My scratch built expedition style trailer build up thread (1 Viewer)

[REZARF]

Got to work on the lid for a while today.

Here is where I ended up today, The frame is only tacked up and fitted. I spent most of the day welding all the seams of the big box and grinding... and grinding... and grinding all day long. Got everything pretty flush and smooth. Welding the light 16ga. tubing proved to be quite a delicate operation, especially when I was welding the ends of the tubing as it likes to burn up faster than the other sections. All in all it was a good afternoon.

 

[REZARF]

Got a little camera crazy today. Here are a few more...

Tomorrow I am off to get more steel... again! For the tailgate and drawers and a few floor "spreaders," I have decided on a metal floor and I am going to make a few spreaders over the frame crossmembers since it will not have any strength otherwise.

Should be able to order and start work on the sheet metal after thanks giving, that will be cool.

 

[REZARF]

I could use a little help on something... hinges.

On the lid, I am thinking of welding the piano hinge on only one side (the lid), and bolting the other side to the cargo box top leading edge. The idea being I can unbolt it later if I want to haul around something non-camping related like a fridge or something. I was thinking of a row of the 1/4" UHCR Bolts I have a sealed washers to keep out the junk.

If I use the hinge in the closed position then the gap created between the lid and cargo tub is about 1/4" a bit too big in my opinion...

...what say you?

Thanks in advance- Rezarf <><

 

[spressomon]

I could use a little help on something... hinges.

On the lid, I am thinking of welding the piano hinge on only one side (the lid), and bolting the other side to the cargo box top leading edge. The idea being I can unbolt it later if I want to haul around something non-camping related like a fridge or something. I was thinking of a row of the 1/4" UHCR Bolts I have a sealed washers to keep out the junk.

If I use the hinge in the closed position then the gap created between the lid and cargo tub is about 1/4" a bit too big in my opinion...

...what say you?

Thanks in advance- Rezarf <><

What type of weatherstripping are you going to use between the lid and box? Bulb type (the type AT uses) come in a variety of thicknesses. Don't know where you can buy it...maybe MMC?

 

[REZARF]

I am going to use auto motive style, that is about an inch wide and any thickness I want, I was thinking .125" it is adhesive backed and it does have two side by side "bulbs"running its length. Looks like a thick tape with ridges.

I have used this stuff before with great results.

Thanks!

 

[Degnol]

Looking good.

Drew, do you think anything like this might make the engineering any easier?

http://www.westernhardware.com/latch-strikes.php


GL

Ed

 

[sseaman]

have you looked into using a hurricane hinge, to keep water and dirt out?

 

[REZARF]

have you looked into using a hurricane hinge, to keep water and dirt out?

Nope, is that what is on a teardrop? I have seen them before, the way I have this designed the gasket/weatherstrip will be tight around the entire lid.

Thanks!

Drew

 

[AxleIke]

You WERE going to get steel, until your buddy who shall remain nameless totally blew it and didn't check what time they closed.

I was thinking about the hinge last night, and I think you should put it oriented so the gap between the lid and box is the smallest. The "pooling" will be a little more, but then again, it should just run off, when going around a corner, or you can just wipe it out. If there is a bigger gap, the lid will be crooked, becasue the weather stripping will compress. Not sure that makes sense.

 

[lx450landcruiser]

any ideas on weather stripping? i figure its best to go ahead and get the stripping for mine so i know what im dealing with when fabbing up the top that way its all snug.

mike

 

[sseaman]

Yes, the hurricane hinge is what they use on tear drops, heres a link

http://www.lilbear.teardrops.net/parts.html

 

[REZARF]

any ideas on weather stripping? i figure its best to go ahead and get the stripping for mine so i know what im dealing with when fabbing up the top that way its all snug.

mike

I am going with strip style with two hollow channels in the cross section. You can get it at home depot but it is made for the auto market.

Hope it helps.

Drew

 

[REZARF]

Well, I got a few more hours in the garage today, we are having crazy warm weather, so I am trying to make the best of it.

I worked on my propane tank mounts today and got them up and running. I had purchased a set from my local welding shop that open with a hinge then tighten with a wing nut. Once I had them in hand they didn't fit the tanks and they made the tank stick out nearly 2" from the sides of the trailer... not good... not only that but they were 60 bucks and not close enough to what I wanted to justify the cost, SO...

... I made my own!

I started with about 5 bucks in scrap material from my local steel yard. I cut two channels 8" in length. I drilled three holes to make my mounts foundation.

Next, I welded 2x.125" strap to the sides of the channel and hoisted the tank into place. I used the tank as a mold and started to bend the strap around the tank... I used a few ratchet strap to hold the tank in place and I screwed the foundation to the saw horse, this all worked really well.

 

[REZARF]

Then, I tacked in the short side. I bent the tab over and then got the rough shape by bending the steel in my vice with a 3lb sledge. If you try this, just bend it a little at a time and after a few minutes a nice smooth curve starts to form.

Once the short side was in place I could trim the long side to the right length. Then it was time to burn in the welds, the first one I made the spot welds failed once I really started getting after the bending.

 

[REZARF]

After that, I just had to bend the last tab over on the long side and drill a hole for the bolt to go through. Then I used an adjustable cresent wrench to man handle the bolt holes into place and I can bring the two parts together tightly by tightening the bolt.

You can see how the tank mount will "bolt" up to the frame of the trailer.

 

[REZARF]

Woa-lah!

I have two custom propane mounts now. I will secure the bottom of the tank with a bolt to the deck of the trailer, but other than that I may create a way to lock them up when the trailer is parked in town.

I ordered 2" wide rubber strips to insulate the tank from vibration and keep it from getting banged up by the mount itself. It is good stuff and has a nice adhesive back on it. After paint I will put them on.

Whatta' ya think?

 

[philos1]

looks great! Any progress elsewhere?

 

[OlympiaFJ60]

Very nice, I think I will have to use that design. What size tanks are those? They don't look like the typical 20#.

 

[REZARF]

Very nice, I think I will have to use that design. What size tanks are those? They don't look like the typical 20#.

They are 11# tanks, they are virtually the same height as the 20# tanks but are only 9" in diameter. FWIW, my local toyota dealer had them pretty cheap compared to other retailers.

 

[REZARF]

looks great! Any progress elsewhere?

Not really, been busy at work, and with the holidays here now, family, traveling, eating... I hope to get a bit more done this week. I am heading to 2badfj's tomorrow to borrow a square tubing die so I can knock out my fenders, befor the weather breaks.

Thanks for the kind words.