An amateur's trailer build... (1 Viewer)

[dubyahard]

Introduction
Purchased a '97 FZJ80 in October 2015. We wheeled, camped, explored, hauled, and have been generally enjoying the PNW since we moved here in July 2015. The 80 has served it's utility purposes admirably and it's upgrades have served it well. I don't have a build thread but you can read my sig for an idea. I hauled a motorcycle from Pittsburgh when we moved here in a 5' x 8' expanded metal utility trailer I bought from a guy for $400.
That was a handy trailer, especially when we started remodeling our new home in January 2016. I laid all new hardwoods (~2000 sf or so). Replaced every door. Sold furniture and delivered it. Bought new furniture. Insulated the floor. And so on.
On December 11th, 2016 we welcomed our first kid. Our first outdoor outing was snow shoeing to Tamanawas Falls. This was when I came to the realization how much more crap has to come along now. This paired with my new (to me) CVT Mt. Rainier Extended RTT meant loading up and moving that much more of a pain in the behind. I'm 6' but with ~3" lift, setting up and packing up the RTT was a pain.
So I started researching trailers. Seemed like a good idea, fit in to what we like to do - camp in one spot and explore whether by foot or 4x4 - lessened the hassle, allowed us to bring the things that make camping "tolerable" by my wife. If she can tolerate it, then we can go more. I'm sure you understand.

 

[dubyahard]

Trailer Design
First off, I call this the amateur's trailer build because I've never built a trailer and I am not a fabricator. I looked at about the first 5 pages of Trailer Tech threads and found a few that I liked - @Box Rocket and @reevesci 's build for @spressomon were some of my favs. As you will see, I drew a lot of inspiration from them.
Second, I recognized my current lightweight 5 x 8 1500# utility trailer wouldn't cut it. It would require too much modification to be worth it and it was too valuable on the "trailer market" as is.
Third, my budget didn't allow me to purchase one pre-built. I wanted to stay under $1500.

I asked questions, did research, and called Bill at ABC Trailer parts (or Masterplans). After this, I made the decision to hire a welder to fab a trailer for me. After a few fails I found a guy on craigslist (don't worry, not in the Personals, but in the Skilled Trades under Services) that welds for a living and does small projects out of a single car (maybe) garage behind his house. He said if I provided a plan and delivered the material, he'd build it for me for a price we negotiated.

So I set to making a plan. Unfortunately, I'm no ME so I copied a lot of what Adam had done and drew it up in MS PowerPoint on a 1:10 scale. Yes. I said powerpoint. I tried some free CAD software but soon realized it would take longer to learn it than to just figure it out in .ppt

Example:

There were a few things I needed and more that I wanted. I was selling my utility trailer after the build so I needed something that could fill those duties. This pretty much eliminated having a permanent or hinged lid. It needed a rack for my RTT and awning and it needed to be adjustable. I want to keep the CoG low while traveling and high enough for me to walk under while in "base camp" mode. I wanted a way to carry a couple bikes. If there was room in the bed, they might fit but I wanted a rear hitch to be able to carry them there. I preferred to use the 80 series wheel for redundancy. This meant a custom 6 x 5.5 hub.

 

[dubyahard]

Trailer Fab
I finished my drawing and ordered parts. I work in procurement in my civilian job so this is about the only part I'm not an amateur in. I called ABC and it turns out the parts I needed would ship from the Rockwell American distribution facility in Wilsonville. So how much would I save picking it up myself? About $75 - worth it.
Totaled up my steel and called around. All in, around $500. More than I anticipated but would still work within budget because... my buddy let me "borrow for long term" a two cruiser wheels with tires. That was a huuge cost savings.


Shopping list so far:
Steel: $500
Axle kit (includes the idler axle, lug nuts, u-bolt kit, hanger kit, 3500# springs)
Coupler: 1 7/8 to match my current ball (will go with a lock and roll maybe later)
Jack: x 3 since two were for outriggers
Waterproof LED light kit
Fenders: two 10"
1/4 turn pop pins: 4
50# gas springs: 4
Safety chains: 2
Tie downs: 6
Hinges: 2

So I deliver most of the material to the fab guy the beginning of April. I asked him to keep me updated with pictures and if there was anything he's unsure of, to give me a call.

