Hawn Freeway Trailer Custom trailer build for my FJ40
- Thread starter fj40charles
- Start date
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That's pretty darn close to what I have been wanting to build. Wonder if they'd build another w/ same design/features except 102" x 18'? Care to give us an idea of what your cost was?
- Thread starter
- #66
I'll send you a PM.
- Thread starter
- #68
Here is my 1 year report.
4 wheeling trips covering over 4K miles of towing. Zero failures and zero maintenance required due to having oil lubricated bearings.
Trailer tows great and does not seem to weigh much considering it is pretty heavy for the size.
Fuel mileage seems to be the same due to lower rolling resistance of the better bearings and lubrication.
Best part of having a quality, overbuilt, and having excess carrying capacity trailer is NOT ever having to worry about a trailer failure when you're far away from home.
The money was well spent. The only regret is not buying one sooner. Would have saved me lots of money and headaches on my old trailer.
4 wheeling trips covering over 4K miles of towing. Zero failures and zero maintenance required due to having oil lubricated bearings.
Trailer tows great and does not seem to weigh much considering it is pretty heavy for the size.
Fuel mileage seems to be the same due to lower rolling resistance of the better bearings and lubrication.
Best part of having a quality, overbuilt, and having excess carrying capacity trailer is NOT ever having to worry about a trailer failure when you're far away from home.
The money was well spent. The only regret is not buying one sooner. Would have saved me lots of money and headaches on my old trailer.
Forgot how pretty that trailer was.....
Glad it's doing a great job, to be honest, as well it was made, its's no surprise to hear it's trouble free!!
Glad it's doing a great job, to be honest, as well it was made, its's no surprise to hear it's trouble free!!
Here is mine...I want to add some metal deck up near the "a frame area" by the trailer hitch to mount a tool box. Also anyone have any good ideas on a spare tire mount? I guess I got the good deal because mine is missing some of those nice to have things...plus I have large flip down ramps, but thats the way it was and that led to the reasonable price.
I agree with post 68 in regard as to why did I not do this a long time ago...
I would like to have a custom made trailer but I got a real good deal on this one..10.4K GVW rated. Not near as nice as the custom made one.
the good part about trailers in the 10K range or higher is that I have no worry about the trailer...I just drive and the trailer tracks well and I'm not concerned about anything other than just normal maintenance.
I agree with post 68 in regard as to why did I not do this a long time ago...
I would like to have a custom made trailer but I got a real good deal on this one..10.4K GVW rated. Not near as nice as the custom made one.
the good part about trailers in the 10K range or higher is that I have no worry about the trailer...I just drive and the trailer tracks well and I'm not concerned about anything other than just normal maintenance.
- Thread starter
- #71
Elbert,
That is a good looking trailer.
I think you could easily mount the spare tire(s) under the trailer. I like my spare tires under the trailer because it is out of the way, out of the sun, and less likely to get stolen. Only downside is the pain removing the tire when you get a flat.
How about a tool box like this one?
Amazon.com: DeeZee DZ 91716 Triangle Trailer Tool Box: Automotive
Charles
yea...I plan to get a tool box like that or one of teh small job site types. Just need to get metal deck plate cut and have it welded up on teh a frame area for mouting of the tool box, that seems to be the cleanest way to do it.
I'll talk to my friend (welder fabricator) about what we can do on mounting the spare under the trailer (with relatively easy access) or my thoughts were to come up with some mount that works there in the same general "a frame area).
I want all the trailer crap to stay on or with the trailer...hard to do with no tool box and no spare mount.
I'll talk to my friend (welder fabricator) about what we can do on mounting the spare under the trailer (with relatively easy access) or my thoughts were to come up with some mount that works there in the same general "a frame area).
I want all the trailer crap to stay on or with the trailer...hard to do with no tool box and no spare mount.
Charles,
Do you have any pictures showing the load ramps extended or in use. I'm thinking about doing away with the ramps I have and go to either some type of slide-out or similar ramp that attaches to the rear for loading ut can be locked or secured to the trailer for travel. I'm tired of screwing around with the huge ramps I Have and they make some incredible noise on every bump...espically when trialer not loaded.
Do you have any pictures showing the load ramps extended or in use. I'm thinking about doing away with the ramps I have and go to either some type of slide-out or similar ramp that attaches to the rear for loading ut can be locked or secured to the trailer for travel. I'm tired of screwing around with the huge ramps I Have and they make some incredible noise on every bump...espically when trialer not loaded.
- Thread starter
- #74
ok...
