Building my own?

[Colorado Ron]

Since IM such a cheap skate I have to atleast look into building my own. After much measuring it looks like I will have to pull some sort of trailer on my trip, unless we go real primitive. That can get old after a while. Here is one of my ideas for a build. Let me know what you guys think!

I have a 91 Ranger longbed that was cut in half and made a trailer. How about mounting one of those construction caps on it that has a rear door like this:

Find the side doors that open the other way so they can be used as shelves.Like so:

Then I wanted to come up with some sort of pope for the roof similar to this:

Or better yet, this would be really cool because we can have one side tray for cooking, inside the room:

I was actually goin to cut the outside sheetmetal on the side of the bed so I could mount gas cans and they would be close to flush. Water tank under etc.


What you guys think?Ideas?

 

[flyingwil]

I honestly think you are better off starting with a Chaser trailer from Adventure Trailers. You should be able to buy it in kit form and build it up from there. After the price you pay to get everything that you want on it, it is just a better route IMO.

But if you can build your own, go for it, Kurt has built a really cool one and so have others. What exactly are you going for?

 

[Colorado Ron]

The Chaser doesnt have enough room. The Ranger Longbed is larger. THe Chaser also doesnt give you shelter that you can actually stand up in out of the weather. By building the above I would have more room as well as standing room out of the weather.

 

[flyingwil]

Cool that is a bit closer to what I was looking for. So once you get that going you have many options...

What do you plan to do for the frame or is it allready there?

I think you could cut the sides and do some storage like on the new Nissan's. That would be cool. Think about the Departure angle and what you plan on going over too.

 

[Colorado Ron]

Frame is there--basically its a ranger cut and half. So I have bed, frame, rear axle, and suspension. Use it to haul wood right now.Ive been thinkin about those storage compartments as well. Ive looked into building them.

 

[flyingwil]

Why not convert it to a flat bed style, then you have an infinate ways to begin your build.

 

[Colorado Ron]

Such as?

 

[flyingwil]

If you go to a flat bed style you then can add the side storage boxes and build up from there...

Like this:


Tongue:

Then do the sides with this kind:

Then do an internal flip down cot/ beds and make a pop up similar to your first post.

Is that more what you are going for?

 

[Grim Reaper]

I say go for it! I am about to build my own trailer as well. http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1708

I have been trying to get a service body off of a decommissioned truck we have that is about to be turned back in. This is the particular model. What I like is it is a liner style. http://www.brandfxbody.com/fibrebody/inserts.htm really about given up on that so I will build it out of some Aluminum boxes I have.

As for the doors opening as a shelf. My personal thinking is leave it as is. That would allow you to reach into the bed for gear easier. I was going to set mine up (if I can get that body) to have a shelf that could be hung on the side so for stove and food prep but easily removed to allow bed access.
It also provides a little bit of weather shelter if you need to get something out of the bed in the rain.

I too was looking at using a stock axle to match the truck. A couple problems I saw is I want the trailer to have brakes as the brakes on my Toyota with 33's will be at their maximum already. Fitting trailer brakes to a stock axle may be difficult.

On the flip side I though it might be possible to run an alternator off the pinion to charge an onboard battery bank as its moving.

Again I offset that idea by the fact that if it’s moving then the truck is running and the battery would have an available charge source already.

So I talked myself out of using a truck axle and back into a trailer axle with brakes.

I like you idea of pop up roof. I too have looked at that idea. Best thing I can come up with is salvage a roof off a VW westfaila camper.


Look forward to seeing what you come up with. I hope to be able to buy the Steel I need for the frame on mine very soon and get started.

 

[91xlt]

well i think if you are going the route of building your own to save money, you will more than likely be let down. if you are building your own to get EXACTLY what YOU want/desire/need...go for it


just my $.02

good luck...and enjoy it!:clapsmile

 

[Colorado Ron]

Maybe Ill just build a nice frame and lifted platform. Buy a popup camper and mount it on the new chassis. So it would be flatbed, then mount these drawers on that:

Then mount the popup ontop of that. What you guys think? Would make for a ton of space for gear without gettin too heavy. If you build it right you could make room for your water tank in the drawer for easy access. Not sure on that now that I typed it--just throwing out ideas. Anyway, all you have to do is extend the steps to compensate for added height and your good to go!

 

[Grim Reaper]

That would be interesting for sure! I have seen some small pop ups go for cheap on Craigslist. There was on last week for $250. It was usable they said but it was going to need a new tent soon.

Those drawers cost a FORTUNE! Make your own out of Angle iron for the drawer table with wood sides for the drawer. The slides for the drawer can be made out of garage door track. Use the trailer frame as the top. Wrap the sides of the base with some sheet aluminum for $25-55 a sheet from here. http://www.wrisco.com/