Squaring the frame using 2.5" square tube. Inside dimension is 4' x 6' with a 4' tongue

Adding the uprights

Adding the top rail of 1" x 3"

Skinning it. This is where the first problem came up. Welder suggested the skins go on the inside to create a smooth surface but I wanted interior tie down points and I like the look from the outside. Problem is he cut the skin to my drawing and not to what actually fit. There ended up being a gap of about 1/8' all the way around the sides and bottom. Couldn't really be fixed by welding without the 16 ga steel warping. So we got creative and used some 3/4" where the gaps were big (front panel and floor). That allowed us to stitch weld and close the gaps, plus gave me a place to run wire.

to be continued....

 

[dubyahard]

Trailer Fab continued
Next was the rack. I looked at all the gas spring options on mcmaster-carr and found some (# 9416K54) that had straight threads and 50# of force and the greatest stroke length, about 13 3/4". Using that helped me work from the ground up how tall I needed the base to be and how long the inserts needed to be.

My drawing:

Rack base in reality:

Top rack comes to life. He built it in the bottom to ensure fit. It's still kind of tight but I believe the 50# springs will still work.

After this we met and decided where the light brackets went and the steps around the fenders. We decided to wait on the step since the fender location would be determined by the wheel/tire height which would be determined by how low the axle hung. Problem is the first axle had to be returned because I hastily measured the required hub face spread. At least we have the springs and hangers, so we put those on and I took it home in the bed of my 5 x 8 utility trailer. The welder had another job he needed the space for, so I gave him partial payment and got it out of there.

You can see the small metal circles on the back of the trailer on the bottom side rail. Those are for additional jacks. The trailer will have three for leveling and stability while in base camp mode. Also comes in handy if I ever have to change a tire.

 

[dubyahard]

Trailer Fab Completed
So the Monday after I brought the trailer home, the axle showed up. I was pretty stoked to see if my measurements had worked out and if the tires would fit and not rub or be too close to the rail. That night I flipped it up on the tailgate and added the leaf springs, then axle, then tires and lowered it. Tires fit great. They're about an inch from the frame.

I covered it up and left it outside since I didn't have room in my garage. I was scheduled to bring it over to the fab guy the next weekend to wrap up. Biggest things were closing up some of the gaps, fenders, capping the ends of the rack, steps, smoothing out the tailgate (it took too much force to close), and adding on the tabs for the springs to go on.

On the way there. This would be the first time towing it at highway speeds. I'd gotten it up to about 45 just on the streets around my neighborhood. So far it pulls straight and is easy to back. It has a little rake forward but not enough to bother me. I could try flipping the hitch to raise the ball a few inches.

We met and talked about the remaining work to be done and ironed out the little details and I left for work. Within about 4 hours he had finished the remaining work and sent me these pictures.

Now for the next issue(s). The fenders clearly don't cover the whole tire but at the time, 10" was the widest I could find and I knew they wouldn't provide full coverage. I had just planned on using some flexible fender extension to finish it off. Later I found 13" on eastern marine I think but whatever. The GLARING problem was the fender clearance. I had made it clear I wanted 3" of clearance to the fender, 2" to the lip. What you see in the above pic is 2" to the fender from the tire and 1" to the lip. Not a big deal for a highway trailer but... Anyways, the fenders had been cut and welded at this point. He was done. I guess I could cut the lip off or run a smaller tire - 275/70r16 is on there now.

You can also see the tabs and the springs on. This pic was taken prior to the 1/4 turn locking t-pins were welded on but you can see the hole. He left the top hole for me to figure out. I also had him weld on the top nut so I wouldn't be fighting both while tightening the spring down.

Overall, I'm pleased thus far.

 

[dubyahard]

Painting the Trailer
Now that the trailer is home, it is time to get it painted. As you can tell, there is some surface rust from the two weeks spent in the Oregon rain. Some of it will come off with just a wipe with paint thinner. What doesn't come off is so far coming off with a brush (Avanti Pro, 4-1/2 in. x 5/8 in. -11 in. Non-Woven Quick-Strip Disc) from HomeDepot. But it is not cheap. $10/ a brush and one didn't make it. HF sells one too I am going to try next unless there is a better suggestion??? I'm probably halfway through polishing.

This is where I'm at now. My plan moving forward is...
Finish polishing
Clean with brake cleaner and pressure washer and air dry
Seal seams with marine grade, paintable, RTV
Spray primer - rustoleum gray automotive primer entire trailer
Rustoleum Rattle can truck bed liner on the bottom and inside of fenders
Rustoleum rattle can black the bottom rail, top of fenders/steps, rack uprights and rack
Rustoleum spray dark/OD green (unsure of finish) on skin sides and back of tailgate
Monstaliner inside of bed and top rails
Spray on clear lacquer on black and green parts.

