My scratch built expedition style trailer build up thread

[sseaman]

Yes, the hurricane hinge is what they use on tear drops, heres a link

http://www.lilbear.teardrops.net/parts.html

[REZARF]

Originally Posted by lx450landcruiser

any ideas on weather stripping? i figure its best to go ahead and get the stripping for mine so i know what im dealing with when fabbing up the top that way its all snug.

mike

I am going with strip style with two hollow channels in the cross section. You can get it at home depot but it is made for the auto market.

Hope it helps.

Drew

[REZARF]

Well, I got a few more hours in the garage today, we are having crazy warm weather, so I am trying to make the best of it.

I worked on my propane tank mounts today and got them up and running. I had purchased a set from my local welding shop that open with a hinge then tighten with a wing nut. Once I had them in hand they didn't fit the tanks :( and they made the tank stick out nearly 2" from the sides of the trailer... not good... not only that but they were 60 bucks and not close enough to what I wanted to justify the cost, SO...

... I made my own!

I started with about 5 bucks in scrap material from my local steel yard. I cut two channels 8" in length. I drilled three holes to make my mounts foundation.

Next, I welded 2x.125" strap to the sides of the channel and hoisted the tank into place. I used the tank as a mold and started to bend the strap around the tank... I used a few ratchet strap to hold the tank in place and I screwed the foundation to the saw horse, this all worked really well.

[REZARF]

Then, I tacked in the short side. I bent the tab over and then got the rough shape by bending the steel in my vice with a 3lb sledge. If you try this, just bend it a little at a time and after a few minutes a nice smooth curve starts to form.

Once the short side was in place I could trim the long side to the right length. Then it was time to burn in the welds, the first one I made the spot welds failed once I really started getting after the bending.

[REZARF]

After that, I just had to bend the last tab over on the long side and drill a hole for the bolt to go through. Then I used an adjustable cresent wrench to man handle the bolt holes into place and I can bring the two parts together tightly by tightening the bolt.

You can see how the tank mount will "bolt" up to the frame of the trailer.

[REZARF]

Woa-lah!

I have two custom propane mounts now. I will secure the bottom of the tank with a bolt to the deck of the trailer, but other than that I may create a way to lock them up when the trailer is parked in town.

I ordered 2" wide rubber strips to insulate the tank from vibration and keep it from getting banged up by the mount itself. It is good stuff and has a nice adhesive back on it. After paint I will put them on.

Whatta' ya think?

[philos1]

looks great! Any progress elsewhere?

[OlympiaFJ60]

Very nice, I think I will have to use that design. What size tanks are those? They don't look like the typical 20#.

[REZARF]

Originally Posted by OlympiaFJ60

Very nice, I think I will have to use that design. What size tanks are those? They don't look like the typical 20#.

They are 11# tanks, they are virtually the same height as the 20# tanks but are only 9" in diameter. FWIW, my local toyota dealer had them pretty cheap compared to other retailers.

[REZARF]

Originally Posted by philos1

looks great! Any progress elsewhere?

Not really, been busy at work, and with the holidays here now, family, traveling, eating... I hope to get a bit more done this week. I am heading to 2badfj's tomorrow to borrow a square tubing die so I can knock out my fenders, befor the weather breaks.

Thanks for the kind words.

[spressomon]

Nice idea and fabbing on the propane mounts Drew!!! Its one thing to make stuff like that with a machine shop full of tools, bolted to the floor steel benches and the like...but kudos to you for pulling these together in your garage with basic, simple tools!

[ColoCruiserJeff]

Good looking trailer!! Keep up the progress!

[vtcruiser60]

Impressive strapping. Well done....

[FJOE]

Rezarf

I am very impresse with this project. Congradulations!!! you are gonna have one awsome safari trailer when you get it done.
I am very inspired, especially when in the beginning otf this thread you said you were a beginner at welding. what I want to know is what welder do you have? I will be doing a m416 project this year and want to practice welding first.

[REZARF]

Originally Posted by spressomon

Nice idea and fabbing on the propane mounts Drew!!! Its one thing to make stuff like that with a machine shop full of tools, bolted to the floor steel benches and the like...but kudos to you for pulling these together in your garage with basic, simple tools!

Thanks! It can get tough thinking through how to do this or that... knowing I don't have exactly what I need. That is why I posted that propane fab in detail, to help others realize you don't have to have a CNC machine to make a few custom parts. But I would take a CNC tomorrow!

[REZARF]

Originally Posted by FJOE

Rezarf

I am very impresse with this project. Congradulations!!! you are gonna have one awsome safari trailer when you get it done.
I am very inspired, especially when in the beginning otf this thread you said you were a beginner at welding. what I want to know is what welder do you have? I will be doing a m416 project this year and want to practice welding first.

Thanks man, this has been a fun project to work on for sure. I am using a 220v Lincoln SP-175t it is a great welder and I got it for a great price. If you need to learn how to weld I only did three things:

1. I bought and read Welders Handbook by Finch, before even buying my welder.
2. I took lots of pictures and posted them on my local clubs site (Rising Sun) where a few of the older fab guys gave me great advice, it was like taking an interactive on line class.
3. I burned about 1/2 mile of scrap! I feel like welding is more art than science and technique is only improved by making more and more beads.

