Update 7-5-08
One more day in the shop and more accomplished. I'm at a point where a lot of what I'm doing isn't realy cool or exciting, but some of it was worthy of some pictures.
What good is an expo style trailer with out shocks? The lower shock mount is actually a spring perch with one end cut off and one of the holes opened up to accept a bolt on shock stud. The top shock mount is actually an OEM GM truck shock mount with one of the ears cut off. I held on to a pair of these back from when I worked at a local GM dealership. When they lift a truck the lift kit come with a new/different set and so these are removed and discarded. I discarded these right onto Clark's trailer.
This is just a detail shot of the lower shock mount. Here you can see the clearance between the shock and the mount.
The shocks are actually some extras I had off of an IFS late 80's Toyota 4-Runner. In order to position the shock correctly I would jack up one side of the trailer untill the spring was at full droop and that side tire would come off the ground. With it in this position I installed the shock while it was fully extended. This matches the extension of the shock with the extension of the suspension. After doing some checking, I believe that the compression side will be just fine.
This is the point where a lot of the boring work was done. I drilled a series of holes in the floor piece so that I could plug weld the floor to the trailer frame. I placed the welds on approximately 6" centers along the outer frame perimiter as well as each of the cross members. I also welded and blended the upper corners of the main storage box as well as the sides where they wrap around the tailgate opening.
I put the sheet metal brak back into action and made a holding box for the 10lb propane tank that mimics the holders that I made for the fuel cans. I plan to have a strap that will hold the tank above the center weld seam. The latch will be adjustable as well as lockable. My knee was a casualty to the propane box though. I was sitting in my very comfortable shop chair resting the propane holder in my knees and welding away. I repositioned the workpiece so that I could get to an unwelded area and struck the arc. I might just as well have covered my knee in a thin sheet of flame retardant material and then held a branding iron to my knee. It put a small burn hole in my jeans and made me think all sorts of bad things, but I don't believe that I verbalized any of them. Well, lets just say I now have a blister about the same diameter of a pencil eraser and about 1/4" to 3/16" tall. Like they say, if you're not burning you're not welding.
I wanted to stay and work later untill I looked out side and realized how dark it was getting. Usually this isn't a problem, but last Thursday I bought a 1979 Yamaha XS750 motorbike from a guy at work. It's a $500.00 bike and right now the headlight isn't working. So, when I realized that I was running out of daylight I closed up shop and headed for town. Good thing I left when I did. I made it home at 9:50 pm and with out a full moon it was getting very dark very quick. I've got to figure out the headlight ASAP.
That's it untill next time. Fairly soon this is going to be ready for paint and then wiring and then it will be off to Boise.
Mike