Do you think my paint plan is good? I though about powder coat but it priced me out (just like the timbren axles I wanted). I've been reading over on the paint thread and if there is one thing I can takeaway, it's due diligence in prep work.

Outfit - RTT, awning, lighting, water cans, containers for dry goods, title and registration...

I'd like to be done prior to Memorial Day Weekend but some of this is hard to do while holding a baby in one arm
Have to be done before NWOR as we already have tickets to it.

Between all of this I replaced my AC system - drier, compressor, condenser, evaporator, and expansion valve. Getting it tested and recharged on Wednesday. I just did a component a night this week since we had some dry weather. It's easier to do at night since it's generally more quiet than running a angle grinder brush on sheet metal.

 

[cmck]

Introduction
Purchased a '97 FZJ80 in October 2015. We wheeled, camped, explored, hauled, and have been generally enjoying the PNW since we moved here in July 2015. The 80 has served it's utility purposes admirably and it's upgrades have served it well. I don't have a build thread but you can read my sig for an idea. I hauled a motorcycle from Pittsburgh when we moved here in a 5' x 8' expanded metal utility trailer I bought from a guy for $400.
That was a handy trailer, especially when we started remodeling our new home in January 2016. I laid all new hardwoods (~2000 sf or so). Replaced every door. Sold furniture and delivered it. Bought new furniture. Insulated the floor. And so on.
On December 11th, 2016 we welcomed our first kid. Our first outdoor outing was snow shoeing to Tamanawas Falls. This was when I came to the realization how much more crap has to come along now. This paired with my new (to me) CVT Mt. Rainier Extended RTT meant loading up and moving that much more of a pain in the behind. I'm 6' but with ~3" lift, setting up and packing up the RTT was a pain.
So I started researching trailers. Seemed like a good idea, fit in to what we like to do - camp in one spot and explore whether by foot or 4x4 - lessened the hassle, allowed us to bring the things that make camping "tolerable" by my wife. If she can tolerate it, then we can go more. I'm sure you understand.

View attachment 1456645

I do understand and have the same evil plan to go more often and more remote. I think your ahead of me by a few months. I look forward to watching your progress.

 

[dubyahard]

Was facetiming with my dad yesterday and was showing him the trailer progress. He agreed that the fenders will need more clearance but though that trimming the fenders still wouldn't make enough clearance. He recommended I cut them off and have new ones welded on. Problem is I'd spend almost $100 on new fenders and fab guy will probably want $50 or so. But I would be done with them BEFORE I paint. Obviously this is easier.

Current fenders:

Might go with these, though they are a bit expensive, they will entirely cover my tire.
Single Axle Trailer Fender - 16 Gauge Steel - 16" to 16.5" Wheels - Qty 1 Redline Trailer Fenders F13X36-1R
Cold Rolled Steel Trailer Fender Single Axle 13 x 36 x 20in
Steel Round Utility Trailer Fender 13" Wide x 36" Long x 20" Tall 16 Gauge | eBay

I also ordered new lights. I wasn't completely satisfied with the way I have them now. They will kind of protrude and the back side of the light is unprotected. They are sealed but they'd just be hanging out there. I ordered these from amazon: Leading Edge Trailer CL-16020-CR2

And put them here:

I would just have to figure out where to run the wires. To mount the lights here, I would have to make 3 holes - two for the mounting screws and one where the wires leave the center of the light on the back. But where do I go from there? Through the 2" tube frame? I'll post up some actual pics of the trailer a little cleaned up and with the possible light locations.

One more thing - lanyards for the tailgate pins showed up and the coated wire rope for the tailgate lowered came in.

 

[ferg]

Looking good, and heavy. Any idea on weight?

 

[cmck]

Looks great, how well do the struts work?

 

[cruiserpilot]

Well done! I hope you get the fender thing sorted out, but from my experience the trailer springs don't
offer up a whole lot of movement so if they do rub the fender I think of it as a rubber bump stop!

 

[dubyahard]

Looking good, and heavy. Any idea on weight?

Not sure on weight. I'd have to do the math on what each stick of tube weighs to get it close. Or find a truck scale. Empty, I can feel it behind the 80 but it still pulls highway speeds okay. We'll see when it gets loaded. I have low expectations with regard to speeding up mountains.

Looks great, how well do the struts work?

The struts work well so far. It's hard to push down since I only weigh about 205 and they create 200# total force. I figure since the RTT weighs around 125 and the awning about 45, the struts should be just about right given the friction of the telescoping tubes for the lift.

