show us your truck bed trailers

[Chili]

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..

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

FWIW, I didn't have to fabricate anything to swap to a 3,500# trailer axle onto mine.. Other than welding the spring perches on it in the right spot, which took all of 5 min. I bought my axle from trailerpart.com.

http://www.southwestwheel.com/store/p-2302-3500-lb-standard-spring-trailer-axle.aspx

You can specify your axle width (Between 45" - 95", in 1" increments, in odd lengths ex: 61") and specify your desired bolt pattern. Not bad for $120. Of course, I am local to them, so I didn't have to pay for shipping.

 

[AFBronco235]

Cool thread, I'm new and was starting to think pickup bed trailers were too low class for this forum.
.
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.

That's an ambitious project you have there. Are you planning on having the whole bed area open or keeping the original front panel in place? I ask because if its going to be completely open, you'll want to reinforce the sides to keep them from bending outward, especially if you'll have a tailgate at each end. Structural "L-brackets" made from 1.5" square tube along the bottom of the beds and extending up into the hollow area between the outer panel and the bed ever 18"-24" should be all you need.

As for braking, I have an idea. Since you're using a truck axle, with the yoke intact, you could try making a "drive shaft brake" outfitted with electric trailer brakes to replace the original hydraulic braking system you're currently planning on using. This way, you have only a single disk brake that can and WILL stop your trailer will very little effort due to the mechanical advantage granted by the differential gearing in the axle. Your current idea can work, but it still relies heavily on the tow vehicle for braking force and will require a LOT more work to make it functional. A drive shaft brake would be MUCH simpler to implement and be easier to maintain. You can keep the original drum brakes on the axle to use as a parking brake too and just remove all the hydraulic parts since they won't be needed.
Here's a pic of what I mean.

You'd have to use an electric trailer brake to make it work, but otherwise, its the same setup.

 

[Arlo]

110HCPU on top of a Sankey chassis.

 

[Korben]

That's an ambitious project you have there.

Thanks, I've always wanted a cool pickup bed trailer and I ended up with all the right parts from a couple parts trucks so I'm going for it.

Are you planning on having the whole bed area open or keeping the original front panel in place? I ask because if its going to be completely open, you'll want to reinforce the sides to keep them from bending outward, especially if you'll have a tailgate at each end. Structural "L-brackets" made from 1.5" square tube along the bottom of the beds and extending up into the hollow area between the outer panel and the bed ever 18"-24" should be all you need.

I expect rigidity to be an issue, currently the front panel is still in place but yes it will be removed. I'm not sure yet what I'll do about it, it's an evolving project, but I have some intentions. Most likely stiffen it up while also building spare tire racks inside the front corners and custom bumpers. I'll figure that out when I get that far. Goal one is to get it finished enough to get it inspected, registered, and out of my shop.

As for braking, I have an idea. Since you're using a truck axle, with the yoke intact, you could try making a "drive shaft brake" outfitted with electric trailer brakes to replace the original hydraulic braking system you're currently planning on using. This way, you have only a single disk brake that can and WILL stop your trailer will very little effort due to the mechanical advantage granted by the differential gearing in the axle. Your current idea can work, but it still relies heavily on the tow vehicle for braking force and will require a LOT more work to make it functional. A drive shaft brake would be MUCH simpler to implement and be easier to maintain. You can keep the original drum brakes on the axle to use as a parking brake too and just remove all the hydraulic parts since they won't be needed.
(snip)
You'd have to use an electric trailer brake to make it work, but otherwise, its the same setup.

At some point I think every braking option has passed through my head at some point including something like what your talking about. I could probably write a doctoral thesis on all the stuff I've considered but here's some broad strokes. The primary reason for retaining the stock axle is also a big benefit to this trailer, it's rolling spare parts. Push comes to shove I can take parts off the trailer to fix the truck then rig up the trailer or if I have to leave the trailer behind while I go get parts to fix it. So I want to be able to swap the entire rear axle as a unit. If this wasn't important I'd just get/make a trailer axle. There's a cost to keeping the stock axle, drag from the differential turning, weight, and ground clearance. A driveline brake still has these problems and would make them worse, also I'm not sure it wouldn't overheat. By keeping the stock brakes I keep the reliability and strength of the stock drums, I keep the strong parking brake as I intend to add a parking brake lever, and I can use RABS. Two downsides, both are from the surge setup, no driver control and locking while backing up. I can solve the backing up issue better then the problematic pin/lockout setups with the RABS. Also I have an idea to solve the driver control. The tow rig has onboard air, thinking all add a trolley valve(Johnny bar) to the truck, glad hands, and an air brake can on the surge master. The strongest contender to change what I have in mind is an electric over hydraulic setup, those are big bucks though.
.
Anyway, it's evolving, right now I need to finish the bed extension so I can solidify the front cross member placement then finish the frame/tongue. But that comes after I fix a truck or two, I couple truck issues popped up and took over.

