My scratch built expedition style trailer build up thread (3 Viewers)

[spressomon]

Nice idea and fabbing on the propane mounts Drew!!! Its one thing to make stuff like that with a machine shop full of tools, bolted to the floor steel benches and the like...but kudos to you for pulling these together in your garage with basic, simple tools!

 

[ColoCruiserJeff]

Good looking trailer!! Keep up the progress!

 

[vtcruiser60]

Impressive strapping. Well done....

 

[FJOE]

Rezarf

I am very impresse with this project. Congradulations!!! you are gonna have one awsome safari trailer when you get it done.
I am very inspired, especially when in the beginning otf this thread you said you were a beginner at welding. what I want to know is what welder do you have? I will be doing a m416 project this year and want to practice welding first.

 

[REZARF]

Nice idea and fabbing on the propane mounts Drew!!! Its one thing to make stuff like that with a machine shop full of tools, bolted to the floor steel benches and the like...but kudos to you for pulling these together in your garage with basic, simple tools!

Thanks! It can get tough thinking through how to do this or that... knowing I don't have exactly what I need. That is why I posted that propane fab in detail, to help others realize you don't have to have a CNC machine to make a few custom parts. But I would take a CNC tomorrow!

 

[REZARF]

Rezarf

I am very impresse with this project. Congradulations!!! you are gonna have one awsome safari trailer when you get it done.
I am very inspired, especially when in the beginning otf this thread you said you were a beginner at welding. what I want to know is what welder do you have? I will be doing a m416 project this year and want to practice welding first.

Thanks man, this has been a fun project to work on for sure. I am using a 220v Lincoln SP-175t it is a great welder and I got it for a great price. If you need to learn how to weld I only did three things:

1. I bought and read Welders Handbook by Finch, before even buying my welder.
2. I took lots of pictures and posted them on my local clubs site (Rising Sun) where a few of the older fab guys gave me great advice, it was like taking an interactive on line class.
3. I burned about 1/2 mile of scrap! I feel like welding is more art than science and technique is only improved by making more and more beads.

Hope that helps.

Drew

 

[CRUZR66]

Home Built Trailer

Drew, I had the Same thoughts when I built my Trailer, same width as my cruzr, length the same as the width, Cruzer rear Tailgates, cruzer Hubs ,Spindles on a home built Axle, Old Cruzer leaf springs, Cruizer rear tailights, All used parts from my Crusier, I've done about three Major Mods since the first flatbed I built, got rid of the Pintle and Ring towing setup, went with my Own Design, Quiet and non binding, My trailer has a 16 gallon spare Feul tank, pump with hose long enough to refill cruizer, 12 volt electrics, 600 watt inverter, enough power to run my blender all weekend on the Rubithon, 4 nights and still have Night lights on. Onboard lights, working on 10 gallon water tank, for my Shower unit under my Hood of my Cruiser, Home built also, Trailer carries all the essentials, spare parts, camping equipment, Large ice chest, Two tuff boxes, a few more mods and I'll be done, I made mine to drag around behind my cruiser on the Rubicon trail, painted Camo just like the cruiser, had to change from Flat black, people asked if it was a big BBQ, I have a long trailer tongue, long enough to jack knife the trailer sideways and still not touch the trailer with the cruiser, I'll post a few Pics soon, as soon as i get my computer fixed,

Jim Adams (aka Gunner)
Pacific Mountain Cruisers

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Nice work and great thread..! On the strapping for the propane bottle (which looks awesome ( I would maybe add a gusset to where it angles out. As you continually use the strap and untension/tension, you are likely to start bending at that angle and a gusset would preserve it. Nice work though killer and killer looking!

 

[REZARF]

Drew, I had the Same thoughts when I built my Trailer, same width as my cruzr, length the same as the width, Cruzer rear Tailgates, cruzer Hubs ,Spindles on a home built Axle, Old Cruzer leaf springs, Cruizer rear tailights, All used parts from my Crusier, I've done about three Major Mods since the first flatbed I built, got rid of the Pintle and Ring towing setup, went with my Own Design, Quiet and non binding, My trailer has a 16 gallon spare Feul tank, pump with hose long enough to refill cruizer, 12 volt electrics, 600 watt inverter, enough power to run my blender all weekend on the Rubithon, 4 nights and still have Night lights on. Onboard lights, working on 10 gallon water tank, for my Shower unit under my Hood of my Cruiser, Home built also, Trailer carries all the essentials, spare parts, camping equipment, Large ice chest, Two tuff boxes, a few more mods and I'll be done, I made mine to drag around behind my cruiser on the Rubicon trail, painted Camo just like the cruiser, had to change from Flat black, people asked if it was a big BBQ, I have a long trailer tongue, long enough to jack knife the trailer sideways and still not touch the trailer with the cruiser, I'll post a few Pics soon, as soon as i get my computer fixed,

