Ground up off-road trailer build

[EarthlingJim]

Alright, so I started building last week, but I've been accumulating parts for the better part of a year now. I'm building a trailer because the rtt with a big/old dog is less than ideal.

So... Here we go.

Plan is to have a nearly queen sleeping area, with an attached dog box on the front, where most manufacturers would put their electrical/fridge whatever. This will be open to our sleeping area and have it's own doors so the dogs don't have to walk across our bedding, getting in and out. Rear will have the traditional squaredrop look, with a kitchen area of sorts. We currently run a diesel heater in our rtt in the winter, I'll be moving that over to the camper at least until I decide to get a propex.

Trailer is a self built steel frame, with an aluminum framed/skinned camper box up top. A lot of this has been drawn in fusion beforehand, but not everything... Just the hard numbered outline.

This camper needs to be rough campable by thanksgiving for a multi day shakedown trip, and ready for long trip over Xmas/new years.

It's gonna be tight. There are gonna be lots of evenings working after work. I'm open to suggestions and I'm down to answer any questions I can. I build campers (sorta) for a living, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna get everything right.

Work so far... As of today. It's getting suspension mounted and wheels today.. maybe even this fancy trailer dolly/jack, if I get time.

As I said, I started the frame last week.

 

[EarthlingJim]

A bit of work done today. Mounted the 'axles', put the brakes/bearings/drums together and on. Test drive and it's awesome. Now to come up with a more elegant mounting system for my badass jockey wheel. Probably a better looking, much smaller plate that's welded on, and the wheel assy bolts to that.

Aluminum order next.

 

[Billiebob]

Similar but different.
My daughter said they wanted to go camping next trip to visit..... 3 weeks away. No way was my 65 year old body sleeping on the ground.

So 3 weeks to build a Square Drop..... I already had a 5x10 deck trailer.

My dream was a double bed and a storage on the nose for my Wrangler Doors.... similar to a dog box.... I'd been visualizing it for 3 years.
Plus the rear outside kitchen. And my budget was use what ya have that is free to nail down the concept and test it... then build the final version. lol
4 years later the concept is being developed but the initial build was ready in 3 weeks.

The original..


Kitchen


Door storage


The original roof was just a blue tarp.
It is now a piece of semi trailer translucent roofing.
Sold by the foot off a 10' wide roll it cost under $200.00 and will last forever..... just an idea.


Looking forward to following your build.

 

[Billiebob]

Perfect width, visible in both factory mirrors makes revering soo easy.
And legal with factory mirrors !!

 

[Red_Leaf_Overland]

This looks awesome! Can't wait to see the final product. I've been thinking of building something similar but have too many projects on the go at the moment as it is.

 

[Phillysteak]

Beautiful frame and great start to the build, those holes in the square tubing look laser cut and I'm a little jealous.

How are you digging that jockey wheel?

 

[EarthlingJim]

Thanks billiebob, looks like yours turned out great!
That is a great idea on the roof. I like the idea of light coming in, in the morning.

 

[EarthlingJim]

Beautiful frame and great start to the build, those holes in the square tubing look laser cut and I'm a little jealous.

How are you digging that jockey wheel?

Thanks!

Haha, those holes made me happy. Lucky to have access to the manual mill at work for things like that.

Just getting around to figuring out what I'm going to do with the jockey wheel, from a mounting standpoint. I took a few days off, but back at it today. It's the real deal tho, that wheel. Quality.

 

[MMc]

Nice welds. have you looked at smite build, he also has hand break for his trailer thread.

 

[EarthlingJim]

This looks awesome! Can't wait to see the final product. I've been thinking of building something similar but have too many projects on the go at the moment as it is.

Thanks!

Always too many projects on, here. This one bumps everything else atm, tho.

