The Camco Industries team were recently privileged to be involved in a bespoke trailer design and build project for Rapid Relief Team – New Zealand (RRT).
RRT is a global volunteer organization that supports communities in need. They take part in proactively serving the community through providing food at charity events, supplying relief to areas of need, and responding reactively to emergency situations.
RRT’s current trailers have all the supplies and equipment they need to respond quickly to a situation, including BBQs, but were looking for something easier for their teams to use. Their current trailer design was built for Australian conditions so our team got to work designing a trailer that would better suit our New Zealand environment, carry the same amount of equipment but in a small, easier to maneuverer unit, and ensure safe towing on our treacherous roads.
As a volunteer charity, RRT had a variety of opinions, views, and comments that came from the team members and leaders nationally. To incorporate the most feedback possible, two prototype trailers were built and trailed before we reached the final production design. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and while ensuring all available feedback was considered, this process took two years.
To achieve the requirements, our Camco designers and engineers decided to make the following changes to their current trailer.
| RRT Current Trailer | Camco Industries Trailer Final Design |
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A single axle best met the needs of RRT as it allows the trailer to be easily maneuvered by hand and in tight spaces, such as events where vehicle access isn’t available.
Our team made the decision to use a hydraulic braking system rather than traditional cable brakes to ensure a consistent and reliable braking experience. Cable brakes aren’t as dependable as they use coarse braided wire which is susceptible to stretching in a short space of time
It was important for RRT to have a low-maintenance, reliable brake system for their volunteers. In addition to hydraulic brakes, we used a large, vented brake disk from the Patriot range by Trailparts to offer superior braking and cooling. This was essential to the RRT application as the trailer is fully laden 100% of the time.
Timbren suspension was chosen as it offers a more comfortable ride than general leaf springs, particularly paired with a single axle unit, as bumps tend to be transferred straight through the towbar to the vehicle.
Camco was able to work extensively with the RRT team, through two prototypes to result in a trailer specific to their needs. We were able to reduce the weight of the trailer by 430kgs, decrease the overall size, and create a safer on-road trailer while retaining the space needed for equipment from the original trailer.
TrailParts products used: Patriot High Performance Trailer Brakes | Trailparts NZ | Innovations & Buy Trailer Suspension Online | Timbren | Trailparts NZ
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