My Baja Trailer build....

[semlin]

Originally Posted by J-man

i considered the pintle hitches, but i dont do any crazy trails, rock gardens, or serious off camber wheeling. Its mainly hauling azzz down baja roads that bump like crazy and some beach stuff so thats why i went with the standard 2" coupler. We'll see down the road if I need to change it. thx tho

great build

fwiw i have an m101 and the pintle is a revelation. apart from being amazing offroad, it tows better than any other trailer I've ever used on the highway. i highly recommend it for something like this. I use a pintle mount for the truck that is attached to a standard trailer draw bar.

for the eezi awn tent mount rack you are building, here is what I have for a car top tent made out of 1x1 box tube. I use yakima cross members attached to yakima bolt on rain gutters so that the trailer can carry tall stuff in utility mode and I have been very happy with that set up. the side racks are also bolt off removeable but I have not found any reason to do that.

one issue with having the tent up high on a trailer is lateral stability. I added a receiver to the middle of the rear of the trailer and then inserted a second removeable adjustable trailerjack so i could stabilize and level the trailer front to back. the centre locaton did not take into account the side to side give of the shocks. I have found it is better to have stabilizers on both rear corners so you get a tripod effect. If you can find trailer jacks off a tent trailer to mount there it will be money well spent. I am using axle stands.

[J-man]

very cool rig. I like the narrow but tall military tires. I think im going to do similar with mine, probably some 255-85-16's, we'll see. I really like the pintle, but at this point i have to get it finished (limited time now) and dont want to mess with the reciver - its already finished. Im sure ill go your route later on tho.

Regarding the tent, i put it up on top of my rack and opened it up. I definately need to get some type of either screw jacks or something for all 4 corners. Without them, it wiggles like a bowl of jello.

I see you have double wheel tounge jack. Where'd you pick that up?

[semlin]

Originally Posted by J-man

Regarding the tent, i put it up on top of my rack and opened it up. I definately need to get some type of either screw jacks or something for all 4 corners. Without them, it wiggles like a bowl of jello.

if you put an adjustable tongue jack on the front you should only need two screw jacks behind the wheels. they form a tripod.

Originally Posted by j-man

I see you have double wheel tounge jack. Where'd you pick that up?

on special at the local auto supply store. They were so cheap I got another one for the rear hitch instead of a screwjack as originally planned.

[J-man]

Originally Posted by semlin

great build

fwiw i have an m101 and the pintle is a revelation. apart from being amazing offroad, it tows better than any other trailer I've ever used on the highway. i highly recommend it for something like this. I use a pintle mount for the truck that is attached to a standard trailer draw bar.

for the eezi awn tent mount rack you are building, here is what I have for a car top tent made out of 1x1 box tube. I use yakima cross members attached to yakima bolt on rain gutters so that the trailer can carry tall stuff in utility mode and I have been very happy with that set up. the side racks are also bolt off removeable but I have not found any reason to do that.

one issue with having the tent up high on a trailer is lateral stability. I added a receiver to the middle of the rear of the trailer and then inserted a second removeable adjustable trailerjack so i could stabilize and level the trailer front to back. the centre locaton did not take into account the side to side give of the shocks. I have found it is better to have stabilizers on both rear corners so you get a tripod effect. If you can find trailer jacks off a tent trailer to mount there it will be money well spent. I am using axle stands.

sooo, after thinking about it for a while and remembering some of the places i take my 4runner thru, ive decided to get the lock-n-roll. For some reason i cant figure out how you compensate for different levels of vehicles. My 4runner is higher in the rear than the cruiser, how do i adjust for that?

[jccruiser78]

I really like your trailer!I went the easy way and got this Triton aluminum 6x8.It weighs 350 lbs but has a 1350 lb capacity.The key to this one is the torsion axles(indipendent)so it doesny bounce or buck like most light or small trailers.I love the thing,plan on building an alum rack for my 15 foot boat.This trailer has been to Baja(Mulege mostly) 3 times without a problem.It really feels like nothing behind the 100.


But that said,I like yours better-muy macho!

[J-man]

those are great little rigs - nice and light. Still tho, its the little leafsprings that break if your constantly going offroad, although the torsion axles help some. Trailers take a beating on washboard.

[J-man]

well she's almost completed. Ive made the flip up doors on the top, placed the fenders over the tires, got the tounge jack and the 2 rear corner jacks welded on, the basket for 4-scepter gas cans is on the front. Just have to go get some shocks and weld the tabs on. I decided im too lazy to fab up a rear tailgate, so for now it just has some marine ply that has hinges inside to fold down incase i want to put something inside thats long. So i just have to clean up some welds, double check everything, then off to powdercoating (semigloss black) this weekend. Ill post pics once she's back and fully re-assembled.

[nat]

Sweet............can't wait to see it after powdercoating.

[REZARF]

Jman- Did you get back from Baja?

Lets see an update man.


Drew

[J-man]

Originally Posted by REZARF

Jman- Did you get back from Baja?

Lets see an update man.


Drew

i did yesterday morning real early - the trailer worked like a dream, better than expected with no problems of any kind. It took a beating of a life time - total of 300 miles of baja's worst trails/washboard roads-paths it could dish out, but a trip total of 1500 miles overall. IT had also rained before we came back, so it made for some fun mud runnin. I will post pics tonight.

[J-man]

and just to make it clear, i really hate mud. especially baja mud with salt and sand mixed in - it turns to a mexican concrete mix and the only way to remove it is with 2500 psi pressure washer. dam shiz sticks like glue. I will post pics sooon, just too tired last night when i got home.