Well done! I hope you get the fender thing sorted out, but from my experience the trailer springs don't
offer up a whole lot of movement so if they do rub the fender I think of it as a rubber bump stop!

That's what I'm figuring, but once it's loaded up for a trip I don't know. I'd hate to go through all the paint process only to have to remove the fenders and put new ones on.

 

[cruiserpilot]

Oh no, you're going to have to put new ones on. I'd find the 13" version and weld em on.
At least the others can b sold to recover some cost. You are lucky, before paint!

 

[dubyahard]

So I found 13" wide fenders at Sturdy Built Trailer Parts and placed an order. Not too happy about spending the extra but I hate not getting it right and having to change later after paint. Fortunately, my neighbor is an hobbyist welder and is building his own tear-drop style trailer. Low and behold he has 15" wheel and needed fenders. So he helped me cut the old ones off and smooth out the welds then we cut the new 13" ones and welded them on last night.
Now I have 4.5" clearance.

They cover the whole tire but they are wide!

Almost too wide. Like maybe I should have stuck to the 10.5" and put fender extensions on. I can trim them later if they ever present a problem.

My plan is to finish cleaning the trailer then paint and wire this weekend.

 

[cruiserpilot]

That is the same coverage I have on my trailer. Looks perfect to me. In crappy weather on a dirt road you'll
appreciate those fenders. Well done. J

 

[titanpat57]

One of pet peeves...fenders that don't cover.....great job!

 

[e9999]

well, now you have a good excuse to store goodies like gas cans, toolboxes etc, in front and behind the fenders...

 

[dubyahard]

well, now you have a good excuse to store goodies like gas cans, toolboxes etc, in front and behind the fenders...

I had to eliminate the steps behind the fenders since there wouldn't have been enough space to store anything with the tail lights there. Now I'm thinking I'll put the lights at the bottom of the "roof rack" posts. They'll be a lot easier to wire there and I can put them low enough as not to interfere with the sliding insert.

I got the entire trailer primed and painted this weekend, including the raptor liner in the bed. It only lacks clear coat which it will get tonight and tomorrow night. I was planning 3 or so coats of it.
The raptor liner looks great and was much easier to apply than I thought it would be. I used three bottles total and that included a thin layer on the underside and inside of the wheel wells.
The spray painted areas look decent. There are a few streaky spots and I can't quite figure out how to fix them. Most notably is my tailgate. I didn't get a lot of pictures but I'll try to upload more tonight.

I added a bit more primer after this photo to some of the thin spots. The primer was applied after I cleaned with break cleaner and wiped with paint thinner.

If you notice, I cut off all of the light brackets I had on. The trailer is short enough not to require side markers. I may add reflective tape later.

 

[dubyahard]

So I hate prepping for paint and actually painting. I just don't have the patience for it. I know once I'm done with this trailer, I'll probably just wish I had ponied up and paid to have it powder coated or just sprayed the whole thing with raptor liner.

I'm mostly done with paint now. I'll probably add a few more coats of spray on lacquer but that's it. I like OD Green but I don't want the trailer to look like a beat up utility trailer. I'd like the green to have some gloss. I did a test sample and it came out nice, but I probably should have started with a semi-gloss OD green instead of the flat green.

Before any clear coat. It's tough to tell but there is Raptor Liner in the bed. Let me say one thing about it. If you're a rookie like me at doing this type of finish work, raptor liner is great. Don't be afraid. It's easy to apply and hard to spot blemishes.

Some minor artistic detail before the clear goes on. I am literally the least creative/artistic person on this forum. It's just not my strong suit.

Some side detail...

There are probably two coats of clear on at this point. You can see it still seems a little wet here.

Even though I built a little homemade paint room, the finish still seems rough, especially where it is most noticeable, on the skins. Any ideas how to smooth this out? Wet sand? Dry sand with some 200#? Deal with it since it is an off-road camp trailer?

 

[dubyahard]

So I've been crazy busy prepping for NW Overland Rally and my day job.

After I finished painting the trailer I still wasn't happy with it - except the bedliner which looks awesome and was easy to apply. Then my dad asks me, "Aren't you using this thing off road and won't it get scratched up anyways?" So a little change of perspective and I'm satisfied. Who says I can't repaint it later anyways.

I got the gas springs on and the lights wired and took it to the DMV to register. I just did a quick job on the wire since I wanted to get it registered quickly before the Rally. You can see where the lights are below. Excuse the cluttered garage.

Better angle to see the gas springs.