The toughest most heavy duty, light duty trailer.

[stevebradford]

I grew up ocean fishing with used cars/trucks, boat motors, boats and trailers. More than a few times a series of circumstances left us stranded in various predicaments, out on the ocean, side of the road, at the boat launch and some times having to leave the boat and trailer behind.

These experiences drove me to find the vehicle that wouldn’t strand or let me down, the Toyota Landcruiser diesel. All I needed was the trailer to match my cruisers.

A utility trailer that was 4X8, that could be dragged over rocks, pushed threw thick bush, could haul a yard of wet soil, my 10-12 foot boat and a 4x8 tear drop trailer. That would never have to be abandoned on the side of the road with a bad wheel bearing or flat tire.

This is what I came up with.

 

[bcsteel]

Nice job. That’s exactly what I want. You should make another one.

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

Nice work for sure! That is a very solid looking unit. So you've built a teardrop camper that fits on/in that trailer footprint? I think you've posted pics of it before, but I forget where....

 

[seapotato]

Very cool.

I like heavy duty light duty things, because I invariably treat my light duty things as heavy duty things.

I need to upgrade my little junk trailer too. It's pretty easily overloaded, and therefore I'll overload it...I figger a proper trailer should be nearly impossible to overload in normal trailer abuse situations with gravel etc


unless you're packing something seriously dense, like uranium or gold bars, but that's not likely unless you're helping rigpig move his doomsday bunker...

 

[stevebradford]

Haven’t figured out exactly how to combine the two yet but this is the other trailer that will fit perfectly on the deck once the wheels and tung are cut off. Was thinking something like 4 camper jacks to load unload and also to level it.

 

[cruiserpilot]

I might have 4 camper jacks. I traded for them couple of lifetimes ago. They sit in the corner.
I could go look.

 

[stevebradford]

Working out great, time to do some fishing.

 

[cruiserpilot]

I have to ask why tandem? I’ve got a single axle which seems simpler with 3500 lb 6 bolt spindles.

 

[stevebradford]

I won’t have to change a tire on the side of a highway or have to leave the trailer on the side of the road with a bad wheel bearing. In the ice and snow your trailer is less likely with more narrow tires to try to pass you while braking. In the rare case I do have a heavy load If I were to have a blow out on the highway I wouldn’t lose control and end up in the ditch on my roof. The 40 being such a short wheelbase it would be extra bad. In short performance and redundancy.

*It also doesn’t hop down bumpy roads which annoys me about our single axle camper trailer as everything get tossed around in there. (Don’t ask about the eggs on our summer camping trip it was bad.)

 

[PG45er]

I have too many trailers! This one is ugly as hell but I built this 40 years ago out of a 54 IHC. I used to pick up scrap towing it behind my LV when I lived in Victoria. I remember going over the scales with 4,250 Ibs and it wasn't even on the bump stops ( fewer cops on the road back then ) Light enough that I pull it with my ATV around the property for yard work and still take it to the bush for getting firewood which is often times green birch at about 3500 lbs.

The other 4 trailers are tandems. They do have there advantages- ride better, I've limped to town on 3 tires and don't jump on the back of the tow vehicle as much are a few things that come to mind. My junk tends to see some rough roads but you do have to keep an eye on your tires.

Axles bend pretty easy, I've had to get them re-tubed heavier to reduce problems, even worn spring pin bushings and before you realize it you end up screwing up a set of tires. Alignment is a lot more critical!!

 

[bikersmurf]

Time to do some fishing.
View attachment 1979493

I’d cover some 4”x4”s in carpet and secure them to the deck with some sort of quick release.

I used to have a Willy’s trailer from the 50s??? that was tough as nails... it was only single axle, but the 10 ply tires never went flat. I once had the 4’x6’ box filled to the top with a pallet load of bags of road salt... the trailer sluffed it off like it was nothing. It was close to 1000 lbs from what I recall, and both the 40 and the trailer barely noticed it.

@seapotato also had one of them... may still.

 

[Bluebj42]

Looks awesome nice work makes me want to build one.

 

[bikersmurf]

I grew up ocean fishing with used cars/trucks, boat motors, boats and trailers. More than a few times a series of circumstances left us stranded in various predicaments, out on the ocean, side of the road, at the boat launch and some times having to leave the boat and trailer behind.

These experiences drove me to find the vehicle that wouldn’t strand or let me down, the Toyota Landcruiser diesel. All I needed was the trailer to match my cruisers.

A utility trailer that was 4X8, that could be dragged over rocks, pushed threw thick bush, could haul a yard of wet soil, my 10-12 foot boat and a 4x8 tear drop trailer. That would never have to be abandoned on the side of the road with a bad wheel bearing or flat tire.

This is what I came up with.
View attachment 1958649View attachment 1958650View attachment 1959031View attachment 1958659View attachment 1958662

I’ve had three leaf sprung tandem axle trailers... loved them all for different reasons. One had the same spring design as yours, and two had...

Your design likely works better if you have a flat... but I preferred the more complicated design. I found it followed irregular surfaces better. The trade off being more to fail

 

[PG45er]

I have torsion axles on one of my tandems. zero maintenance in 15+ years but like your spring set up with out the equalizer Steve, it has to be level so one axle isn't carrying more weight than the other when it's got a significant load and it jumps on the tow vehicle more on the bumps. When I was doing several thousand K of gravel per year with one of the other leaf spring tandems it was new pins and bushings every second year until I went to greasable.
Great job on the trailer BTW!

LEAF SPRING vs. TORSION AXLE » Grandville Trailer Blog

What's the difference between a leaf spring and torsion axle? This quick guide gives you the pros and cons of each so that you can make an informed decision.

www.grandvilletrailer.net

 

[stevebradford]

Thanks Guys! I really considered going with torsion axles as they are definitely the best option but I got these axles so much cheeper. There’s a lot more a person could do to make it heavy duty.

For me it’s only insured to 1500lbs I really wanted it to preform with little to no weight on it, not riding like a rock empty. I pull it with my na bj60 so a yard of soil Is all I really want to carry, second gear up steep hills is pretty slow. And I wanted to keep the deck low.

Used if for a couple loads of soil and bark mulch very happy so far. A yard is really all it can fit unless the drop in sides are taller but Im happy with that.

 

[bikersmurf]

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Does this one count. Oh to be young again

 

[cruiserpilot]

Gonna need a bigger truck!

 

[stevebradford]

Did a little log poaching this morning out at fairy creek

 

[seapotato]

Did a little log poaching this morning out at fairy creek View attachment 2681303View attachment 2681304

Gonna whittle yourself some 2x4's using only an axe and freshly squoze sasquatch milk?

 

[seapotato]

Sooooo as it happens, I need some new tail lights for my trailer.

The dismount was not kind to one of mine...used the tractor to hoist the tongue up almost vertical.

f***er still wouldn't slide off.



Weighs a pound or two I think.