My scratch built expedition style trailer build up thread (5 Viewers)

[splitshot]

Welds look great, Mace turned me onto anisplatter (actually I use the wife's canola non-stick cooking spray), what a difference. Give it a try if you haven't already.

One small warning though, you'll find yourself craving tacos

 

[Degnol]

Drew, what is the width of your frame? Sorry if you've already posted it.

Ed

 

[REZARF]

Drew, what is the width of your frame? Sorry if you've already posted it.

Ed

The main chassis is 43" wide, the sliders will be equal to the tire width but they will be bolted onto the chassis. 43" is as wide as I could go and keep the track width the same as the cruiser and have enough clearance between the frame rails and the tires/suspension. I hope that helps.

Thanks-

 

[Degnol]

Yes, that does help. The reason I ask is that I am going to order an axle from ABC and wanted to make sure that if I got the same thing you did (55" hubface to hubface?)that it would be compatible with the frame I started. I currently have a rectangle made out of 2x3" channel,like the 416, but heavier. I just don't remember what the dimensions are until I major it If it is wider than yours or narrower, I'll compensate on the axle width. I went pretty much off the 416 dimensions.
Since I have some old cruiser springs, I'm going to use those...minus a leaf or two.

Thanks, now get busy!

Ed

 

[REZARF]

My width is at 43" and I am MAXED OUT! you might budget a bit more room than I did. Also, backspacing will also be a dimension you will need to address. If you have a lot of backspacing you might need to go narrower, if you dont have much you may be able to go wider.

I think the m416's are a bit narrower than what I went with.

 

[KY854RUN]

Ed,

The M416 frame is 41 inches wide.

Drew,

Your trailer build is looking great!

 

[Degnol]

Ed,

The M416 frame is 41 inches wide.

Drew,

Your trailer build is looking great!

My width is at 43" and I am MAXED OUT! you might budget a bit more room than I did. Also, backspacing will also be a dimension you will need to address. If you have a lot of backspacing you might need to go narrower, if you dont have much you may be able to go wider.

I think the m416's are a bit narrower than what I went with.

Thanks, I just went out and measured my frame width and it is 41" so if I order the same width axle as Drew, I should be good.
Drew, say again the hub face-to hub face dimension of your axle. IIRC it was 55"?

I am going to run 33 x 9.50 BFG MTs on stock steel wheels on the trailer, just like the cruiser.

Thanks,
Ed

 

[REZARF]

Thanks, I just went out and measured my frame width and it is 41" so if I order the same width axle as Drew, I should be good.
Drew, say again the hub face-to hub face dimension of your axle. IIRC it was 55"?

I am going to run 33 x 9.50 BFG MTs on stock steel wheels on the trailer, just like the cruiser.

Thanks,
Ed

I think you are going to be just fine. Here is a link to the axle I got...

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=147820&highlight=brown+shorts

Tell Randy I sent you... he wont know who I am though

I went back and post #14ish restates the 55" width. That is for a 76 with stock drum brakes.

I was very impressed with ABC Trailer parts.

 

[REZARF]

Well, I cut and chopped the draw bar assembly this week and went to fit it up and burn it in when I realized that I didn't brace the front "arms" of the chassis.

Well, that allowed them to each warp inwards about a 1/4"! So, today I had to mooch off my buddy IanB on this board to torch them hot enough to pull them back straight and true. They aren't perfect but I am well within about a 1/16" apart instead of a 1/2" apart, but they are both about 1/16" drivers side too.

I don't think it will be an issue, once I square up the draw arm to the frame, and the crossmember is still 100% true I will be welding in the draw arm soon and bracing that along the way so I don't end up doing the warp dance all over again.

Pics soon

 

[Rubiconcruiser]

Drew excellent workmanship and a quaity build. Jim

 

[chappysfj40]

awesome build, i love it

 

[REZARF]

Well, for an hours worth of work, I don't have much to show, getting this drawbar square and true prooved to be a challenge. You can see in the pic how I had to shim, clamp, sand bag, and level to get this thing square, but it came out well in the end

Here are a few pics, think those welds will hold?

 

[REZARF]

...and I ended up here. Enjoy the visual feast

 

[Degnol]

I think you are going to be just fine. Here is a link to the axle I got...

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=147820&highlight=brown+shorts

Tell Randy I sent you... he wont know who I am though

I went back and post #14ish restates the 55" width. That is for a 76 with stock drum brakes.

I was very impressed with ABC Trailer parts.

Thanks, Drew, I guess my short-medium term memory is not yet fading. I'm going to call him tomorrow. Still going to use my '40 spring packs...minus a few leafs.

Ed

 

[Degnol]

Drew, i just got off the phone with Randy and the whole deal was too smooth! The tube diameter is not 3" however, it is 2 3/8" on a #3500 axle. I would have to move up to a #5200 axle to get 3" tube. But I just ordered his u bolt kit for that tube and will have to make my own ubolt plates to fit the wider LC springs.

That outfit is a pleasure to deal with. Thanks for the reference!!!


Ed

 

[REZARF]

Drew, i just got off the phone with Randy and the whole deal was too smooth! The tube diameter is not 3" however, it is 2 3/8" on a #3500 axle. I would have to move up to a #5200 axle to get 3" tube. But I just ordered his u bolt kit for that tube and will have to make my own ubolt plates to fit the wider LC springs.

That outfit is a pleasure to deal with. Thanks for the reference!!!


Ed

Ed-

I think you will get a sweet ride with the cruiser springs, if I had a pair laying around I would use them for sure. I bet you have better articulation and ride with them. Glad to hear everything at ABC was as good for you as it was for me.

Drew

 

[Degnol]

Randy is a piece of work! Knows his sh*t and was very helpful. Told me the cost with shipping and said "I won't charge your card until I ship, give me your email and I'll forward tracking numbers"
Does it get any better than that? Can we clone this guy?

Thanks for the link.....again!

Ed

 

[REZARF]

I got a little time to tack up the front end of the trailer on Monday. It was fun to try to get all the angles right. My cheapo HF saw and getting angles right... don't exactly mix too well.

So after a lot of measuring, chopping and heavy use of a hand file, I got to within reasonable tolerances for welding this thing up.

Here is a shot of how it started with a detail shot of each joint.

 

[REZARF]

After tacking the front bars were tacked into place. I cut and fit two more pieces of the tube to create another cross-member up front. All in all it came out well. I hope to burn all the welds in this weekend.

It is crazy how much time it takes to measure cut and fit verses running the welder over the finished joints. It is like 6 hours of cutting, shaping, and fitting for about 10 minutes of running weld beads

They say triangulation is the key to strength so a few triangles ought to help the front end. Also, tying the front-side draw-bars into the side rails should minimize the twisting effect of the main draw-bar (center) tube.

That said, here is where she sits today...

 

[Degnol]

Drew,
Are your X-members right above the spring eyes and shackle mounts? I like your frame design. ABC just delivered my axle today at my KC office......box O' parts..........minus the axle. Well, they were shipped separately so I'll wait.
I have done mine bass-ackwards from your build. Made the rectangular frame first and will proceed from there.

Keep burning and posting pics!

Thanks,

Ed