[Irfanulla]

Hi - even I am looking to build myself a flat bed trailer to tow a hovercraft around and would like to know the legalities involved -

A new thread would definitely help !

Regards
Irfan

[trammway]

Originally Posted by harjeev

@tramway
As you have already bought the trailer, could you please do let me know whether this trailer can be modified to mount a CJ3b on top of it. Is it big enough?
By modify I mean is the floor (after we remove the side walls) will be able to accomodate a CJ3B on top of it.
I am asking as just got a weird idea of using it as a trailer for transporting cj3b's over long distances 200-300kms by towing with a diesel vehicle!!!

Also are you the same guy that also has a M&M Classic blog on blogspot??

Harjeev, You are right I'm the same person with mahindraclassic blogspot. Infact if you add blogspot to any of the key word to my signature below, you can see my other restoration projects too.

Please see my reply to your trailer query below

Originally Posted by jeepster

to
harjeev

you will have to fabricate trailer like that.
you should see this.

to
trammway

please post pics of bantam trailers.

Jeepster, I will post some pics of the Bantam when I get a chance to click pictures of them.

Originally Posted by S@~+#0$#

So Siva & Others, could we discuss the legalities (apart from registration) and other issues in using a trailer. Some questions that come to my mind are:
1) Can I tow a registered trailer with my passenger car (say Maruti Esteem)?
2) Can I use a trailer with two or more different vehicles? If yes, do I need to register the same trailer to another vehicle?
3) Can I cross state borders? Will I have to pay additional toll at a toll point?
4) Is there a restriction on how much tonnage I can carry? Does this depend on the vehicle used to tow?
5) Any other do's and don'ts?

The possibilities are immense and we could probably be setting a trend in India. Let us discuss this to see if it is feasible.

1. Actually once you register your trailer, suppose to be half of your vehicles weight can be towed by any vehicle. However towing with M800 or Esteem or any modern car is a question as they are not meant for towing heavy weight. It would be feasible with ladder build chassis vehicles.

2. Trailers are not registered against any vehicles, they have separate registration and it can be towed with any vehicle.

3. If you registering your trailer for personal use, you can cross borders as the same way you do with your car. If it is commercial trailer then the same process of commercial trucks / cabs etc.

4. See my answer above, the military trailers are 1/4 tonne capacity and it depends on what you are registering.

5. There are lots of trailer makers who make trailers for farm use, they may be able to design and produce trailers. Make sure always your register your trailer. Some people take military trailers without registration, but if you don't do at the first point you will never be able to do it again.

Originally Posted by starter

Dear Santhosh,
Brilliant idea. I always wanted a trailer to carry my bike along.
I do not know if we could travel at a speed beyond 60kmph with a trailer carrying a 3B but we definitely would have a comfortable journey.
Very useful thread Santhosh.
Cheers,
Deepak

Originally Posted by Irfanulla

Hi - even I am looking to build myself a flat bed trailer to tow a hovercraft around and would like to know the legalities involved -

Yes, I agree with all of you. Infact my trailer idea is for the same kind of purpose. I will use it in farm and my long travel journey. I think the army trailers can easily take 2 bikes in it.

For the flat bed trailer need, I have seen a interesting trailer with the film shooting unit. I will let the pictures to talk more from here:

[vivekiny2k]

Originally Posted by S@~+#0$#

Infact, Samurai drove ~500 one way in his CJ3B while his family followed in an Innova. If trailer was an option, I am sure he would have happily hauled the trailer (with the 3B) with his GV.

GV's transmission would have taken a toll, not to mention chassis, brakes and engine. need to check what is the total towing capacity of the GV (trailer+load weight).

my 3.5L V6 4400 pound nissan quest has a total towing capacity of 3500 pounds. so it can not tow another nissan quest.

[Irfanulla]

What about a self built trailer - can that be registered with the RTO - or there is a requirement that it should be built by some factory/ org registered with the RTO?

think for a Jeep - it would be better to tow it right away like this

I have already got the ball and cup for the trailer.

[vishwaschettri]

Originally Posted by harjeev

By modify I mean is the floor (after we remove the side walls) will be able to accomodate a CJ3B on top of it.
I am asking as just got a weird idea of using it as a trailer for transporting cj3b's over long distances 200-300kms by towing with a diesel vehicle!!!

Have you seen the trailer romi has to tow around his ATV. It's a nice little contraption. And as far as I could make out it is fabricated absolutely from scratch. A bit modified version of it can be used to tow a cj3b. Only thing to be careful about is to maintain the balance of overhang on both side of the axle. You do not want to push down or pull up the vehicle towing it too much.

As for towing a cj3b the average speed on highway will be similar as driving it or maybe even lower. I would never go over 60 when towing a trailer. And when towing it with a say 550 you wont be able to drive comfortably either. Unless you tow it with a soft roader with creature comfort it doesnt makes sense.
Bolero DI and spacio/207di fit the bill. Both vehicle have oodels of torque and pretty sturdy frame to take abuse.