Hope that helps.

Drew

[CRUZR66]

Drew, I had the Same thoughts when I built my Trailer, same width as my cruzr, length the same as the width, Cruzer rear Tailgates, cruzer Hubs ,Spindles on a home built Axle, Old Cruzer leaf springs, Cruizer rear tailights, All used parts from my Crusier, I've done about three Major Mods since the first flatbed I built, got rid of the Pintle and Ring towing setup, went with my Own Design, Quiet and non binding, My trailer has a 16 gallon spare Feul tank, pump with hose long enough to refill cruizer, 12 volt electrics, 600 watt inverter, enough power to run my blender all weekend on the Rubithon, 4 nights and still have Night lights on. Onboard lights, working on 10 gallon water tank, for my Shower unit under my Hood of my Cruiser, Home built also, Trailer carries all the essentials, spare parts, camping equipment, Large ice chest, Two tuff boxes, a few more mods and I'll be done, I made mine to drag around behind my cruiser on the Rubicon trail, painted Camo just like the cruiser, had to change from Flat black, people asked if it was a big BBQ, I have a long trailer tongue, long enough to jack knife the trailer sideways and still not touch the trailer with the cruiser, I'll post a few Pics soon, as soon as i get my computer fixed,

Jim Adams (aka Gunner)
Pacific Mountain Cruisers

[dieselcruiserhead]

Nice work and great thread..! On the strapping for the propane bottle (which looks awesome ( I would maybe add a gusset to where it angles out. As you continually use the strap and untension/tension, you are likely to start bending at that angle and a gusset would preserve it. Nice work though killer and killer looking!

[REZARF]

Originally Posted by CRUZR66

Drew, I had the Same thoughts when I built my Trailer, same width as my cruzr, length the same as the width, Cruzer rear Tailgates, cruzer Hubs ,Spindles on a home built Axle, Old Cruzer leaf springs, Cruizer rear tailights, All used parts from my Crusier, I've done about three Major Mods since the first flatbed I built, got rid of the Pintle and Ring towing setup, went with my Own Design, Quiet and non binding, My trailer has a 16 gallon spare Feul tank, pump with hose long enough to refill cruizer, 12 volt electrics, 600 watt inverter, enough power to run my blender all weekend on the Rubithon, 4 nights and still have Night lights on. Onboard lights, working on 10 gallon water tank, for my Shower unit under my Hood of my Cruiser, Home built also, Trailer carries all the essentials, spare parts, camping equipment, Large ice chest, Two tuff boxes, a few more mods and I'll be done, I made mine to drag around behind my cruiser on the Rubicon trail, painted Camo just like the cruiser, had to change from Flat black, people asked if it was a big BBQ, I have a long trailer tongue, long enough to jack knife the trailer sideways and still not touch the trailer with the cruiser, I'll post a few Pics soon, as soon as i get my computer fixed,

Jim Adams (aka Gunner)
Pacific Mountain Cruisers

Man, I would love to see this thing, how about starting up a thread?

[REZARF]

Originally Posted by dieselcruiserhead

Nice work and great thread..! On the strapping for the propane bottle (which looks awesome ( I would maybe add a gusset to where it angles out. As you continually use the strap and untension/tension, you are likely to start bending at that angle and a gusset would preserve it. Nice work though killer and killer looking!

Thanks man, I will see how they go, I thought about gusseting them, but I don't think they will need it. If they do I can always add them later.

THanks!

Rezarf <><

[REZARF]

Gotta give a BIG SHOUT OUT to:

2badfj's aka Jim the Solid Rock Off-Road fab-tastic dude! for lending me his die for bending up some square tube today, THANKS JIM!

Second,Ullr... formerly known as IanB, for letting me bend steel way into the night tonight!

YOU BOTH ROCK!

Pics tomorrow, I gotta have some light to show you what I got done, I think this is going to look SWEET!

Rezarf <><

[AxleIke]

Drew, those tank mounts are AWESOME...Great work man!! Those are 100000x better than what i was talking about....Sweet!

[REZARF]

Thanks Isaac! I appreciate it, when are we going to burn in the rest of your bumper?

Ahywho...

Here is what I got done yesterday. I spent the afternoon and evening at ullr's house, thanks again Ian!

Seems simple, and it is, but getting 4 pieces of tubing to bend at the EXACT same angle and make them mirror images by hand was quite the task. I only wasted one section, and I can use that one in making my "shelves" on the sides of the frame to hold a gas can or whatever. So I took the messed up one and pulled two 90* bends instead. I will chop that one down the middle to make two shelves... clear as mud?

I also pulled the top bar for the rack for the front cargo box. Simple stuff but time consuming for noob at bending.

[gavman]

Looks great there Drew,
What did you use for the making the bends, Or should i say what brand of bender?