Sometimes patience gets in the way of a completed project- I admire your ability to keep going and get things done- she starting to look like a useable trailer
My DIY offroad utility (base camp) trailer
- Thread starter Red_Leaf_Overland
- Start date
Advocate III
All doors now have a latch and a gas strut to hold them open. Finishing up some tie down points in the upper section before I put the roof and front panel on. Gunna have some more "body work" before any exterior paint, and then I need to do a once over on the suspension and axles and ot will be time to hit the road.
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Advocate III
Advocate III
Well it still needs a lot of work but I'm out of time again. I need to get it ready for Friday to pull behind me on its first trip. The finish work isn't where I want it to be but it's functional at least. I still need to mount the spare somewhere, which may be on the roof for now. I sat it up front and it added a little more tongue weight than I hoped. I will see once I get gear loaded and figure out where the weight will sit I will look at it again. I still need to divide the front hatch from the rear drawer area, and mount the battery somewhere, and I would like to get the lights installed before leaving but I doubt they will make in in before I go.
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Explorer I
- 3,680
- First Name
- Brian
- Last Name
- McGahuey
- Member #
23711
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- GMRS WRMV941
Very nice!! I totally know that feeling. I took mine out over memorial day with lots of things missing. No solar yet (charger isn't connected to the battery), no fridge box. But, it worked well, and we were comfortable, which is what mattered. My wife loved it as well. I like that yours is pretty unique, but the height, and lack of triangulation on the tongue would worry me a bit.
Still, nice work, and it looks great!
Still, nice work, and it looks great!
Advocate III
I could still add some triangulation to the front if it's a concern. It's my first trailer build so I'm still learning as I go lol. I figured it wouldn't be an issue because it's thick wall but I see what your saying. I may throw in some bracing if I have time before my trip, and if not after. There will be no offloading with it this time around so it should be a pretty easy pull. And the hight I am hoping will be ok since most of the weight will be low. It's also not any taller than my last trailer I put the rack on. It's just tall enough for me to walk under the doors when open and I'm under 6'. It's about 6'3" including the roof rails, 6' long box, and 6'6" wide from the outside of the fenders.
There will be some tweaks made after this first trip I'm sure.
Explorer I
- 3,680
- First Name
- Brian
- Last Name
- McGahuey
- Member #
23711
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- GMRS WRMV941
I've not taken mine to a weigh station yet, but I'm guessing it's probably in the 1600lb range mostly loaded. If that makes you feel any better. I plan on doing that soon, probably before I head to expo pnw. I really want to find out what the dry weight is.
It does. Thank you! I was afraid mine was going to get upwards of 2,500 lbs fully loaded, but I'm not so concerned now.
Advocate III
Well it certainly wasn't a finished product buti made it for my trip lol. My son was looking forward to using the " new trailer" so I cramed it together .... some finish work is definitely lacking... 2am in the garage the night before leaving and just trying to go the essentials together.
The tongue jack has too much play an I will need to shave the spacer on he bold down a bit and hopefully that works. It has collapsed 3 times now when trying to move it around and I'm nowhere near the tongue weight it's designed for.
The springs are too soft and I will need to find an alternative.
A second set of shocks may be needed to help the bounce.... if the springs can handle it.
It's heavy.... heavier than expected... I don't know the actual weight yet but I know it's heavy.
The tongue jack has too much play an I will need to shave the spacer on he bold down a bit and hopefully that works. It has collapsed 3 times now when trying to move it around and I'm nowhere near the tongue weight it's designed for.
The springs are too soft and I will need to find an alternative.
A second set of shocks may be needed to help the bounce.... if the springs can handle it.
It's heavy.... heavier than expected... I don't know the actual weight yet but I know it's heavy.
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Advocate III
I very wet weekend but we had a good time and made some memories. Stopped at a lookout along the way, missed a set of rapids I meant tonstop at but Jr. Didn't seem to mind and enjoyed seeing all kindsnof overland vehicles and meetin people.
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I’m guessing she weighs about 700lbs?? Extra bit of weight worth it in my opinion to give you the extra strength and longevity. I’m no expert, maybe someone on here is- does it make a difference what angle your shocks are at compared to your springs? I always thought the shock worked best when it was positioned in the same plane as the spring.
I'm certainly no vehicular enguneer, so take this for what it's worth.
I don't think it matters much on a leaf spring or link suspension, but with your trailing arms, I think you want them angled forward at the bottom, kind of like the pic below. Or straight up and down. Just not angled aft, I think...
Also, what are you doing to hold your arms from moving sideways? Trailing arm suspension have 2 points of contact at the rotation point. I think that's why they're usually called "trailing a-arms."
I don't think it matters much on a leaf spring or link suspension, but with your trailing arms, I think you want them angled forward at the bottom, kind of like the pic below. Or straight up and down. Just not angled aft, I think...
Also, what are you doing to hold your arms from moving sideways? Trailing arm suspension have 2 points of contact at the rotation point. I think that's why they're usually called "trailing a-arms."
Advocate III
i believe there is a calculation online somewhere that will show how the shock is best mounted as vertical as posable. The more of an angle it sits the less effective it gets. tats about as much as I know.
TClark
Rank I
Contributor III
TClark
Rank I
Contributor III
I want to build an extended frame that uses Timbren Axle less suspension and mount an old truck bed (see below) to it with a large box up from for a refrigerator / battery compartment.
FYI the truck bed is an old Ford Courier c. 1974.
I like where you are going...any updates?
Advocate III
I used the free version of Sketchup to do my drawings.
As for the trailer, its been sitting in the driveway since I got back. I will be swapping out the independent suspension for solid and leafs until I find new springs with a higher rate... the suspension worked great, towed great, but the springs were near bottomed out the whole trip. I am considering air bags too but for now I am just going to swap the axle and use it as it is.
I havnt had a whole lot of time to work on it since I've been back and the garage is still a mess so I cant even get it backed in at the moment lol.
Member III
The shock angle you have is close enough. If your spring rate is moderately close, look into adding poly bags inside the coils. Ive been running them for years in my cruiser without issue.
Advocate III
I m looking at options for air bags or load leveling bags as well. I will need to make sure that they are narrow enough to fit in the coils and not do a whole lot of rubbing, as well as making sure that there are no bolts ( such as my spring retainer bolts) that could puncture them. I am also working on adding brakes to the trailer which I will need to make up some backing plate mounts for. I may also add a second set of shocks to dampen the ride because once the springs are higher I feel like I may see more bounce than I have already.