 

[AFBronco235]

At some point I think every braking option has passed through my head at some point including something like what your talking about. I could probably write a doctoral thesis on all the stuff I've considered but here's some broad strokes. The primary reason for retaining the stock axle is also a big benefit to this trailer, it's rolling spare parts. Push comes to shove I can take parts off the trailer to fix the truck then rig up the trailer or if I have to leave the trailer behind while I go get parts to fix it. So I want to be able to swap the entire rear axle as a unit. If this wasn't important I'd just get/make a trailer axle. There's a cost to keeping the stock axle, drag from the differential turning, weight, and ground clearance. A driveline brake still has these problems and would make them worse, also I'm not sure it wouldn't overheat. By keeping the stock brakes I keep the reliability and strength of the stock drums, I keep the strong parking brake as I intend to add a parking brake lever, and I can use RABS. Two downsides, both are from the surge setup, no driver control and locking while backing up. I can solve the backing up issue better then the problematic pin/lockout setups with the RABS. Also I have an idea to solve the driver control. The tow rig has onboard air, thinking all add a trolley valve(Johnny bar) to the truck, glad hands, and an air brake can on the surge master. The strongest contender to change what I have in mind is an electric over hydraulic setup, those are big bucks though.
.
Anyway, it's evolving, right now I need to finish the bed extension so I can solidify the front cross member placement then finish the frame/tongue. But that comes after I fix a truck or two, I couple truck issues popped up and took over.

I do agree with the idea of being able to use the axle for spare parts, however, short of a complete axle failure, there's really no reason to swap axles. I still think that you're plan on using the hydraulic braking is overly ambitious and over complicated for what you need. If you're dead set on keeping the axle swappable, which I can understand, what you should do then is to plumb the brake lines on the axle for that possibility, but then plug it at one point so that if you wanted to swap it, all you'd need to is remove the axle and bolt it to the truck and then hook it up. Then use my original idea of the drive line brake to actually stop the trailer. A driveline brake utilizing a trailer brake is a bit pricy, but not any more so than if you went with your idea, and so much less complicated. It would consist of simply the braking unit that can be bolted and unbolted from the yoke in a few minutes if done right, where as your idea would only work in forward motion AT SPEED and to work in reverse, requires a lot of re-engineering. An electric driveline brake wouldn't have that issue. As far as the drag and overheating issues, it wouldn't overheat anymore than the brakes on any other vehicle. Yes, the rotor will spin at a higher speed, but if its properly vented, would actually be cooler than a standard setup. Plus, you'd have the mechanical advantage I mentioned earlier. BTW, drum brakes are NOT THAT RELIABLE. Most of the braking force on the 89 F250 came from the front disk brakes. I believe its something like 60% front and 40% rear. There's a reason, after all, that modern pickup trucks use rear disk brakes instead of drums anymore.

Now, it is your project and you can make it as complicated as you desire. I'm only making the suggestion that you follow KISS on this one. Good luck.

 

[Korben]

I do agree with the idea of being able to use the axle for spare parts, however, short of a complete axle failure, there's really no reason to swap axles.

These 10.25 axles don't fail often, but when they do it's often in a manor that it makes swapping a complete assembly either necessary or preferred. Even if a part swap could get it done it's often still better to swap complete axles. The reason being to fix one with parts from the other you'd have to disassemble both. If something was to happen that prevented the completion of at least one complete axle I'd be SOL.
.

I still think that you're plan on using the hydraulic braking is overly ambitious and over complicated for what you need.

I don't see the complication, all I'm doing is moving stock stuff and modifying the wiring it a bit. As for need, I'm building it for an 9,000lb GVW.
.

If you're dead set on keeping the axle swappable, which I can understand, what you should do then is to plumb the brake lines on the axle for that possibility, but then plug it at one point so that if you wanted to swap it, all you'd need to is remove the axle and bolt it to the truck and then hook it up.

Brakes set up inoperable like that are more likely to have issues that I won't discover until I need them to work.
.

Then use my original idea of the drive line brake to actually stop the trailer. A driveline brake utilizing a trailer brake is a bit pricy, but not any more so than if you went with your idea, and so much less complicated.

I'm not spending much at all, I already have all the parts from a couple parts trucks. I need some brake line and a parking brake hand lever, looking for a deal on one of those cam over units from something like a mail jeep or UPS truck.
.

