Popular Science Monthly
��295
��A Tractor Trailer Made from an Old Automobile
AN old automobile having good mechan- ical parts, but too out of date in appearance to be used as a pleasure car, may be utilized as a truck by attaching a trailer. The illustrations and description are for changing over and attaching a trailer to a 35 hp. automobile having a 4-cylinder engine with a three-speed for-
��through both for a king pin. This is clearly shown in the detail drawing.
An entire rear axle for an automobile with springs and tires was procured. All brake connections were removed and the number of spring leaves increased. These were refastened to the axle in their original position with longer spring clips. Four pieces each were made of A, B and C, of the dimensions given, from %-in. steel. These pieces made the spring suspension
����5ide- sectional elevation
%'plate riveted to . ,.,.
��chassis iz" wide
���front
��Moo- floor pine
���Grease
���Longitudinal section of frame h &
��Details of the fifth wheel to attach to the rear part of a pleasure car frame, after the body has been removed, to make a trailer truck. Details are also given for its frame and body construction
��ward and a reverse. The wheel base of the one used was about 128 in. The original body on the automobile was of the touring type. To make use of as much of the body as possible it was cut in two just back of the front seat and the rear part removed to make free use of the frame for the fifth wheel of the trailer.
Two pieces of channel iron were then cut and riveted in the frame directly over the rear axle. These pieces support a plate on which the bottom part of the fifth wheel rests, a hole being drilled
��bracket A, the rear suspension brackets B and the spring shackles C. These pieces were cut from scrap at a structural shop and %-in. holes were punched for rivets and ^-in. holes drilled for the spring pins D. In fastening the pieces A and B to the frame it is much better to make a card- board or paper pattern and carefully center- punch and drill the holes. Securely bolt the pieces, using a cast iron filler as shown in the detail. The filler may be of any suitable piece of scrap iron that will fit into the channel. The projecting ends of
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