Tandem axle short bed trailer
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woodtickgreg
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I got the bent crossmember cut out.
And I pulled the wheels........
to grind off all the welds and brackets from the old fenders.
It's now ready to be rebuilt. Just need to coordinate a day with a friend of mine to use his shop to weld it up. I already have the steel for the walls cut.
More to come.........
And I pulled the wheels........
to grind off all the welds and brackets from the old fenders.
It's now ready to be rebuilt. Just need to coordinate a day with a friend of mine to use his shop to weld it up. I already have the steel for the walls cut.
More to come.........
woodtickgreg
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- #23
Got new fenders on friday.
woodtickgreg
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And today I spent 10 hours at my work cutting steel, grinding, welding, and just generally fading this trailer together to suit me.
I salvaged a piece of 2 x 3 angle iron to replace the bent crossmember and welded it in.
Then I repaired a hole I ground into the tongue when removing an old jack bracket.
Then I started on the side walls, tacked one together to check the fit, sure is nice to have an overhead crane to do this by myself. I didnt like the way this was sitting, it's too high.
So I lowered it about 4 inches and i like it much better, it's easier to reach over the side to get to things.
Next was the front top rail, 3 piers make a seriously strong top rail for the winch reciever to weld onto.
The top rail is now 6 inches wide.
I added 5 uprights for a strong front wall and an angled piece for more support when winching.
I shouldn't have any problems winching logs or whatever up onto the trailer.
I salvaged a piece of 2 x 3 angle iron to replace the bent crossmember and welded it in.
Then I repaired a hole I ground into the tongue when removing an old jack bracket.
Then I started on the side walls, tacked one together to check the fit, sure is nice to have an overhead crane to do this by myself. I didnt like the way this was sitting, it's too high.
So I lowered it about 4 inches and i like it much better, it's easier to reach over the side to get to things.
Next was the front top rail, 3 piers make a seriously strong top rail for the winch reciever to weld onto.
The top rail is now 6 inches wide.
I added 5 uprights for a strong front wall and an angled piece for more support when winching.
I shouldn't have any problems winching logs or whatever up onto the trailer.
woodtickgreg
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- #25
Next was the side wall uprights and fenders. Up to this pointe all the tubing has been 2 inch square and 3/16" thick. The side wall uprights are 1 1/2" × 3/16"
The fenders are tack welded in place.
A 1" square tube was welded to the center for support and then the fender was welded to that. This really stiffened it up.
Then 1 1/2" square tube was welded to the back side of the top of the fender and the fender welded to that. I'm happy with how the fenders came out.
Tomorrow I'll fab up the rear gates and bring all the inside welds flat so side boards can be mounted.
The fenders are tack welded in place.
A 1" square tube was welded to the center for support and then the fender was welded to that. This really stiffened it up.
Then 1 1/2" square tube was welded to the back side of the top of the fender and the fender welded to that. I'm happy with how the fenders came out.
Tomorrow I'll fab up the rear gates and bring all the inside welds flat so side boards can be mounted.
Nice. That is looking beefy man.
All this stuff you're doing to it, I'm surprised you didn't just make one yourself....
woodtickgreg
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- #27
Believe it or not this is actually being done on the cheap. Most of the materials I have traded and bartered for or salvaged. I already had the trailer so I just built it up from there. Buying new axles and springs would have been costly. When I purchased the flatbed trailer my intentions from the beginning was to put sides on it. Now I'll also be able to use my winch on it. It will be a multi use trailer, I can haul dirt or whatever and even be able to winch a log onto it if need be. The trailer has 2 3500 lb axles. I hope to get the gates done today. Then I need to get the whole thing painted, especially with the new steel.
Nice. That is looking beefy man.
All this stuff you're doing to it, I'm surprised you didn't just make one yourself....
Looking good, I would like to get a trailer similar to that. Todays pickups are not made to haul in anyway, they are too high to reach over the rail, most will not haul a sheet of plywood with the gate up, and they are way too easy to damage. As I get older my need for a full size heavy duty truck diminishes and a trailer would fill the bill for the occasional full size load. Even midsize trucks are being rated for over 5000 lbs towing capacity.
Are you going to have it ready to haul down here in August for SWAT? 
woodtickgreg
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@sprucegum I agree with the benafits of a trailer over what my truck can haul. It can tow a lot so I figured a heavy duty trailer would be better to beat the crap out of instead of my truck. I wanted a 2500 series truck but they just dont deal on them like they do a 1500 series. So when I got my new truck I figured I would get a trailer to haul the really heavy stuff.
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- #33
So I donned the welding helmet for day 2 of the fab work.
This is the shop made hinges. 3/4" cold rolled round bar inside a dom tube. When I welded the first set the tolerances between the 2 parts was to tight, after welding everything seezed up. I had to cut them off and start all over again. Yes I make mistakes.
but I finally got them right so I can lift the gates of and remove them if need be.
These are the gate latches.
A view of the finished gates.
These are the angle brackets for the magnetic trailer lights. They are welded on the top rail for the best visibility.
Next I welded 19 "D" rind tie downs every 16 inches.
3 of them where welded to the front of the trailer as well.
So finally the fab work is done, next task will be painting it with black rustoleum.
It's also going to get an 1 1/2" oak deck painted black. And possibly 3/4" elm side boards clear coated on one side and black on the inside. If I have enough of the elm material. If not I have ash.
This is the shop made hinges. 3/4" cold rolled round bar inside a dom tube. When I welded the first set the tolerances between the 2 parts was to tight, after welding everything seezed up. I had to cut them off and start all over again. Yes I make mistakes. but I finally got them right so I can lift the gates of and remove them if need be.
These are the gate latches.
A view of the finished gates.
These are the angle brackets for the magnetic trailer lights. They are welded on the top rail for the best visibility.
Next I welded 19 "D" rind tie downs every 16 inches.
3 of them where welded to the front of the trailer as well.
So finally the fab work is done, next task will be painting it with black rustoleum.
It's also going to get an 1 1/2" oak deck painted black. And possibly 3/4" elm side boards clear coated on one side and black on the inside. If I have enough of the elm material. If not I have ash.
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- #36
And now its black! Got the first coat of black rust-oleum on today after work. Cotton woods are snowing so I got a free flock job.
If I can get the second coat on tomorrow I'll bring it home Wednesday. I have to modify the gate latches when I get it home, the are sticking. I need to cut slots in the collars and open them up, this will also give me clearance to paint the rods.
If I can get the second coat on tomorrow I'll bring it home Wednesday. I have to modify the gate latches when I get it home, the are sticking. I need to cut slots in the collars and open them up, this will also give me clearance to paint the rods.
Looking good
Patience Neil. He still needs to paint the suspension and axles, not to mention run the wiring before the deck boards and side boards. I would have likely made metal inner fender wells, but the wood should work. Mount your breakaway battery inside the tongue "A", other wise you will wack your knee crush it or something...Looking really sweet.