Tippy Trailer

[Token]

Just put this thing together over the weekend.. Eventually it'll be sitting on a different axle and 32" tires and wheels that'll match the H3 a bit better.. Well.. Maybe 32s.. Depends on how much more lift it gives me.. I've got 3" of clearance getting in and out of the garage now.. Did a SOA right for now so the rear of the trailer isn't dragging over speed bumps and stuff.. Even with a 5.25 drop hitch it was WAY tilted back.. About level right now...

My big question right now (before I try to reinvent the wheel), what's an easy way to support the rear of the trailer to keep it from tipping backwards? My tilt axis is about 7.5" behind the center of the tent..

Only EASY thing I can think of right off the top of my head is carry around a couple of jack stands to prop under the rear of the trailer..

Of course keeping as much cargo weight up the front in the tool box as I can has occured to me, but most of my gear is pretty light weight stuff.. Of course a few 6 gallon water jugs up front might help until they're empty..

Enough of my rambling.. Tried and true thoughts on the matter..

 

[StumpXJ]

Well... I read your post about 4 times, and I am still not entirely sure what you are asking. But, if you are asking how to keep the trailer stable when its not hooked to a vehicle (as in for camping), jack stands under the rear will work well. I had to do this before adding permanent rear legs to my trailer. You will have to chock the tires well though.

Almost all trailers set-up for camping have rear jacks of some sort to level everything and keep from tipping, coupled with the front tongue jack.

As far as your height/tire problem, get rid of those little donuts, or re-work the tongue area to match up to your rig better. If you go up to a 32" tire (new axle and fenders), it wont be going in the garage with tent mounted on there based on your current clearance.

 

[UK4X4]

bigger tires

you will need new fenders and a bigger axle unless you get some custom rims with an odd offset.

Ie your present tires have about 1" clearance and are a 3rd of the size you wish to install.

You'll probably find its a the same bolt spacing as a jeep..........but jeep rims won't fit unless you use spacers, cut the frame or buy a wider axle.

your frame look's identical to one I started with a few years back,,,,,,,,,it needed a major overhaul to do what i needed.

You'l also find the little slipper springs you have are almost useless off road as they are too stiff

It feels tippy as you have all the weight up high, and nothing low down.

yep I've used an axle stand to support the rear on mine.........when sleeping un-attached to the truck

 

[Token]

Sorry about the rambling earlier.. It's been about 95* today with 90% humidity and I've spent the better part of it in the garage screwing with this thing..

Things I've figured out since getting a shower and cleaning up a bit..
1. Going to have to chop the thing down to size.. Maybe take 1.5" off the risers and reweld them.
2. Already knew I was going to have fun fitting the H3 wheels.. 4.5" offset.. I found some 5 to 6 lug adapters that would give me 2" more space, but just a quick check with a tape measure tells me I'll be needing close to 4" of spacers.. WAY to much stress on that little axle.. So.. When it comes time to swap wheels out, I'll be getting some 3500lb axles that are the right length and correct bolt pattern. New springs will be done then as well.
3. Kinda worried about the axle.. You ever noticed those little lightweight trailer axles all come slightly bent to help support the weight..?? Makes the wheels set slightly like this.. \-----/ Yeah.. My bend is the wrong way since I did the SOA.. Now my axle and wheels look like this.. /-----\ Not putting a LOT of weight on the axle, but I just get the feeling that can't be good...
4. New fenders.. Already knew that.

For now jack stands should do ok.. Getting more lift with the larger tires may bring about a need for something taller than the ones I have right now.. Got time to figure that out though.

Wheel Chocks.. Check.. My daugher was freeking out while I was in the tent fiddling with stuff and it started rolling down the drive with me in it.. Yeah that was fun..

For now, I don't think it'll be to much of an offroad trailer.. It'll make for s good base camp though and give us a way to carry our camping gear and not be quite so crowded in the truck..

I think the big plus is that I can keep most of our camping gear loaded and ready to go n the trailer, rather than having to gather an load everything up.. Hopefully it'll make the spur of the moment "hey, lets go camping" moments easier and therefore happen more often.

 

[gasman]

question ? why is the trailer so tall ? to me it looks like there may be plans to carry an atv or somthin back there?

 

[Token]

question ? why is the trailer so tall ? to me it looks like there may be plans to carry an atv or somthin back there?

Brainfart..??

Well it is a small ATV or lawnmower trailer afterall.. So there's a ramp in the back end.. Have this idea in my head of putting legs on the ramp, folkding it down and using it as a table for cooking, eating, etc.. The ramp is somewhere close to 4ft long. I was thinking at the time I wanted the tent slightly above the end of the table/ramp so you could easily access the zipper for the cover..

After getting it all together and stepping back from it, you're right it does look to tall..

It's actually a foot shorter now than my original plan.. I shortened it down once feaing I wouldn't be able to get it in the garage. Apparantly I didn't get low enough, because when it's done with the larger wheels and tires I'll still be nearly a foot to tall to fit in the garage.

Plans now are to cut the frame down by at least a foot. That will prolly be after income tax next year, unless I manage to drag the thing under a low hanging money tree..

 

[Maximus Ram]

How about some of these to help stabelize it when not attachedto the vehicle

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/4-NE...5fRVQ5fTrailerQ5fCamperQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

 

[carolinasuby]

Token
Man, great set up. This is exactly what I was going to do. Not such a fancy tool box but same idea with an RTT on the top of a utility trailer. Looks great. Couple of questions if I may. What size trailer do you have? Also, what did you do to create the upper bars/platform. Many thanks. Mike

 

[Token]

Trailer is the 4x6 you can pick up at most any Lowes or Tractor Supply Co..

The platform is made from 16ga 1x2 rec. tube and 1/8", 2" angle.. Gussets are 16ga, 1x1 square tube.
Uprights are 1x2
Platform is 2" angle with two 1x2 cross rails.

I'll try and get some better pics in a day or two..

Now.. If I was going to do it again and I had the time.. I would have just built the entire trailer from scratch..

Trailer - $599
Metal platform - $130
Replacement axle that's the right length and has the right hubs - $299+

I just got cornered a few weeks ago when I stumbled across that tent on Craigslist.. Had enver even been opened up and the guy was asking $575 and had a list of folks wanting it as long as my arm. Only way I had to pick it up was go on and buy the trailer to haul it on to get it back home..

For about $300 in material (minus the axle and spring kit) I could have built a MUCH stronger trailer.. As it stands I still have quite a bit of time and expense to put into this one now.

All in all when it's done it will still be a pretty budget build.. But God this stuff ain't cheap..
Trailer $599
Tent $575
Platform $130
Tool Box $100
Front trailer jack $40
New Axle, Hubs and Springs $300
Wood deck, varnish, paint, misc nuts and bolts. $70
Max Coupler $250

Over $2000 and I ain't even got to the electrics I wanna put into this thing..

 

[Token]

How about some of these to help stabelize it when not attachedto the vehicle

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/4-NE...5fRVQ5fTrailerQ5fCamperQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Man.. That'd be a heck of a deal if I could get just two of them instead of four..

Think this may be my answer... Got enough steel left from the platform to make one of these pretty easily..

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/universal-rv-stabilizer/34337

 

[Token]

Ok.. Got it up a bit higher today and chopped the top down some..

Lemme tell ya what, cutting the factory spring hangers off that thing was a PITA.. These little trailers are welded together unbelievably well..

Still have some touch up stuff to do.. Fender liners, grind the welds a bit and repaint..

Looks like it should sit pretty dang near level with a 0 drop receiver..