It would consist of simply the braking unit that can be bolted and unbolted from the yoke in a few minutes if done right,

Bolted to what? The axle in your pic is probably a 14B, they have a bolt in pinion carrier like a 9", the 10.25 is built like a D60, there's no available mounting locations on the front of the differential. Same problem with the yoke, I'd have to remove the U-joint yoke and install one I could put the brake on. That is a big high torque nut that is hard to get on and off correctly without messing up the pinion bearing pre-load. This is even more important with the 10.25 as pinion bearing failure is one of the more common failures.
.

where as your idea would only work in forward motion AT SPEED and to work in reverse, requires a lot of re-engineering. An electric driveline brake wouldn't have that issue.

Nothing about surge hydraulic brakes requires any speed, only pressure. When stopped pointing downhill the brakes are applied. This is not true with electric brakes, they require the drum to rotate to apply the brakes thus only work at speed. Nor do they work in reverse, electric brakes NEVER work in reverse, they can't the magnet only applies braking in one direction.
.

As far as the drag and overheating issues, it wouldn't overheat anymore than the brakes on any other vehicle. Yes, the rotor will spin at a higher speed, but if its properly vented, would actually be cooler than a standard setup. Plus, you'd have the mechanical advantage I mentioned earlier.

The mechanical advantage is moot in this regard. What matters is mass and surface area for heat dissipation. Both would be cut in half assuming a drum the same size as stock, which is too big to mount there so it would have to be even smaller.
.

BTW, drum brakes are NOT THAT RELIABLE. Most of the braking force on the 89 F250 came from the front disk brakes. I believe its something like 60% front and 40% rear. There's a reason, after all, that modern pickup trucks use rear disk brakes instead of drums anymore.

Drum brakes are THAT RELIABLE, most of all when the parking brake is important. Those hat in a disc or caliper based parking brakes SUCK.
.
Drum brakes, in particular these are not inadequate for the application. If they ever are I'll upgrade to the larger dually drums and shoes.
.
Of course this is a completely moot argument cause electric disc brakes don't exist. All disc brake electric setups are electric over hydraulic.
.

 

[Korben]

Fwiw, electric disk brakes do exist. I think Golfcarts can even be fitted.
But my direct observations are industrial equipment, example take-up coilers, elevators, mining equipment. et. al.
However these examples are a spring applied fail-to stop configuration.
I know of another design whats a stepper motor actuating a cam/wedge much like wedge style airbrakes.
Anyway elect/hydro is not the only option.

Yeah, I shouldn't have put it so matter of fact, I'm sure they do, just have never seen one that would be practical for this application. All either too small, too big, too hard to adapt, or too expensive. Most viable disc option is electric/hydraulic at which point complication and cost goes up too high to make it worth it.
.
EDIT.. FWIW I had an interesting idea a while back along the lines of AFBronco235s. It's to put a very small electric drum setup on the pinion. But instead of having the magnet actuate the shoes have it actuate a master cylinder. Then that master cylinder actuates the stock drums. Decided too many cons and not enough pros, that if I was going to do that I might as well buy an electric/hydro actuator.

 

[Nd4SpdSe]

Cool thread, I'm new and was starting to think pickup bed trailers were too low class for this forum.

I know, right! Well Im doing this for my own reasons and goals. I dont care if Im looked at as low-class, but Ive gotten many props on my trailer so far. Not to say Im doing it for approval, but its too to know that its been generally extremely very well received and that my idea isnt really way out there. Although I really enjoy using it, I will admit had the fun is the building part.

"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...

I don't think it`s that bad. So far I've only registered a 12% loss (at worst) when towing my trailer, but ironically this year I haven't done much non-towing highway driving to be able to proper compare since I've seen a drop in my non-towing mpg, but it may be related to when I sealed up the airbox so the snorkel is now the only, restricted, way to get air in. I'm also running 32 inch Goodyear MTR Kevlars on the trailer, which arent the least-resitance tires that could be on there. I have a hard time seeing much better in fuel economy. Most people seem to register a 20% decrease when towing.

For the differential, I want to try an alternator on it to suppliment the trucks charging system to charge the trailer battery bank, or as a backup...an old hot rodders trick. Not sure how well it`ll work, but I want to have fun and give it a try.

I do like the truck axle for the perfect track width and rim bolt pattery to match my truck, with no adapters. I do want to do the electric over hydraulic eventually, but as it`s been said, its not cheap. I dont like the surge brakes; we use them a lot in the military and Ive seen people fight with the trailer when backing up in stuff as snow, where the resistance pushes in the piston, engaging the trailer brakes, when you`re trying to back it up. And the Nissan axle is pretty indestructable.

 

[Korben]

I'm going to assume this is directed at me, largely cause I'm the only one I see talking about swapping axles.
.

When was the last time you heard of or actually swapped a differential in the field?

