lacofdfireman
Adventurer
I'll check them out. All the ones Ive looked at are going to have the same problem as my wheels. Center home is to small. I need to find a 2" set with a larger hole.
DIY Expo Trailer Builders Q&A Thread
- Thread starter lacofdfireman
- Start date
I'll check them out. All the ones Ive looked at are going to have the same problem as my wheels. Center home is to small. I need to find a 2" set with a larger hole.
lacofdfireman
Adventurer
Came home from a bike race today and my son who's a senior this year in high school ah built up a Mock Trailer frame out of wood to see whatnot will look like frame wise. Can you tell hes's pretty excited? I realize he lauded out the 2x3's the wrong way but he was just messing around.
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lacofdfireman
Adventurer
Also have some questions on skinning the trailer. What are the benefits of sheet metal over wood and is it better to skin the outside of the frame or inside leaving the supports exposed? Or is it just personal preference? Those of you that skin with sheet metal what are you using to cut the metal? And what thickness are you using? Floor and sides?
Those of you using wood for floor and sides what thickness are you using?
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Those of you using wood for floor and sides what thickness are you using?
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lacofdfireman
Adventurer
Starting to purchase some tools I'm going to need for the build. Hoping to get some input from those of you who have been there done that.
I already have a nice Dewalt chop saw. I've put a metal blade on it and cut up steel before and it makes nice straight cuts. Also looking at drill presses. I bought a cheap brake from Harbor Freight for bending metal. Also bought a 2 wheel bench grinder which is a piece of junk from harbor freight. It shakes my entire work bench. I may be taking it back. I also have a couple angle grinders. Set up one with a cutting wheel and the other with a grinding wheel. My welder is a Miller 211.
Can anyone else think of tools etc that will help me out on my build that are must haves or even good to haves? Hoping to pick up my axle next week and get started on my build the week after. Hoping to do my build in about 2 months time so we can take it to Moab for Memorial Day trip we have planned.
I already have a nice Dewalt chop saw. I've put a metal blade on it and cut up steel before and it makes nice straight cuts. Also looking at drill presses. I bought a cheap brake from Harbor Freight for bending metal. Also bought a 2 wheel bench grinder which is a piece of junk from harbor freight. It shakes my entire work bench. I may be taking it back. I also have a couple angle grinders. Set up one with a cutting wheel and the other with a grinding wheel. My welder is a Miller 211.
Can anyone else think of tools etc that will help me out on my build that are must haves or even good to haves? Hoping to pick up my axle next week and get started on my build the week after. Hoping to do my build in about 2 months time so we can take it to Moab for Memorial Day trip we have planned.
colorado matt
Adventurer
http://www.ezaccessory.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=5500-5500Q ... sent a message asking center hole diameter ... will let you know what they said .... curious you stated "Looking for 2" 5 on 5 or 5 on 4.5's." what is your bolt pattern for the wheels you have ? .... do you know the dimension needed to clear the hubs .. not how deep but how big around? ......
lacofdfireman
Adventurer
What I was saying is I'm looking for 2" Spacers with a bolt pattern of 5 on 4.5 (Trailer side) to 5 on 5 which is my Jeeps bolt pattern. When I ordered the axle I ordered the 5 on 4.5 just thinking that down the road if I ever sell it or needed a spare or something a trailer wheel would be easier to find than have to do this whole spacer thing again. Maybe I should have just bought a 5on5 to a 5on5? Oh well.
This is a PM I received with some great info that I think will really help...
Standard JK spacers won't work as the center hole will be too small.
I got my adapters custom made from adaptitusa.com They were super helpful and called when I didn't include the hub size for my new Dexter axle which was 2 5/8" or according to etrailer.com, 2.67 inches. Just measure the width of the hub on your axle and give them that dimension.
The rest of my order specs were as follows:
5 X 5.00 to 5 X 5.00 Wheel Spacer
Configuration: ST12X200
Adapter Thickness: 2.00" Thick (50.8 mm)
Would you like a Stud upgrade? **Note, you can only purchase a stud upgrade if your adapter thickness is 1.0 inch or larger.: 1/2-20 Stud
I would for sure give them a call if you have any questions, not sure what axle you are planning on using.
Hope this helps!
colorado matt
Adventurer
so you need an adapter anyway .... thought jeep was 2.8 center bore .... but after going to that site it seem you can dictate your center bore size as needed as well as thickness ..... glad you got that figured out and will be watching for when you get them ..... Matt
Lacofdfireman...1store is referring to the fact that part of the hub, as well as the bearing cap sticks through the center hole of a trailer wheel.
If there is no center hole (as in the jk wheels) you risk not being able to install the wheel because the dust cap whill hit the wheel. If this happens you do have some options, to still use those wheels, but none are great.
1) The easiest is to purchase a set of billet wheel spacersto space the wheels out far enough so they don't hit. Keep in mind that this will widen the track width of your trailer.
2) you could have a machinist machine a hole in the face of the wheel (essentially destroying any resale value of said wheel)
3) I've seen many trailers using older dodge caravan rear axles. The hub pattern will fit many older jeep wheels, but I'm not sure what the pattern on your wheels is. Keep in mind that caravan axles are not equipped for large amounts of weight.
The trailer pictured is running a caravan axle with jeep wheels.
https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTVeUtj3EyY574QGEpLmN7Ejrw3PXa1xyAIlRCSdbJhVxlvYnMU
If there is no center hole (as in the jk wheels) you risk not being able to install the wheel because the dust cap whill hit the wheel. If this happens you do have some options, to still use those wheels, but none are great.
1) The easiest is to purchase a set of billet wheel spacersto space the wheels out far enough so they don't hit. Keep in mind that this will widen the track width of your trailer.
