Chief's offroad trailer build

    Bump! :)


    I know you said it's been sitting in storage for a while, is it the same as the last photo? Lets get this finished for the summer! :driving:


    I'll happily drive down to help out. My vision would be sheet metal for the walls, treated plywood (strong and easily replaced) for the floor, removeable tailgate (vertical or horizontal hinge?), bunch of tie-down loops, removeable rack bars for hauling lumber or a tent... But, it's your trailer. ;)


    Expanded metal (mesh) walls would be best for a utility trailer, but solid walls will be better at keeping the interior somewhat clean when offroading. Keep the mud out! I'm picturing waterproof totes stacked as necessary with firewood next to them, and a tent platform up on top offering a little shade and rain cover. Could even add loops on the exterior to tie down a tarp and give it a removeable roof (picture military truck bed covers) to really keep things neat. If you do want to use the trailer with a tent, I'd suggest adding leveling jack mounts to the rear corners. These side-wind versions might be perfect for that. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B004QEM7J8/


    I can't tell from the photos, can you fit a gerry can where the side mesh sections are? If not, I'd put gerry can mounts right behind the tail lights after the walls are skinned. The rear might be better anyhow for weight balance, remember that you want more weight to the front vs the back, but not too much.

    Jerry / Whatevah

    2020 Gladiator Mojave - 33" Falken mud tires, LoD side steps, Zroadz bed rack, Quadratec QRC winch bumper, Superwinch EPi 9.0, Kleinn on-board air, Kleinn air horns, lots of lights, Yaesu ham radio with GPS tracker.

    Gone- 2012 JK Rubicon with stuff. Long gone- Long-arm 2001 Cherokee with stuff.

    I'd go with the boarded floor with metal strips. Friend of mine did that in his classic pick up. Looked great and was pretty easy to install. I believe you can get it as a kit for truck beds.


    You went to a lot of work to make a nice looking trailer. Why put something in that potentially take away from that look? Go the extra mile and put a good looking floor in.

    Member since 2000

    Jeeps Owned'79 CJ5:

    Specs-

    - 258 I6

    - '93 Cherokee fuel injection and HO head,

    - bored 30 over

    - with 4x4 cam

    T18 tranny with granny low / Dana 18 t-case

    Dana 44 front and back from late '70s Wagoneer, both locked and loaded with 4.88 gears

    SOA on modified YJ springs with shackle reversa

    Fiberglass tub with 6 point cage mounted to the frame


    2015 Grand Cherokee Limited
    Spec-

    Quadratec Floor mats

    i was thinking cheap plywood if he's gonna beat it up as a utility trailer. I have a plywood floor in mine with a healthy coat of bedliner (Monstaliner) on that and the walls. Looks great and quite durable.


    Su many ways he can go with this, I'm actually a little envious of him, I had a lot of fun building my trailer. I wanna build another! :)

    Jerry / Whatevah

    2020 Gladiator Mojave - 33" Falken mud tires, LoD side steps, Zroadz bed rack, Quadratec QRC winch bumper, Superwinch EPi 9.0, Kleinn on-board air, Kleinn air horns, lots of lights, Yaesu ham radio with GPS tracker.

    Gone- 2012 JK Rubicon with stuff. Long gone- Long-arm 2001 Cherokee with stuff.

    Quote from whatevah

    i was thinking cheap plywood if he's gonna beat it up as a utility trailer. I have a plywood floor in mine with a healthy coat of bedliner (Monstaliner) on that and the walls. Looks great and quite durable.


    Su many ways he can go with this, I'm actually a little envious of him, I had a lot of fun building my trailer. I wanna build another! :)

    tell you what...since I am such a nice guy, I will let you build one for me. I wont even charge you!

    Much, much, much overdue update on this build, which has been dormant for some time. The trailer-from-hell has been sitting in my friend Drew's machine shop in Cheswold for way too long, truly testing our friendship! With help from Drew and his many machine shop toys, I started cutting and shaping the skin.



    Before welding the pieces to the frame, I took them home and did two things. I drilled holes that lined up with the frame so that I could make some rosette welds, and I slapped on a coat of primer.


    Drew and I posed with the masterpiece.


    The side walls will actually be in two overlapping pieces. I have to decide what I want to do about the long edge that runs along the top rail of the trailer. Do I tack weld it every few inches, or do I attempt to run a weld the entire length of the edge? I'm leaning toward periodic spot welds. I'm just concerned about water running down between the skin and the frame.


    The next phase will be the front wall. Compared to the side walls, it'll really be tricky.

    When engaged in conversation with a fool, be sure he is not similarly engaged.
    Chief, DEJA Grammar Police

    Like 2

    You could use a seam sealer as well.

    Member since 2000

    Jeeps Owned'79 CJ5:

    Specs-

    - 258 I6

    - '93 Cherokee fuel injection and HO head,

    - bored 30 over

    - with 4x4 cam

    T18 tranny with granny low / Dana 18 t-case

    Dana 44 front and back from late '70s Wagoneer, both locked and loaded with 4.88 gears

    SOA on modified YJ springs with shackle reversa

    Fiberglass tub with 6 point cage mounted to the frame


    2015 Grand Cherokee Limited
    Spec-

    Quadratec Floor mats

    Like 1

    Very nice, Jim! Did you use that big sheet of steel that you had over against the garage wall for these sides, or no? It looks good and hopefully you get some time to finish it up soon! I think Quadna's got a good solution for that top rail.

    Your life is made up of 2 dates and a dash... make the most of the dash!

