Help me brainstorm a scratch build... (1 Viewer)

[slickrock]

can't wait to see the pictures and build up on it. good luck!

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Well, I have sourced an axle 3500# solid axle without camber. Axle, spindles, 6x5.5 hubs, bearings, seals, dust cap, springs, shackles, spring perches, and spring hangers, shipped to my door for 122.95 plus 58 shipping!

I have a quote for just over 240 bucks for the steel for the chasis, box, bumper, fenders, and tongue.

I get a week off at Thanksgiving and I am going to try to knock out the chasis and main cargo box.

We'll see how it goes. Should be fun!

Rezarf <><

Get on it

 

[wesintl]

Well, I have sourced an axle 3500# solid axle without camber. Axle, spindles, 6x5.5 hubs, bearings, seals, dust cap, springs, shackles, spring perches, and spring hangers, shipped to my door for 122.95 plus 58 shipping!

I have a quote for just over 240 bucks for the steel for the chasis, box, bumper, fenders, and tongue.

I get a week off at Thanksgiving and I am going to try to knock out the chasis and main cargo box.

We'll see how it goes. Should be fun!

Rezarf <><

Sweet dude. I'll be looking forward to the build.

 

[REZARF]

Sweet dude. I'll be looking forward to the build.

Yeah, Wes you and Exiled talked me into it. I figure I can make it the way I want it... a few reasons for doing it were:

I like to design things!
I like to build things!
The material cost isn't that bad.
I can "build it as I go"
I can control what I need and can custom make things to my specs, like plumbing, gas lines, kitchen, storage, size, cargo capacity.

But more of the vote was because:
I will not spend time undoing things that are not correct, tongue length, hitch style, covered cargo area, tailgate mod etc...
No money into sandblasting and metal replacement, and body work.
No having to swap over hubs to get them to match the cruiser hubs.
All the little things, good wiring, rust free hardware, and ride height.

I am still working on getting all my parts together before starting to fab anything up, I am getting a water tank, and stove/sink/facuet those things together before I get rolling.

Should be fun. Thanks Wes! I will need to get your help as I go for sure.

Rezarf <><

 

[Exiled]

Yeah, Wes you and Exiled talked me into it. I figure I can make it the way I want it... a few reasons for doing it were:

I like to design things!
I like to build things!
The material cost isn't that bad.
I can "build it as I go"
I can control what I need and can custom make things to my specs, like plumbing, gas lines, kitchen, storage, size, cargo capacity.

But more of the vote was because:
I will not spend time undoing things that are not correct, tongue length, hitch style, covered cargo area, tailgate mod etc...
No money into sandblasting and metal replacement, and body work.
No having to swap over hubs to get them to match the cruiser hubs.
All the little things, good wiring, rust free hardware, and ride height.

I am still working on getting all my parts together before starting to fab anything up, I am getting a water tank, and stove/sink/facuet those things together before I get rolling.

Should be fun. Thanks Wes! I will need to get your help as I go for sure.

Rezarf <><

You're on the right track, Rezarf, do it once, do it right, no re-do's or regrets. Awesome, can't wait to see how it turns out!

 

[REZARF]

You're on the right track, Rezarf, do it once, do it right, no re-do's or regrets. Awesome, can't wait to see how it turns out!

Thanks Exiled, at first I couldn't see the costs and how it would be better to scratch build, but after about 10 phone calls to trailer specific places I think I can end up with a nice trailer for a fair cost.

Exiled, or anyone in the know, what are your thoughts on the "A-frame" drawbar set-up vs. a single draw bar setup?

I am thinking of just fabbing up a single tow bar, and shorten the "A" arms enough to fit a cooler and propane tank, like Kurts from Cruiser Outfitters.

Thinking of 1/4 wall at 2.5" square coming off the chasis, with a slide in "reciever style" extender of 2" square 1/4" wall (removeable for storage) hitching up to the cruiser...

... sound about right?

Thanks!

Rezarf <><

 

[Exiled]

It depends on the materials you plan to use. I personally prefer the A-frame, but I've seen single drawbars. The latter will have to be a stronger setup for obvious reasons. Remember that, to track smoothly behind the Cruiser, the trailer should have more weight towards the front of it, so keep that balance even when empty.

 

[REZARF]

I have heard the best ratio for wieght is 60% of the wieght (both loaded and unloaded) should be in front of the axle, with the other 40% behind the axle.

I like the A frame design, the military must have seen an advantage to it but I was wondering about the ability to "jack knife" the trailer when backing up and not hitting the cruiser.

How long is your draw bar set up Exiled? And do you know the overall length as well? I think iirc, the m416 has a 6' box?

Thanks-

Rezarf <><

 

[Grim Reaper]

can anyone speak of the torsion vs, solid axle srpung over? Which one is a better choice?

Any good online sources? I am in Colorado if it helps.

Rezarf <><

Air

I'm about to build a trailer as well. Adventure trailer http://www.adventuretrailers.com/ has been selling A-frame control rm air spring trailers for the last year. Everybody that has one loves them.

The main gain is the adjustable spring rate to match the load. Your off the shelf trailer springs are anything but flex. Yeah you could use a spring off a car or truck but it doesn't' fix the problem of how the weight in the trailer will change. Well you get going down a wash board road with a light load in the trailer its going to start bouncing and slow the speed you can travel at.

As for the rest of your build. Figure out exactly what you want to carry and what it will weight. Think of every way you could possibly want to use it.

