Firemaniac's (Re)Build

[firemaniac]

After the initial build I got in several overnighters, and a few short trips.

The glory days

Those trips pointed out some things I wish I would have done different, and some things I am definitely keeping the same.

Some Carnage



On to some DESTRUCTION

Tore the box off

Convertable mod

Told Dad I was doing a dump run, and he filled the truck up part way the night before so this was the first trip

second load waiting

oh my word how much was there

almost there

And finally

clean slate

I stripped off all the usable hardware. hatch hinge arrived this week (no reusing a piano hinge for me)


Let the build part BEGIN

[Shadow Catcher]

OUCH, so what did you use that did not work and what will you do differently?

[Larwyn]

I have the same problem with my trailer, but still have not decided whether to repair or rebuild. Your experience may very well help me decide. Right now I would not mind having mine stripped down to the frame for a fresh start. It must feel good to get all that old separated plywood out of sight......

[DasBaldGuy]

It looks like you didn't finish the inside of that tongue box (the rear wall of which appears to be the front wall of the tear).

Did you coat the outside plywood with anything or just paint it?

How long was it from first photo to the present day photo?

Was it stored outside or garaged?

[firemaniac]

This time I am going to seal the ply, the herculiner didn't work as well as I expected. And you are correct the inside of the box wasn't finished, an oversite as the box was built prior to putting the herculiner on, and I just did the outside.

This time, I am going to use Grant's "Better Than Hurricane Hinge", instead of a piano hinge on the hatch, there was some water intrusion around the top of the old hatch. I am also looking at this tool box from Harbor Freight.

For exterior finish I am debating using CPES, or RAKA, to seal the outside, but I am definitaly painting, just haven't decided on a color yet, the herculiner was to bright, I got headaches from the glare of the sun off of it.

Other changes will include the cabinets, some electrical details, door height, adding windows, and probably some other small things as well

[starleen2]

Yep - we all learn from our first! Look familar?

[Larwyn]

Yep - we all learn from our first! Look familar?

Well, at least I'm in good company......
If I do tear mine down, I'll have no choice but to post a picture of it loaded on my flatbed on this thread. I still want to do a little "exploratory surgery" before I decide what to do to mine. Not real sure when I'll find time.

Even if I do not tear it down, I am seriously considering the same tongue modification on that Horror Fright trailer that Chris did on his.

[Juneaudave]

Kind of sad really....but like that scene in Casablanca. "We'll always have Paris..."

[firemaniac]

That was a simple bolt on, I bought either 8 or 10 feet of 2"x2" 1/4 wall and 2 4 foot sections of 2" angle. After I decided how far I wanted the tongue to be extended (basically the angle starts at the end of the bumper at a 90 degree jack knife) I bolted the angle to the tube, and the original ball mount adapter I turned upside down, and I had to cut the "top" off of it as it was just under square, and bolted it to the tube.
All this was done after the initial build, so the box was on the frame.

As for results, the trailer was better balanced, towed better on the highway, and reacts more predictably when backing.
I would recommend anyone with a Harbor Freight trailer (and possibly any other short utility trailer ie. Red Trailer...) do this mod.

Pics are gettable while the box is off if you would like.

[2bits]

Man, I hate to see this. Not you have learned alot too. I tried my best to seal everything and has a scare after my first 18hr torrential rainstorm camping event, but I was luckily able to recover from it (Hopefully nothing is brewing out of sight). Good luck on your next build!

[Larwyn]

That was a simple bolt on, I bought either 8 or 10 feet of 2"x2" 1/4 wall and 2 4 foot sections of 2" angle. After I decided how far I wanted the tongue to be extended (basically the angle starts at the end of the bumper at a 90 degree jack knife) I bolted the angle to the tube, and the original ball mount adapter I turned upside down, and I had to cut the "top" off of it as it was just under square, and bolted it to the tube.
All this was done after the initial build, so the box was on the frame.

As for results, the trailer was better balanced, towed better on the highway, and reacts more predictably when backing.
I would recommend anyone with a Harbor Freight trailer (and possibly any other short utility trailer ie. Red Trailer...) do this mod.

Pics are gettable while the box is off if you would like.

Thanks, I think that explains very clearly how to extend and strengthen the tongue. When I blew the picture up I could actually see the bolts, looks like you did a clean installation there. If I make the mod with the box in place I'll probably do much the same, don't really want to be welding around that asphalt coated plywood any more than necessary, besides overhead welding while laying on the ground under a trailer is not my idea of fun.......

[firemaniac]

That was my problem, out of site brewing, I guess that the herculiner alone didn't seal as well as I expected. If you look at the radius in the front top, that is one of the reasons I decided on a complete rebuild, that wrinkle started days before I got the sawsall out, and there were others to match.

[Ageless]

Did you have a battery in the tongue box? The acid from a battery does slowly evaporate and it's a killer on untreated wood.

[firemaniac]

Yeah I did have a battery in there, did not know, or think about that.
On the rebuild it will go in it's own box on the tongue for ease of maintenance anyway.

[Mark72]

Here are a couple of pictures for Halfdome Danny's Battery setup. I really like these brackets.




Here is where you can get them.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Bolt-In-Battery-Box,5334.html
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Weld-In-Battery-Box,3455.html?parentDisplayId=5334

Mark