    Quote from quadna

    Good update, Jim. How about capping the top of it at that seam? Have Drew use his brake to bend up a "C" channel cap that you slide over the top.

    Actually, that sounds like a pretty good idea. It'll add a little extra weight to the trailer, but since it already weighs more than a Sherman tank I won't worry about it.


    Jeremy, I did not use the steel sheet I already had, since it was super heavy. I used sheet metal Drew already had handy in his shop -- I just bought it from him. For the floor, I only know at this point that it'll be wood. Might be marine-grade plywood, but I"m also mulling over tongue and groove hardwood flooring.

    When engaged in conversation with a fool, be sure he is not similarly engaged.
    Chief, DEJA Grammar Police

    Have created a tailgate for the trailer and welded it to the frame via three hinges. Now, I'm in search of latches. I think I've settled on this style (below). The key criteria are: stainless, lockable and concealed (meaning that the "keeper" is hidden, which just makes for a cleaner look). The one in the image is made by Southco, which can be purchased from outfits in Kansas and Pennsylvania. Question: Can anyone point me to a retailer in Delaware that would sell this or something very similar? I'd like to be able to hold it in my hands before purchasing. (Hint: Eastern Marine and Billy Warren & Son do not carry anything similar.) I need a quick response please, so feel free to text me at 302-270-4884. Am overdue in posting pics of the trailer build, so I'll try to remedy that soon. Thanks.


    When engaged in conversation with a fool, be sure he is not similarly engaged.
    Chief, DEJA Grammar Police

    Jim, the steel shop over off of Old Airport Rd (Metal Liquidators?) had a bunch of different latches on their shelves. I picked up a couple of slam latches for the CJ tailgate on my Jeep.

    Your life is made up of 2 dates and a dash... make the most of the dash!

    Like 1
    Quote from Chief57

    Have created a tailgate for the trailer and welded it to the frame via three hinges. Now, I'm in search of latches.

    Keep in mind that a latch will need to be strong because it has to remain latched when the load shifts and puts it's weight against the tailgate.

    Member since 2000

    Jeeps Owned'79 CJ5:

    Specs-

    - 258 I6

    - '93 Cherokee fuel injection and HO head,

    - bored 30 over

    - with 4x4 cam

    T18 tranny with granny low / Dana 18 t-case

    Dana 44 front and back from late '70s Wagoneer, both locked and loaded with 4.88 gears

    SOA on modified YJ springs with shackle reversa

    Fiberglass tub with 6 point cage mounted to the frame


    2015 Grand Cherokee Limited
    Spec-

    Quadratec Floor mats

    Maybe something from Fastenal? I think there is one off of South Little Creek Rd and there's another in Milford a few blocks off of Route 15.


    https://www.fastenal.com/produ…rkholding%20Clamps%22%7C~


    https://www.fastenal.com/products/details/11207268?term=latch&r=~%7Ccategoryl1:%22600206%20Hardware%22%7C~%20~%7Ccategoryl2:%22612489%20Hasps,%20Hinges,%20and%20Latches%22%7C~%20~%7Ccategoryl3:%22605086%20Latches%22%7C~%20~%7Csattr03:%5E%22Stainless%20Steel%22$%7C~


    https://www.fastenal.com/products/details/11207145?term=latch&r=~%7Ccategoryl1:%22600206%20Hardware%22%7C~%20~%7Ccategoryl2:%22612489%20Hasps,%20Hinges,%20and%20Latches%22%7C~%20~%7Ccategoryl3:%22605086%20Latches%22%7C~%20~%7Csattr03:%5E%22Stainless%20Steel%22$%7C~

    I called Metal Liquidators and spoke with someone who seemed to really know the inventory, so I'm confident that they don't have what I want. I may swing by Fastenal in Dover for a look, but they are pretty expensive.


    Last night I was playing around with some angle iron trying to come up with a suitable home-made solution. I may have come up with something. Even though I'd really like the polished look of a purchased latch, there is something to be said for a home-made latch for a home-made trailer.....plus I already own the angle iron. So, I'm still mulling things over....

    When engaged in conversation with a fool, be sure he is not similarly engaged.
    Chief, DEJA Grammar Police

    Like 1

    A trailer build update......


    I fabricated a tailgate using 1x3 tubing for the frame and sheet metal for the "skin." The 1x3 was chosen in order to match the 1x3 frame at the rear of the trailer...a nod to the aesthetics of the trailer. The skin (blue in the picture) is removable -- an extra PITA for me, but that's the way I wanted it. The three hinges are welded on, but I have in mind that I can knock out the existing pins and replace them with a single long rod. This would help make the tailgate removable.


    The sheet metal is held in place with 12 flat head screws, thanks to some threads I created with a tap and die set on the frame.


    I created two matching latches (one on each side) using some angle iron I already had laying around. They aren't fancy, I admit, but they are simple and effective. Here are two pics with a latch open and closed.



    Here's the tailgate in the open position (held up by a piece of angle iron). I next need to turn my attention to chains or cables. I can't make it just like a pickup truck, because with the trailer there's no offset where the cables can be hidden. So, I am wrestling with how to do this, as I want to blend function and aesthetics if possible. Also, I may use a regular chain, but include an O-link that will aid in making the tailgate removable. Suggestions?


    The silver item on the passenger side rear of the trailer frame is, of course, a bottle opener. I knew that this trailer would never past muster with the DEJA crowd unless I added this item! Done!!

    When engaged in conversation with a fool, be sure he is not similarly engaged.
    Chief, DEJA Grammar Police

    Edited 4 times, last by Chief57 ().

    Like 1

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