this summer for $75 and thought it might make a good transporter for the Variable Speed wind Tunnel.
The tires and top deck were rotted. I had the deck boards to replace the deck and picked up two new tires at Farm and Fleet.
The wiring harness was fried so I had to replace it also. This was best done after the deck boards were replaced so I could put 2x4 cross pieces under the frame because the rotted 1/2" deck plywood would not hold the screws.
Here you can see the 2x4 cross pieces in place. These went into the frame channel on each side. Then the deck board screws went through the 1/2" plywood and anchored into the 2x4's. Now the new wiring could be run through the frame holes and I would have tail lights.
OK, with the new tires, new deck, new wiring and winch added it was time to load up the Mega Storm. Here again more problems that had to be solved. The saying here is, "How do you get 5 pounds of sugar into a 4 pound bag?" Well you take off the door closer on the right door and override the closer so you can manually open it higher.
Next I may have to let some air out of the tires.
What next? A ramp. I needed a way to smooth out the pathway to the trailer deck to the ground. Found these two steel door sheets that I salvaged a few years ago from a boiler replacement project at the school and will cut them down to do the job.
A little cutting work with the plasma torch and I was in business.
Did not realize that the trailer had a tilt bed until I started rebuilding it. Lucky for the tilt and the ramps worked out well.
There are a lot of little tricks to this project that have to be learned along the way. This trick requires that the mid wheels have to be removed or the Mega Storm fan unit will not be able to sit flat on the trailer bed. This would be done midway while the fan was being loaded and the mid wheels would be off the ground.
Two more things that were needed were stop blocks at the front of the trailer so the caster wheel levers that lower the wheels could be raised and fan set on the deck floor. Then there were the side rails. These had to allow for the wheel fenders and be low to clear the fan frame.
What does it mean when someone says, "They are at the end of their rope?" Well in this case it means my winch rope was 6" short to make the hook. Can you believe it. #&@*!
Fortunately is was a beautiful day. War sunny and dry. I will put all the puzzle pieces to the test.
Easy does it.
Huston, the Mega Storm fan has landed! All 700+ pounds of it.
Just a quick test of placing a hold down strap. Also making a weight distribution test using a 2x6 to lever the trailer and get an idea on how top heavy this loaded trailer might be. By my estimation it would take a good 800 pounds to get the wheel off the ground. So I think this trailer will be used to get the Mega Storm to a storage location but will need to rent a larger, heavier trailer to get it to Saint Paul, MN
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