78 Toyota Truck Trailer Re – Build (1 Viewer)

[77TLCFJ40]

For over a year I have enjoyed reading and seeing all the outstanding trailer builds in this forum. I even asked if anyone had built a trailer from a Toyota Truck, and enjoyed the responses. ‘Till now I was never able to find a truck without major rust issues.

My Dad could not pass up a 78 camo short bed truck made into a trailer for $50. He had no idea I’d been looking for this exact trailer. It will go well with my camo 77 FJ40. Happy birthday to me! The lower rear fenders have a little rust, but the rest of it is in pretty fair shape. It even has some 2’ high tube rails that are bolted on for bulky loads or parades??

Issues:
-Original axle with 5 lug hubs is still under it.
-Original springs are still under it. Springs are 2 VERY SOFT leafs with a thick straight leaf on the bottom.
Original shocks are toast.
-Dry rotted 14 inch tires
-Poor trailer conversion. The PO cut the frame at the front of the bed and welded on a full width piece of
heavy angle which the triangle frame with 2” ball mount is then welded to. It hangs mostly below the
level of the original frame.
-Short bed/conversion results in poor tongue weight/weight distribution when unloaded.

Planned Solutions:
-Buy a trailer axle with parking brake that is appropriate for my use with 6 on 5.5 hub pattern.
-Springs from a 62 I parted-out are less than an inch longer than original springs. Original springs are 2.5”
wide and the 62 springs are 2.75” wide. I have the springs, U-Bolt plates, and the shackle side frame
mounts for them. Ideas for the fixed end of the springs?
-I have access to 4 OEM 60/62 wheels with ?3.5” or 3.75”? backspacing with used 31x10.50 tires for free.
-I have access to 4 15 x 8 wagon wheels (match my 40) with 3.75” backspacing for not much.
-Re-do the trailer frame conversion.
-Add a trailer box or pickup box in front of the bed to help weight distribution.
-Mount spare to aid in better weight distribution.

The trailer will be pulled behind my 40 which has ~5” SUA lift on 35 x 12.50 x 15 MTs and my stock 100. It will be used for camping trips, hauling a canoe, and rare yard work. I don’t plan on a trailer-top-tent. A water reservoir for camp shower use would be nice. A soft or removable hard lid would also be very nice. Batteries and an AC/DC converter to run small electric items like a shower water pump would also be great.

Please give me some guidance on axle rating and width considering the available springs, wheels, and potential tires. Should I spring it over with 35x 12.50s to match the height of my 40?
What is the MUD wisdom on designing the frame? What are the geometry rules?

Thanks in advance for your contributions.

Pics to follow.

 

[Brian in Oregon]

Pics!

 

[Clutchee]

Ok, I'll bite.....good luck.....now 2 years later we will see it at the Crawl

Good luck bud, see you in Oct.

 

[matt 105]

Need some pics!!!

 

[sseaman]

I would say match the tires of the tow rig, then you have less spares to carry


Oh yeh PICS

 

[77TLCFJ40]

Pics finally added...

 

[77TLCFJ40]

Pics 2

 

[77TLCFJ40]

Last one...

 

[sirenmoses]

Hmm, I kinda like the side rails. Couldn't you tarp over it ala Can-bak?

Totally down w/the camo paint in the bed !!

Ref weight balance: is it rear heavy when empty?

Isn't that a spare tire hoist on the front of the trailer already? Looks like it might accomodate a spare under the front of the bed.

Is the fuel tank stripped? Might convert that space into water hauling.

Bring on the build.... ; )

 

[77TLCFJ40]

Any feedback on the conversion? I didn't do it, so you can't hurt my feelings. How could it be done better? Please see pics.

Thanks

 

[OlympiaFJ60]

I'd wire the stock tail lights up to be the trailer lights. I think tying the draw bar into the frame a little better would be a good idea, although those welds look solid. I like the sides. Add some bows and do a canvas top as mentioned above. For the axle w/ parking brake Dexter appears to be your only choice and they are spendy. There was a thread a while back with part numbers and prices.

 

[KOWBOY]

Gotta replace them stock taillights Lash.

Easiest bet for a canvass top would be a boat place. They do custom covers all the time.

Lengthen the tongue some with some heavy duty tubin' and put yourself a big ol' toolbox in front of the bed.

 

[77TLCFJ40]

Gotta replace them stock taillights Lash.

Easiest bet for a canvass top would be a boat place. They do custom covers all the time.

Lengthen the tongue some with some heavy duty tubin' and put yourself a big ol' toolbox in front of the bed.

Definitely planning on using the stock taillights. They are just painted over, so hopefully they will clean up OK. The PO even left the OEM wiring harness a little longer than the hitch!

