Basic Trailer Build Questions

[texas dogman]

I've been studying on building a off-road trailer camping with RRT. Looks like most of the design, including the ones folks have designed and built themselves are similar in size to the M101 or M416, the boxy cargo type trailers.

My thoughts are more in line with modifications of a 4X8 or 5x8 utility trailer. I have in mind to have the RRT mounted and fold out over the front end with open storage undereath and the back 3 to 4 feet enclosed.

What are issues with an off road trailer this size. Seems most people opt for a smaller size box....must be some good reasons.

Thanks..

[John E Davies]

For tight stuff you need to keep the overall length of the truck and trailer as short as possible, for turning around on tight tracks and dead ends. Minimal overhand also helps avoid bottoming and hanging up.

My trailer is less than 10 feet end to end, but I can extend the coupler 30 inches if needed for long loads like lumber.

If you aren't doing hardcore stuff, a longer box would be fine and MUCH more usable for house and yard chores . I wouldn't suggest anything beyond 50 inches wide simply because the wheel track gets too wide for deep ruts (ideally the trailer tires will track in line with the truck). Try to find a box size that will take a sheet of plywood flat.

John Davies
Spokane WA

[REZARF]

For me it came down to trailers will either do on road or offroad well. Not both. That said, a compromise can be made to make a utility trailer work on the trail, just not as well as a dedicated trail trailer will work... and vice versa.

More manuverability is what the smaller trailers are usually trying to accomplish. It doesn't make lots of sense to have a super capable rig, then strap a land anchor to it and think you will see the backcounrty in it.

Just my .02

I'd like to see what you come up with though!

[KY854RUN]

Another issue is, that with a bigger trailer you are hauling more weight in it. Even on easy back roads this can pose a problem. In another thread, the writer said that he found it much harder to travel a road that he had easily done before without the trailer and he was pulling one of the 1/4 ton trailers. So consider carefully where you plan to pull your trailer, especially if the roads could be muddy.

[REZARF]

Originally Posted by KY854RUN

Another issue is, that with a bigger trailer you are hauling more weight in it. Even on easy back roads this can pose a problem. In another thread, the writer said that he found it much harder to travel a road that he had easily done before without the trailer and he was pulling one of the 1/4 ton trailers. So consider carefully where you plan to pull your trailer, especially if the roads could be muddy.

a 75 shot of Nitrous can solve that!

[texas dogman]

OK, I just got back from Lowes picking up a handful of bolts to mount new aluminum cross flow radiator and looked at some of the cheapy utility trailers they have for sale. There was a 4x6 and that looked like a really nice size for the idea I have. Possibly a 4x7 box would not be too big. I have in mind to place RRT on slightly raised platform(6-8 " higher than top rail) that covers a 4x4 area (open underneath) and use the back remaining part of the box to build an enclosed area similar to REZFARS design. The deck the RRT would sit would probably be a sheet of 3/4" marine grade plywood.

This will strickly be an camping off road trail trailer. Already have utility trailers for hauling stuff.

Is angle iron not a good choice for the box frame? If it is braced well enough, and only 7'max, it's hard to believe it would flex or not be strong engough.

[REZARF]

Originally Posted by texas dogman

Is angle iron not a good choice for the box frame? If it is braced well enough, and only 7'max, it's hard to believe it would flex or not be strong engough.

Depends can you post up a sketch or drawing. You'd be suprized how much steel can bend and flex... I chose super light tubing in 1x1" square tubing, and it is only .06" thick wall.

Angle could work fine for your application but a drawing would help us help you.

Sounds like a great project.

Rezarf <><

[chappysfj40]

yeah angle iron will twist crazy if not made into some sort of channel and a must in my opion is the steel must make triangle too, if it is a square no matter hom many brace going across it still will flex like mad. I had a 16 foot flat bed made of angle and i could stand on one corner and flex like an easy 8-12 inces just by slight bouncing. I think a pic will help out

[nat]

For me, I am scratch building one too, but........

You could modify a 4x8 trailer. My dad has one, we are going to modify. we are cutting 2 feet off the back and putting a new 3500 lb axle and leafs underneath.

It already has sides, so it works as a utility trailer or a camping trailer.

[roamingaz]

I built my first off road trailer useing angle iron and it bent so bad I didnt feel safe using it and have scrapped it.I was going to buy a small trailer from Home depot , I think they would hold up ok if your not into extreme stuff.
My current trailer I am building is much stronger, I used 3 inch tubing for the tongue,and the rack is 2 inch tube.When I'm all done I am taking to the scale and see what it weighs I woud figure around 700 pounds.

Here is a picture of my first trailer and some of my current trailer.click on my web page and I have a blog and a bunch of pictures on the build up of my trailer, maybe it can give you some ideas.

[Brian in Oregon]

Well, look at it this way. The little Home Despot style utility trailers are a compromise. They are designed to be low, so they can be towed behind an ordinary car with a ground dragging hitch. There is no clearance. If you get them and their tiny tires off road, you'd simply be high centering them all the time. Basically turning the axle tube into a harrow. There is a thread on this board about converting one to an off road trailer. It required a lot of changes. Frankly, unless I already had the trailer or got one at a garage sale for next to nothing, I don't think it's worth the hassle.

That's why I prefer the good ol' small 1/4 ton milspec trailers. The WWII Bantam style, the Bantam civilian, the cold war M100 and the Vietnam era M416. These trailers are ready to take the punishment without any modifications required. They offer maximum strength for a reasonable amount of weight. Unfortunately, the prices keep going up. But I'll bet it will be in the ballpark by the time you're done modifying a small utility trailer. Maybe even less.

And if you insist on making your own box, as you would for a utility trailer, look into an M716 or M762 generator trailer. These are based on the M416 trailer, but are flat beds. They're actually rated for more payload than the M416 (1500 lbs vs 500). They're usually cheaper than a standard jeep trailer. You could build whatever kind of box you wanted on them, and some very small import pickup campers or lightweight shelters even fit on them. And, because they are a flatbed, you could bolt on different bodies as needed. A box for camping supplies, stake sides to haul firewood, and tire holders to transport motorcycles or lash points for an ATV. These are a very useful, overlooked trailer, because most people can't think outside the box (pun intended).


Jeep Trailer Spotter's Guide, Part 5 on the Jeep CJ3B Page