semi trailer and trailer bed,maximuim overdrive truck.

[sporty]

Started working on a trailer and a flat bed.

the trailer 12.5 inches long and 3 1/8th wide.

I used some plywood 1/4 thick for the top and bottom and for the back and front.






My son said, it should have the doors like a real semi. So That's why its cut out, I will remove more, but I need it for now for a few reasons, measurements and shape.



Well it needs to have lights right !











The green is for the ground wires.







2 red, 5 yellow, this be for the top part of the side, two of these each. not including tail lights.

1.8mm led, with resistor. these are small. I debated the 3mm ones, but really don't want the lights to over shadow the paint. decal of the semi when done.



I have to find time to keep working on it and get further along, been rather busy lately.




The flat bed is for a race.

started polishing the aluminum.



wet sanded some and polish.





Got a decent shine, I did not sand with a ruff enough to make it smooth, but did improve it.

That's all for now.

Sporty

[Speedster]

Looking Good Sporty but I think the DOT is going to pull you over with the light set-up. If I'm not mistaken the front light should be yellow.

[sporty]

Looking Good Sporty but I think the DOT is going to pull you over with the light set-up. If I'm not mistaken the front light should be yellow.

That's cute.
Me and my son were right next to a semi last week for 5 miles on a two lane, one way.
That trailer had a red then 5 yellow and another red on its side.
My research found so many trailer light options.
So, I seen a trailer just like that and we did a light count and with it for this project.
I have seen them all yellow also.
Hope that explains why i have done it.
Sporty

[Speedster]

Sporty, you now have my curiosity. " TRAILERS -- Federal Lighting Equipment Location requirements."
Would you be so kind as to direct me to where on the Internet you saw where a Red Clearance light was allowed on the front of a trailer? Thank You.

[sporty]

Sporty, you now have my curiosity. " TRAILERS -- Federal Lighting Equipment Location requirements."
Would you be so kind as to direct me to where on the Internet you saw where a Red Clearance light was allowed on the front of a trailer? Thank You.

I seen it visually as noted in my reply we were driving next to it

Edit: update.

Just spoke with my friend who drives, run , own trucking company.

Dot. rules our the yellow, except rear corner side as you mentioned.

Now he said, he has seen truckers run it like and knows people who do it. as some run even more lights.

He said, that some do it and get away with it and don't get bothered, It appears to be a issue of doing it anyhow, and sometimes its enforced and sometimes not.

Sporty

[Speedster]

Thank You.

[sporty]

I got both sides of leds done, just a quick placement for now to see how they look, have other areas to get to before mounting.

Just using black vinyl for covering, will add decals to the outside to it as well.







the all dark picture did not take very well.





Sporty

[Darin McGrew]

I like the running lights. That's a nice detail. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished design.

[sporty]

thanks Darin,

The back lights, started with them. heres how im doing them, progress photos.


Upper member above door on the back.










6 lights for the bumper, red.



3 lights above the door, 2 red, one yellow in the middle.

[sporty]

Sporty

[gpraceman]

Looks good. Now you need to wire in an accelerometer to hit the brake lights at the stop section.

[sporty]

Looks good. Now you need to wire in an accelerometer to hit the brake lights at the stop section.

That would be nice. Maybe when you build another one. You can do one.
It would be cool. But honestly I'm at over 10 hours just doing this and still working on it. Got more lights to do for the cab. I have not even gotten to the flat bet yet either.
I only got so much time. I'm due for a break for a few months. Lol

I think I'll have estimate of 20 hours on this trailer.
this is hard for me. I start going loco. When I get to tedious into things.

[sporty]

I would like to make some pc boards to make future installs easier, I am out of boards and etching solution for the board. It might something for me to think about more, Down the road a bit.

I have so much to do, with getting many items finished and done. before Feb 2015.


So its been at a pretty heavy pace these several weeks, with 6/8 cars, then another 3 for future testing of air jam, ram jam, ect.

Now its been semis right after that.

I feel there is way to much wiring going on inside the trailer, but this is the first time I have ever tried this and Im for sure Ill find a better way the next time.

The doors, I tried a doll rod and pin, thinking I could mount the doors to them, But that would not work for me, the doors would not open.

So I ended up using just the pins I made out of steel rod. So they could open, however, they open into the inside and I can live with that. I hope to see someone do them, and see them open out. and see how they do it. I'm not a modeler atleast not a very good one.







Alignment is not perfect, but Ill live with it. Patience starts to go away for me after several hours into a project. I can either take a few weeks off or continue on, but with less perfection.

Now for the big surprise-------

See I have been thinking and talking with whodathunkit,

We both wanted to do this !!! So I got lucky and contacted a guy on ebay, who is selling complete model, semis of whats below and I asked him if he could sell just stickers and the mold.

And I shared the listing with Whodathunkit. As I knew he wanted to build one too.

So, I got much work to do yet. But--







Maximum OverDrive





I don't have the skills to make it look that nice or that accurate, but I hope to just have it look good ! And I am sure Whodathunkit can do it even better and I cant wait.


Sporty

[sporty]

Woohoo, I am getting closer now.


Trailer almost done, Needs some clear coats, bottom base and wheels and peg.

A few more pictures.


I have not forgotten about the aluminum flat bed trailer. I will do that and bottom to this one next few days.

Since the flat bed is 1/4 thick plate. Its mostly the bottom base and wheels and pin and maybe a rear bumper. and side decals on the plate.





A little miss alignment here, but im gonna live with it, the string is a wire to pull the doors close, I just did not remove it yet.

The string is attached to a longer doll rod to help pull the doors closed, until I put some handles or something on the door. I got to think a bit before I finish that part. and add the lower bumper.







Sporty

[gpraceman]

Wow. Very nice.

I'd be interested in trying "end glow" fiber optics for the lights. Below is some fiber optic strands that have been heat shrunk onto an ultra-bright LED. Here's one source that I found for the fiber optics, either as individual strands or a multi-strand cable. I assume it is really made of clear plastic, so cutting it to length should be easy.