The trailer project is nearly...
The trailer project is nearly complete. This month I finished up the upper deck structure, built a new axle, mounted the tires and wheels, and test fit the ARB Simpson III rooftop tent.
The Harbor Freight off-road trailer project is rolling but with so many ideas still swarming in my head, it's far from complete (isn't that the case with every project?). I'll continue to make modifications and add items to improve its capability and usefulness as needed and will provide updates in the magazine and on the 4wdmag.com blog.
My chief goal in building an off-road-capable trailer was to have a mobile residence on the trail, as well as a camp kitchen and mini toy hauler. Though there are many excellent ready-made, off-road trailers available, they come with a bit of sticker shock when it comes to price. With this in mind, I wanted to build the trailer without breaking the bank. The ARB Simpson III rooftop tent topped the list of luxury items, but it can also be mounted to my tow rig should I decide to leave the trailer at home, making it somewhat of a dual purpose item.
With the build nearly complete the trailer is almost ready for the trail. This month I finished up the upper deck structure, built a new axle, and mounted up a set of 31x10.50R15 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM tires on Rugged Ridge wheels. There is still more to come though; including a tie-down anchor system from Mac's Custom Tie-Downs, a fold-down aluminum table from PitPal Products, and the Durabak coating once all is said and done. Check out the pics for the details.
Building the trailer upper...
Building the trailer upper deck frame took more time than I anticipated due to my newbie fabrication skills, but things got moving a bit faster toward the end as my welding improved. Practice does indeed make perfect.
Admittedly, I still need more...
Admittedly, I still need more practice. Here, I used scrap pieces of 1x2-inch rectangular tube to make gussets for the upper deck. Note the gusset on the right; I obviously was a bit distracted while cutting.
The upper deck will only hold...
The upper deck will only hold about 150-pounds while being towed but up to 500-pounds when loaded with sleeping occupants while parked.
I added two extra gussets...
I added two extra gussets at the front of the upper deck for additional support.
Here’s the upper deck nearly...
Here’s the upper deck nearly complete. I’ll also add two center spreader bars and maybe some expanded steel or aluminum sheet on top.
I had to start welding somewhere...
I had to start welding somewhere and the first welds I laid were some of the worst. It’s not pretty but it should hold.
Later in the build my welding...
Later in the build my welding did improve to some degree.
The Harbor Freight tongue...
The Harbor Freight tongue storage box was easy to install. I determined a location and drilled some holes.
I had wanted to mount it further...
I had wanted to mount it further back on the tongue but that would have required adding a crossbar to properly support it. As it is I can fit a 4-foot folding table behind it.
PitPal Products makes some...
PitPal Products makes some really cool stuff to outfit race trailers, including this aluminum fold-down table. It was exactly what I had in mind for the trailer side. It’s constructed from heavy-duty 1/8-inch aluminum and mounts on 32-inch centers.
The PitPal Products aluminum...
The PitPal Products aluminum fold-down table quickly became my favorite part of the whole trailer. I like to eat and am typically the camp cook on most trips so having a designated cooking area on the ready is awesome. It can also function as a workbench for on-trail repairs.
The table folds out to 44...
The table folds out to 44 by 18 by 4 1/2 inches and protrudes just 4 1/2 inches when folded. It was a perfect fit between the upright rails before I remembered that the tire and fender wouldn’t allow it to mount in that location. Luckily, PitPal offers a smaller version of the table, which should do the trick.
Northern Tool & Equipment...
Northern Tool & Equipment supplied a set of Ultra-Tow spindles and hubs for the project. They’ll be paired with a 2-inch x 0.120-inch-wall tube to become the new axle. The existing axle was too narrow to fit the desired tire and wheel size. The Northern Tool & Equipment Ultra-Tow spindles are manufactured from premium high-tensile strength steel and are rated at 1,750 pounds. The Ultra-Tow hubs are preassembled and pre-lubed with premium grease. They’re constructed from ductile cast iron for higher tensile strength, less deflection, and excellent corrosion resistance, and are electroplated to resist rust and corrosion. Each hub includes a bearing cup, lug studs, bearings, and seal installed, as well as the dust cap, dust cap installation tool, cotter pin, and lug nuts. The hubs are rated at 1,750 pounds and feature a 5 on 4 1/2-inch bolt circle.
Northern Tool & Equipment...
Northern Tool & Equipment also supplied a set of Shipshape Jeep-style fenders. Made in the USA, the fenders are 32 5/8 inches long and are manufactured from 16-gauge cold-rolled steel. I may trim some of the length.
Once the location was determined...
Once the location was determined the Omix-Ada early Jeep CJ leaf spring hangers were positioned on the frame rail and bolted in place.
The Omix-Ada shackles were...
The Omix-Ada shackles were also positioned and bolted up.
A set of 10-leaf CJ front...
A set of 10-leaf CJ front springs from Omix-Ada were then hung from the shackles and hangers.
A 2-inch x 0.120-inch-wall...
A 2-inch x 0.120-inch-wall tube was ordered from Industrial Metal Supply to build the wider axle. I cut it down to 56 inches, which should provide an axle with a WMS to WMS measurement of 65 inches. The tube ends were drilled so the spindles could be plug-welded.