New Trailer Project: Range Runner

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ArkansasDon

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the new tongue is all done w\exception of the safety chains. A huge difference between the street version of a trailer tongue & one fabricated for offroad. 2" receiver hitch welded in place for the new offroad articulating coupler (Lock n Roll). I went a lot larger dia. tubing. Now clean the metal, run a wire wheel on a grinder to give the automotive epoxy primer a tooth to adhere (2 coats) then 3 coat of automotive base black paint followed by 2 coats of automotive clear gloss. There's a huge difference from the original tongue vs. the new tongue from the other photo's.
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ArkansasDon

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more work on project offroad Runaway Range Runner. I wanted to use the jeep style fender & couldn't because of the existing round fenders & the holes they left. It seem that if I used the jeep fenders I would of had to raise the fenders higher than I wanted to clear the patch work of the existing fenders.
So I decided to make do with the existing round diamond plate fenders & media blasted them (outside), primed them, base painted them white & clear coated them all with automotive coatings.

This morning I shot the truck bedliner on the 1st 17" up from the bottom of the fender faces & edge. I like them now. I bolted them all the way threw the cabin. The truck bedliner will act as a rock guard from chipping running them dirt roads & trails Sally & I like to do finding a camping spot & bolting (1 1\2" 1\4-20 bolts, large washers, lock washers & nuts) them threw the cabin will make sure they are not ripped off by low hanging branches or brush.

Now I am pulling all the trailer light wiring out from underneath & installing new 15" LED trailer lights & wiring. I'll be running most of the wires in conduit welded underneath the chassis.

I ordered some 1\8" aluminum diamond plate & will cut it to 8" tall by 8ft. Then size it & scribe it all & media blast it & coat with with the same 2 stage truck bedliner & install it along the lower sides. I will do the same with the front diamond plate rock guard too.
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ArkansasDon

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installed the stabilizer jack on the offroad trailer this morning. I went with the BAL C Series Stabilizer Jacks 4,000 lb capacity that extend to 28".
I used my floor jack to help me install them by holding them in place. What difference between these & the originals stabilizers. I'm still holding 23" of ground clearance on the chassis & over 18" of ground clearance from the bottom of the jack foot pads.
I installed the new marker lights on the fenders, finished removing all the trailer light wiring underneath, I have more metal coming in on Friday. I only have one part that didnt quite work out how I wanted them to, the jeep style fenders (size is 10"w x18" @ the top x 35" w @ the bottom) which I'll toss in the scrap metal heep for Charlie to pick up for scrap metal. Now to order more parts on line.
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ArkansasDon

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The wallpaper for our offroad camping trailer came in today. This will go on the wall (which I'll build) that divides the sleeping area from the rear storage compartment only. This will be @ our head while sleeping \ laying down as an accent wall. I think it will look nice against the finished birch walls. Sally has all the fabrics ear marked for ordering, bedding, curtains, sheets. All these will be in the mono gray shades. We bought the foam gray inter-locking tile for the floor.
The mattress will be a custom made 6" thick memory air cell foam mattress much like a tempurpedic mattress in a queen size. I'll be starting on the interior mid June.
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ArkansasDon

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more work done today. Welded the safety chain on the tongue, cut the 3\16" aluminum diamond plate to fit the top of the tongue. I drilled & tapped the top of the tongue rails, counter sunk the hole on the diamond plate top, used bugle head machine screws w\ 1\4-20 thread x 22 holes to attach it to the tongue rails.

Primed with automotive epoxy primer, shot 2 coats of base color black. Monday I'll clear coat the top tongue platform x 2 coats. Tuesday will be covering the 1st 1\2 of the trailer, the tongue platform & shooting on the 2 stage catalyzed bedliner on the sides if the tongue rails & underneath, the front aluminum rock guard & the 8" aluminum trim piece's for the both sides of the camper.
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ArkansasDon

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decided to spend a few hours this evening doing a little more work on project Offroad Runaway Range Runner. Cutting 1\8" aluminum for the sides of the trailer. This vertical\horizonal metal band saw makes the job easier. I'll be media blasting these pieces & spraying the truck bedliner on them.
I also installed the Rugged Ridge Hi Lift Jack Mount.
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SLPNBG

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Does the rear door have a "stop" built in? I can see the jack becoming a problem. Never mind, I'm sure you've sorted that out already. What the hell was I thinking?
 
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ArkansasDon

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finished spraying on the truck bedliner on the front & the side pieces I made this early this morning. This afternoon they were dry enough to remove the masking & install them using 3M automotive 2 sided trim tape & the 2 sided tape primer & several dots of Flex Seal Glue.
It's the look I am looking for. Waiting for the graphics for the doors to come in, these will finish the look of the exterior.
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eredinger

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Roseville California
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Looking great! A few questions! Was welding required to flip the axle or was it bolt on (Part number would be great) ? Also, same question on the rear stabilizers. I'm ordering my Range Runner this week and these are the first two items I want to address.

Cheers,

Eric
 
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ArkansasDon

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Looking great! A few questions! Was welding required to flip the axle or was it bolt on (Part number would be great) ? Also, same question on the rear stabilizers. I'm ordering my Range Runner this week and these are the first two items I want to address.

Cheers,

Eric
Thanks for the kind words Eric, the Dexter Axle Flip Kit is a bolt on kit, BUT it requires tack welds too. The tack welds are on the spring seats, I also tack welded the adjustment nuts that sit against the old spring seats. I know one guy who didn't weld them, but my suggestion is to weld them Dexter Axles want you too. The BAL C Series stabilizers jacks I used are self tapping screws (which came with them jacks) & with a cordless impact driver makes the job a whole lot easier.
 

PCO6

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Newmarket, Ontario
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Don - Out of curiosity, is Runaway following this thread? You might be designing an off road trailer for them!

Things are looking great. I'm sure you're looking forward to using it.

Stew
 
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