Trailer project

[EricG]

Finally got to work on the M-416 I got years ago. I decided that the tub wasn't salvagable - at least not for a camping trailer with any hope of fitting a tight lid. It will do for firewood & such.

So I'm building a new box for it. Pic below shows it setting on the frame. About 1/3 of the welds are burned in, the rest is just tacked. Have a frame for the lid done also. I'm happy with how its come out so far. Was pretty proud of how square it was - until I laid it on the frame and saw how much that is racked!

Next steps, after finishing the welds, is the tailgate & sheetmetal.

Still up on the air about exactly how I'm going to do the sheetmetal - inside or out, weld vs rivet, straight pieces, or have some bends done. Can anybody recommend a good sheetmetal shop?

 

[CO_Hunter]

Nice to see the trailer coming along. Did you get that last message about the latches, from McMaster?

Al Novak of Front Range Precision Welding and Fabrication (719-633-1475) is who bent and welded my aluminum lid. I would use him again but my only caution is he is a one man shop and my small job was not his priority. Point is, if you decide to use him plan ahead and don't be in a rush.

 

[black95]

Planning out my next pickup bed I was going to do a similar shape to the M416 with square tubing on the outside, and sheet metal on the inside. I was thinking that instead of spending hours welding the sheet metal to the square tubing and worrying about all the warping, I would just weld one inch beads every 6-8 inches and then use automotive seam sealer to fill in all the rest of the gaps. Maybe that would keep the rust from forming under the square tubing. Just a thought, no actual experience.

 

[EricG]

Yea, ordered some latches from mcmaster. I swear I can never find anything on mcmaster - I had been all over that site.

My timeline on this project is pretty tight, so I can't get wrapped up in the kind of delay you had. I know Western steel can do it and they've had good turn- around for me before.

 

[EricG]

Planning out my next pickup bed I was going to do a similar shape to the M416 with square tubing on the outside, and sheet metal on the inside. I was thinking that instead of spending hours welding the sheet metal to the square tubing and worrying about all the warping, I would just weld one inch beads every 6-8 inches and then use automotive seam sealer to fill in all the rest of the gaps. Maybe that would keep the rust from forming under the square tubing. Just a thought, no actual experience.

Yea, if I go with welding the sheet metal (and I probably will for at least part of it) I'll be using that kind of technique. But Im definitely concerned about rust between the tube and sheet. I like the look of the exposed tube, but may keep it inside to limit exposure.

 

[EricG]

Well, no sheet metal this weekend - Western Steel took a week to get back to me and suggest I go somewhere else. Have a couple other requests for quotes out now.

So I guess this weekend will be spent finishing up some welding, making the tailgate (got the latch in, so I know what that needs to look like now) and cleaning up & painting the trailer frame. Maybe wiring as well.

 

[fj55tlc]

Go to Glaser Steel. Nice mom and pop shop just down the street from Rudy's on 31st street.

 

[EricG]

Go to Glaser Steel. Nice mom and pop shop just down the street from Rudy's on 31st street.

Yep, that's one of the places I'm talking to.

 

[black95]

Can't say enough good things about glazer steel, I'm in there a lot

 

[EricG]

Got some work done this weekend, but not as much as I had hoped. Took the tounge assembly off and the frame off the springs, cleaned and painted. Welded the cross member onto the lid frame, and decided on the tailgate config and welded some framing there. Cleaning for paint took longer then I expected - as it always does.

Heard from Glaser Steel this morning - they can't do one of the things I'm asking for on the sheet metal, and reccomended a shop that I had already contacted. The problem bit is a closed hem on the sides that I want so I can have the sheet metal extend up above the rim of the frame as a lip to help keep water out. I want a hem on it to stiffen the lip and so it isn't just a sharp sheet metal edge. But if it's a problem I'll reconsider.

 

[EricG]

Got the sheet metal yesterday, and got the first piece on today. For this first piece I decided to weld the entire edge. It looks pretty good, but I definitely have to switch to the technique Luke mentioned earlier - this takes forever and is going to kill my gas. I may be in trouble on gas anyway - anybody have a bottle of C25 around? I'll return it full next week.

I think I was pushing the duty cycle on my welder also. Last bit was really ugly.

 

[EricG]

Didn't take any pics, but 4 out of 6 panels are on! First one has more waves then the ocean, but the rest look pretty good. I'm back to fully welding the outside edges - just like the way it looks better, and I've gotten much better with the welding. Tighter, cleaner, less heat, faster, etc. I guess laying down 30' of bead will do that. I also gave up on the weld-through primer that I tried on the first panel. I used it out of concern for rust between the frame and sheet, but I just can't get a decent weld with it. I think it works ok with bigger wire/hotter welds on heavy material - I used it on my trailer hitch project. But not on the sheet metal.

Got a little more painting done as well, but really didn't get as much done as I had hoped - 3 day weekend, but all of it booked up with other stuff.

 

[CO_Hunter]

Sounds like you are making good progress but ...

 

[EricG]

Ok, here's a quick one.

 

[EricG]

I haven't been very good about keeping up with the pictures, so here's a few before I go out & get to work.

A few of the tub, including the lip I added for the gasket around the tailgate.

 

[EricG]

The axle's been gettin g lonely out here by itself, so I finally got the frame put back together last weekend.

 

[EricG]

Original fenders are two narrow for the new tires, so I'm having some new ones made up by the sheet metal shop

 

[CO_Hunter]

Looks like great progress. Nice to see the kids helping out!!

 

[EricG]

Sorry no pics right now - but it's painted, on the frame, lid & gas springs installed, lighting installed and working (on the first try even!). A few more odds & ends - weather stripping, mounting some latches, etc.

New fenders look great Ed's Custom Sheet Metal did a great job on them.

 

[EricG]

Ready for the road