RogueJeepr
Here!
- Location
- Utah
What color ya gonna paint it or Rino-line ?
4biker's Jeep Trailer thread - I hope I do this right
- Thread starter 4biker
- Start date
4biker
Active Member
I'm expecting to paint it white at this point. The main box isn't in too much danger of rock chips. I'm still debating whether to roll on or rattle can though
4biker
Active Member
I think I'm officially now the most impatient person in the world. I'm getting a little fatigued from this project, so I sucked it up and sprayed some paint this week!
For the inside of the trailer I used Rustoleum self-etching primer, and for the exterior I used Rustoleum's filler primer. I think the self-etching goes on better and fills better than the filler primer. I only primed one coat, but it was good coverage, so I'm not too worried about it. You can see the body filler through it, but it's covered.
I painted with Rustoleum's tall, shiny can of gloss white. It's more money, but it brags about being a super hard glossy finish. It took me 4 cans and part of the firth to cover the exterior really well. It took two coats, but the second coat was quick and easy. If I feel super ambitious someday I'll do the interior white as well, but I just want to get it out of the garage for now. There were a few spots that it spit out a bunch of bubbles, but I'm not so worried that I'm going to change it at this point. It looks good from a distance at least, right?
I feel a little stupid for worrying about body filler. What a waste of time! I should have sanded the high spots from the welds and primed/painted. That would have saved me a ton of time and headache, as well as some cost. My biggest surprise is how apathetic I feel about the roof! I know it looks crummy, but it's going to work fine so I'm just going to build a couple of roof bars and call it good. Speaking of the future, all I have to do to get it outside is mount the doors and roof, install latches and it's evicted from the garage! Today was a huge step forward, so I'm looking forward to parking out of the weather by Christmas.
For the inside of the trailer I used Rustoleum self-etching primer, and for the exterior I used Rustoleum's filler primer. I think the self-etching goes on better and fills better than the filler primer. I only primed one coat, but it was good coverage, so I'm not too worried about it. You can see the body filler through it, but it's covered.
I painted with Rustoleum's tall, shiny can of gloss white. It's more money, but it brags about being a super hard glossy finish. It took me 4 cans and part of the firth to cover the exterior really well. It took two coats, but the second coat was quick and easy. If I feel super ambitious someday I'll do the interior white as well, but I just want to get it out of the garage for now. There were a few spots that it spit out a bunch of bubbles, but I'm not so worried that I'm going to change it at this point. It looks good from a distance at least, right?
I feel a little stupid for worrying about body filler. What a waste of time! I should have sanded the high spots from the welds and primed/painted. That would have saved me a ton of time and headache, as well as some cost. My biggest surprise is how apathetic I feel about the roof! I know it looks crummy, but it's going to work fine so I'm just going to build a couple of roof bars and call it good. Speaking of the future, all I have to do to get it outside is mount the doors and roof, install latches and it's evicted from the garage! Today was a huge step forward, so I'm looking forward to parking out of the weather by Christmas.
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
nice job spence. I've never seen anyone bondo a metal trailer before.
4biker
Active Member
nice job spence. I've never seen anyone bondo a metal trailer before.
Yeah I'm what you call a pioneer in the offroad industry. You'll see my stuff at SEMA next year
I give myself four and a half face palms out of five on the bondo idea.I had good motives but I misappropriated too much time on that particular phase of the project. When I build the accessory boxes it will go much quicker and easier.
Honestly it looks better in person than in pictures (well, not the roof). Since I'm putting fenders on and side boxes most of the skin will be covered anyway. I think it will end up looking pretty good.
Tomorrow the top gets weather stripped and mounted, waiting for hinges, then the front and rear doors, then it's banished to the driveway until January when I fab the roof rack and fenders. The side boxes will be at my convenience when I'm bored with home improvement projects.
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
you're doing a great job. That's quite the project to tackle.
