My trailer build 2007 JK

[MichaelW]

Hello,

I figured I'd post up my trailer build here as the progress continues. So that way if I missed out anything someone can jump in as I go along.

I have a 4 door Jeep JK. It's the latest in the Rubicon series and is sitting on 37" tires. I am having a trailer built for it because my dog gets the back seat and Debbie and I share the front space. This leaves just the rear space which is generally adequate and certainly enough for just me and my outdoor, camping background. But for Debbie to want to come I need to make her very comfortable and I don't have any issue with that as I also get a nice cushy cot with an air mattress too.

A little bit of background on myself and Debbie. I grew up in southern California and had a pick up since I could legally drive. It always had my camping gear in back and I routinely took off for weekend jaunts as soon as my last class let out in high school. San Diego County offers quite a variety of scenry and environmental regions plus it being temperate for the most part there was almost never a time I couldn't go out. I remember times camping at Burnt Rancheria in the Laguna Mountains at 14 degrees and eating a bowl of cheerios and a lot of sand in Ocotillo Wells to lounging in the Colorado River at Paso Picaccho. Needless to say I love the outdoors and camping. Debbie on the other hand isn't a big camping buff. She likes her comforts plus she is recovering from a nasty bought with cancer that has left her with some wound care issues that require a degree of sanitary conditions. So for the two of us to get out, requires a lot of comfort items. I chuckle when I remember the first time I took her to Yosemite for the weekend and I had to rent a little U-haul trailer for all the "crap" she wanted to bring.

Well lately Debbie has been getting some good clean results back from the docs and she is now wanting to live life again and experience some of the finer things such as a bowl full of Cherrios and a 1/2 a cup of sand for texture. So now that she wants to get out more, I have bought her (me too) a very large expedition styled camping cot, with an air mattress on top of that and a massive 12 man dome tent to fit us and the dog in comfortably. Plus we have some really nice bags one for summer and one for not-so-much-summer. Add in some cooking supplies, food and some water and next thing you know my little (joke) 4 door Jeep is stuffed to the gills.

So it was time for a trailer. I already had an idea as to what I wanted and what I didn't want. As an example Debbie has a bum leg from the cancer so stairs and steps wasn't going to be part of the game plan. I already had a really nice and easy to set up dome tent so I didn't need another one of those anyway. What I did need though was the ability to carry extra gas, extra water plus all the comforts I normally would have put in the Jeep. This way I get the bonus of not having to unload when I wanted to go "play".

So I did some shopping around and settled on Rick Soto and Off Road Trailers. We talked for a while about what I wanted and I sent him some cartoons of a trailer and then he proceeded to start building.

Elevation of Trailer cartoon in PDF
Plan of Trailer cartoon in PDF

And then the building began. I think both Rick and I are surprised as to the size the 37" tires makes to the scale and construction of a trailer. The trailer will have 24" of ground clearance at the axle.

Here is the progress (finally) on my new 4x7 JK trailer. The lowest part of the frame is the torsion bar axles that are 24" off the ground.

The trailer will have almost the same track width as a TJ so a little more narrow than the JK. It is 7' long to accommodate a little quad or a boat load of goodies.

Here is what it looks like so far.... Not a lot to look at but the sides will be on soon and then its off to the powder coaters.

Can't wait to be dragging it behind on the trail.

[MichaelW]

Maybe I'll have it in time for the grand opening of the new Cabela's in Reno.

[MichaelW]

Almost forgot...

I asked Rick for places to tie down stiff inside the trailer but I didn't want to be limited to a few points or by figureing out exactly where I wanted the tie downs right now. I pointed Rick to some flush styled tie down rails like you see in pick ups and such and Rick had a source for something called F-Track that was less money than what I found but fundamentally similar. So we are placing two tracks for tie downs, one along the bottom and the other along the top. This way I can really secure my load. :bounce:

[MichaelW]

I had to modify this bumper one more time. This time it was so I could actually use it for towing.

The LoD bumper did not come with anyplace to attach the towing wiring harness. It would have been nice had LoD at least allowed the utilization of the factory 4-wire JK harness that many may have opted for as a factory option. However I went with a slightly more robust trailer harness with the industry standard 7-wire plug.

The plug I purchased plugs in the factory harness plus has the extra wires for electric brakes, battery charger/power supply from a dual battery system and an aux power wire that is often used for back up lamps on the trailer.

I found these pdf files of industry standard trailer wiring diagrams. I did not create these documents and these are presented in their original form.

4 pole wiring dia.pdf
Electric brake control wiring.pdf
Trailer Wiring Diagrams.pdf

I also added some quick link hooks so I can attach my trailer safety chains and the electric break-a-way controller wire.

Well here are some pictures of my modifications. - note I am not a welder. I have never been taught how to weld. I bought a welder and enjoy burning stuff with it. I need to add that I used my torch on this bumper to make the hole for the 7-way plug. I'm not a torch guy either, apparently. :laughing:

Here is a picture of my license plate relocation along with re-using the factory license plate light.


