Building a light utility trailer.

[RNeeley]

This started as a bird in the hand, and that bird is pecking me to death.

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[RNeeley]

Well that didn't go as planned.

I got springs to add some life to the antique springs, and found the right spring main leaf is bent, so I got a hanger kit so I can just use the new springs. I buy local as much as possible. Got the axle off, for 60 plus year old bolts they came off easily. Put the frame up on a couple saw horses, it is actually lighter than it looks, and rolled it over to start cleaning up, and reality, and age, caught up with the poor old thing.

My guess is my parents over-loaded the trailer and bent the frame during the time it was used as a pop up camping trailer. It wasn't obvious until I rolled it over. Cleaning up also uncovered a crack where the bent starts. The bend it right at the center cross beam, and the rear rear is about 1.2 inches down in relation to the front.

Sigh.

I did hook up the truck to my heavy utility trailer and do a test drive. Everything went well.

 

[RNeeley]

I made the trailer to haul heavy loads so it is built solid. Sadly it was borrowed and the person was told to set the brake actuator to a low value and increase until the brakes take effect and adjust slowly.

What they decided I meant was to set the actuator to full power floor their truck and slam on the brakes, then look at me with a dumb look when I got angry at them. They managed to actually spin the axle in the shackles and rip the wires out of the brakes.

I spent a couple hours today getting the axle rotated 180 degrees and reshackled. It will have to use it with light loads until I can sort out a lighter, more handy, trailer.

 

[RNeeley]

Still wanting a lighter trailer I decided to buy some C channel, 1 X 2 for the box, and 2 X 3 for the tow bar. Replaced the springs and shackles, but still used the old axle. Picture 03 shows the base when it was done. I like building things, so it was more natural to make it my way. After wire wheeling the axle I found the welds on the spindles were cracked. Fixed that, and got the axle mounted and the frame painted. It's ready for a structure.

 

[RNeeley]

The entire structure is made using scrap angle and plate I had laying around. Measure twice, cut once, failed me because I attached the right front support rail 1/2 inch lower than the left, but other than that it came out ok. To get a four foot wide deck I ordered a set of two inch wheel spacers, that also let me get rid of the lug bolts on the '36 vintage brake drums. A trick I learned from an old trailer is to use fender washers welded to the frame to hold the wiring, and on the left rear, the license plate.

All that is left is to clean up and paint the tail gate, regrease the wheel bearings (the new hub seals finally arrived), wire up the lights, add the deck, decide on fenders and get new tires.

I found the old rims do not match and are a bit rusty. I have new black coated rims on order. Once the new tires are on I'll take the trailer out to the lumber yard to get some 2 X 6 for the deck.

 

[RNeeley]

I had intended to show the completed trailer by now, but Fed-Ex delivered the fenders I ordered a week ago, and used the invisible box method. I was in the yard working when they say they dropped off the box, but no! Still waiting for a response.

I got the deck installed, and 2X8's were less costly so I went with those. On the trip to the lumber yard I thought the trailer was bouncing too much so I flipped it over and checked the springs. They were jammed up due to too much offset from the springs not lining up with the perches on the axle. I moved the perches to center on the springs (my error on the location of the spring hangers) and removed the second spring, using only three leaves. That fixed it, the trailer is still rather light, but has working springs.

While cleaning up the yard I re-discovered a pile of 4" by 10' metal strips and used these to make sides for the structure. Now all I need are those missing fenders!

 

[kcirevam]

Nice work!

 

[RNeeley]

After Fed-Ex "delivered" my fenders, somewhere out there, I had to get a refund from Amyzon and found the exact same ones on E-Bay with free shipping. Arrived in two days, but due to some things I didn't get to them for a couple weeks. Finally got them installed.

 

[RNeeley]

Got the paint on, and the first real load since I got it done, finally, except maybe some tie down loops on the side.

 

[Bunkyg]

Nice job!

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