I'm thinking we will remove the large utility type ramps, install a mount for the smaller / shorter type ramps on the rear, and then most likely setup a storage rage under the trailer behind the axles where its flat, right before it goes into the dovetail area. Have a good secure slide in/out type rack and make it where the ramps don't rattle and be able to secure with a tractor pin or padlock. I think from what I've seen probally ramps in the range of 3 to 4 feet would be ok and easy to handle.
when I say mout for the ramps on the rear of the trailer for loading....it would appear that a lot of folks are using small piece of c channel or potentially angle iron to create a lip for teh loading ramp to hang on for loading purposes.
I may go looking around tomorrow with the camera for some ideas.
I'm thinking we will remove the large utility type ramps, install a mount for the smaller / shorter type ramps on the rear, and then most likely setup a storage rage under the trailer behind the axles where its flat, right before it goes into the dovetail area. Have a good secure slide in/out type rack and make it where the ramps don't rattle and be able to secure with a tractor pin or padlock. I think from what I've seen probally ramps in the range of 3 to 4 feet would be ok and easy to handle.
when I say mout for the ramps on the rear of the trailer for loading....it would appear that a lot of folks are using small piece of c channel or potentially angle iron to create a lip for teh loading ramp to hang on for loading purposes.
I may go looking around tomorrow with the camera for some ideas.
- Thread starter
- #76
Elbert,
3-4' long ramp would work out well. Since you have a dovetail, you might be able to get away with 3' ramp.
Longer ramp is nice if you ever need to tow a low vehicle (honda accord or other small car).
I've attached pics that might help. The trailer ramp is held by angle iron welded on the backside of the trailer. It goes all the way across for maximum flexibility.
Middle pic, you can see see how the ramp is secured/locked. I use a regular padlock to keep in place.
I suppose you could use the existing mounts for the ramps you have also.
Charles
ok thanks...
I think we are going to do something similar, except come in from the side for the ramp storage area, right before the dove tail starts. On my trailer the large ramps ride on a fairly large piece of round stock that rides in kind of a "home-brewed" mount. Seems like you would make this some type of shaft riding in a bearing support, but I guess the crude method has worked for many years. Basically the mounts are like a small section of something like 3 inch angle iron...one edge welded to the rear cross beam and then a hole burned in that for the shaft to ride in, and this shaft if what the ramps piviot on.
Looks like we'll most likely cut the current ramp mounts off or at least a section of them....and then fab up the lip for hte new "stowable" ramps to mount for loading. I think we may be able to avoid some cuts as long as the present mounts don't interfere with having the ramps in the proper position for loading, if they do I guess the troch will have to do its magic work.
couple of things I would have changed on mine if I had the opportunity to do so at the time. (1) Ramp mounts and ramps (2) spare tire setup, (3) marker lights for fenders such that you can see the fenders at night in your mirror (4) tool box mount or space, (5) maybe two additional tie-down d-rings.
Oh...and the crappy center tail light (the light bar with three red lights)...its a very cheap solution and the center socket has already burned out.
I'm going to get a LED three light bar to replace the center lights at the rear, and come up a good way to mount some marker lights (LED) on the fender or fender mounts, fab up for a tool box mount by the trailer jack, and rig for two spare tire mounts that most likely will mount in the stackpocket, and then modify the ramps.
Yea I realize that it would have been money ahead to buy the trailer with these mods up front but I did not have the foresight to see all of that and it would have cost more $$ than I had at the time to use for the purchase.
I think we are going to do something similar, except come in from the side for the ramp storage area, right before the dove tail starts. On my trailer the large ramps ride on a fairly large piece of round stock that rides in kind of a "home-brewed" mount. Seems like you would make this some type of shaft riding in a bearing support, but I guess the crude method has worked for many years. Basically the mounts are like a small section of something like 3 inch angle iron...one edge welded to the rear cross beam and then a hole burned in that for the shaft to ride in, and this shaft if what the ramps piviot on.
Looks like we'll most likely cut the current ramp mounts off or at least a section of them....and then fab up the lip for hte new "stowable" ramps to mount for loading. I think we may be able to avoid some cuts as long as the present mounts don't interfere with having the ramps in the proper position for loading, if they do I guess the troch will have to do its magic work.
couple of things I would have changed on mine if I had the opportunity to do so at the time. (1) Ramp mounts and ramps (2) spare tire setup, (3) marker lights for fenders such that you can see the fenders at night in your mirror (4) tool box mount or space, (5) maybe two additional tie-down d-rings.
Oh...and the crappy center tail light (the light bar with three red lights)...its a very cheap solution and the center socket has already burned out.
I'm going to get a LED three light bar to replace the center lights at the rear, and come up a good way to mount some marker lights (LED) on the fender or fender mounts, fab up for a tool box mount by the trailer jack, and rig for two spare tire mounts that most likely will mount in the stackpocket, and then modify the ramps.
Yea I realize that it would have been money ahead to buy the trailer with these mods up front but I did not have the foresight to see all of that and it would have cost more $$ than I had at the time to use for the purchase.