MTFCA Forum

When I get home I am going to start putting together a very lightweight single axle trailer (with good brakes) to use behind the Buick. I have a decent pile of aluminum I beams and intend to work with those. I'm trying to come up with something looking period so most likely early fenders and wheels as well. I may be able to find some heavy duty AA spoke wheels, downside of course is that they are split rims. Maybe someone has a better idea as well as the easiest way to adapt them to a more standard trailer axle. It would be beneficial to be able to find parts like bearing on the road should it ever be needed in the future. Would you try to make a tilt or just use ramps? Anyone have any suggestions or plans? Also I already have a large tandem trailer so there is no need to try to convince me a single axle trailer is a mistake.

Save yourself a lot of time and money…, Aluma makes beautiful trailers with a 5 year warranty. Single axle, electric brakes, you can add a simple P3 brake controller and you are set! Been there done that!

No reason to invest in a modern trailer when I have one, it's what Ive used for trailering all over the US.. The idea is to put together something that would pass as vintage.

Along the same lines, does anyone have a light trailer they can tow with their Model T? Or have plans for such an animal? I would like to tow a small trailer with camping gear and equipment (Mostly so I can attend the camping events in Lake Tahoe and in Northern California.) Perhaps 150 lbs. total load. But I want it to fit and look appropriate for use behind a 1914 Runabout.

Here's mine. When I found it there was a late 20's Buick front axle and wheels under it, which the owner wanted to keep.
I had a blacksmith made square axle that took Ford wheels to replace it.
I replaced a couple of boards, spliced another to a broken side, and have left it as it was. I just need to make a hitch to tow it behind Henrietta. The drawbar is actually a model T frame rail. Allan from down under.

Here is a picture of mine ,set up with the tongue retracted. I built a retractable because I have a new knee from falling over the tongue on another trailer (obviously the trailers fault)

Most of the vintage T trailers that I have seen don't have any suspension and if you use 16in wire wheels and a drop axle you may not need ramps or a tilt. You can just put a block of wood down and drive onto it and then the trailer and just back off of the trailer, usually the tongue of the trailer has a big swooping drop to make it level. Also most of the old trailers used pipe for the frame and tongue.

Running without springs is something I have been toying with. However, considering long term I want more period wheels I think it is smarter to use springs. Considering the speedster has a shortened wheelbase and is lighter than a T the Buick should be more than capable of towing.

A 1940s Ford passenger car rear axle and transverse spring could make a good start on a tilt trailer. Model A wheels should fit. 1930s Ford wire wheels will fit. I would check into tire load ratings very carefully. Ford offered 16" wire wheels around 1935. Those would allow use of LT 205 R 16 tires.

Brakes? I think hydraulic brake kits are available for the earlier Ford axles. Electric?

I would insist on springs and shocks on any road-going trailer. The 1940's Ford rear axles have the spring located behind the axle, and the 46-48 ones also had a track bar. That would allow building a spring to suit the loaded weight of the trailer easy, and lengthened shackles could be used to lower the trailer bed if necessary. Shocks will add enormously to stability, braking, and ride.

I mentioned this thread to my 93 year old father - he's been in the antique car hobby since 1948.

He said in the into the 1950s, there were a few fellows in the Minnesota Region of the AACA who used 1920s and 30s sedans as tow vehicles to trailer their antique cars. I don't know if he has any photos of any of those set-ups.

When my father eventually bought a trailer (which he rarely used), he towed it with my grandparents' 1956 Cadillac Sedan de Ville.

A photo I have saved:

Might sound bad, but that's what we're talking about. Now to find some plans/ideas.

Hi Chad, I tried to post pics but they would not load so I will try again. This is the speedster trailer I purchased from Joel it is one of two that Tommy Brawner built. It is only 500# & tows very nice. Don't have plans
but your car will dictate the dimensions. The two spares are mounted on the tong so it tows better empty.
Craig.

Craig, those are nice trailers. Being able to run the car up on up to a permanent stop makes tying the car down easy. All the tie downs do is hold the car against the stop. I have built five similar ones for myself and others. Mine do have a complete floor. It makes them mush more useful for other stuff, while adding little weight. Can you imagine how easy it would be to manually push/manouvre that trailer around without having tandem axles fighting against you. I do chuckle when I see two spares on a two wheel trailer though. How many people carry 4 spares for their car? In my lifetime I have can remember having just two flats on my trailers. The one spare has always been enough, although I did replace one while on tour, because I had more than 3000km before I was home again. No point in pushing my luck that far.

Allan from down under.

Allan from down under.

Hi Allen,
I do catch some flack over the two spares. I wish I could say the same when it comes to flats but my Tandem trailer has had two flats in a
single trip twice & three in a single trip once when the EX & the HIL borrowed it. In December I had a flat on a trailer tire that only had 400
miles on it. If I'm going very far I carry two spares. Having to unhook & drive to the next town & find a place to buy & mount a tire in the
middle of the night can just plane ruin a trip.
Chad,
I have never had a single axle trailer with brakes. My tandem has brakes on both axles because I sometimes haul the M-F on it. I wish you had
said something when you were here I have a drop axle with brake flanges & springs I picked up to make a trailer before I bought this one.
Craig.

Actually I may be in your neck of the woods in May. I never deal with brakes on a trailer however considering the buick relies on 4 wheel mechanical I think brakes may help considerably.

All mine have electric brakes. With modern controllers in the cab the load they apply can be infinitely adjusted. You can use the brakes if things get a bit squirrelly due to poor weight distribution of the load. the brakes can be tuned to slow the trailer before it can push the tow vehicle down the road. You can even tune them right off when running empty. An added advantage is they do not suffer with intermittent use like Hydraulic brakes often do.

Allan from down under.

For about forty years, I have had these very unique spindles. They were attached to a wooden beam with T front wheels mounted. I recently took the wheels off, cleaned, bead blasted and primed the brackets intending to sell them. They are nicely machined to spec, T front left and right thread spindle shafts cast into a robust aluminum bracket. I have no idea who made them but I am impressed with the quality of manufacture. I have not chosen a price but, if anyone is interested, send a message with your phone number and I will call.
Ken Buhler

I just realized after paying attention to the subject, that it was about hauling trailers, not T towable trailers. Oops.