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Re: I'm building a trailer...


CWLONGSHOT
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We need a good trailer for vacation travels and for my brother-in-laws stump grinder.

 

He picked up a great axle, springs, tires, wheels and bearings. Nice heavy duty stuff!! its from a travel trailer as was one side of a tandem. For steel stock, we are using a mix of .125 walled stock in 2x2 & 2x3 sizes. I also decided to go with 2x3 for the tongue instead of 3x3 that's normal, so I upped the walls to .250.

 

Here is everything cut, laid out, leveled and tack welding begun. BTW, We are building this upside down.

 

I welded up all vertical edges and positioned the axle...

 

We decided to put the axle on and then weld the hangers on...

 

Then I went around and finished up all welds on this side..

 

The sides are left very long and are now notched and pushed together. They will not touch the tongue, but rather be welded into a piece of 1/4" steel. The a hole cut thru that plate for the tongue. The tongue will then extend back to just above the axle.

 

 

More to come... Let me know what you think!!

 

CW

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too much tongue weight...move the axle forward, or add another axle.

 

other than that, looks good.

 

Pat, Good eye!! Normally I would agree. But with stump grinders, there is allot of weight. The majority of there it is in that big grinding wheel. So the axle is right at the rear. Total machine weight is about 1000lbs. This axle placement is at 1/3 rear, so it will leave a bit more tongue weight in normal use, but still keep some on when the stump grinder is on. Its going to be a grinder trailer, more than not.

 

Looks like its going be a tuff Lil puller... What you using it for? Plans on a floor?? I hope you don't use expanded metal.. :smart:

 

LOL, No expanded metal!!! :D Your right, that stuff will not be strong enough for the grinder.

 

CW

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I just spent more than an hour writing this post... click submit... BAM.. Its GONE, the page would not load and link was lost..... DID I mention this pissed me off bad and I am mad... :fs1: :fs1: :fs1: :fs1: :fs1: :fs1:

 

Here is a link to all the pics... If you need it the pass word is JEEPER.

 

I finished all the welds on the bottom.

 

 

Then we flipped it and I again finished all welds on this side. my brother-in-law made up the front plate and then I welded that up.

 

 

Then we drilled, bolted and welded on the coupler.

 

 

Last week my brother-in-law scored a very nice stainless steel box!!

 

 

We also trial fit the fenders.. Of coarse they are jeep "style"!!

 

 

Everything was going great until I decided to weld my thumb...

 

 

We need to weld in the rear support/jacks. Some gussets for them and the box up front. Then two 4" sticks of angle to support the 2X10 deck boards. I'm very happy with how this is turning out!!!

 

CW

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I just spent more than an hour writing this post... click submit... BAM.. Its GONE, the page would not load and link was lost..... DID I mention this pissed me off bad and I am mad... :fs1: :fs1: :fs1: :fs1: :fs1: :fs1:

 

 

I always write long posts in Word or notepad before posting. Even though firefox lets me just go back and usually everything is still there, I just don't trust the internet. Too many problems with Explorer back in the day and now I'm paranoid about it. :shake:

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You told me that before Pete. I had forgotten, :( I was in the habit of copying before posting, (Per others suggestions) with my last problems.. But it has not do it to me. Now this is a different problem. I didn't get bumped off, the page just wouldn't load, as if too much traffic or the site was busy or something. I was unable to "back button" to retrieve the page. It would back up, but only to the reply page, my actual post was gone.

 

What model stump grinder you gonna haul CW?

 

I am not sure, I have seen it, but do not know the make or model. Maybe my bro-in-law will read this and post up for us... Ooh Jeffie.... :rotfl2: :wavey:

 

Lookin good Bri, keep yer fingers outta the welder :yes:
.

 

Thanks man. I will not soon forget. It kept me up most of the night.. It still hurts like hell!!! :headpop:

 

I just realized I didnt post one of the best shots from yesterday!! Here you go!! Only thing missing was the beer... :shake: :mad:

 

 

CW

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Well we had a couple hours tonight after dinner so we finished the bracket for the tool box as well as the bracing. Then got the whole thing a coat of POR15.

 

 

Next is the fenders. Gotta find a strong mounting method.

 

 

CW

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What model stump grinder you gonna haul CW?

