My expedition trailer build

[J-man]

heres a few close ups from the pics i have now ill take more when i work onit tomarrow. its far from done but yoy get the idea basically just angle iron around the inside for the trailer and some square pipe ont he inside of the tail gate to help make the gate rigid and allow for a flush fit when closed, then ill run a strip of rubber on the angle iron so when closed it creates a water tight-dust proof seal.

more to come

what are you going to do for a latch for the tailgate?? Im trying to figure that out for mine.

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

Mike, make your pictures BIGGER!

Your closeups are so small it's hard to see any real detail.

 

[lx450landcruiser]

Mike, make your pictures BIGGER!

Your closeups are so small it's hard to see any real detail.

Id love to but Ive never been able to post any larger then what you see? any suggestions? i dont want to set up an accout with some photo bucket thing but this is as large as they would let me go? if you want ill email ya pics just pm your address

mike

 

[lx450landcruiser]

what are you going to do for a latch for the tailgate?? Im trying to figure that out for mine.

No word on what to do for a latch it has to be lockable but making it flush might not work if I still want to use the tailgate as a table

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

Mike, what format are your pictures in? I *think* that sometimes if they are not jpeg's they end up being smaller than usual.

 

[lx450landcruiser]

Mike, what format are your pictures in? I *think* that sometimes if they are not jpeg's they end up being smaller than usual.

they are jpegs I have messed with it before with no luck i will try again sometime this weekend, off to work on the trailer

 

[Degnol]

I have nothing to add to the thread except that i want to subscribe to it

Very interested in watching the engineering on the tailgate. It is a "must-have" for a camping/expedition style trailer and adds to the all around usefullness of it.

Keep up the good work!

Ed

 

[lx450landcruiser]

Well didnt get much done today since i had to do alot of errand then the welder ran out of wire. Any ways this is what i got done.

i found some latches loacally and they have matching locks so thats a plus.

Did some more work on the tail gate and got the hinges mounted and drilled. Also cut a hole for the latch.

 

[lx450landcruiser]

heres how i did the latch. I cut two small slices into the vertical angle iron and bend the metal towards the tail gate. I then cut a notch out of the square tubing attached to the tail gate so the bent metal wont interfear when closed. I then bent the bent part back about 45 degress so it was parellel with the latch. and becomes the striker fo the latch. Its not finished yet but least i know it works and is snug theres just enough room for the rubber gasket to go in there when finished and it should be real tight.

 

[lx450landcruiser]

more

 

[REZARF]

Man, that is some sweet engineering! You might weld up that flap but man, that is a grrrrreat approach to a common problem.

Looks good bro!

Drew

 

[lx450landcruiser]

what are people using for trailer lights? i didnt like the military ones as they took up useful space, id liek some that pop in and are flus and possibly LED but most seem to be two expensive for my budget

 

[Degnol]

These aren't too bad......

http://vehiclelight.com/4ledstkit.html

I'm going to use the military housings and LED them myself........at least that's the plan


BTW, your latch/tailgate sure look clean, but I wonder if the sides will flex enough to allow the latch to open?


Ed

 

[lx450landcruiser]

These aren't too bad......

http://vehiclelight.com/4ledstkit.html

I'm going to use the military housings and LED them myself........at least that's the plan


BTW, your latch/tailgate sure look clean, but I wonder if the sides will flex enough to allow the latch to open?


Ed

i wondered this myself. i plan on cutting some heafty rectangular pipe that will run along the vertical part of the trailer where the tail gate is, as a gusset. it will tie into the over hang of the trailer and arc in towards the bottom. This will be a wide enough surface to run the lights in and will allow me to use the space between the end of the trailer and fender for a self-step.

 

[Degnol]

That ought to work just fine. Another solution(and I am not recommending it for you at this point) would be to use a latch that "squeezes" the sides against the tailgate, like a compression latch. Your brace solution sounds like a keeper to me.

Ed

 

[REZARF]

what are people using for trailer lights? i didnt like the military ones as they took up useful space, id liek some that pop in and are flus and possibly LED but most seem to be two expensive for my budget

Here is what I am running... not cheap though

They do resemble FJ40 lights, wait, they ARE fj40 lights

Rezarf <><

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

Look up "closertowholesale" on ebay. He has a store and almost all they sell is trailer lights. If you enter C2W in the promo code box, you will get 10% off.

I got a pair of oval LEDs for my mini-truck for $35 where most places want $25 just for one.

 

[nat]

Nice build and there is some great info here.

Thanks!

 

[lx450landcruiser]

That ought to work just fine. Another solution(and I am not recommending it for you at this point) would be to use a latch that "squeezes" the sides against the tailgate, like a compression latch. Your brace solution sounds like a keeper to me.

Ed

I hear ya on the compresson latches i had them on my 40 when i put a tailgate in it. I acctully have a small destco latch like those used on tire carriers that would do exactly that however its not lockable and ive always like the flush door latches that can get snaged or pop loose.

 

[lx450landcruiser]

Here is what I am running... not cheap though

They do resemble FJ40 lights, wait, they ARE fj40 lights

Rezarf <><

so since this is going to be towed behind my 80 should i find some 80 series tail lights These are some good site for lights Ill let you all know which way i end up going.