In short I think it is much easier and economical to have a reliable driver and let him do the dirty work while you zoom there in your car.

cheers
vishwas

[harjeev]

@vishwas
I did see the trailer at Romis farm but dint take any notice at the time. WIll do the next time I am there.
I am attaching some pics of a trailer used to carry CJ3B's around. Ihave something like these in mind.







Paying a driver will work defeat the whole purpose as I will still have to pay the cost of the fuel and then comes the boarding and lodging expenses of the driver as well on outstation trips.

Lets see. I am not on immediate lookout for a trailer and will like to buy something within the next year or so


BTW you coming to the OTR this Saturday?? Here is the thread

[vishwaschettri]

I think two axles will make it more difficult to turn. Also four tires and two axle mean more cost and more flats. Two ought to do it. How much is the weight of CJ3b? You need to manage the axle placement such that with the jeep loaded on it it is just about tipping to the front and a single person with some force can manage to lift it from front.

You plan to tow it with your 550 or some other car?

As for saturday's OTR 99% yes, save for some late night excursion on friday night. We gotta do something about saturdy morning OTR's.
I hope it's all dry, a little slush and my super slick sandgrips would love to spin away to glory.

cheers
vishwas

[desertfox]

I have driven to many camping trips in Eastern with trailers attached to Cj3B Jeeps. We used to carry a lot of kitchen and camping stuff as the stays off road were in excess of a week at times.

Those days in late 80s and Mid 90s there was obviously lesser traffic on the roads, but we always made a steady progress at 60 - 50 kmph and never really had too much of a problem towing a trailer.

I remeber one trip where we carried Iron grills on thhe trailer to be fitted in our old farmhouse. What a clanging noise it made at every bump !

[egangsta]

Trammway, check this out. This trailer is attached to a jonga.its same as the one you got.

[harjeev]

Originally Posted by desertfox

I have driven to many camping trips in Eastern with trailers attached to Cj3B Jeeps. We used to carry a lot of kitchen and camping stuff as the stays off road were in excess of a week at times.

Those days in late 80s and Mid 90s there was obviously lesser traffic on the roads, but we always made a steady progress at 60 - 50 kmph and never really had too much of a problem towing a trailer.

I remeber one trip where we carried Iron grills on thhe trailer to be fitted in our old farmhouse. What a clanging noise it made at every bump !

Shaid
I think that getting a trailer to carry stuff and be easily managed even today.
What I want is to get a trailer made and registered that can carry my CJ3B for lets say Delhi to Corbett and back and inside Corbett I can roam around in the CJ3B.
Corbett is just an example!!!

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Dear all - some information about Mahindra trailers. These were made by Mahindra Owen. My boss's boss's boss from 1980 (when I joined M&M as a trainee) Mr.K.S.C.Parthasarathy used to work at Mahindra Owen before 1980. I was told that he used to work on these trailers. I have seen army CJ3Bs getting dispatched from Kandivli plant with these trailers attached.

I have driven Jeeps fitted with the trailer. For towing the trailer, pintle hook and "K" member on the chassis are a must otherwise the chassis will get damaged. For vehicles with back mounted fuel tank, a reinforcing member is added behind the chassis to provide section modulus equivalent to the "K" member. Reversing is a big pain and requires special skills to negotiate otherwise the trailer will just about go anywhere.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[siddartha]

arent these trailers available at mahindra dealers? also there are a lot of trailer builders who make after market trailers for tractors , am sure they will be able to easily replicate these if they are not readily available.

for reversing a trailer ,

turn your steering wheel right if you want your trailer to turn left
turn your steering wheel left if you want your trailer to turn right


to make the trailer go straight , reverse the vehicle much much slower than usual/normal , and keep counter steering for any minor changes in direction of the trailer.

also in forward direction at road speeds , braking distances increase with increase in load on the trailer.

[desertfox]

I would be interested in a trailer for my Cj3B myself. I'll opt for a Bantam trailer that can go direct on the Pintle hook of the Cj3B.

As a matter of fact I am leaving for Mayapuri right away to buy a Air filter hose pipe which has sheared on my Jeep. Will acout around for trailers as well if they are visible.

[Irfanulla]

OK - can anyone help in fishing out the details of requirements and register a self fabricated trailer with the RTO?

also what is a K - member?

ok here it is - its sort of a pipe or other structural steel connecting the two straight's of the chassis -

also it is good to weld / bolt the K member?

[DirtyDan]

Here is a simple solution you see a lot in other countries, a tow bar. It's kind of counter intuitive. You mount this thing to the front bumper or the frame and hitch it to a towing car. The towed vehicle has no choice but to follow despite the front steering seeming to be free. You can rig an electric line back to the the towed vehicle so that its lights do what the tower lights do. You have to be careful about towing this way so as to not develop drive train wind up. Locking hubs front and rear would be one answer.