Also planning on a radical tongue-ectomy and re-do with room for a tool box and big cooler. I'd like to get the spare underneath and in front of the axle, but that may get in the way of water storage.

I have a nice tool box that will fit in the bed if I remove the rails. I may try to find some boxes to mount beside/under it if I mount the tool box up front.

I'm still trying to decide the following:

- Spring over with FJ62 rear springs. Requires cutting off old and welding on new spring hangers
- Add-A-Leafs for current springs. Would add about 1.5" and increase stability with heavy loads
- 33 x 10.50s or 35 x 12.50s. 35s would only work with the SOA option
- Spare? 40 is on 35 x 12.50s 100 is on 275 16s so I probably need a spare on it all the time anyway.

Thanks for the feedback guys.

 

[77TLCFJ40]

Did a little what-if'n last weekend with jackstands and my 35 x 12.50 spare from my 40 and finally downloaded the pics.

Here is what I learned:

Lift required to just get the 35 under the fender was 10 to 11". That would not include room to flex a little. A local clubmember has a set of 4 60 series wheels with 31 x 10.50s that I hope to use. If the SOA and spring mods allow, I'll switch to 33 x 10.50s if I can find a cheap used set. Measurement of the OEM under bed spare storage space was just under 34" from shackle pin to shackle pin. So my tire choices all fit there. That will leave room for water storage in front of the axle if I go that route.

FJ-62 springs are a little shorter than the 78 trailer springs. In an effort to keep it simple, I'm keeping the 78 springs, but I'll beef them up and try to add some lift to them. My choices are to buy add-a-leaves from Hell Creek Suspensions and or buy some junkyard Toyota springs and add leaves to reach the payload/firmness I'm looking for. A pair of shocks that aren't 30 years old would help too.

A spring-over will add 4 to 5 inches of lift. Hopefully I can get another 1 to 2 inches from the springs. Shackles can be used to fine tune another inch or so. So I'm in the 6 to 8" range.

Turns out the Husky toolbox I have is pertty shallow and doesn't work in front of the bed. So I'll be looking for a tall tongue box. Plans will be to store the big cooler in front of the tongue box. Hey, maybe I can store the big cooler under the shallow toolbox I have and mount a tongue box in front of that?

What do you guys think?

 

[77TLCFJ40]

Last Pic

 

[G-Cat]

I think that big mud tires make everything look better. Trailer looks great...

 

[KOWBOY]

Bigger the better ... 'cause size does matter.

Can ya buy any sorta of bolt-on fender flares for that thang?

 

[FJ60Cam]

Dang... this is exactly what I've been wanting to do someday. I've always thought that those beds would be perfect for a trailer. Any idea what it weighs? Nice score!

 

[77TLCFJ40]

Fender flares would definitely be necessary if I were runnin the 35x12.50s! I wonder what a set of FJ40 rear flares might look like on it? I almost hate to cut the fenders.

Sorry, but no idea what it weighs. I'll try to find a place to weigh it after the axle, wheels, and tires are swapped. I can lift the tongue and push it around with a little effort.

I was able to get the set of 4 60 series rusty wheels with decent 31x10.50s. The wheels will be painted flat black and I'll run these tires until someone sells/gives me their take-off 33x10.50s. I only need 3.

Now I need to measure wheel mounting surface to wheel mounting surface and spring perch center to spring perch center and order my axle. I wish I could just look this info up someplace, but I can't find it. The local dealer couldn't even find it or tell me where to look! Any ideas? '78 model 2-WD short bed

Have you guys priced tool or tongue boxes lately?!? Startin to think I'm in the wrong business. There is a firetruck builder and salvage yard within my work territory. I'll check in to see what they might have over the next few weeks.

Thanks for the responses. I appreciate your ideas and opinions.

 

[rmcmanus8a]

I am glad I found this thread. I bought a late 70s toyota bed trailer for $100. I think yours is in better shape though.

- I did a spring over conversion and mounted 265/75 R16 BFGs on it using rims from a mitsubishi car (would like to put a 6 lug axle under it). Not sure what the back spacing is. The tires are VERY close to the frame.

- Wired the stock tail lights for trailer lights. Had a hard time with the ground. I finally ran a ground wire to each bulb and had better luck.

- I put extended shackles on it for more lift so it sits level with my 80.

- Replaced shocks to help with the stability.

- Trailer is still pretty unstable. I am interested to see what you do with replacing the springs.

- Although I have put the tires in the fender wells with a couple loads of rocks. As long as the tongue had enough weight on it, the trailer pulled great.

- Oil pools in one of the rims. I pulled the drums apart and did not see any problem? It is coming from some where?

- The trailer has survived three cross country trips so far.

- The only pics I have are before the spring over and tires. A friend borrowed the trailer for a Texas trip. I will post more pics when I get it back.