This week we followed up on our previous posts that highlighted our need to prepare for the future. We need to buy the parts we will need once we are completely done with the frame and tongue. The next step in our project is attaching the axles, hitch, and jack stand to the trailer. We do not have any of these materials and need to buy them before we can do anything. So this week we focused on buying materials. We started off by buying the hitch that is rated at 12,500 lbs from Tractor Supply. We bought it’s connection piece from our mentor who had one in his shop that would enable the hitch to move up and down that enable the trailer to be used with a wide variety of truck hitch heights.
Later, we took a trip to a trailer part store called Nuera Trailer Supply. After talking with an employee of the shop and explaining our involvement in a High School Capstone Project, he decided to give us the best deal he could. The employee almost gave us complete retail price on all our parts which made the price of the parts less than anything we could find elsewhere. We bought a complete kit from the shop that included, tires, wheels, safety chains, leaf springs, fenders, and all the connection pieces we will need for the axles. The only part we could not obtain were the axles themselves. We talked with the employee and he ordered the axles so that we could get the axles in two weeks. Which coincides perfectly with the time frame that we want to put the axles on. We just have to hope they come in in time so we can stay on schedule and keep working.
What we are planning to do in the future is completely finish the frame, tongue, and hitch of the trailer in the next week. Then we will hopefully pick up the axles in the following week. After that we plan to attach the leaf springs, axles, tires, and jack that will make the trailer able to stand on its own and fully support itself. Once this is accomplished we only have the dump bed frame to make, the side panels, and install the hydraulic piston. For now we are on a role and need to stick to it to try and finish this project as fast as possible.
What we did well this week was keeping our word. We have been wanting to prepare for the future and buy materials in advance of getting to that step in the project. This week it is exactly what we accomplished. Also we have been looking for the best prices available to make the budget of the project affordable. By searching for the prices we found the lowest price available and exploited our chance to minimize the budget.
What we need to work on is trying to fund-raise for the project. It is getting very difficult to keep up with the expenses of the project. So in order to improve we need to start fundraising very heavily in order to make the project possible. We could also improve on finding more time to work on the project, but for now we are on a role and need to stick to it. We kept our word this week and just need to keep chipping away. Sooner than later the project will be completed and our goals will be accomplished.
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