Trailer build consideration

[IH8RDS]

Hey John,

That XJ looks sweet with the RTT. It will look even better on the trailer. Then you can wheel without all that weight up top making you top heavy.
I got to get one of those RTT for the M416! I have a 29' travel trailer so I'm a little spoiled with that, but its a little hard to drag a 29 footer around Moab and the Rubicon. lol

 

[OverlandZJ]

Hey John,

That XJ looks sweet with the RTT. It will look even better on the trailer. Then you can wheel without all that weight up top making you top heavy.
I got to get one of those RTT for the M416! I have a 29' travel trailer so I'm a little spoiled with that, but its a little hard to drag a 29 footer around Moab and the Rubicon. lol

Hi Scott... again welcome to Expo!

Thanks for the compliment, the Jeep gets paint next month and i'll start on the trailer soon after, want to have it done for NAC-Fest this year. You coming up?

Lots of guys here have an RTT on their M416 and M101's. Numerous vendors to take your pick from here as well, all you gotta do is decide which you want!

I wont wheel with the RTT on the XJ, i learned about COG the hard way..

 

[OverlandZJ]

Finally got a chance to run back to my buds for a few pics. Heres what i'll be starting with, remember.. i'll only be using the box,frame and suspension. Figure this will be a good platform to learn some welding and fab skills.

 

[IH8RDS]

Those fendes will make you some money. Sell them on E-Bay when you take them off. I went out and bought a Hobart 140 welder after I got my trailer and learned alot. Looking foward to the build. Take lots of pictures. :wings:

 

[OverlandZJ]

I'm pleasantly surprised with how solid this is, it would be nice to offset the axle purchase with the sale of the fenders.

Guess it's time to learn about affordable entry level welders. I have an old Dayton 220 and a Craftsman 110 arc welders in garage, and havent welded since HS.

 

[IH8RDS]

Knock the moss of the welders and dig in!!

 

[oldcj5guy]

craigslist is a good source for cheaper mig welders sometimes. Picked up a Miller 135 ($250) last week so I could have something more portable than my 220v rig. There is also a thread going on pirate from a dealer that is handling cheap import rigs that a lot of the guys have bought and have been happy with. Might look at reducing some of the weight of that frame too with those extra runners in the middle.

I like the whole idea. Definitely gives you a good budget start with a solid platform.

 

[Grim Reaper]

Finally got a chance to run back to my buds for a few pics. Heres what i'll be starting with, remember.. i'll only be using the box,frame and suspension. Figure this will be a good platform to learn some welding and fab skills.

WOW. I didn't even think about the possibility of that thing having coil suspension!

The pluses is it will ride awesome.

The negatives is A LOT of extra weight with the control arms and extra framing to support it. The arms hang under the axle so they will eat up some ground clearance.

 

[OverlandZJ]

WOW. I didn't even think about the possibility of that thing having coil suspension!

The pluses is it will ride awesome.

The negatives is A LOT of extra weight with the control arms and extra framing to support it. The arms hang under the axle so they will eat up some ground clearance.

I'll be lightening it up as much as possible. When i install the trailer axle i will be adding some tubular trailing arms that will mount to the front of the axle for a tad more clearance.

I'll do the best i can with what i have for now, if i find a trailer is for me i'll know what i want and dont want.

 

[Redline]

Is your trailer in the for sale section?

John, I have a trailer for sale that would be ready to go with your tent...