2) you could have a machinist machine a hole in the face of the wheel (essentially destroying any resale value of said wheel)
3) I've seen many trailers using older dodge caravan rear axles. The hub pattern will fit many older jeep wheels, but I'm not sure what the pattern on your wheels is. Keep in mind that caravan axles are not equipped for large amounts of weight.
The trailer pictured is running a caravan axle with jeep wheels.
https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTVeUtj3EyY574QGEpLmN7Ejrw3PXa1xyAIlRCSdbJhVxlvYnMU
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dstock
Explorer
You're welcome! Glad it helped.
kj6oeo
New member
Total Newbe here getting ready for a new build
Good Morning from Sunny Southern California,
I am new to the forum, and, I want to thank the creators of this site along with all of the admins and moderators. Also, all of you other users. The amount of good information on this site is over whelming. :Wow1:
I am gearing up to start a build of an off road type teardrop, and am trying to decide if i should give building a trailer from the ground up, or just buy a flatbed trailer. I am going to want it fairly tough to take off road on some moderate trails. Ideally i want to make it so the structure can be removed and leave me with a flatbed trailer to use for other things. I know this is going to be harder than it sounds but that is what i am going to try for.
I will be towing with my 04 Wranger TJ (4.0L manual) and i am looking to build it on a 5x10 frame. I know this will place the track wider than the jeep (jeep track is 4' 10"), but since i am not planning on taking it on any tight trails, i think it will be ok. Also having it a bit wider will make it a bit more stable at highway speed. And of course i am going to invest in cheap insurance (trailer brakes) to add more safety to the thing.
Now my skill level with a welder is less than a beginner. I have welded once and I only did a little bit of the work to weld on a new coupler to a small 4x6 enclosed trailer. I bring this up because building the thing from the ground up will require a lot of welding.
So I ask you all, What would you recommend? Build or buy? I understand and accept that there are pro's and con's to buying and to building the base trailer frame. And while I want to think i have considered all pro's and con's to this question, i thought i would ask you guys who clearly know way more than i do on this subject.
Thank you all in advance.
Good Morning from Sunny Southern California,
I am new to the forum, and, I want to thank the creators of this site along with all of the admins and moderators. Also, all of you other users. The amount of good information on this site is over whelming. :Wow1:
I am gearing up to start a build of an off road type teardrop, and am trying to decide if i should give building a trailer from the ground up, or just buy a flatbed trailer. I am going to want it fairly tough to take off road on some moderate trails. Ideally i want to make it so the structure can be removed and leave me with a flatbed trailer to use for other things. I know this is going to be harder than it sounds but that is what i am going to try for.
I will be towing with my 04 Wranger TJ (4.0L manual) and i am looking to build it on a 5x10 frame. I know this will place the track wider than the jeep (jeep track is 4' 10"), but since i am not planning on taking it on any tight trails, i think it will be ok. Also having it a bit wider will make it a bit more stable at highway speed. And of course i am going to invest in cheap insurance (trailer brakes) to add more safety to the thing.
Now my skill level with a welder is less than a beginner. I have welded once and I only did a little bit of the work to weld on a new coupler to a small 4x6 enclosed trailer. I bring this up because building the thing from the ground up will require a lot of welding.
So I ask you all, What would you recommend? Build or buy? I understand and accept that there are pro's and con's to buying and to building the base trailer frame. And while I want to think i have considered all pro's and con's to this question, i thought i would ask you guys who clearly know way more than i do on this subject.
Thank you all in advance.
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rbkelley89
Observer
since your a novice welder I would recommend you have someone there with you or even doing the structural welding for you. Such as suspention mount welds, and frame and tongue welds. You can weld everyhting else yourself that is not going to have a lot of forces applied to them. My recomendation.
jim65wagon
Well-known member
I'll agree with that reply. That's probably not the best project to learn your welding skills on by yourself. If you have someone experienced watching over you, go for it.
If you don't have an experienced person handy, I'd recommend buying a trailer. Cheap route is craigslist and modify whatever trailer you find to suit your needs. More expensive route is to have someone build a custom trailer for you. I would consider buying AT's flatbed trailer with their cool independent suspension system. That should handle a home built teardrop pretty well.
If AT still produces a flat bed trailer that is. ...
If you don't have an experienced person handy, I'd recommend buying a trailer. Cheap route is craigslist and modify whatever trailer you find to suit your needs. More expensive route is to have someone build a custom trailer for you. I would consider buying AT's flatbed trailer with their cool independent suspension system. That should handle a home built teardrop pretty well.
If AT still produces a flat bed trailer that is. ...
kj6oeo
New member
RBKelley, Jim,
Thank you both for your response. You both confirm what i was feeling, that either buying a new trailer or having one build by an experienced welder is the right choice here.
Jim, you say AT does custom builds. Who is AT? I did a google search and i came up with Anderson Trucking and it appears they build custom 18-wheeler trailers. Is that who you mean? I did not find any matches to "AT's" when searching this forum and this forum does not allow me to search by "AT" because doing so would get me way way way to many results. lol
Darin
Thank you both for your response. You both confirm what i was feeling, that either buying a new trailer or having one build by an experienced welder is the right choice here.
Jim, you say AT does custom builds. Who is AT? I did a google search and i came up with Anderson Trucking and it appears they build custom 18-wheeler trailers. Is that who you mean? I did not find any matches to "AT's" when searching this forum and this forum does not allow me to search by "AT" because doing so would get me way way way to many results. lol
Darin
Adventure Trailers
http://adventuretrailers.com
http://adventuretrailers.com
jim65wagon
Well-known member
Yes. Adventure Trailers. I don't know if they do custom but they sell a flatbed trailer with their awesome suspension system. It's worth a look see to build a teardrop on.
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