4biker
Active Member
Thanks - At this point I'm just glad it feels like it's coming together and I can take a break from it. I just barely read your new DC thread. Something told me you'd be back in a doublecab sooner than later. I still miss having the utility of a pickup - that's one reason I decided to build the trailer. I'm glad these projects aren't considered "investments" because we'd lose on them every time! It's sure fun to learn the skills and gain the experience though - that makes it worthwhile (just barely).
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
you're about the 10th person to tell me that. I like it, it makes me feel like I've made the right decision.
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4biker
Active Member
That's pretty funny. I guess after a few years and 11,500+ posts people are getting to know you. I also think that a DC taco would be a pretty cool replacement for the 4Runner someday - probably true for most of us, so it's an easy guess. Toyota hit a home run with the 1st gen double cab.
4biker
Active Member
Roof's on , but not secured. I've just got to work out hinges and latches for that and the front/rear doors. When that's done I'll probably put them all on gas struts so there's nothing left to gravity. I think it's coming along. Check out the filthy garage! I just spent the last hour sweeping, wiping, chucking, etc. so now it's a car garage again. The 4Runner will live in there again soon!
TJDukit
I.Y.A.A.Y.A.S.
- Location
- Clearfield
Looks great.
4biker
Active Member
Thanks. It's far from 100% but coming along now. It's just a couple steps away from sitting in the snow. At least it looks like something finally
4biker
Active Member
Haha - I've been thinking a lot about it actually over the winter, and especially the last couple of days. I'm kicking myself for some of the things I did, and trying to figure out what to do next (first time build, after all). Unfortunately some of the paint flaked off while sitting outside in the snow, so I've got to figure that situation out. I'll quickly list what needs doing:
Shocks
Fender solution/side box situation
install latches (already purchased)
Secure lid for travel and against break-in
Roof rack
Repaint/touch-up inside & out
Wiring/lights
I actually debated selling it and the 4runner and getting a pickup, but my wife was pretty insistent that I keep the 4Runner. With the baby and a dog I need to be able to take lots of stuff so I'm keeping the trailer. I just need to convince her that it will be just as convenient and nice as the tent trailer (belonging to my parents) to have a RTT on top and the kitchen on the side. Especially since this will be a few hundred pounds lighter and can tackle dirt roads a heck of a lot better.
As a side note, one of my conditions for keeping the 4Runner is that I needed more power. So I installed a supercharger last weekend.
4biker
Active Member
4biker
Active Member
I didn't realize that I hadn't put up pictures of it in it's current state. Before it got really snowy I put the doors and the roof on with piano hinges - go Harbor Freight riveter!
The roof is super heavy but so is the hinge - I need to secure it so it doesn't move laterally on bumpy roads and so it's nice and solid. I've got some good ideas for that now that will be super simple
The front and rear doors are being held closed right now by a ratchet strap on the inside. I should be able to get the T-handle latches put on tomorrow so I'll post up new pics when that's done. I also need to touch up some rusty spots from the long cold winter and get a better paint job done. On the inside I only primed the metal and I figured that would be fine. Unfortunately I got it so air-tight (I impressed myself with that) that I got a TON of condensation inside and so I've got a bunch of rusty primer all over the inside. That needs to be re-primed and painted ASAP as well. Once that's done it's fully towable, it just needs shocks, fenders and lights to make it official. I may have to install a close-able vent for storage so I don't get the condensation problem again.
For some truck Pron:
The roof is super heavy but so is the hinge - I need to secure it so it doesn't move laterally on bumpy roads and so it's nice and solid. I've got some good ideas for that now that will be super simple
The front and rear doors are being held closed right now by a ratchet strap on the inside. I should be able to get the T-handle latches put on tomorrow so I'll post up new pics when that's done. I also need to touch up some rusty spots from the long cold winter and get a better paint job done. On the inside I only primed the metal and I figured that would be fine. Unfortunately I got it so air-tight (I impressed myself with that) that I got a TON of condensation inside and so I've got a bunch of rusty primer all over the inside. That needs to be re-primed and painted ASAP as well. Once that's done it's fully towable, it just needs shocks, fenders and lights to make it official. I may have to install a close-able vent for storage so I don't get the condensation problem again.