Not talking differential, talking complete assembly, diff swap is harder then complete axle swap, too hard to set backlash, pattern, and pre-load. As for complete axle, can't say I ever have, not for the lack of the ability to perform the swap but the lack of parts to do that job. Plenty of crazy stuff welded or rigged up, but nobody has ever had a complete axle to swap. Would have been easier if they had, but IDK anyone that's going to toss a whole axle in the back of their rig just in case.
.

The others that failed were drug back and put on a trailer to be fixed at home.

Not everybody has that luxury, you can be as elitist as you like but I'll save at a minimum $1000 doing it myself wherever I am. Would it be easy, heck no, do I expect to ever actually have to do it, double heck no. But it's a lot easier and cheaper then dragging out a 10,000lb truck, then paying a tow truck to take it to wherever, then pay some ridiculous prices to fix it.
.

Even were I going to some extremely remote location on the planet the idea of a spare third member or whole spare axle would be very low on my list of possibles. I see such a failure being the result of either very poor prep or grossly exceeding the limits of the vehicle.

FWIW no third member on this type of axle. Your list is your list nor would I really call it a spare, do you call the extra tires on duals spares, no, but in a pinch you'd put one on the front if you ran out of spares. This is no different then having the same wheels on all axles. Failures happen, you can choose to be prepared or not.
.

If you don't want to bother with putting a trailer axle under it that's fine, but this whole "spare axles & differential" justification sounds like a massive and unnecessary rationalization.

Well I'm glad it's fine with you, now I can rest easy. I have many "rationalizations" that's one minor one. There's also cost, time, brakes, ABS, etc. The ABS is a big one, I hate ABS in my truck, I have a pedal for that, but it's fantastic in trailers. These only have one vehicle speed sensor and it's on the ring gear. So to make the ABS work I need to keep the ring gear turning. Or do you not want my trailer to be safe? If not I'll just pull the axles and cap off the hubs, sure be easier and cost less in the long run.
.

 

[cwadej]

Never saw this thread during my cobble. I won't say build. Started with an early '80s Ford Courier bed on frame that had already been cut into a tongue. No spare tire, no gas tank. original axle.

-Lock-n-roll hitch
-3500 Alko axle with hubs to match my TJ of course. Then wheels and tires to match.
-15 gallon fuel cell in spare tire area, plumbed to original filler location
-10 gallon water tank in front of each wheel well.
-deep cycle battery on top of each wheel well
-water pump and filter on left wheel well
-drawers made for left side behind an on 1/2 of top of wheel well
-Coleman stove slides out, then folds onto tailgate. Stored behind left wheel well. Plumbed to 20 lb tank in front of bed.
-electrical switches (integrated fuse panel) beside stove.
-interior bed lights, exterior light pointed at stove, fuel pump, water pump all switched.
-tie down tracks inside.
-shelf outside in front of bed for firewood. This is where propane tank is. 30lb will fit.
-water spigot mounted to the back of the bed.
-7 pin trailer wiring to charge batteries from Jeep.
-area between wheel wells for ice chest, camp chairs, etc. Quite a bit of room.
-RV leveling jacks in the rear
-Maggiolina Grand Tour will eventually have a rack installed, with bat-wing awning on it.
- tent is hinged in front for easy access to cargo area, water tanks, batteries, etc.

still working on it. tows great, will go almost anywhere the Jeep will. Quite comfy sleeping 2 with just a few blankets to about 25 degrees F.

 

[k9lestat]

Very nice

Sent from my QMV7A using Tapatalk

 

[Nd4SpdSe]

Very Nice! What did you use for legs? I need some around 30-33 inches high

 

[cwadej]

I used BAL C stabilizers, model 23231, 31" legs. Lots of reach to level the trailer, about a foot lower than the tires at max extention. Add the feet also, makes the leg a smidge longer, and larger footprint for obvious reasons.

 

[damon1272]

Some very good trailers here. I am working on a utility bed from a 97 f-350. Looking to add additional gas storage for it. I plan on running the original axle housing and possibly cutting the axles and pulling the diff. Plan is to use a rotating pintle set up. Just built the tongue and have more work to be complete but here it is from last weekend. Additional work will include paint to match the truck, lift, and better tires. Plan is to use as home base for camping weekends so as not to have to load everything into my 94 bronco.

 

[k9lestat]

Some very good trailers here. I am working on a utility bed from a 97 f-350. Looking to add additional gas storage for it. I plan on running the original axle housing and possibly cutting the axles and pulling the diff. Plan is to use a rotating pintle set up. Just built the tongue and have more work to be complete but here it is from last weekend. Additional work will include paint to match the truck, lift, and better tires. Plan is to use as home base for camping weekends so as not to have to load everything into my 94 bronco.

You got trailer build thread?

Sent from my QMV7A using Tapatalk