show us your truck bed trailers
- Thread starter bftank
- Start date
TrAiLbUs1
Observer
Love it Nd4!! Nice job on that, thanks for the kind words guys.
Spent two nights in it ...such a nice set up. CVT is beyond expectations so far, even able to keep two comforters, bedding 6 pillows, extra mattress and cover still goes on easily. Neighbor texted my mother in law and said she has never seen anything so cool, like we have a giant treefort RV lol.
DOg pound, however I've been training them to get on my shoulders and go upstairs, they are a little scared coming down but getting better. Going to build a ramp down to the utility storage after this trip so they can just walk out the window and jump down from there
Lights from Harbor freight, battery powered LED's
Track lights they rotate 360, really bright, perfect for 9 dollars
Got our logo free from Toyota
Luv Machine
Spent two nights in it ...such a nice set up. CVT is beyond expectations so far, even able to keep two comforters, bedding 6 pillows, extra mattress and cover still goes on easily. Neighbor texted my mother in law and said she has never seen anything so cool, like we have a giant treefort RV lol.
DOg pound, however I've been training them to get on my shoulders and go upstairs, they are a little scared coming down but getting better. Going to build a ramp down to the utility storage after this trip so they can just walk out the window and jump down from there
Lights from Harbor freight, battery powered LED's
Track lights they rotate 360, really bright, perfect for 9 dollars
Got our logo free from Toyota
Luv Machine
soldierman79
Observer
M1009 CUCV K5 Blazer, w/Ford Courier truck bed trailer hauling the old leaky canoe.
Here is my Toyota truck bed trailer. It has a motorcycle ramp in the front and utilizes the stock gas tank with an external electric fuel pump so I can carry extra fuel. I eventually want to make a mount to get my tent up higher but for now it works fine.
Does anybody have experience with flipping the axle with a truck bed trailer? My tires rub when there is a load in the trailer. It seems the easy options would be (1)having the the axle facing backwards with the pumpkin facing right side up or (2) having the axle point in the right direction but be upside down. Any opinions or experiences with this? Thanks!
Does anybody have experience with flipping the axle with a truck bed trailer? My tires rub when there is a load in the trailer. It seems the easy options would be (1)having the the axle facing backwards with the pumpkin facing right side up or (2) having the axle point in the right direction but be upside down. Any opinions or experiences with this? Thanks!
the kid
Juke Box Hero
No don't do this! There are vents that would leak oil, there are oil slingers that would not be properly oiling seals, and you would not have vents to properly vent on the user side... Just do what I did and many others have done, buy new spring perches and put the springs in top of the axle instead of under it. If you already have a SOA then consider add-a-leafs or air bags.
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millerfish
Adventurer
"I am sure you already know, fit a proper trailer axle would be best."
With the truck axle you have a lot of necessary moving parts that can fail and have bad results. Not to mention all the drag that is affecting your MPG. I uses a rear axle out of a front wheel drive dodge caravan...
With the truck axle you have a lot of necessary moving parts that can fail and have bad results. Not to mention all the drag that is affecting your MPG. I uses a rear axle out of a front wheel drive dodge caravan...
Yes I understand all the benefits of swapping over to a different axle and might do so down the road. What I was trying to figure out is, if the axle is turned around, so in the mind of the axle its running in reverse, would there be any problems? That way the vents/plugs etc are all in the normal positions its just running in reverse.
millerfish
Adventurer
The two options you mentioned both leave you running in reverse...
(1)having the the axle facing backwards with the pumpkin facing right side up or
This would not lift the trailer without welding new perches on. And your gears will run reverse.
(2) having the axle point in the right direction but be upside down.
This would give you the lift using existing perches. And your gears will run reverse.
To achieve the desired results: have the the axle facing backwards but be upside down. No new perches, Gears run correct direction. However I think running it upside down will create major issues...
(1)having the the axle facing backwards with the pumpkin facing right side up or
This would not lift the trailer without welding new perches on. And your gears will run reverse.
(2) having the axle point in the right direction but be upside down.
This would give you the lift using existing perches. And your gears will run reverse.
To achieve the desired results: have the the axle facing backwards but be upside down. No new perches, Gears run correct direction. However I think running it upside down will create major issues...