In my case I want this trailer to be a bit more universal. It will be in two main sections. I managed to buy some decommissioned Aluminum cabinets. These things will work out great. On the front will be four doored cabinets. One of the lower ones may be converted into a 12v Fridge (these cabinets has 12v/24v AC units in them. The compressors are Danfoos BD50F compressos...same ones used in $1500 Weaco portable fridges )
One of the top cabinets will have a slide out tray with a camp stove on it. The top of the fenders will form a 10-12 inch wide table for food prep.

I figure 20 gallon water tank. 20lb LP tank. Cook top pre plumbed. Hose run to a point to run a hanging propane lantern or two as well. I chose to go that size instead of the smaller size you would see on Adventure trailer for convenience. You can find plenty of gas stations that have tank exchange. That means I can find propane at any time of the day if I need it. Propane hot water system like the Lodi for both showers and normal water needs.

The rear storage cabinets will remove as a unit to allow the trailer to be turned into a open cargo bed 48x62 inches. Just big enough to get my lawn tractor on it to haul over to my moms when she needs it. The movable boxes once assembled will be 28 tall with a two full width doors, 44 inches wide and 60 inches long. It will have a sliding bed floor so that you can drop the gate and slide it right out for storage access.

Over the whole trailer will be a rack to mount a roof top tent on. It will be just tall enough to get the hatch doors open on the back boxes (need about 30 inches of clearance). It will be out of 2 inch 120. Basically make an exo cage. This again puts more utility option in it. When not used for camping that rack would be large enough to handle 4x8 ft sheets and 10-12ft lengths of steel.

The main body will will end up about 7.5 ft x 48. So roughly the size of the chaser. I am shooting for 700lb empty since all the body work is Aluminum. The 4 Runner frame width is 44 I think. With an swing arm suspension and IFS off set wheels I can stuff the fenders tight to the back of the wheel. I should be able to make it track the same as the truck pulling it.

Attached is a mock up of the cabinets. The Red represents the Exo.

 

[slickrock]

Where did you find the cabinets? those are great and would work perfectly for me? Any more of them around?

 

[Grim Reaper]

Where did you find the cabinets? those are great and would work perfectly for me? Any more of them around?

Decommissioned telecom Equipment cabinets I bought from the guy the company I work for sells off our scrap to. Guy cut me a deal. He has no market for those other then the scrap vallue that he sold them to me for. It wouldn't be worth your or his time cross country.

The big ones were made by Marconi. The small ones were probably made by Percell. To buy them direct rom the manufacture they would nail you about $1k.

 

[REZARF]

So I am getting ready to start buying material and an axle here in the next week or two. However, I thought I would run my initial plan through you guys to get any feedback or suggestions you might make.

Chasis:
2x3x.120" wall tubing for frame rails, ladder cross members, and 3/16" wall for the A-arm drawbars.

The rear bumper will be 2x5x3/16" welded to the frame rails.

The cross members will span across at the front of the "tub" and at each leaf spring hanger point.

The drawbars will be tied into the front spring mount junction exactly like the m416's.


"Cargo Tub"

I am going to build up a skeleton like frame for the box out of 1" square tubing. This will be skinned from the inside in aluminum with sheet metal screws (unsure about this).

lid would be similar construction except I will gusset at appropriate spots to hard mount posts for my roof top tent.

I may use surplus fenders from a m101 to cover the tires.


Let me know what you think, getting closer, I will post up sketches when I get a chance.

Rezarf <><

 

[slickrock]

Let me know how the aluminum works out (many many pictures). I was going to do mine out of ply wood but that is way too heavy. Where are you sourcing that much aluminum?
Dan

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

FYI you can get all kinds of different fenders from Tractor Supply and Northern Tool in both aluminum and steel. Just something to look into.

Otherwise, the plan sounds good. I'm curious why such a beefy rear bumper on a trailer? It's only as strong as the frame it's tied too...

 

[REZARF]

FYI you can get all kinds of different fenders from Tractor Supply and Northern Tool in both aluminum and steel. Just something to look into.

Otherwise, the plan sounds good. I'm curious why such a beefy rear bumper on a trailer? It's only as strong as the frame it's tied too...

Honestly, I hadnt really thought about it that way, I'm still in over build mode, when I need to be in light wieght mode.

Rezarf <><

 

[REZARF]

Let me know how the aluminum works out (many many pictures). I was going to do mine out of ply wood but that is way too heavy. Where are you sourcing that much aluminum?
Dan

any good sheet metal shop will have it in sheets and will cut it to size for you.

Rezarf <><

 

[REZARF]

Well, I have been tracking down parts and buying all the little stuff so I can design the trailer to fit all the trailer goodies I have been accumulating. I bought a water tank 21 gallons off ebay, should work great, and rest directly over the axle and between the frame rails.

I bought one of those Car Top Tents that were selling like hot cakes. And picked up a lot of other stuff for the "kitchen" and shower. I have decided to run the lunette and pintle hook, and use the lunette ring in a removable configuration, by sliding it into a 2" reciever tube welded to the trailer.

Has anyone here used ABC Trailer Parts for their axles?

Still searching for two decent 35" MT/R's... if you know of a set could you PM me?

Rezarf <><

 

[REZARF]

Here is a sketch of what I think it will look like.

flame away...

 

[REZARF]

More doodles... this is a scale study. Note: a very ROUGH scale study.

Also, in the shot above the lid is just over the center section, however, I think I will make the lid the entire top of the trailer. The price of good latches has helped make this decision.

All these concepts were created in AutoCad .00001

 

[Exiled]

During the Trailer 3.0, I added a cooler basket on the front of mine. At the time, it worked, but now I wish I had a full enclosure with a separate lid for an Engel 45 mounted on slides, with a lockable door that opened on one side.