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Trailer for F4-How to?

R

reidalpine

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Hi guys!Have just bought another -84 F4 to make use of the rear-compartment to manufacture luggage-trailer for Roffen the F4.:D
As often-there's rust in the rear frame Box-members and also where the shockers are fixed underneath.
My plan is to chop off all the frame-remove tank and also the
rear-wheels and "swing-arms" then get a trailer-manufacturer to make me a frame complete with
axle/hubs -the lot. All such hubs seems to use the 4X10
wheelnut or stud-pattern.I plan to fabricate a spacer (or two!)to convert it to 3-bolt pattern..Trailer will have no brakes.
-Anyone made a trailer like this before??-there surely Must be! I'm not going into the transport-business so trailer will be used for light-duty use only.I'm allowed to pull 500kg's on the hitch.Don't know what the rear body-shell weights yet but will make it as ligth as poss.

*****Trailerproject still resides in France (Nogent) so anyone on their way from there to Norway anytime soon with space to transport complete F4 will get 5 GOLD STARS c",)***** and be made Honorary-citizen of Norway!!:roll::roll: Seriously-I am looking for transport all the way-or partdistance.(Live near Swedish border)-Will ofcourse pay good Norwegian Oil-money for transport.
DonorF4 is a bit iffy so will probably not go under own power.

-Originally thought of welding-in the bonnet in front of trailer (to fill in the hole)but it seems too difficult to get a front-screen installed in this bonnet due to all the profiles-will most likely go for new smooth body-panel instead.

Any/All advice/pictures/plans etc.Greatly appreciated!
 
Why don't you use the standard R4 suspension unit? At least then you've got 3 stud wheels and the option of fitting brakes at some point. All you need then is the frame to mount the suspension unit to the van body.

BTW the van body probably weighs 75kg on its own - I could lift my F6 shell complete on my own and I'm hardly Hulk Hogan
 
HI there in Cymru! You might have a point by using the orig.frame-Soon as i have checked it out I will know just
how much rot there is...
I presumed there would a be a lot of rust,so thought it would make sense to just remove the whole frame and go for new trailer-one-Hope to collect the car in 2weeks time.

No plans on fitting brakes to trailer,but will consider your suggestion
Thanx much for info re.weight of rear-body!
'R you a member of the ARAF-club in Cymry?? c",) Cheers/-R.
 
Trailer-project now well underways...

Hi all! just a quick update in case someone should be interressted..Donor-F4 collected in France and driven under own power to Norway-Not so much as a misfire or hick-up!

Donor now cut in half right down B-pillars to boxframe-then
cut these under A-beam to make a triangle for the hitch by
way of cutting a V-shape and bending them in.

-All stuff removed from both inside and underside of rear-
body. Used loads of rustremover and a little 'french' to get
the bolts holding body to frame loosened,put a jack with a log on top and jacked away under body to get that black goo between body and frame to let go.

Have decided to use orig.rear-frame as is-to get nice damping-caracteristics of F4.
rearparts of boxsections rusted on underside so opened them up-used acetone to get building-foam to crumble and die!
rear frames rusted on tricky spots-namely under the double-skin where the shockers are fastened.
Have been in contact with www.Melun-Retro-Passion.com
to check if they have the complete rearframes available
they do have new and improved rear-parts for boxsections
at €51 ea.
Still haven't heard back so will send them treatening mail tomorrow :roll:

All minor dents and dings now taken care of.Only one minor
rusthole on body-just under rear-light.Then there's the two
holes in the bed where the rear-traverse is.

Now if only I could figure out How-To attach some pixes I would..but being more than normally computer-illiterate I am unsure how to do it right now.

Changed main-brakepump on Roffen so now I know how
that squashed fly on the windshield feels-NO need for discbrakes I think!

See you all-and wish you all a Happy 4-summer!
more later..................-R.
 
Don't forget there have been 3 bank holidays here in the last fortnight - and things don't move quickly at the best of times!
 
I know. I'm not in any Real hurry -as long as I get the parts yesterday
or preferably the day before....

Still no answer from M-R-P-
-Anyone have other addresses where to get frame-bits from? -R.
 
Try Der Franzose www.franzose.de
Look at Schliessblech or Schwingentrager . We ordered some bits a week or so ago and they came straight away with a nice catalogue with lovely old pics of R4s and some travel sweets! Can't be bad.
 
Hi Clem (and malcolm too!) -The 3rd pic you show is the rearmost end of the boxsections.and Yes I need them both as there is too much rot going on at all 4sides of it.
In addition I need the whole complete rearframes (about 113cm.long)
as they are both rustes out where the shockers are screwed on-looks to be tricky spot as it does have these 3 ridges or bulges to let water and muck out
-as all know, these soon fills up with pebbles and stuff and are a breeding-ground for rust.
Rearframe has also rusted out both on topside where the traverse meet and also underside where they're doubleskinned..looks to me the 1. and 2. pic you show are the actual doubleskins.
-Will give it one more look to see how bad it really is
-last time I saw the cat (Kandize) he looked OUT at me from one of the holes!!
 
Hi Bluebell -Will do! -am a sucker for travel-sweets.......
Thanx much for info!! -R.

Update: No luck with either Schliessblech oder Schwingträger
:(
 
Thanks reidalpine and Bluebell for the new suppliers. I've added them to the small list of suppliers on http://www.renault4.co.uk/buying-R4s.htm

Went around Der Franzone adding parts to the basket until I realised they didn't have any apex panels. Those things have driven me mad today. Planning on installing a 1000 tonne press and making them myself.
 
I missed them, though I was only looking at the photos in the Karosserie section. Did think it was odd they didn't have them though.

I've had an annoying day with the things. Thought I'd let some new metal into the bit that had rusted away where the foot panel joins. Messed it up and bent the whole panel. Phoned Renault and got the new girl so lots of time on the phone before finding out they are no longer available. Though she asked for the oval plate number, and I gave up before asking iof they were available without the little hole for the trim. Drove to the motor factor and they don't seem to like hadrian panels anymore. Something about an £80 charge. Eeek.

So having vented, where did you find the apex panels?
 
Hi again Malc! While at it you might want to add to the list of suppliers...
www.autonordic.dk (they have various body-parts for R4 in addition to lights etc.)
www.klokkerholm.com (they seem to be trade-only so you'll
need an access-code/cust.#) -they manufacture repro-parts /various body-panels and frameparts for rust/patch-work.

-Still no reply from M-R-P :mad: :confused: -R.
 
Thanks for the link Steve - I'd missed page 2 (and the English version). Enough parts to build a R4 from scratch now on their way from Germany.

Thanks reidalpine for the suppliers - I've added them to the list. I'd been thinking parts supply had dried up for these things, but we're doing well again now.
 
Glad you're sorted now Malcolm. Klokkerholm appear to be the Danish equivalent of Hadrian panels because the images are the same as autonordic and Klokkerholm has a factory in Germany. I just wonder if there is a klokkerholm outlet in the uk??
 
One more R4-outlet then I'll shut up...
www.veng.no
they have some body-panels (inc.A-panels)rads.etc
-If someone need to buy from them ,I live nearby and can assist.
Can also send stuff from Sweden(=EC) so you don't have to pay any more Vat/tax etc.....-since Norway is NON-EC -R.
 
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