My little Harbor Freight trailer build

[rangerdogg]

Ya there not for everyone. I didnt know that you only camped with guys. Ya it depends on what you want and need in a set up. You always have to camp and see what works for you .Nice job with set up. Alaska looked awesome and fun hope to go someday . Great build

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

I couldnt be tied to a rtt. I still like to setup camp where my truck cant go sometimes even w my lil tent.

 

[rnArmy]

Ya there not for everyone. I didnt know that you only camped with guys. Ya it depends on what you want and need in a set up. You always have to camp and see what works for you .Nice job with set up. Alaska looked awesome and fun hope to go someday . Great build

Thanks for the compliment. And a trip like the one we took to Alaska doesn't just happen - you have to plan it and make it happen.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f58/alaska-canada-jeep-adventure-1371427/

Yeah; my wife's just not the camping kind of chick. And going to Alaska for a couple of weeks camping and such and not remembering when the last time you took a shower would REALLY not be her idea of a good time. And that would probably make me not be having a good time. So the majority of my camping trips have been with my son or one of my buddies.

When I have taken my wife camping (and she really is a good sport) it's at a campground with showers. And the reason we're camping is probably because we're using it as a base camp when four-wheeling.

If it were just me going solo (and I could afford it), I like the idea of the Tentrax set-up.

 

[rnArmy]

Click here and scroll down just a little bit to post #273:

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f27/...ultimate-build-up-thread-1180456/index19.html

It'll give you an idea of what a little Harbor Freight type trailer can hold.

 

[rnArmy]

Wow; it's been a while since I've posted on this link.

Updates: I took the Jeep and trailer up to Alaska and Canada mid 2012 http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f312/alaska-canada-jeep-adventure-1371427/ (check it out), then right after that the Army moved me from WA to TN, then I went to Afghanistan for 8 months... but I'm still tweaking the trailer.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f27/...d-up-thread-1180456/index68.html#post17411194

Right now I'm in the middle of extending the trailer tongue 10" so it'll pass the 90-degree test. I put a tray up front to mount a cooler - frees up space inside the trailer but made it fail the 90-degree test. I also swapped the spare to the back of the trailer.

I have an aluminum trailer box I had built being delivered to swap out what's on there now (some of the box pictures were taken before the lid reinforcement bracing was installed). Think of it as a big diamond plate aluminum truck tool box in the shape of an M416 tub. After the box is on I'll still have to mount the spare tire and fuel cans, but it will be much more user friendly once completed. And by user friendly I mean easy access to the trailer's contents. Perfect for pulling behind a four-cylinder Jeep Wrangler.

In case you're wondering, the box cost me $860 (plus $100 to ship from NC to Nashville). It was going to be almost exactly 1000 miles round-trip to pick it up, so it's cheaper to ship it.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Very nice box

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

 

[rnArmy]

Very nice box

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Thanks. I just finally had to bite the bullet and spring for the box. I helped design it, and then the company built it. I definitely wanted the Army trailer look with the flared sides. For about $200 less they could have built me a box with all four sides going just straight up (still with the hinged lid and locking latches). They build a lot of hunting dog boxes for trucks along with bigger truck boxes (that replace the whole truck bed). You can spend thousands (and thousands) of dollars on Jeep-type trailers (and don't get me wrong - they're solid trailers). Or you could replicate what I've done (to include this diamondplate box) for around or under $2000. And that includes the trailer frame, wider axle, suspension upgrade (I got rid of the factory slipper spring and put on a longer "real" double-eye spring and shackle set-up), larger rims and tires, etc.

Speaking of tires - I've got 205/75/15" tires with 15x5" rims on my trailer, and 285/75/16" tires (33") on my Jeep. My Jeep has a Dana 44 rear, and I've got 3" more clearance under the trailer's axle as I do under the pumpkin of my Jeep's Dana 44. And my three trailer tires (two on the trailer plus the spare) weigh much less than just two of my bigger Jeep tires. And that all makes a difference when pulling it behind a four-cylinder vehicle.

 

[rnArmy]

So this weekend I finished extending the tongue 10", putting the cooler tray back on, and placed the box on the frame to see how it looks. I still need to mark where to drill the mounting holes in the tub, mount the fenders, spare tire, gas cans, etc. But I'm liking it. The box seems huge compared to the wooden box I had on there previously.

The ammo can mounted to the tongue contains a spare hub and bearing set, and misc. small "stuff" and paperwork that goes with the trailer.

 

[java]

That box is AWESOME! Care to share who made it?

 

[rnArmy]

That box is AWESOME! Care to share who made it?

