show us your truck bed trailers

[Mark Harley]

MofCrows: That is a cool TBT!
Love the classic full size ford.
Keep us posted on your build.

 

[Pooch72]

oh, no no no. This will just not do.

Sir, you are towing a Ford trailer with a Dodge! That's like mixing water and oil. Like mixing matter and anti-matter. Like mixing cats and dogs! It's just WRONG!

However, having gotten all that out of the way, I'm digging the new trailer!

 

[aMurderOfCrows]

oh, no no no. This will just not do.

Sir, you are towing a Ford trailer with a Dodge! That's like mixing water and oil. Like mixing matter and anti-matter. Like mixing cats and dogs! It's just WRONG!

However, having gotten all that out of the way, I'm digging the new trailer!

I hear you, and the rednecking is going to get worse...just look at the pics.

I was always a Ford guy and a very negative experience with my 05 powerstroke and other circumstances led me to the Dodge.

In the pics, the tailgate on this trailer didn't work and was stuck shut. I pried the tailgate open and remove the female part of the latch on both sides. Not wanting to try and replace this I just rigged up something to hold it closed. I realize part of the hasp is supposed to be secured under the long part but it lays nice and flat this way and I didn't want to take the time to cut the one piece off.

Also, I wanted a trailer jack with a wheel so that shoving the trailer around would be easier. I couldn't find one that was long enough to jack the trailer up high enough, to get it on and off the hitch without some lifting. So, I bought this heavy duty swiveling caster and carriage bolted it to the foot of the existing jack. The extra five inches accomplised both the height and mobility I was looking for.

By now, its obvious this isn't going to be the most technical build. This trailer will get abused so I'm not going to get too fancy with it. The places I camp for my hunting trips are way off the beaten path on extremely rough rutted and washed out two track roads.

In the distant future I may replace this bed with a straighter one or build my own platform on top of the frame. But for now, it'll hold all I want to put in it, it has mucho ground clearance and any dents and dings I put in it aren't going to bother me. Now, I just need the time to get some action photos.

 

[aMurderOfCrows]

MofCrows: That is a cool TBT!
Love the classic full size ford.
Keep us posted on your build.

Thank you.

Another thing to mention is weight.

I looked through pooch's build thread and noticed his trailer came in at 1300lbs.

I took mine to get it weighed for title purposes and it was too lite to be weighed. Had to put both my truck and trailer on the scale. The combo was 7080lbs. Deduct 6700 for my truck and I get 380lbs. That doesn't seem anywhere near correct.

 

[thebarista]

Further update

So I got a little wild with the paint. and Cut some existing metal brackets so I could post the lock box on the front. It is getting close to looking respectable but not quite. I have been building the inserts and have some rhinoliner for the inside.

 

[Mark Harley]

Nice work! What model of truck did you use?

 

[loren85022]

So I got a little wild with the paint. and Cut some existing metal brackets so I could post the lock box on the front. It is getting close to looking respectable but not quite. I have been building the inserts and have some rhinoliner for the inside.

is it an optical illusion or is that hitch so stubby that the box will contact vehicle bumper when you turn?

 

[aMurderOfCrows]

Got the actual weight on mine, 1400#'s.

A set of shocks, set of Jerry cans mounted on the front, maybe remove all the brake hardware and its done.

 

[Chili]

is it an optical illusion or is that hitch so stubby that the box will contact vehicle bumper when you turn?

I was thinking the same thing. I would like to relocate the locking tool box in mine, from the bed to the tongue, but think I need to extend the tongue a bit first, for that reason.

 

[jonharis]

I'm putting the final touches on this one now. '69 F250 Ranger. Strictly for yard and home improvement duty.

 

[Pooch72]

Got the actual weight on mine, 1400#'s.

A set of shocks, set of Jerry cans mounted on the front, maybe remove all the brake hardware and its done.

When i got mine weighed for my State Patrol inspection, I was mortified! 1300 pounds? Come on, that can't be right! There's freak'n nothing to it! But, after seeing some of these other builds, I can kind of see it. Big, heavy, solid truck axle.... C-channel frame rails... big *** tires.... and the body panels aren't exactly light either. Oh well, still tows like a dream. I'm just wondering how much weight I can stuff in it without damaging something. Not that I really want to push my luck.

 

[Chili]

When i got mine weighed for my State Patrol inspection, I was mortified! 1300 pounds? Come on, that can't be right! There's freak'n nothing to it! But, after seeing some of these other builds, I can kind of see it. Big, heavy, solid truck axle.... C-channel frame rails... big *** tires.... and the body panels aren't exactly light either. Oh well, still tows like a dream. I'm just wondering how much weight I can stuff in it without damaging something. Not that I really want to push my luck.

Yeah, I want to lose the truck axle and put a trailer axle in to save some weight.. And ultimately a new "frame" would be best..

I wonder what kind of reduction I could get with "speed holes" cut in the truck frame to save weight and still maintain structural integrity?

 

[Pooch72]

I'm thinking minimal at best. Even if you Swiss-Cheese'd your frame, you might lose 40 pounds or so. But then, like you said, what about the structural integrity?

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

Mine is similar to Elmo's in that it is also a utility bed turned trailer. It's still very much a work-in-progress, but as of now features air-ride suspension, onboard (hot)water, 12V/120V power, 60QT Fridge and sleeping for 3-4. It also serves as an ATV/Dirtbike hauler when the tent is removed. I'm working on a way to keep the tent and haul bikes at the same time.

 

[Dogmann]

I like the van - what are the specs? Is it 4x4??

Like Elmo, my current build is an old utility trailer. I estimate the mini-truck fiberglass tub to be 30+ yrrs old. The frame is custom ( thanks Corbin), and I added the rack to host the RTT (aka the kid's loft). The passenger side is turning into the galley. It'll have hot/cold water,16 gall tank, propane, frig and stove. I splurged for matching paint. Turned out nice.

Currently struggling with the axle and tires. I really want van/trailer to have matching lug patterns. They don't make the van's KMC rims on a 170x8lug anymore. Finally found a pair of blanks in Cal, and am paying too much to have them drilled. Next, they don't sell a 170mm hub for trailers. Ok, found some 6.5" to 170mm adapters today. Add another $100. Next I learn the 8 lug axles are a min rating of 5000lbs. That's more than double what I need. Irked I didn't do this homework sooner. Might have just opted for a 5 lug trailer and 2 different spares. Anyone heard of a 5 lug to 8 lug adapter?

So while building custom trailers is great fun, it has it's challenges.