ArkansasDon
Observer
I've been checking out this site for some time. Liked what I seen here as of builds & mod's. I started on my project back in July using harbor freight trailer frame (1700lb). I tossed the tongue & built my own from scratch. I noticed that the front & rear frame rails along with center frame rails were not the same size as height wise as the side rails, I added more material to even up the difference in height on the front, rear & center rails. Everything is weld all the way around. I changed out the leaf springs to a better quality leaf springs & added shocks. The tub I will be using is M416 style Dinoot.
I ran some of the wiring (stop lights, tail lights, turn signals) inside the back bone, then out onto the frame rails. Drilled the frame rails & installed rubber wiring grommets, adds a clean look and eliminate sharp edges & chafing on the wiring. I'm also adding wire hold down clips to the wiring, drilled into the frame rails and using small machine screws to attach the wire clips to the rails.
The bottom of the frame ground clearance is a tad under 25" in height, axle ground clearance is tad over 14". I was thinking about putting 235\75R\15 Goodyear Wrangler tires on the 8 spoke black steel rims, but after seen these size tires (temp's only) 205\75R\15's & the ground clearance it has now, those 235\75R\15's would only add more height. I really do not think this chassis needs any more ground clearance. So I am going to order 205\75R\15 General Grabbers, 3 of them (1 for the spare)
I sand blasted the frame to bare metal to remove the red factory finish & for maximum adhesion for welding & the final paint finish. I sprayed a bed liner (2 stage) in a orange peel affect on the front, both sides, rear faces & bottom of the frame rails, the tongue box I came up 9" off the bottom and sprayed the bed liner on it also. After the bed liner was dry, I primed over the entire frame inside & out & the tongue box with PPG Epoxy Primer, top coated with base color "Coyote Tan" PPG Omni Base that matches Cerakote's Coyote Tan, then 2 coats of a low luster\satin automotive clear which is PPG Concept Gloss with a flattener added to dull the finish.
Re-tap (clean the threads) on the tongue rails (which I tapped prior) and install the socket head screws which I finished in a matte black moly finish to attach the diamond plate tongue platform. I media blasted them 1st.
I disassembled the tail lights and prepped them for paint. I primed, painted base color & clear them to match the rest of the trailer color. The screws (for the lens), mounting brackets, & license plate bracket I media blasted & painted with a matte black moly coating to match the existing black moly finish I used on the trailer parts.
Hopefully I am looking at the 1st of the new year to have it all finished. The roof top tent is a Smittybilt 2783, this will have a solar charging system w\100watt Renogy panel (which will be mounted on the tent rack permanently) & a 50 watt portable Renogy panel with folding stand if I need more wattage w\30 amp charge controller this will power the Engel 34 Qt. Frig\Freez and few other accessories. The batteries will be 2 Optima Blue Top Marine wired in parallel. I know for sure I'll be changing out the front 2" ball coupler to a Lock 'N' Roll articulating hitch. So far I am happy what progress is done & how it's looking.
I ran some of the wiring (stop lights, tail lights, turn signals) inside the back bone, then out onto the frame rails. Drilled the frame rails & installed rubber wiring grommets, adds a clean look and eliminate sharp edges & chafing on the wiring. I'm also adding wire hold down clips to the wiring, drilled into the frame rails and using small machine screws to attach the wire clips to the rails.
The bottom of the frame ground clearance is a tad under 25" in height, axle ground clearance is tad over 14". I was thinking about putting 235\75R\15 Goodyear Wrangler tires on the 8 spoke black steel rims, but after seen these size tires (temp's only) 205\75R\15's & the ground clearance it has now, those 235\75R\15's would only add more height. I really do not think this chassis needs any more ground clearance. So I am going to order 205\75R\15 General Grabbers, 3 of them (1 for the spare)
I sand blasted the frame to bare metal to remove the red factory finish & for maximum adhesion for welding & the final paint finish. I sprayed a bed liner (2 stage) in a orange peel affect on the front, both sides, rear faces & bottom of the frame rails, the tongue box I came up 9" off the bottom and sprayed the bed liner on it also. After the bed liner was dry, I primed over the entire frame inside & out & the tongue box with PPG Epoxy Primer, top coated with base color "Coyote Tan" PPG Omni Base that matches Cerakote's Coyote Tan, then 2 coats of a low luster\satin automotive clear which is PPG Concept Gloss with a flattener added to dull the finish.
Re-tap (clean the threads) on the tongue rails (which I tapped prior) and install the socket head screws which I finished in a matte black moly finish to attach the diamond plate tongue platform. I media blasted them 1st.
I disassembled the tail lights and prepped them for paint. I primed, painted base color & clear them to match the rest of the trailer color. The screws (for the lens), mounting brackets, & license plate bracket I media blasted & painted with a matte black moly coating to match the existing black moly finish I used on the trailer parts.
Hopefully I am looking at the 1st of the new year to have it all finished. The roof top tent is a Smittybilt 2783, this will have a solar charging system w\100watt Renogy panel (which will be mounted on the tent rack permanently) & a 50 watt portable Renogy panel with folding stand if I need more wattage w\30 amp charge controller this will power the Engel 34 Qt. Frig\Freez and few other accessories. The batteries will be 2 Optima Blue Top Marine wired in parallel. I know for sure I'll be changing out the front 2" ball coupler to a Lock 'N' Roll articulating hitch. So far I am happy what progress is done & how it's looking.
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