Detachable gooseneck lowboy trailer in scale 1:17,5 with PF and lights. It features solid axle suspension, parkingbrake, liftable rear axle and detachable gooseneck to load and unload trailer easily.
About this creation
The Internet is my main source on getting information for my models and details on it. In this specific case I also got a lot of help from a friend of mine Tom Parsons. This very friendly person lives in the USA and works at this CAT dealership and provides me with loads and loads of information. My first attempt on building a lowboy trailer was about two years ago, but at that time I didn't manage to do so. Mainly because of the weakness of the deck itself I gave up.
Once there was another email from Tom with great pictures, but this time there was this lowboy. I noticed directly that it has chassis beams that arise from its deck so the chassis beams are thicker then the deck and I knew directly this solves my strength problem. The higher the beams the stronger they are. Notice that in none of the pictures shown here supports are used, the trailer carries the CAT 318C all by itself. If you like to check out the topic on the truck that goes with it as well please click here to see it here on MOCpages.
For more pictures on this model click this to check out my Brickshelf Gallery.
With this type of lowboy trailer the gooseneck is removed to load and unload the deck. Because the front part of the trailer rests on the surface the truck with the gooseneck still attached can drive off. The ramps are lowered and the load, in this case my CAT 318C excavator can enter to deck. After loading the truck backs up again and attaches the gooseneck to the trailer again. With a support that rests on the trucks frame the gooseneck can be lowered of lifted to make sure it comes in place. One last action is to raise the deck and lift the support and the load can be hauled anywhere...
First gooseneck attempt holds two pneumatic cylinders to raise and lower the deck. Luckily TLG had invented the “Linear Actuator ” because even though pneumatic cylinders are strong enough, since air can be compressed it did not suite the job at all. Now with the LA a new problem arise, it was simply not strong enough and a M motor needs to be installed too.
Installing two LA would sure be a solution, but that is not what I wanted basically because there is no room. Installing two M motors, one LA and a IR Receiver in such a small creation was already hard enough. By creating leverage, the length of the movement was simply cut half, enough power was generated to raise the deck. Even with the CAT 318C weighing 1,94 kg / 4.3 lbs it holds just fine. Yes it does drain the batteries, but hey that's OK with me...recharge and done...
I always wondered how on earth the detached gooseneck keeps ground clearance and does not drop to the surface while moving away from the trailer. After I asked this to Tom he gently explained it to me and it was pretty obvious: a support on the gooseneck that rests on the trucks chassis, but till then I did not have a clue at all... :-) How to move on now another option had to be squeezed in into the already not that large gooseneck. A worm gear solution works best which is powered by a M motor via a 1:3 ratio rubber belt “gear” down. It took me quite a while to put it all in there, but after some thinking and puzzling I managed to get it all in place.
Searching the web to find info no this project I bumped into these so called jeeps that often goes with a lowboy trailer. A jeep is basically a simple chassis with a couple of more axles and a fifth wheel. The purpose is to spread load over more axles, this way the weight per axles is suppressed. In the design process I choose to build one with three axles because I wanted it to be able to “stand” on its own without the use of a landing gear simply because there is no room to install one.
It is quite small, but never the less it holds quite some functions. Because the gooseneck needs a power output on the truck it needs one on the jeep too. It is simply a Power Functions Extension Wire (length 50cm) running from the front of the jeep to where the fifth wheel is located. At this point it is attached to the deck from where the Power Functions Light Unit begins which runs to the tail part. When the lowboy is hooked up the electric connector of the gooseneck can be plugged in and power is supplied to operate. All three axles of the jeep have solid axle suspension.
After the job is done and you as a driver are about to turn back home, this is a typical way to bring it all back. Just load the jeep on the lowboy, secure it and you're out of there...
GREAT TRAILER!! You always seem to out-do yourself. I have actually been trying to make this trailer, but that been having trouble with the locking mechanism for the gooseneck and how to move the gooseneck up an down. Do you think you could help me??
Quoting Ryan Carpenter
Hey This is a really good model, i have tried in the past to make a low boy but have failed. I am wondering if I could get a copy of the Blueprints for this, thank you.
Thanks for the kind words. I don't have any blueprints basically because I don't use any. Also do I not have instructions for this model yet, but I have plans on creating some...
Hey This is a really good model, i have tried in the past to make a low boy but have failed. I am wondering if I could get a copy of the Blueprints for this, thank you.
Thanks for the kind words on this model. I am glad I inspire people, but you are on your own to build on. Creating and sharing instructions is not realy what I am up to. The actual building is what I love doing... Cheers!
This is exactly what I have been needing to complete my construction set. Please email instructions to me at msmith66742002@yahoo.com. I would really appreciated it!!
Hi brother this is a excellent art work you done . Beautiful and nice building by the way can you email me at joe_oem@hotmail.com able the building instruction so that I can follow thanks
Quoting George Staples
Very good, I like the placement of the battery box, very sneaky. I didn't see it the first time I looked at this model. I also like the CAT excavator.
Thanks a lot. The battery box was a pain in the bud to be honest and I'm glad I came up with this solution. On the excav there'll be another topic someday...
Quoting Chris Melby
Can I ask, where do you source your bricks for these killer builds? Please let me know, I am hoping to find a source better than brick link. Chris
BrickLink it is...I'm sorry... :-) In my opinion this is a very good source...why isn't it yours?
I like it
Chris Melby
January 9, 2012
Can I ask, where do you source your bricks for these killer builds? Please let me know, I am hoping to find a source better than brick link. Chris
Quoting Thomas Graafland
looks good! I realy like the "jeep". You made that excavator yourself? Please check out my trailer:)
Thank you very much. The jeep was fun to build, quite easy in a way but with quite a lot of functions to it. Yes, the excavator is mine as well. I will display it quite soon, I need to make a little movie of it.
I am an avid builder of Lego have been for over 30 years, but this is just amaizing, I just finished building the 8043 and want to find a hauler for it, this so fit the bill.
Just amazing
hi m8
that is great and i did make the digger and i think that i can make that too. p.s can i have the instructions for it please and send it too my hotmail address: this is my hotmail address ben_peachey_17@hotmail.com.
how do you sliding the pin of the trailer into the other piece
please let me now?
i am build another trucks with power functions i have an low boy trailer but i don't know how to make on the truck same way as yours, I made about the front section.
but how do I make it onto the trailer now that I can disconnect electric again.
greetings rik Moorman.
P.S. can you please let me know what your answer is?
Is there possiblity to add a few pictures of how you constructed to locking pins with the linear actuator in the trailer part? I am trying to build my own powered trailer.
great work.
i have seen some renders from your models on brickshelf.
if the renders createt from a cad (mpd) file, its possible for me to make my own buildinginstruction.
the only thing i need is an mpd file, is there a chance for me, to get them ?
Excellent job on the lowboy. I work for a trucking company and we have a few trailers that look exactly like that. And they operate very similar to your model. Again, great job.
Hi Ingmar, Just getting into Lego myself (have a 5 year-old son and buying Lego for him I got myself interested in Technic. Was looking around for (rigid) construction ideas for a low-boy when I found your page. Great work and I love the details you show in your pictures.
Keep up the great work!
Geez. It's impressive how you manage to make it look and operate so much like the real deal. The gooseneck is very cool ~
However I don't quite like the speed at which it moves. If you have spare cash, try NXT motors. You need not buy the whole NXT set, just the motors and power them from the PF battery box, just modify the connectors.
Don't worry about the size, your trailer is already so big !