 

Either Carlton or Carlson.. I can't remember what he told me... :oops: :oops: Look at the springs on this thing!!!! It doesn't flex at all under my new lite weight!! :shake: :D

 

 

The trailer looks AWESOME with its fresh coat of POR15!!! If I haven't mentioned it.. I am very impressed with how its turning out!!! ;) ;) ;)

 

 

I began cutting out some gussets and mocking up the fenders. The gussets go up front where I cut and bent the side rails to angle forward. 1/4" diamond plate, completely covers the joint and extends forward to the cross beam I added to support the box. They will also cover the holes between the box and the frame.

 

The fenders, are another story, I tried a couple positions and finally decided on 2.5" from the frame rail. I WAS going to weld on pieces of angle upside down and attach fender front and back. The shackle mounts are in the way for this. Now I am thinking maybe lite 2" SQ tube straight from the frame, extending across the outer surface of the fender. Still working this out... any suggestions??

 

 

CW

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Either Carlton or Carlson.. I can't remember what he told me... :oops: :oops: Look at the springs on this thing!!!! It doesn't flex at all under my new lite weight!! :shake: :D CW

 

Carlton. I have one of their smaller "walk behind" Kohler 27-HP models similar to this one:

 

sp20000.jpg

 

Went into business with a friend a few years ago; I financed, he does the house calls. :D It's paid for itself many times over. But with that stout trailer you're building CW, your bro-in-law must have one of the much larger 4-wheel "self propelled" models. Wish we did.

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That's a freeking work of art CW. Looks like all's that left are the fenders and paint. Wish I had the talent to do a project like that. Freekin' beautiful mate. :cheers:

 

Thanks a bunch Don!! :bowdown: I really enjoyed building this project. Kinda sorry to see it concluding. Now I really want to build another... :eek: :yes: :yes: :shake:

 

I have some plans floating around in my head... 5" bed with 18-20 inch steel sides that are removable. With the front and rear sides doubling as deck extensions for 50"X 100" deck capacity. Utilizing Jeep lug/hubs and tires and rims. Maybe even thinned down XJ leafs and shocks. Kinda of a pseudo military off-road trailer. But lite and strong so its easily tow-able.

 

 

What color are you going to paint the trailer?

 

My brother-in-law picked out a Metallic Gray. Its kind of dark, but will look nice. We have to remove the wiring and finish another coat of POR15 on the new steel and where I ground it off. Lastly the jacks need to be welded on in the rear and THEN, shoot it with color.

 

CW

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Looking good there CW, you've made a lot of progress on it in short time. Should look good in a dark grey. Are you planning to stain the decking too? Most don't, but it can look good...

 

Thanks dirty!! :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

 

We planned on finishing today... then the wiring began...... :fs1: :headpop: :fs1: :headpop: :headpop: :headpop: :mad: Better than two hours chasing troubles, only to find that the vehicle we assumed was perfect...wasn't!!! Once that was discovered, we quickly finished the wiring. We ran the wiring in rubber straps attached to the frame with 1/4-20 bolts. nice and clean.

 

 

Finished the decking retaining straps.

 

 

We headed to where the stump grinder was for a "fitting" Everything was perfect, tongue weight less very manageable with grinder loaded. No scale was handy, but seemed good.

 

 

Everything was good, so we headed back home to finish the fenders.

 

 

Most of the trailer is painted and all that's left is the tin for the inside of the wheel wells.

 

CW

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Don, your spot on correct. Alloy wheels WOULD be the bomb!!! I'll have to watch the classifieds... :brows: :brows:

 

Tonight we almost finished it!! First we welded in the box cleats. we used 1.5" angle iron on either side. then bolted the box to that. One thing I forgot... how much of a PIA it was drilling stainless steel!!! :fs1: :fs1: :eek:

 

 

Then we tackled the inner fender shirts. I had a sheet of stainless steel that was perfect for these!!! My brother-in-law made up a cardboard template and then cut out the sheet steel. I tacked it in and painted it.

 

 

Lastly I finished up the rear bed board retention straps.

 

 

The last things are 6 "D" rings on the frame rails. A piece of tube steel for the front stake to "anchor" the grinder to the trailer and make up a custom spare tire carrier.

 

Its getting registered tomorrow, inspection and frame serialization next week.

 

Stay tuned for the final post and pics of the completed trailer. Thanks to everyone for all comments, suggestions and praise. :bowdown: ;)

 

CW

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