My Matching Sport Trac Trailer

[Demo1986]

I first got the idea when I replaced my bedsides with fiberglass ones and I thought it would be a waste to throw them away, that's when the light bulb went on.

I got the bed for FREE off a guy that is building an all-out desert Sport Trac and he had no use for the bed.

After sitting in my back yard for a couple months I couldn't find a cheap trailer or a trailer that needed minimal modification. While in my daily search on CL I found a very promising trailer at a reasonable price. Turns out, after chking it out in person, it was the perfect width, length, it had 15" wheels and they matched the 4.5x5 bolt pattern on my truck, and super strong. As if I ordered it to my specs.

As its sits right now it's wired, the bed is secure in the mounts I made, and I installed my white bedsides. I need to find 3-33"x9.5" tires, a tailgate and a 5' tool box to go in the front.

Plans are the make a custom cover that folds out into a 5'x8' platform to support a 3 person tent. This is obviously a budget build because I have less then $325 into it.

On to the pics:

I'm located in Long Beach if some of you guys can help me out by keeping an eye out for a tailgate and skinny 33's I would really appreciate it.

 

[Mark Harley]

That looks great, Good size with the bed.
I would loose the pin stand jack and replace it with a crank up version.

 

[Demo1986]

I plan to swap it out with that and add 2 in the rear, one on each corner.

 

[jays0n]

Looks cool! I had a Sport Trac for 6 years or so, loved it. Desert Sport Trac? It's unibody isn't it? That should be interesting. That tailgate might be a tall order, with that crazy hinge and all. What happened to the one that was with the bed?

 

[Demo1986]

Thanks. The sport trac is on a chassis, explorer chassis to be exact. I found a guy parting out a sport trac on CL so I will be giving him a call after work. The previous owner of the bed gave the tailgate to a friend.

Edit: so I tracked down 2 tailgates but they want at least $500 for each. That's more then my whole trailer build so far! Lol

 

[Demo1986]

My wife surprised me with a double kamp right tent cot. This thing is huge!

 

[Demo1986]

Huge thanks to a guy from another forum he gave me two matching wheels and 33x10.5 tires. The wheels had almost no back spacing and they rubbed on the springs so I went to go buy universal 5/16" spacers and it fixed the problem.

 

[fowldarr]

Cool idea.

 

[Glenn D]

Cool trailer.... I have a Dodge short bed trailer that also has a short distance from the axle line to the front of the bed and loading it was a problem. Having enough tongue weight with normal camping gear was a problem. It handled very bad. Wagg the Dog at anything above 50 mph. So I lengthened the tongue and added a "Jobox" to the front. The added storage space was very helpful and the weight distribution was much better. Might want to think about that. I need to get a pic of my trailer sometime. Its uggle but for $200 it is a good start.

 

[Demo1986]

Thanks fowldarr.

Glenn: I'm having that issue too. I'm checking Craigslist for a good deal on a tool box just to add weight. IfI have to extend the tongue then I will.

I plan on putting outriggers on the rear corners for stability when it's stationary. I'm planning on going to the dmv next weekend and getting it registered

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

Very cool!


Sent from my fart smone using crapatalk

 

[Demo1986]

Thanks

 

[Demo1986]

Got the trailer registered today. I need to add a lot of weight on the tongue because it falls back if it's not hooked up to the truck, a 4' toolbox and camping gear ought to do the trick.

 

[Demo1986]

Trailer did great over the weekend at Barstow. I really need to add tongue weight because is had a swerve the whole time I was towing.

 

[Cyberman]

Looking at the pictures empty and full, you can tell you have a weight distribution problem. In the empty pic, the tongue is lower, meaning that the loaded trailer is lifting the rear of the truck up, giving the illusion of being level. Also, using that bed extender is definitely putting much more weight behind the axle, instead of over or in front.