my first trailer idea The Mattmosphere

[Xtreme XJ]

You might go for something like 3" X 4" rect. tubing... 1/8th. or 3/16th. ?? depending on the frame width. then blend the 7" existing frame into the 4" tubing... The boneyard might be a cheap source for a hitch for the rear.

There is a formula or ?? like you mentioned concerning the wheelbase vs the tongue to wheel length... In the attached thread (which is a Ford bed build) you can see the front part of my frame & drawbar... again it's extendable for flexibility I might want my hwy. towing length to be different from the trail length ?? I slid it into each frame rail about 16 or 18 in. then I tapered the truck frame to meet the new tongue tubing.

You might want to start with lining the trailer up to the Scout to see if the trailer is at the right height or needs to go up or down... then design the tongue deck & drawbar to meet your existing receiver on the Scout... if you're really wanting a shell then you might want the trailer lower due to the CoG of the set up, maybe have the new tongue come up to meet the Scout receiver... I actually swapped springs & hanger locations cause initially it was too high & too loose (as in the last pict. in the below thread) so I went to a slightly shorter springs to stiffen it up a little... I don't want too much sticking up above the bed rails... low CoG... Hopefully.

Maybe contact the guy who started the below thread see how he went about it...
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/74179-Pick-up-Truck-Trailer-Exped-V-2

 

[Brain's 97 Diesel]

BUMP!!! Where are you at with this build? Any progress, pics, etc...

 

[colorado matt]

a shoulder injury has sidelined pretty much everything I want to accomplish over the next few months including my ability to make my mad money on the side .....

as far as the trailer I have found a supply place near me that I will get an axle with brakes and be loosing the stock axle ... I will go with a 3 inch tube so I can use the stock springs .... I have separated the bed from the frame and stripped the frame to bare minimum ...cleaning and rust proofing with cheap spray can products ..... have been to a motorhome graveyard and picked up a water tank that will go where the old gas tank went .... I think it is about 30 gallons ... and last week picked up a on demand hot water unit for cheap .... researching a pump and how it all goes together .... also have a 10lb propane tank that will get mounted somewhere ..... never thought it would be this hard to find a topper that fits .... either the wrong size or if I find one that I think I can make work it appears that it is made of gold (according to the seller) .... it will come in time ... patience is one of my few better qualities .... I have enough ground camping gear but would love some type of overhead rack that still allowed the topper and get a RTT SOMEDAY ..... hurt my shoulder right after separating the bed from frame and have not done much to it .... neighbor says he has some scrap metal and a welder I can borrow to get some practice on for rebuilding the tongue but have also been in touch with a local welder that will be doing some cage work for me on the scout and I might lump in the tongue work with that ...... the scout is quite scary over 45 and is need of a cut and turn to help its road manners so that has priority at the moment ..... I am still on the site daily soaking up info and getting ideas ... ............................ in my mind I know that what would make me most happy is starting from scratch and building something not so big and someday I might but for now I will get things that could be removed and used on that future project ...for example the axle will be ordered to match the track of the scout even though it may be a bit narrow for the current trailer ...not function just looks .... and slides and fold out this and thats with integrated gizmos are not in the plans .... it will be for the most part a waterproof box that carries all my stuff ....... Matt

 

[MuruCycles]

sounds sorta' kinda' like my build...







but you know... with a wagon.

and... in Australia.

but otherwise...

 

[colorado matt]

I like it .... physical therapy on shoulder starts tues ...yeah... anxious to get back at it ..... Matt

 

[colorado matt]

ok I have been fighting it but little voice is getting stronger as I approach modifying this trailer .... it is too big and too heavy a starting point .. it is the classic free item that will cost me more in the long run than doing it right from the start ..... money total of stuff needed to make me happy is quickly approaching the amount needed for a scratch build trailer that I will love and wanted from the start .... and the deciding factor is that I met a friend of a friend who was needing some muscle matched with carpentry skills (that is me) ... barter muscle for welding skill and a scrap pile that has damn near everything I need to build frame ... box ... lid... and rack ... a heated shop with a big spot with my name on it .. I think he is more excited than I am ... and he is quite talented .... pick up an axle kit ... and I am on my way .... will most likely start a new thread .... pick-up bed trailer has proved itself to be useful .... I put the box back on and it will stay just as it sits .... Matt

 

[NatersXJ6]

A few thoughts...

I have a few thoughts...

Your pickup bed trailer isn't all wrong. Consider a few things:

1) I firmly believe that a spine tube down the center of a trailer is a bad idea with respect to the possibility of collision. It doesn't matter if you are the best and most defensive driver in the world, the dude that rear ends you isn't, and someone is getting a steel tube through their car and family.

2) if you want a rear tow point or carrier and already have a truck frame, go get a receiver hitch or old reunel bumper for it from a junkyard. A hitch for an 80's ford is probably about $40 +1 can pb blaster and 3 hours swearing and wishing you had a torch.

3) consider a lumber rack instead of a topper, then attach sheet metal or wood to it for boxing in. The lumber rack will be strong enough to mount a RTT, most pickup toppers really won't be. It is also cheap at junkyard, and very easy to modify the length if needed.

4) don't change the tongue. The existing hack work is functional and the main place you don't want to get welding or engineering wrong is in the tongue. Watching your trailer pass you is not as fun as you might think...

5) there is no reason that you would need to keep the stock axle or go with a 3" diameter trailer ale to keep your truck springs. Get new u-bolts to match your 2.375" 3500 lb trailer axle diameter and you're done. Reusing ubolts is a bad idea anyway, so you need new to change the axle

6) I've never lived in, or tried to register a trailer in, Colorado, but search this forum. It doesn't seem easy to get paper for a home-built everywhere, so know what you are getting into.

I bet you could make that trailer functional for less than 800 bucks.

With that said, I wouldn't tow a full size pickup box behind a narrow rig, but it could be done. And the time spent using it will help you figure out what features you really want and need while you plan and save for a custom trailer or a fancy factory build.

Either way, good luck!