Yes you are right, I figured wrong (oops) no matter what the axle will need to be upside down.
the kid
Juke Box Hero
his axle is just fine, there is no need to swap the axle, in fact he is better off sticking with the axle he has, as its much heavier duty, and also contains a spare 3rd member for him
you can fill it to the appropriate level, or with the correct amount of fluid, but if its running up side down it will drain out, and if its running in revers, it will no properly lubricate the seals and bearings, thus causing serious damage needlessly
see above comment, yes you will burn out your pinion bearing and seal fast
yes upside down will not allow for proper oiling of seals, even if running in the correct direction... your 3rd member has oil galleys and passages that are intended to channel the gear oil to all the bearings and seal to insure proper lubrication. if the axle is upside down they wont work, if the axle is running in reverse they wont work
MX21 while you might get away with doing one of these "tricks" in a pinch, you will soon burn up bearings and seals, and it wouldnt take long, a 50 mile trip and you have a toast bearing or seal or both. and while it might not be super bad right away, over time, it will get worse and worse. it will compound on itself untill you have no seal left and are allowing dirt and other crap to get in there and eat up the rest of the bearings and gears, and gum up your fluid. spend $50 and get new spring perches and pay a shop $50-100 or buy a buddy a case of beer and have them weld new perches on top of your axle for you and do this correctly. other wise yes you may as well go and get a "beam axle" and retro fit that into the trail, but again thats gonna cost you money. im not saying these other guys are idiots or dont know what they are talking about -because in theory what they and you are proposing is correct, but it wont work for very long and it will cost way more in the long run if you do that.
millerfish
Adventurer
"his axle is just fine, there is no need to swap the axle, in fact he is better off sticking with the axle he has, as its much heavier duty, and also contains a spare 3rd member for him"
So if he drops a 10000# dexter axle in there it would be weaker than the truck rear end?
That 30+ year old 3rd member is about 1000 times more likely to fail and leave in lurch than the FJ rear end failing. I'm no expert on these rear ends but I don't think any of the parts would be interchangeable anyway.
So if he drops a 10000# dexter axle in there it would be weaker than the truck rear end?
That 30+ year old 3rd member is about 1000 times more likely to fail and leave in lurch than the FJ rear end failing. I'm no expert on these rear ends but I don't think any of the parts would be interchangeable anyway.
the kid
Juke Box Hero
Actually it would be a direct bolt in, and no that 30yo rear end would not be a weak rear end... Note would the axle be weak. And buying new spring perches and welding them in would be much cheaper than going and buying a new axle and having to fabricate it to fit..
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Cool thread, I'm new and was starting to think pickup bed trailers were too low class for this forum.
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I'm building one now in the time I can spare. I'll get some pics up when I get a chance and have something presentable. It's the back half of an 89 F250HD, I'm setting it up to be as identical to my truck as practical. First though I'm making it longer, I had a wrecked bed that the back 2' or so was good, so I cut that section off and am currently graphing it onto the front of the trailer. So I'll end up with a 10' cargo section with a tailgate on both ends, not only better for cargo but will balance better. I'm retaining the stock fuel tanks, axle, brakes, etc. Axle and brakes in part so that the rear axle or it's parts can be swapped into the truck if needed. Also to retain the stock parking brake and RABS(Rear ABS). I'll be using a surge brake tongue and will use the RABS not only for safety but to activate the valve with the back up lights to release the brakes in reverse. That's the plan anyway, working on the bed extension now but it's become a back burner project at the moment.
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I'm building one now in the time I can spare. I'll get some pics up when I get a chance and have something presentable. It's the back half of an 89 F250HD, I'm setting it up to be as identical to my truck as practical. First though I'm making it longer, I had a wrecked bed that the back 2' or so was good, so I cut that section off and am currently graphing it onto the front of the trailer. So I'll end up with a 10' cargo section with a tailgate on both ends, not only better for cargo but will balance better. I'm retaining the stock fuel tanks, axle, brakes, etc. Axle and brakes in part so that the rear axle or it's parts can be swapped into the truck if needed. Also to retain the stock parking brake and RABS(Rear ABS). I'll be using a surge brake tongue and will use the RABS not only for safety but to activate the valve with the back up lights to release the brakes in reverse. That's the plan anyway, working on the bed extension now but it's become a back burner project at the moment.
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Chili
Explorer
I finally got a trailer axle on mine and finished the taillights (mounted LED trailer lights inside the factory housing) and mounted the matching Suburban wheels / tires. I need to have the hitch coupler reworked (want a 2" receiver so I can swap from a ball to pintle configurations) as I cracked the current ball receiver on the last trip. I have all of the materials / gas shocks / etc to build the adjustable rack to mount my RTT and awning, but have been waiting for the weather to cool down before tackling that. I also have rear stabilizer jacks to go on once the tent is mounted.
This is from Colorado in late August:
When I get the tent and rack mounted I will probably need to cut out the wheel wells a little, to accommodate the tires. Mainly the front corner, which will be getting a little close to the tire with the additional weight. But, with teh couple reworked, and the additional weight, it should sit level.
I was very happy to ditch the old truck axle, that thing weighed a ton!
Prior to the new axle, wheels and tires, and lights:
This is from Colorado in late August:
When I get the tent and rack mounted I will probably need to cut out the wheel wells a little, to accommodate the tires. Mainly the front corner, which will be getting a little close to the tire with the additional weight. But, with teh couple reworked, and the additional weight, it should sit level.
I was very happy to ditch the old truck axle, that thing weighed a ton!
Prior to the new axle, wheels and tires, and lights:
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