Trailer build / Crawler hauler

[SWALLDOG]

So after 15 years of renting and borrowing trailers, I've finally started building my own! It's main purpose will be to haul my jeep buggy around, so that's how I will focus the build. But I know it will end up being used for alot more, so I will build some utility features in it also.

About 4 years ago I picked up some axles to build a trailer. A friend from work was taking off a pair of 3500 lb axles from his camper trailer / toy hauler and upgrading to some 5000 lbs axles (maybe?). Both braking axles w leaf springs and 5 wheels and tires. And I've had them just sitting in the garage. Haha. Anyways here they are at by buddies shop.

 

[SWALLDOG]

The build finally started because Nick and I were just kicking around his shop and there was a some C channel in there. We were talking how it would be awesome for a trailer. Nick said they had some extra from a job and his dad would probably give me a deal on it.
Done.
So we started measuring trailers for reference. Nick has a 10000 lb 18ft and a 30 ft gooseneck. My friend Ty has a 16ft car hauler that pulls real nice.

 

[SWALLDOG]

Well after some measuring we realized that the C channel we had was way over kill! It's 8" tall w a 2.250" flange and .250" thick. Haha. Nicks 10000 lb trailer was built w 6" C and all the 7000 lb trailers were either 4" or 5" C. We said "f it" we'll use it anyways! Maybe we'll put some speed holes in it! Haha.

 

[SWALLDOG]

After all the measuring I decided on a 15ft deck. 12ft flat w a 3ft dove tail. I also did not want the whole trailer to be longer that 20' 6". The short side of my garage is 21" and I wanted to be able to fit it in. I've got a cement pad on the side of my house, but I can't park any recreational stuff there until I get a fence. Dang hoa. Haha. Anyways I also wanted the axles pretty far back so it would pull smooth. Ty's trailer is 14' 3" from the center of the ball to the center of the axles, Nicks was 14' 6". So I'm going to shoot for something around there.

 

[SWALLDOG]

I build the main deck first. So it 12 ft long and 70.250" wide. The spring perches on the axles were 68" center to center. I could have moved the perches out a little but not enough to matter. I did have to go to sss steel and get some 3" C channel for the cross beams. I decided to build this trailer capable of 10000 lbs except for the axles. Because I know I'll end up upgrading at a later time.

 

[SWALLDOG]

Building the tongue and doing a little test fitting.



I built it on the frame table and built a plate for the front. I also notched out the C where it would go under the main deck. I didn't want the 2 C's stacked making it 16" tall right there. This will also bring the tongue up 4.5".



Put in place and welded on.

 

[SWALLDOG]

Next I welded on the bracket for the springs. I was going to make all the brackets but the kit from Henderson was like 35 bucks! And it came w all the brackets, bolts, nuts, shackles, and that balancing block. If I remember right from the center of my axles to the center of the ball came in right at 14'.



I also cut a piece of 8" C in half so it was like 4" angle and welded it to the bottom of the fram. When I notched out the tongue, I cut out 4.5". That way when I welded in this 4" tall piece it overlapped by .5", giving me some good area to weld on the inside and out. I also cut a little angle piece to weld on the end.

 

[SWALLDOG]

Double post.

 

[SWALLDOG]

On the tongue where I notched it out, I wanted to do something there. So I cut out a piece of .250" plate 4.5" wide to weld to the top. Making it more like an I beam on that section. Probably a little over kill, but that's how I tend to do things. Haha.

Shot from the out side.



Shot from the inside.

 

[SWALLDOG]

Flipped her over so I could do the welding on the other side and built the rest of it. Nicks overhead crane made it super easy to flip.

 

[skippy]

Looking sweet John!

 

[mbryson]

Like!

 

[I Lean]

That looks really good. And not very bendable, which is good!

 

[Jeromy]

Looks very nice and strong

 

[Greg]

Looks great! Love seeing stuff like this.

 

[Bart]

Great build thread. Thanks for sharing. Thinking about doing something similar.

 

[SWALLDOG]

Thanks everyone! I'm super stoked on it.
I was doing a little measuring last night on the jeep. Just to get an idea how it's going to fit. The rear was 85" outside of tire to outside of tire and the front was 87". Right now the trailer deck is 70" but I've started building deck extentions on each side the same width as the fenders. So the deck should end up being 91.750" wide.

 

[Gravy]

Looks awesome

 

[SWALLDOG]

Got the dove tail built and welded on. I was trying to decide how much of a drop to do. The dove tail is 3' long and after drawing some stuff up in plas cam I decided on a 4" drop. I also didn't know how big to make the back beam. I didn't want to leave it 8" tall. I thought about cutting it down to 3" and use a piece of that 3" C I have. But I didn't want it to look like a point on the back. Anyways I decided on 5" for the back. That will give me plenty of room for lights and stuff and should sill look pretty good. So that back of the tail w hang only 1" lower that the bottom of the main frame rails.
I didn't have a piece of 5" C or angle so I took a 70" piece of the 8" C, put a 86° bend in it and then cut off the one leg. I didn't want to cut it off before I bent it cuz I didn't want it to bow like a banana. Nick and were not sure if his press brake would bend 70" of 1/4" plate but it did. Took a few hits. Haha.

 

[Pile of parts]

My jeep is about the same width as yours and my trailer is 83" between the fenders. Don't know what you're doing for fenders but last spring I made some drive over fenders. Tube and 1/8" plate (flat bar). There are many ways to accomplish this but I chose this way to keep them low for opening car doors when hauling them.