My CB antenna mount after I lost my CoolTech mount to a large tree on the Slick Rock trail which also took out my factory license plate mount. The CoolTech mount was the only thing holding my license plate on for quite a while until I actually relocated everything.

Also note how much better my steel corners from AEV-Conversions would have looked had they NOT had the license plate holes in it. Hello AEV.... Did you get this.


What the bumper looks like today.


And here is my most recent modification.


Note that this plug I bought at Napa utilizes the factory 4-wire harness that came with my JK and the towing package.


I have mentioned I like the "trunk" in my bumper.


Well that's my bumper/trailer update for today.

Now to go wire up my electric brake controller and my HellRoaring Technologies multiple battery system. Well ok the brake controller first. I still haven't decided on where I am putting the extra battery(s) yet.

I have a huge project in mind that has been postponed because I can't convince the guys at Gen-Right to make a big safari tank for the JK. They said something about DC asking them to not build a gas tank relocation kit with safari tank to remove the factory tank and install a nice larger capacity beefier protected gas tank back to the original TJ location. This way I could move my air storage tank to where the gas tank was and mount my batteries there too. So everyone call and email Gen-Right and tell them we want a bigger and more protected gas tank to be put back into the center of the vehicle and in between the rear frame rails! :grinpimp:

But since the gas tank isn't going to be moved in the near future maybe I should build an air tank to go where the JK "trunk" is after removing the trunk and put some batteries either under the rear seat or in the back area so they are still somewhat accessible for the Ready Welder.

Oh well decisions, decisions. Now I have more to think about while installing my electric brake controller.

[MichaelW]

Jose, the man that is the fabricator on my trailer is somewhat back in the saddle as his wife is still having some issues after an emergency C-section for the birth of their child. So our prayers go out to him and his family.

However Jose has been back onto my trailer project. And Rick has sent me some updated images.

So here they are!

















I am starting to get excited. Obviously there was some changes from design to actual build but so far I am pleased. If anyone has any input, speak out.

[MichaelW]

Well there it sits as of today. I still need to wire up my electric brake controller and multiple battery systems but it's all starting to come together nicely. I can't wait to load it up and take Debbie and the dog out int the middle of nowhere Nevada and relax while the sun travels across the sky purely for my own enjoyment.

If you have any input I'd sure appreciate it.

Thanks!

[Feileod]

Great write up so far, I do have a couple questions for you. What is the suspension set up? I guessing torsion based on the axle design. Does your builder retail the muti axis coupler he is using? I have toying with replacing the Pintle/lunette setup on my CDN2 M101. Keep up the great write up. I am living vicariously through this and a couple other forums while I am deployed.

[Martyn]

Originally Posted by Feileod

Great write up so far, I do have a couple questions for you. What is the suspension set up? I guessing torsion based on the axle design. Does your builder retail the muti axis coupler he is using? I have toying with replacing the Pintle/lunette setup on my CDN2 M101. Keep up the great write up. I am living vicariously through this and a couple other forums while I am deployed.

Rick buys the Multi Axis Couplers from us at AT. I spoke with him today and it sounds like he's working for Gen-Right now. The trailer building will become the second job. If he's just had a new addition to the family he'll be glad for the steady pay check!

If Rick hasn't already installed the 4 trailer jacks yet you may want to consider the rear stabilizer we have http://www.adventuretrailers.com/accessories.html between it and the tongue jack it firms the trailer up nicely. If you want to level the trailer using the jacks then stick with your original plan.

[Gear]

Hello Michael,
I think you forgot the propane tank. Maybe put it on the passangerside behind the fender. Should come in handy with a stove or lantern. Also I know you are not going to be using a roof top tent (RTT) but I think you should have provisions for some cross bars over the top. You might be upgrading sooner than you think. Some other thoughts, I installed a second four way trailer plug so that I could run switched power to the trailer. I have rock lights, backup light, and amber on the rear. Oh and don't forget a place for a second backup camera. Here is a quick shot of my Chaser's rear end.


Both amber and rear backup light are hooked up together with my Jeeps matching lights using the 4 way trailer harness.


You can see the amber light on the Jeep in this photograph.


Here are the backup lights working together.


And one more with the rock lights on the trailer. We find them very use full for not stepping on cactus. Also, are grey Akro-Mils bins(pictured by the table) fit nicely on the ground and we can see all the contents using the rock lights.

[Gear]

How about provisions for a work/cook table. This one is a simple piece of 3/4" plywood that gets wedged into the 45 degree sheet metal and then lowered on to two bolts that stick up from the fender(the bolts are permenately in place.) This solution might not work for you but I would start thinking and find a place for you chips, beans and diet coke(Wow what is my brother drinking!)




This shot shows the two metal bolts sticking up on the fender. The table just lowers onto it. No need to secure it because of the wedge. Works GREAT!