 

[smritte]

I'm running the same wheel assembly on mine. I didn't like the stock mounting brackets. I welded a piece of 1/4 (3/8?) angle to the frame, inserted tubing where the bolts go through the frame so it doesn't crush and ran 1/2 bolts. The plate sticks down far enough to bolt it in. I was afraid it would be too low but, with a bunch of trips under my belt, its fine.
I like this set up better than the single small wheel. The two wheels give it a bit of floatation but is actually more difficult to turn on pavement. In my way too big list of improvements, I'm going to try a wider single wheel just to see if its better in soft dirt. Oh, I run right about 100# on the tongue.

Here's a few..ehhh closeup pictures. I don't have anything from when I sleeved the frame.

 

[EarthlingJim]

I'm running the same wheel assembly on mine. I didn't like the stock mounting brackets. I welded a piece of 1/4 (3/8?) angle to the frame, inserted tubing where the bolts go through the frame so it doesn't crush and ran 1/2 bolts. The plate sticks down far enough to bolt it in. I was afraid it would be too low but, with a bunch of trips under my belt, its fine.
I like this set up better than the single small wheel. The two wheels give it a bit of floatation but is actually more difficult to turn on pavement. In my way too big list of improvements, I'm going to try a wider single wheel just to see if its better in soft dirt. Oh, I run right about 100# on the tongue.

Here's a few..ehhh closeup pictures. I don't have anything from when I sleeved the frame.
View attachment 212091View attachment 212092

You're readin' my mind. Standing here looking at material to do something very similar. Also looking at making a delrin spacer/washer for the rotate up out of the way part. There's a whole lot of rattle inducing play in there. If I had one complaint so far, that would be it. I can't do rattles. Haha

 

[genocache]

Looks good Jim, Have you thought about a 360° hitch?

 

[EarthlingJim]

Looks good Jim, Have you thought about a 360° hitch?

I'll be running the lock n roll, at least to start with. It's simple, and looks like it will do what I need it to. I think they had some binding issues that are now resolved, but I'll keep that potentiality in mind.

 

[Billiebob]

I'll be running the lock n roll, at least to start with. It's simple, and looks like it will do what I need it to. I think they had some binding issues that are now resolved, but I'll keep that potentiality in mind.

never a critic of new technologies but I have never felt limited by the basic 2" ball. I Ithink you need to be pretty extreme to exceed those limits.... plus I doubt any "stock" vehicle will get there.

But if $$$ = $$$ for sure have fun with the new lock n roll tech.

 

[EarthlingJim]

never a critic of new technologies but I have never felt limited by the basic 2" ball. I Ithink you need to be pretty extreme to exceed those limits.... plus I doubt any "stock" vehicle will get there.

But if $$$ = $$$ for sure have fun with the new lock n roll tech.

I'm not running stock. This thing is gonna get tortured getting to places that are off the beaten path.

Fun fact... Part of my work duties include building a somewhat elaborate aluminum bumper every 8 work days, that takes me two+ days to build... And yet, here my truck sits WITHOUT a bumper.

 

[EarthlingJim]

Still needs a bit of cleaning up, but I'll get that when I sandblast the frame.

Jockey wheel hard mounted without the brackets.

 

[smritte]

Something to add if you don't like things rattling. Top center of my receiver, near the front, I welded a nut. I use a 1/2 bolt to tighten my hitch and eliminate any movement. I also use a 5/8 bolt instated of a hitch pin. Less movement over all. I run the same tensioning device on my bumper hitch.

 

[EarthlingJim]

Something to add if you don't like things rattling. Top center of my receiver, near the front, I welded a nut. I use a 1/2 bolt to tighten my hitch and eliminate any movement. I also use a 5/8 bolt instated of a hitch pin. Less movement over all. I run the same tensioning device on my bumper hitch.

Already on the truck side and slated for the trailer side as well.
. I do 1/2-13 nut with the tube threaded as well, under all my receivers. Never been a guy that towed a lot of stuff, but plenty of hitch mount bike racks that I've used it for.

 

[EarthlingJim]

Always wanted a Super Bird...

I know it may look a little weird right now, but there's a vision.