4biker's M-100 trailer build from the bed up!

[Mark Harley]

Call Josh and tell him you are on Expo.
He is a great guy to deal with.

http://www.manleyorv.com/

Tell him Mark Harley sent you.

 

[4biker]

I got the shocks last night - they're Navy blue!

 

[4biker]

Call Josh and tell him you are on Expo.
He is a great guy to deal with.

http://www.manleyorv.com/

Tell him Mark Harley sent you.

Thanks - I appreciate that. It's communities like this that keep these projects unique and exciting.

Now that I've got the chassis pretty much put together I just need to sort out the cargo/kitchen areas over the fenders (and the fenders ) I just need to keep this momentum up and maybe I'll be able to take the trailer on the elk hunt this year. Even my wife is excited about it now, so that's got to count for something, right?

 

[4biker]

Well thanks to Mark I picked up those ebay fenders and they came in today. With a little prodding from my wife I mocked one up to the trailer during my lunch break and snapped a pic. I'm going to need to build brackets and spacers but that shouldn't be too complicated (I hope). They should bolt on with some 2x3/16" bar stock and square tube. The width is pretty much perfect for the tires, but my axle is pretty wide now since matching width with the 4Runner.

 

[Mark Harley]

The fenders look good.

 

[4biker]

Thanks - I wish my vision could come to fruition a little quicker! I've been debating on fenders for a while and was actually planning on just having mud flaps, but I think the fenders are just a good idea all around. We'll see how it looks when it comes together a little bit more. Thanks again for the advice!

 

[Mark Harley]

You are welcome. They do look great and cover good.

 

[4biker]

Side boxes are coming

I was staring at the trailer a few weeks ago, and (again) debating on what to do for side boxes. I've been trying to figure them out since literally the day I bought the trailer. How long ago was that again?
Anyway, it finally came to me and I've been trying to get them put together as quickly and completely as possible.

I decided to do just a plain, simple rectangular box with a door that drops straight out, and will be supported by a chain. My wife bought me a large (heavy) 3-burner campstove so even though there are better options for this application, I'm trying to make this work for her sake. The side that will go against the trailer is made from 1 1/2" x 1/8" angle iron, welded at 45*. The legs that come out from that are the same angle iron. The front of the box, where the door will mount is 3/4" angle iron. It's small, but it should work fine. After a couple of days of work I've got the frames basically put together, but not fully welded until I see how straight they are on the trailer. They're simple boxes, but even simple things can require time to do right. Once I get them mocked up and welded, I'll attach the fenders to the bottom sides and skin the boxes. I'm thinking no more welding sheet metal to the frame since that gets all warped, so I'll just put 20g sheet over the boxes and rivet it down with a gasket in between for dust and water proofing. The dimensions for the boxes are 15"x15"x68" while the main trailer box is 71" long.

Here's my one picture of the process so far. Thought I had more.



I also bought a big present for myself but that will come later...

 

[4biker]

Ok so more is happening thanks to Labor Day. I got the welding and grinding done to the point I could mock it onto the trailer with the fender.... Viola!







No, it's not real pretty, but it's going to work well. I got the fender at the right height and now I need to skin the boxes, build the doors, attach the fenders and paint! Then there's only about a million other little things that still need to be done.

 

[Mark Harley]

Nice work! Looks great.

 

[Ozarker]

Very nice work for being such a newbie fabricator as you mentioned, better than I am! You're giving that little welder a workout, I didn't know a small one could do that kind of work, thought it would take more juice. If you're like me there will always be something more to do, that's all I have are NEPS, never ending projects.

 

[4biker]

Nice work! Looks great.

Thanks - we'll see what the finished product looks like, but I'm excited to see some good progress. I've had my time torn between running a business, competing in triathlons and road bike races, and of course spending time with my little family. Having this project done will be a huge blessing when it's finally over with, and give me more weekends away with the family. That's why I started this thing anyway, right?

Very nice work for being such a newbie fabricator as you mentioned, better than I am! You're giving that little welder a workout, I didn't know a small one could do that kind of work, thought it would take more juice. If you're like me there will always be something more to do, that's all I have are NEPS, never ending projects.

Thanks for the compliments. I'm still definitely a noob, but my welds are looking better with time and practice. That little Hobart welder will work all day long. Anything under 3/16 is no problem, and there's very little of the heavy stuff on this trailer. In fact I dreamed about welding all last night since I spent so much time at it yesterday. I hate nights like that, but it's worth it to get this thing done. This has definitely been a project that never ends!!!

 

[4biker]

Well, I recently ran into a great deal on a local classifieds website for a rooftop tent. I went down to look at it and picked it up! It's cotton/poly, with all the great features in a 2-man RTT so it's now sitting on my 4Runner until I get the rack put on the trailer (hopefully very soon). Hopefully we'll take it out for a test camp this weekend.



BTW, trailer boxes are starting to get skinned, so hopefully I'll be building doors by this weekend.

 

[4biker]

Since it won't stop raining and I can't go to Metalmart until it does I decided just to put the rack on this morning. It even rained while I was drilling the holes for the thing. I had devised several elaborate mounting options but ultimately simple is best. I just mounted it and sealed it up. I've had the rack for several months but there was no real need to put it on, and other more pressing projects to tackle first. Since I put the RTT on the 4Runner it's limited my ability to park out of the elements (lots and lots of rain), and I have no way to move a 4x8 sheet of sheet metal. Now I have options. Sorry the pics are crappy, but you get the idea.

 

[4biker]

Ok, I had to go to Metalmart yesterday, so I put the tongue jack back on, took it off of the jackstands, and took it for a drive. This is the first time I've driven it with shocks, and at its current weight. It pulled really nicely, the rack held perfectly and I ran it through some pot-holes at speed and it was basically unshaken. The roads in Pleasant Grove are basically dirt road quality, so it was a fair test of the suspension. The tongue is very short on it, and I'll have to take it easy on rutted, bumpy stuff. The shocks made a HUGE difference since I didn't see it bouncing around, but just followed like a happy little puppy. With the sheet metal on the roof (not pictured) it was loaded similarly to how it will be when empty and it did great. We'll see how it does when it's got the heavy side boxes & fenders, and especially the RTT and gear loaded inside. The 4Runner with the supercharger did great, and I can't really foresee it being too heavy to lug behind.