For some truck Pron:
4biker
Active Member
So I wasn't able to go camping this weekend (frowny face), so I took most of the day to get the trailer looking presentable and hopefully more winter-proof for the future. Here is what's happening:
I made cutouts a few weeks ago for the T-handle locks that I ordered in like 6 months ago. This morning I took it out of the garage, wire brushed and/or steel-wooled the entire inside where there was only primer. It got rusty over the winter because it was actually TOO airtight (something I'm pretty proud of). Steel wool is like a gift from the heavens. Then I put either self-etching primer or rusty surface primer over anything bare or rusty. Here is the result of all of that:
Then I sprayed all of the inside surfaces white, except the floor. I think what I'll do, at least for the exterior surfaces, is wash it, sand it with steel wool (000 fine), and then put a polish on it. Maybe that will make the finish a little stronger. Then of course I have to let it breathe rather than let it freeze and thaw without any airflow. This is what it looks like right this minute:
Tomorrow I hope to get the outside of the thing painted (white and retouch the Navy Blue), but I don't think that will take too long. Then I can finally mount the T-bar latches. I'd like to be at that stage tomorrow night.
I ordered some old Yakima roof mounts that I'm going to bolt directly onto the roof, and they will match the ones that are on the 4Runner, just for fun. Then I'll have load bars for bikes or hopefully a RTT. Then I just need to put shocks, chains, and lights. Maybe I'll have a work party when I figure out how I'm going to cover the wheels. I've got some good ideas, but I've got to sort out details. The sooner I get that done, the quicker I get a bunch of scrap metal out of my garage, and I can clean house. Who knows, maybe someday I'll even get to pull this thing around with my 4Runner! It's only been about 20 months so I'd like to get this thing done (enough to have fun with) already.
I made cutouts a few weeks ago for the T-handle locks that I ordered in like 6 months ago. This morning I took it out of the garage, wire brushed and/or steel-wooled the entire inside where there was only primer. It got rusty over the winter because it was actually TOO airtight (something I'm pretty proud of). Steel wool is like a gift from the heavens. Then I put either self-etching primer or rusty surface primer over anything bare or rusty. Here is the result of all of that:
Then I sprayed all of the inside surfaces white, except the floor. I think what I'll do, at least for the exterior surfaces, is wash it, sand it with steel wool (000 fine), and then put a polish on it. Maybe that will make the finish a little stronger. Then of course I have to let it breathe rather than let it freeze and thaw without any airflow. This is what it looks like right this minute:
Tomorrow I hope to get the outside of the thing painted (white and retouch the Navy Blue), but I don't think that will take too long. Then I can finally mount the T-bar latches. I'd like to be at that stage tomorrow night.
I ordered some old Yakima roof mounts that I'm going to bolt directly onto the roof, and they will match the ones that are on the 4Runner, just for fun. Then I'll have load bars for bikes or hopefully a RTT. Then I just need to put shocks, chains, and lights. Maybe I'll have a work party when I figure out how I'm going to cover the wheels. I've got some good ideas, but I've got to sort out details. The sooner I get that done, the quicker I get a bunch of scrap metal out of my garage, and I can clean house. Who knows, maybe someday I'll even get to pull this thing around with my 4Runner! It's only been about 20 months so I'd like to get this thing done (enough to have fun with) already.
4biker
Active Member
I got a little more done over the weekend. I ended up putting a good coat of paint on, wetsanding the whole trailer (pretty quick overall), and getting the paint buffed out. The reasoning there is last winter the rough paint got all stained and wouldn't wash up very well. If I've got a hydrophobic polish on there and there aren't millions of pits to stain, it should hold up better. Here's the outcome of that work. I also put on the T-handle latches and it looks almost like a real trailer now.
I left the bottom portion blue as an homage to the paint color that was originally on the underside and springs - Navy blue.
I left the bottom portion blue as an homage to the paint color that was originally on the underside and springs - Navy blue.