[philos1]

we're waiting...

[philos1]

yep, still waiting here

[J-man]

Originally Posted by philos1

yep, still waiting here

i feel so bad, camera is dead and i couldnt find my charger to charge the battery so i can plug the darn thing in to download my pics! Found it now, promise pics tonight - if not - revoke my membership!!!

[REZARF]

Originally Posted by J-man

i feel so bad, camera is dead and i couldnt find my charger to charge the battery so i can plug the darn thing in to download my pics! Found it now, promise pics tonight - if not - revoke my membership!!!

Relax man, Work off your schedule, not the guys after trailer pics!







































Now GET ON IT!
Rezarf <><

[philos1]

yeah man, it's all good. Just a little friendly ribbing- don't take it too seriously....















































but I am still waiting

[J-man]

Ok, here we go. Enjoy the pics and anything you notice - dont hesitate to speak up.

Since the last pics posted i did change a few things:
Leaf packs: I took out the overload spring and added 2 more leafs to each side to increase the load capacity to total 6 leafs each side.
Shocks - never put em on and not plannning to: the leafs by themselvs soaked up bumps wonderfully and it didn't sway at all.
Tailgate: fabbed up a 1/4 steel plate that closes to the outside of the box - youll see pics. Still need to weather strip it.
Unfortunately after powdercoating it, i added the tailgate and the flip up doors - so those just had a sanding and quick coat of rustoleum black gloss spray paint.

After the maiden voyage, there are a couple things to do:
1: The rack that holds the tent/tire - bent in the middle due to weight and thin walled 1" tubing. Going to change that to something stout as a centerbrace will not work with the way the top doors open.
2: add one more leaf to each side as it did bottom out when hammering down the rough stuff, although i might just add bump stops and call it a day - well see.

Again, thanks to everyone on this board - it definately gave me the confidence to go ahead with the project. Definately a learning experience, although i calculated everything to the best i could and in the end i have a trailer that i can load with all my stuff and hit up baja for a week or 10 if the schedule arises.




Now GET ON IT!
Rezarf <><[/quote]

[J-man]

More pics...

[J-man]

more more more... In baja - first one is going up a rediculously steep dune - didnt air down-just pedal down and almost made it up and over - no luck had to back down.

[semlin]

it looks awesome. the double lid like that is what i have always planned to do and it is nice to see that design in action. how well did it work for access?

I'd say a centre vertical beam with diagonal braces or a gusset will solve your top frame flex problems.

[REZARF]

Bravo J-Man! BRAVO!

Looks killer, sorry to see the top tube bend, but that will happen in the world of us home fabricators... I love the double lid, did you use steel or wood, kinda hard to see from the pics?

Looks killer, I am glad it hauled all your stuff so well. How was the surf?

Rezarf <><

[J-man]

Originally Posted by semlin

it looks awesome. the double lid like that is what i have always planned to do and it is nice to see that design in action. how well did it work for access?

I'd say a centre vertical beam with diagonal braces or a gusset will solve your top frame flex problems.

cool, thx man. I love the double door as you can access both sides easily, as well as the tailgate for loading bigger things in/out. Its also nice to have those little gas pressureized lift gate shocks to keep the doors up while at camp.

"I'd say a centre vertical beam with diagonal braces or a gusset will solve your top frame flex problems"
Help me understand this as i cant picture it in my head.

[J-man]

Originally Posted by REZARF

Bravo J-Man! BRAVO!

Looks killer, sorry to see the top tube bend, but that will happen in the world of us home fabricators... I love the double lid, did you use steel or wood, kinda hard to see from the pics?

Looks killer, I am glad it hauled all your stuff so well. How was the surf?

Rezarf <><

cool, thx man. I cant wait to see yours when its finished. As for the double doors, i originally went with thin wood with a diamond plate skin adhered to the door frames i built - that didnt turn out too well, so instead i went with sheet metal with 1/2 tubing underneath all inside a door frame. It works well, but next time id probably use a sheet of 3/16 steel, and weld a simple brace on it instead of the way i made mine - i thought about it too much and in the end its not exactly what i wanted - but its functional and it works so thats ok! (sometimes you just have to let it be...)

Surf was fun, the group we had was even better so it made it a trip to remember.

But ill tell you what, as much as i love the landcruiser, that thing is a beast. It really needs a lift and 315's to make it's presence known, and not be such a sand plow. But the stock height and 285's bfg at's are fine for now, and i really liked the center lock diff, helped out in the soft stuff a lot. I am glad i got it for my wife tho, as i get to beat on it now and then (like on baja trips)

[J-man]

Originally Posted by REZARF

Bravo J-Man! BRAVO!

Looks killer, sorry to see the top tube bend, but that will happen in the world of us home fabricators... I love the double lid, did you use steel or wood, kinda hard to see from the pics?

Looks killer, I am glad it hauled all your stuff so well. How was the surf?

Rezarf <><

and its crazy too, the powdercoating is such a strong finish on steel, but as you can see from the bottom of the fenderwells, its no match for 100's of miles of baja roads when rocks/sand is being kicked up from the tow vehicle. Oh well, its hymen has been broken.....

[semlin]

Originally Posted by J-man

"I'd say a centre vertical beam with diagonal braces or a gusset will solve your top frame flex problems"
Help me understand this as i cant picture it in my head.

take a look at my trailer sideracks to hold the tent earlier in the thread. i used beefier steel than you but still used a centre vertical post for added support of the top siderail.