Much thought was put into the design when making the original UneeK trailer
to get the best possible combination of strength, light weight and maximum
capacity. Since the original MkI design (started in 1999) which was an open
'box' trailer with a tonneau cover, considerable more design has evolved to
result in the current MkVIII design.
The original design brief was to make a trailer with a maximum length of
eight foot (2.4 m) and designed so it could easily be stood on it's back end
and comfortably fit under a standard eight foot ceiling in a garage. It
needed to be light enough to both lift up on end by hand, and to be towed by
a small car (we never aimed to make it to suit a motorbike).
The capacity of the trailer needed to be as large at practical, without
becoming too heavy to tow when full. We set out to make the width and height
so a flat platform could be layed out on top of the trailer to become a base
for a double bed (my wife and I enjoy camping, and were looking for a
comfortable off-ground bed solution).
Our latest version UneeK Touring-Trailer is a multi-functional trailer with uses as diverse as your own imagination.
The Chassis: -
The chassis is made to be light and strong, an 'A' frame, made from
rectangular hollow section steel, it has no bends to become structural weak points.
It's design gives maximum support to the flat floor of the fibreglass body,
resulting in minimum area of unsupported floor space. This negates the need
for ridges in the floor giving an easy to work with flat floor.
The chassis is chemically bonded to the fibreglass body as well as having
mechanical attachment, making for a structurally sound integral unit of
chassis and body.
The Suspension: -
The suspension is a semi-elliptical - live axle suspension, time-tested,
his suspension system has been around for a century or more. Being a heavy
type of suspension means the trailer is stable on the ground, not prone to
tip when cornering, it also supports the load of the trailer, when full, on
four evenly distributed points negating the need for heavy section chassis
members or added strength in the body.
The total sprung load of the trailer is taken on five equally spaced
points, four on the ends of the spring leaves and the fifth on the tow ball.
The Body: -
The fibreglass body becomes an integral part of the strength of the
chassis, so much so that we were even surprised at the soundness of the
design when one of our rental trailers was involved in a three car (and one
trailer) pile up. The trailer had only minimal damage (lights and other minor
peripheral damage), while the tow car and one hitting the trailer each had
much more extensive damage. The trailer had no structural damage, took only
an hour to fix, and continued on the trip.
The prow shaped front of the trailer minimizes the distance the chassis
needs to extend out the front, which in turn strengthens the 'draw bar' part
of the chassis. The angled nose of the body allows the trailer to turn
relative to the tow vehicle without hitting the vehicle.
The top edge of the trailer has tubular steel encapsulated in the
fibreglass to give the trailer maximum rigidity and strength, this
strengthened edge gives support to the gas strut lid supports, and lid
locking catches.
The lid: -
The lid also made of fibreglass, with tubular steel reinforced edges for
maximum rigidity and strength. It can easily be removed enabling the trailer
to be used as an open 'box' trailer, as well as enabling the lid to be used
for other purposes.
The lid is even able to be used as a
small still water boat, with the addition of buoyancy filled seats, or alternately as a free standing cupboard/shelving unit for camping.