Jim Adams (aka Gunner)
Pacific Mountain Cruisers

Man, I would love to see this thing, how about starting up a thread?

 

[REZARF]

Nice work and great thread..! On the strapping for the propane bottle (which looks awesome ( I would maybe add a gusset to where it angles out. As you continually use the strap and untension/tension, you are likely to start bending at that angle and a gusset would preserve it. Nice work though killer and killer looking!

Thanks man, I will see how they go, I thought about gusseting them, but I don't think they will need it. If they do I can always add them later.

THanks!

Rezarf <><

 

[REZARF]

Gotta give a BIG SHOUT OUT to:

2badfj's aka Jim the Solid Rock Off-Road fab-tastic dude! for lending me his die for bending up some square tube today, THANKS JIM!

Second,Ullr... formerly known as IanB, for letting me bend steel way into the night tonight!

YOU BOTH ROCK!

Pics tomorrow, I gotta have some light to show you what I got done, I think this is going to look SWEET!

Rezarf <><

 

[AxleIke]

Drew, those tank mounts are AWESOME...Great work man!! Those are 100000x better than what i was talking about....Sweet!

 

[REZARF]

Thanks Isaac! I appreciate it, when are we going to burn in the rest of your bumper?

Ahywho...

Here is what I got done yesterday. I spent the afternoon and evening at ullr's house, thanks again Ian!

Seems simple, and it is, but getting 4 pieces of tubing to bend at the EXACT same angle and make them mirror images by hand was quite the task. I only wasted one section, and I can use that one in making my "shelves" on the sides of the frame to hold a gas can or whatever. So I took the messed up one and pulled two 90* bends instead. I will chop that one down the middle to make two shelves... clear as mud?

I also pulled the top bar for the rack for the front cargo box. Simple stuff but time consuming for noob at bending.

 

[gavman]

Looks great there Drew,
What did you use for the making the bends, Or should i say what brand of bender?

 

[ColoCruiserJeff]

I've got to know how you bent that square tube!!!! That looks awesome!!

 

[REZARF]

Looks great there Drew,
What did you use for the making the bends, Or should i say what brand of bender?

It is a JD2 bender. What a COOL tool! The tubing bends like butter, I have had 2" .125 wall tube on it and it pulls really smoooooth. The only thing cooler than having one of these things at your house is having a friend who is generous with his... and lives like a 1/2 mile away!

I've got to know how you bent that square tube!!!! That looks awesome!!

All you need is a square tubing die... simple as that. Some dies are made for round tube, and other for square tube.

Rezarf <><

 

[AxleIke]

OH MAN!!! AGAIN, Drew, you amaze me...Those look FANTASTIC.

Are you planning on doing the lower part of the rack as a square, or will you have to bend it at another time?

Beautiful man...

I think you should add to your signature "Drew F. Trailer Building Extraordinaire"

 

[ColoCruiserJeff]

I think you should add to your signature "Drew F. Trailer Building Extraordinaire"

Thats a great idea!!

Looks awesome! Want to see it outside, so we can get an overview of the project....

 

[REZARF]

OH MAN!!! AGAIN, Drew, you amaze me...Those look FANTASTIC.

Are you planning on doing the lower part of the rack as a square, or will you have to bend it at another time?

Beautiful man...
QUOTE]

Thanks bud. The rack top bar (the one pictured will be bent and welded/bolted to the lid of the front cargo box. The top of the box will be square to make everything water and dust tight.

Thats a great idea!!

Looks awesome! Want to see it outside, so we can get an overview of the project....

Once the snow lifts, I will snap a few pics, but we have family coming in today... YIPPEE! so time in the garage will be happily limited.

 

[Trollhole]

Wow. I don't get into the trailer section much.

Great build.