A place in NC called Diamond Deluxe custom made the box - price was $860. They make animal transport boxes (dog boxes) and it was a modification of two of their dog box styes:

http://www.diamonddeluxe.com/r_style_dog_box.php

http://www.diamonddeluxe.com/yy_style_dog_box.php

The company was very easy to work with. We emailed a couple diagrams back and forth, they gave me a price and I said "go for it". I sent them a check for half-down and they started building it. They told me the domed roof was a little more expensive but much stronger than the flat roof, and after looking at the lid's underside I believe them. I really wanted the flared sides like the old Army Jeep trailers, and that's what they built for me. They also gave me a price for a non-flared box same height (straight sides) but with a domed lid that would perfectly fit a little HF 4' trailer that was around $685 if I remember correctly (but check with them, as how you spec it out will affect the price obviously). I'm very pleased with it. This thing is HUGE inside with the lid open. I have about 26-27" of usable height inside with the lid closed. The old Army Military trailers were only about 18" tall. It's all about usable cubic feet (length x width x height). Pretty much you mount this thing to your little HF trailer frame, bolt fenders to the side and you could be done.

If anyone else has a box built post a picture of it with your trailer - I'd be curious to see if anyone else goes this diamond plate aluminum box route. If you've ever priced aluminum truckbed tool boxes you'd know this was extremely reasonably priced.

 

[jruba]

A place in NC called Diamond Deluxe custom made the box - price was $860. They make animal transport boxes (dog boxes) and it was a modification of two of their dog box styes:

http://www.diamonddeluxe.com/r_style_dog_box.php

http://www.diamonddeluxe.com/yy_style_dog_box.php



The company was very easy to work with. We emailed a couple diagrams back and forth, they gave me a price and I said "go for it". I sent them a check for half-down and they started building it. They told me the domed roof was a little more expensive but much stronger than the flat roof, and after looking at the lid's underside I believe them. I really wanted the flared sides like the old Army Jeep trailers, and that's what they built for me. They also gave me a price for a non-flared box same height (straight sides) but with a domed lid that would perfectly fit a little HF 4' trailer that was around $650 if I remember correctly (but check with them, as how you spec it out will affect the price obviously). I'm very pleased with it. This thing is HUGE inside with the lid open. I have about 26-27" of usable height inside with the lid closed. The old Army Military trailers were only about 18" tall. It's all about usable cubic feet (length x width x height). Pretty much you mount this thing to your little HF trailer frame, bolt fenders to the side and you could be done.

If anyone else has a box built post a picture of it with your trailer - I'd be curious to see if anyone else goes this diamond plate aluminum box route. If you've ever priced aluminum truckbed tool boxes you'd know this was extremely reasonably priced.

Did you pick this box , or was it shipped ? and how would you add a rack in case u need it to transportat a kayak or something else ?

 

[rnArmy]

Did you pick this box , or was it shipped ? and how would you add a rack in case u need it to transportat a kayak or something else ?

They shipped it from their shop in NC to Nashville, and then I drove to Nashville and picked it up. It would have been (almost exactly) 1000 miles round-trip to pick it up at the factory. To Nashville and back was 100 miles round-trip.

We're thinking of putting a shortened minivan roof-rack on the trailer tub lit for strapping light-weight stuff if needed. But you've got to remember, this thing is aluminum; it's not designed for a lot of "stuff" to be added on that would cause stress (like a kayak) - at least to the lid.

I would build some sort of framework that bolted to the front and rear of the box, with reinforcements inside the box that would sandwich the aluminum box between the bracing. I'll be doing something similar to this when I mount the spare tire carrier to the outside, and the 4 gallon Kolpin gas can.

 

[rnArmy]

Here we are 99% completed. I put some aluminum diamond plate fenders on the trailer after painting them black. Keeping them silver was too much silver, and you almost didn't see the fenders.

Anyways, we're very pleased with how it came out. Now we need to take it on an adventure!

 

[Mark Harley]

Excellent work.
I like the rear spare too. Did you use a jeep mount?

 

[100acrehuphalump]

A place in NC called Diamond Deluxe custom made the box - price was $860. They make animal transport boxes (dog boxes) and it was a modification of two of their dog box styes:

http://www.diamonddeluxe.com/r_style_dog_box.php

http://www.diamonddeluxe.com/yy_style_dog_box.php

The company was very easy to work with. We emailed a couple diagrams back and forth, they gave me a price and I said "go for it". I sent them a check for half-down and they started building it. They told me the domed roof was a little more expensive but much stronger than the flat roof, and after looking at the lid's underside I believe them. I really wanted the flared sides like the old Army Jeep trailers, and that's what they built for me. They also gave me a price for a non-flared box same height (straight sides) but with a domed lid that would perfectly fit a little HF 4' trailer that was around $650 if I remember correctly (but check with them, as how you spec it out will affect the price obviously). I'm very pleased with it. This thing is HUGE inside with the lid open. I have about 26-27" of usable height inside with the lid closed. The old Army Military trailers were only about 18" tall. It's all about usable cubic feet (length x width x height). Pretty much you mount this thing to your little HF trailer frame, bolt fenders to the side and you could be done.

If anyone else has a box built post a picture of it with your trailer - I'd be curious to see if anyone else goes this diamond plate aluminum box route. If you've ever priced aluminum truckbed tool boxes you'd know this was extremely reasonably priced.

I doubt if they're open on Saturday but I'm gonna call until I can reach them. I wonder how much they would charge for a M416 lid? It certainly would lighten my load. If their prices are good, I'll spread the word!