New trailer build

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New trailer build

Postby SilverJKU » Mon Jun 29, 2015 8:29 pm

Hey everyone, new guy here with a build to share and take advice on.

After my last wheeling trip of loading up my F350 and popup camper, hooking up the car hauler and loading my daily driver JKU to drive for four hours, I decided I would rather have a small trailer to tow with the Jeep and save the car hauler for my tube chassis Jeep. So, after several days of looking at pics on Google I decided to register on here and see what kind of trouble I could get into.

So, I decided on a 5x5x10 design with a dinette. Yes, I know that doesn't seem very popular, but I've been a bit spoiled with our truck camper and we can sit at the table with the roof down so that was kind of my benchmark for the teardrop. I wanted to be able to come in and sit if the weather sucks and still have an area for wet and muddy footwear after a day on the trail. I started with this:

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With some ideas in my head I went out and purchased some steel, axle, temporary tires and wheels, some Baltic birch and started on this twisted journey. :twisted:
The frame is 2x2x0.120 and the tongue is 2x2x0.188 structural square tubing.
Last edited by SilverJKU on Mon Jun 29, 2015 8:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: New trailer build

Postby SilverJKU » Mon Jun 29, 2015 8:31 pm

I started by laying out the steel and tacking things together and then burnt in some welds to get the base frame started.

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Re: New trailer build

Postby SilverJKU » Mon Jun 29, 2015 8:32 pm

Next I got to work on the tongue.

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Re: New trailer build

Postby SilverJKU » Mon Jun 29, 2015 8:34 pm

Stuck together a few sheets of 4x8 plywood for the floor and then cut the rear wall sections and stood them up.

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Re: New trailer build

Postby SilverJKU » Mon Jun 29, 2015 8:40 pm

Originally I was going to join the wall sections with a center spline but after my cheap router kept losing its height setting and I messed up 5 edges worth of expensive Baltic birch I decided to go a different direction. Currently the the wall sections are butt joined and supported externally with a temporary backer just to keep them flush to each other. The end method will be using some 30x30 5/8 plywood as backers that will also be the basis for the seats. This will give lots of support in the lower section and then the middle will be mostly the windows and some in the top. If you look at the sketch I posted, you will get the gist of where the support will be. This is where I'm at after four weekends worth of time. :thumbsup:

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Re: New trailer build

Postby KCStudly » Mon Jun 29, 2015 11:28 pm

Welds look very nice! :thumbsup:
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Re: New trailer build

Postby TxDave » Mon Jun 29, 2015 11:38 pm

Nice work. Looking forward to following your build. I agree, your welds look beautiful.
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Re: New trailer build

Postby SilverJKU » Tue Jun 30, 2015 7:33 am

Thanks for the compliments and having a look. 8)

Hopefully the wood work turns out as good as the metal work. LOL! I should have more to post up after this coming weekend.
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Re: New trailer build

Postby SilverJKU » Sat Jul 18, 2015 8:00 pm

Well it doesn't seem like I've got much further but I suppose it's more than it looks. I got the bed frame done, the vinyl flooring down and the seats framed and boxed. The main bed area is on a piano hinge and has lots of storage are underneath. Each seat has a lift off top so there is also storage under those. I didn't get to the table yet but it's starting to show it's form. :applause:

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Tomorrow I'm hoping to get the windows cut out and maybe get the interior sheeting up. Once that's done I'll have to order my foam for the bed and seats.
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Re: New trailer build

Postby Gettin Started » Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:38 am

Looks great. Where are you purchasing your foam?
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Re: New trailer build

Postby SilverJKU » Sun Jul 19, 2015 11:07 am

We have a local place here called Tangerine Foam which seems to have reasonable prices. It's going to cost around $500 for the custom 6" sizes I need. It's a lot more than I expected but it's the cheapest place I've tried locally.
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Re: New trailer build

Postby Dunenutt » Sun Jul 19, 2015 11:08 am

Awesome!
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Re: New trailer build

Postby Caveman1970 » Sun Jul 19, 2015 11:19 am

Great welds!
Frame looks Bomb Proof!
great job, and excuse me for poke'n around in your garage... feel free to mail me the grill out of the jeep that's hanging on the back wall! ;)
Cant wait to see it finished!
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Re: New trailer build

Postby FIREBALL05 » Sat Jul 25, 2015 9:26 am

Looks good so far, any progress?
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Re: New trailer build

Postby GeneralChingon » Sat Jul 25, 2015 10:00 am

It's like 5 minuts away

*** ignore , was a phone error ****
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