Box Rocket homemade trailer build

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Non chlorinated brake cleaner will work fine, but if you're willing to spend that much on a few cans, you'd probably be better off just getting a large can of prepsol from your local paint supplier


Trailer looks great btw

 

[Box Rocket]

Non chlorinated brake cleaner will work fine, but if you're willing to spend that much on a few cans, you'd probably be better off just getting a large can of prepsol from your local paint supplier


Trailer looks great btw

Thanks. good suggestion. So, no-go on the SimpleGreen?

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

I'm not sure what effects SG will have on paint, but I do know SG's instructions calls for a heavy final rinse with water (not sumthin I'd want to do to before shooting bare metal)

Prepsol and brake cleaner will degrease and dry quickly without leaving deteriorating moisture on the surface

 

[Box Rocket]

I've been thinking again, yep scary. So my plan has been to just run with a plywood floor for now. I'm rethinking that. I still have a sheet of 16ga that i had planned to use for my lid, but the more I think about it, it is making more sense to just weld that in as the floor. I'd have to pick up another sheet for my lid which will set me back a little but that's probably not that big of a deal.

Also, I think I'm going to try that Raptor liner to line the tub, fenders and underside. Anyone that's used it have any feedback?

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Also, I think I'm going to try that Raptor liner to line the tub, fenders and underside. Anyone that's used it have any feedback?

We just sprayed a utility truck for Disney using Raptor and it came out pretty good

Took a bit longer than the usual bedliner to cure though (everyone kept poking at it hours after it was sprayed and left some finerprints)

I'll be using the tintable version to spray my Kei truck in a few weeks

 

[REZARF]

Adam, buy a gallon of Acetone and some blue gloves and you will knock it out quick!

 

[Box Rocket]

Drew, I've been meaning to ask you about the floor in your trailer. I'm thinking of just welding in my extra sheet of 16ga. but I'm worried it might be very loud. How is yours working out?

 

[Box Rocket]

Well, maybe I'll reget it later on but what's done is done. I welded in the steel floor yesterday. I'm planning on use bed liner inside the tub as well as underneath. Hopefully it won't be too noisy but I gotta think, my flatbed minitruck had a steel deck and the floor in my reskinned 40 was the same 16ga. that was lined both sides and it wasn't noisy. I may get some dents in the steel that I wouldn't get with a wood floor but o well.

So after cutting the sheet to size I needed to "clearance" it a little around the welds for the tub frame and the tie downs.

Here's a couple pics where you can see where I did that.

All fitted and in place.

Stitching it to the frame. Pretty much did this around all corners.

only other thing I did was cut down a ubolt to use as a tongue handle.

 

[davegonz]

The trailer looks good as-is. Just clear coat it

 

[Box Rocket]

eh....if I was really proud of all my welds, then maybe. I need all the help I can get to cover up mistakes.

 

[davegonz]

They look good man. Was kidding about the clear coat.

 

[REZARF]

Drew, I've been meaning to ask you about the floor in your trailer. I'm thinking of just welding in my extra sheet of 16ga. but I'm worried it might be very loud. How is yours working out?

Sorry to be so late in replying bud, but fwiw, my floor isn't loud at all. Once you have some gear in there you'll never notice it.

Looking great Adam, keep it up!

 

[Box Rocket]

Sorry to be so late in replying bud, but fwiw, my floor isn't loud at all. Once you have some gear in there you'll never notice it.

Looking great Adam, keep it up!

Thanks for the prompt response Good thing you didn't tell me it's louder than hell and that I'd regret having welded it in place.

I'm going to try to wipe it all down with acetone this weekend and get a coat of primer on it. Then I'm on hold until I can get some Raptor liner. Planning on lining inside the tub and up and over the top rail, as well as the underside of the tub and the fenders. Hopefully there is enough liner in the Raptor kit to do all of that.

 

[sseaman]

The trailer is coming along nicely Adam.

 

[OlympiaFJ60]

Very nice build. What did you use to support the floor around the edges? Is it just stitched to the frame or does it overlap a little?

 

[Box Rocket]

Very nice build. What did you use to support the floor around the edges? Is it just stitched to the frame or does it overlap a little?

There is not a significant overlap but it does overlap the edge of the frame slightly. The main support for the floor comes from the frame crossmembers. The edges are stitch welded (on the underside) with a 2-3" bead every 4-5". I am thinking of adding a couple peices of 1' flat stock welded in vertically (on edge) running front to back between the center and rear frame crossmembers to support those sections of the floor a bit more but it's probably unnecessary. I just have a tendency to overbuild. For my uses this frame etc is WAY more heavy duty than I really need. I mean seriously, worst case I'll have 500 lb of camping gear in the thing. And most of the time no where close to that much. But it's solid enough that if the need arises where I NEED to carry more, then there isn't concern about whether the trailer can handle it.

 

[Box Rocket]

I was hoping to get a coat of primer on it this weekend but I may be getting ahead of myself. I still need to weld in the captured nuts for the drop in plywood sides, maybe add a few more floor braces, weld on the safety chains. Reinforce the tongue opening.

On top of that, the weather has changed from mid 60's earlier this week to high 30s. So it's gonna be too cold in the garage to really put paint down this weekend. Oh well.

 

[bmb38]

Cost

That's a real nice looking trailer. What do you suppose it's going to cost you to get to the finished product? I've been thinking of doing something similar as I'm in the same position with 4 boys...

 

[Box Rocket]

That's a real nice looking trailer. What do you suppose it's going to cost you to get to the finished product? I've been thinking of doing something similar as I'm in the same position with 4 boys...

I will probably have about $1500 into the trailer when it's all wrapped up. That's not including any cost of gear etc, but just the trailer. I think it could be done for less if you could get deals on materials or hand a few things on hand already. My biggest cost was steel and the hitch. Moving forward the biggest cost could be having it Line-ex'd if I decide to have it done professionally. If I decide to try some DIY bedliner then it won't be too bad.

I've tried to stay on a pretty tight (cheap) budget with this thing so it could have easily cost more. I mean I already had the tires that I got for free. I stayed with cheapo leaf springs instead of going with trailing arms and air bags. I could have paid to have all the sheet metal bent or cut, but I tackled it all myself with my cutting wheel. I could have spent more on hinges and latches but I'ke kept those pretty simple too.

 

[Box Rocket]

I got a few things done yesterday (sorry no pics). I was hopng to do more but my neighbor saw me in the garage and stopped to chat. That quickly ate up a couple hours. Then a friend called and needed an extra set of hands moving a TV. But I did get the captured nuts welded in on the inside of the tub for my plywood sides. I also got the reinforcement all welded up at the end of the tongue. I didn't have tube to slide over but I had some 3/16 plate that I cut and welded on. Turned out well. Then I used some of my left over 1x3 that I used for the tub rail and made some little steps at the front and back edges of the fenders. ALso welded a little tab on the steps to bolt the outside of the fenders to. Fenders are rock solid now and I can stand on them without any flexing.