Bolt-together fiberglass Jeep-tub trailer kit

[jscherb]

I started a new thread on another fiberglass trailer tub idea I'm working on: http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...-Fiberglass-Trailer-Kit?p=1172608#post1172608

 

[jscherb]

Here's some cool news that you already know if you follow the Dinoot facebook page - Teraflex has just purchased three Dinoot trailer kits! Hopefully this means we'll see some really cool tricked out Dinoots at shows now, maybe at SEMA?

 

[ihatemybike]

That's pretty cool! Glad to see your work getting out there.

Wish I had the time and space to play with fiberglass, I want to replace the third row windows on my vans with panels.

 

[Ted_Z]

...There are several ways to change your trailer to 5-lug hubs, but before I list them, a word of caution - the axles that come with the lighter-duty HF trailers are made from light-gauge sheet metal folded into a u-channel, see the HF drawing clip below. This axle is designed for loads under 1500-lbs. total and 12" tires. Putting Jeep-sized tires on that axle may cause forces that exceed the strength of the axle. Use good judgement in whatever you do with the light-duty HF axles.
<snip>
2. Replace the hubs. Unfortunately since the HF axles are metric, and pretty much all of the 2000-lb. 5-lug replacement trailer hubs you'll find in stores like Tractor Supply are designed for either 1" or 1 1/6" axles, you might have trouble finding hubs or bearings to fit. However, the 4-lug and 5-lug HF hubs all take the same bearings and axles, so you could order replacement 5-lug hubs from HF nd swap them on, you could even reuse your current bearings (although the bearings are not very expensive so maybe a false economy)....

I wanted to ditch the 8" wheels that came my 40x48 mini trailer and fit 15" wheels/tires. After reading the above I contacted HF customer service about replacement 5-bolt hubs. I would then have had to replace or widen the u-chanel axle beam to provide frame clearance. In the end I opted for a new 2000# axle. The new axle has common 1-1/16" ID bearings and a stronger beam.

Email as follows:

SKU# Part# Description Price (plus tax & shipping)
29878 18 94564 HUB $18.50

Thank you for your email inquiry. The part you are looking for is one that we carry as a stock item. Unfortunately, you can not order it on our on the web site. You can, however, order this directly from the order desk by calling 1-800-423-2567. Please allow 8-10 business days for delivery. If you chose to send in a check, please ensure you include shipping and tax with the total cost. Our shipping rates can be located at www.harborfreight.com. Please let us know if you need any further assistance.

 

[jscherb]

I wanted to ditch the 8" wheels that came my 40x48 mini trailer and fit 15" wheels/tires. After reading the above I contacted HF customer service about replacement 5-bolt hubs. I would then have had to replace or widen the u-chanel axle beam to provide frame clearance. In the end I opted for a new 2000# axle. The new axle has common 1-1/16" ID bearings and a stronger beam.

I think you made the right choice. The axle that comes with the trailers with 8" wheels is not very strong, probably not really up to the stress of larger tires. And as you noted, now you've got the common 1 1/16" bearings, instead of the HF metric ones.

 

[jscherb]

Scott's posted a new video of his Dinoot trailer in action, take a look. At one point in the video I found myself thinking "Is he really going to do that?!?"...

 

[jscherb]

Over the last couple of days Scott (www.dinoot.com) and I have been bouncing some Dinoot Camper ideas around, here's one...

The 8'3" tub is made from off-the-shelf standard Dinoot parts - it's a Dinoot Compact Kit plus two extra Dinoot Compact side panels, one one each side, to stretch the side panels. The top is made from some Safari Cab parts and some parts that would be new molds.

 

[jscherb]

Based on the success of the fiberglass Jeep-tub trailer kit described in this thread, I'm starting another trailer tub kit project - this one is patterned after the military M100/M416 trailers. The military-style trailers are very popular among the adventuring, overlanding and off-road crowd, but reasonably restorable original military examples are getting very hard to find, and the new versions of these trailers offered by trailer vendors are very expensive. So I've designed and will be building a fiberglass military-style tub kit that's intended to be very affordable and assembled in a home garage or driveway by a DIY-er.

I'm planning this tub kit to be molded in both a 6' version (same as the original military trailers) and 4'version (for a very budget-friendly installation on a Harbor Freight Mini Trailer frame.

I've done a few 1/4 scale concept models of the design:

I'll be starting a build thread for the full-scale fiberglass molds and prototype trailers soon, I'll post a link to it as soon as I start the thread.

 

[JKDetonator]

Glad to see you're up and around! Been missing your inspiration lately?

 

[jscherb]

I've started a build thread for the military-style trailer tub kit: http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...lass-M416-M100-Military-style-Trailer-Tub-Kit

 

[Glenn D]

I just spent the last 2 days going thru this thread.,... it is GREAT!.. thanks for the detailed build info, and that you are a very capable builder. I have been looking for ideas on building a trailer, and like this one very much. Also looking for a hard top fo rmy TJ, so now have nore to learn about the one that you have made. I work in manufacturing as an engineer building small composite aircraft, so any composite build is interesting... An Yes building one of these out of Carbon fiber / epoxy Prepreg has come to mind... now if I can only get those rolls of out dated material......

 

[jscherb]

It's been a little over a year since the Jeep-tub trailer kit has been on the market under the name "Dinoot". The company that's marketing the kit recently sent me a few photos of some of their customer's builds...

 

[Espo78]

Is there a company making the Safari Cab in the first picture?

 

[jscherb]

Is there a company making the Safari Cab in the first picture?

www.Gr8Tops.com has done a limited first production run.

 

[Espo78]

Thanks! I actually found it on google and sent off a text to my girlfriends dad. He has an LJ and he's never put the top down! he also had some things stolen out of it recently so he should be the perfect candidate for a Safari Cab. He also has a place in South Carolina. I hope he does it!