Medic83's Offroad Trailer

[medic83]

Hello everyone, Im new here. I know this is the place to be for offroad trailers. Im still building mine and Im really hoping for some advice. Ill start with some pics.

Heres how it started

Some progress.

Heres a few more.... Ive finished up the fenders and im working on my lid. Im putting a RTT on the top but Im trying to find a way to be able to raise it up and down so I can have the room under the side.

 

[Adventure IQ]

Nice build.....like where you are going with it

 

[medic83]

Does anyone know what I can use on all 4 corners to raise the RTT up and down so when it is set up, it sits like 6-7 feet at the floor? The top of the trailer is 57". The RTT that im going with will be 12" tall when closed up. Lets add a few 4" for the mount. So were looking at approx 61" tall to the base of the RTT. The tent comes with the annex under the floor when opened. I want to be able to use it. So I would like it at like 6 and a half to 7' tall under. So if im at approx 61" at the base of the tent how do I raise it up when I want to deploy it? Ive seen some cool things but cant get any detailed info . I want to have the COG as low as possible when towing on the trails, but nice and tall when at camp. Does anybody know where I can get the things that will lift it a foot or more???? Thanks

 

[Mark Harley]

Cool build great thinking outside the box,
The DOT trailers make a great start and can be found along side the road! Ha Ha!

Check on you tube there is a video I saw that uses pistons to lift an RTT

 

[95RRC]

I have given some thought to this actually. But not done anything, here are my thoughts...
1) MANUAL - use channel lock tubes, ones with holes to put pins in. Then you really need two people at each end. Really like those shelters at soccer games, or the beach. It can then be raised up for use, and set down for travel...plus removed if you need to go get mulch
2) SEMI-AUTO - use the same tubing, but put those gas shocks mounted on the bottom of the platform, with pins that keep it Down, when shocks are compressed. Remove the pins and up she goes, then use the pins to lock into place. Could possibly do this one with one person, as bringing it down MAY be as simple as removing pins then getting on top and your weight would put it back down for travel, reach around and look it down....

Anyway that is what I have been thinking about...good luck.

 

[Captm]

Nice welds, most builds have photos of welds that just make me cringe:Wow1: Where did you find the trailer? It would offer another option besides GLS.

 

[medic83]

Thanks! It was directing traffic and I just went and hooked up and drove off! JK. One of my buddys sponsors for his Class 10 buggy gave us three of them. This thing was a beast! Huge nasty generator, massive old heavy light rack, 40 plus gallon gas tank... much more. I chopped tons of stuff off, shortening it, cut into the floor to bring wheels in, narrowed the axle... much more. It is heavier than I wanted, but this thing is stout. The stock axle was 1/4" thick! Its also sleeved with 1/4"!!! The floor is 1/4" diamond plate and the box is 120wall and I went with 12g sheet. I know that is crazy thick and most use 16g. I wanted to build this thing to roll on the trail and withstand rocks. I know 16g will crumble, 12g will hold up much better. The lid is also 12g. Not sure if im gonna use it. Might just do a HD tarp and have a raising platform for the TENT. Right now as it stands without the lid and unloaded its 1000lbs. The rtt is like 130-140 lbs... lid will prob be 100-150 lbs. I anticipate the dry weight with the tent and lid will be about 1500lbs. loaded it will probable be 2000-2500 lbs. Not too bad IMO.

 

[Titanpat57]

Jeremy from Expedition Ops got it figured out on his build....great read. If you want to start at the lift, go to pg. 4...post #64

http://forum.ih8mud.com/trailer-tech/412611-m416-trailer-build.html

 

[medic83]

^^^^I called and talked to one of the companies that makes the trailers like that, but I didnt like all the work and then having to have unfinished metal tubing for the legs. I could go with stainless.... but I think I have a better idea. Well see!

Ill post up pics of the progress soon!

 

[medic83]

Lid framed up

Plated and Welded

Ill weld on the 2" angle around the lid.... It will go over the edge of the top of the trailer. It will go over the top of the trailer 1". When the tail gate is up, the lid will lock it in. I know I over built this thing, but I built this thing to roll on the trail. I did the math on weight savings. I was debating between 16g, 14g, and 12g. I said no way to 16g.... that stuff was way too thin IMO. Any rock will dent the hell out of it. So it was between 14g and 12g. The weight vs strength between the two led me to go with 12g. So..... as the trailer sits its 1200ish lbs. Not too bad IMO compared to the ones on the market,

 

[TacoDell]

"..."

Nice work... great looking welds !

 

[medic83]

Thanks man!!

 

[medic83]

Finished up the Lid. Ill be adding to gas shocks to lift it as its pretty heavy. I keep thinking the trailer is really heavy but when I compare to the ones on the market, Im under weight. Heres a few pics.....

You can see how the lid cups the tail gate.

Im cutting out all the old C channel. I designed a whole new frame out of 2x3x .120 square tube. Front will be a large triangle with a jerry can basket and in front of that will be a tongue box. I will have a new section of 2.5" x 2.5" x 1/4" wall that will be the receiver for the max coupler. The square in front of the fenders will be cut and be part of the triangle of the tongue. The two trailer jacks are gone as well. Im gonna flip the Hand lever for the parking brake to pull sideways. This will let me plate the top of the front triangle tongue. Everything will be pretty and new and all cleaned up. Almost gave myself a hernia flipping it on its back!!!!!

 

[Mark Harley]

Great build!
You should be proud great fab work and design.
Post more as you go, What colors are you going with?

Safety Orange?

 

[Borrego60]

I like where you went with the trailer, good idea and fab work.