flatlander offroad project

[aalbinger]

Quick edit to add the "current state photo" at the beginning of the thread.

I was planning to doing a trailer in about 2 years. Recently someone else's abandoned project showed up locally for $150 and I couldn't pass it up. I've added a coat of paint to keep the rust at bay. Initial plans are to plug up the two open tube ends on the rear, add sealed plywood to the bed and sides, add a tongue jack, lights and safety chains and drag it around.

I've been eyeing the RTT trailers and the idea really appeals to me. I believe this thing is built quite sturdy enough to support one. I'm thinking that for towing purposes I might want to add some triangle brace pieces to the front/tongue area before loading it down much or driving on anything but roads.

Oh, this is my first post. Hi!

-Andrew

 

[Boog2001]

Nice find! I'm always looking to find something like that but not been so lucky.

 

[aalbinger]

Well, life at the university has gotten busy. I have managed to get a tongue jack, safety chain loops, end caps for the two open tubes and mounts for lights welded on. Most of the welds are ground down and everything has a coat of Rustoleum. I've wired the lights and registered the trailer with the state of Iowa. Tonight I finally started cutting the wood sides to actually make this a trailer.

 

[Wildcat]

thats a nice find. i would have bought it too. subscribed


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[aalbinger]

Finished cutting & fitting the sides. Sanded of lumber yard markings and painted the beads on one piece. Hope to paint the other two sides and clear coating with poly tomorrow.

 

[aalbinger]

A little more progress has been made. Now that there is a decent coating of polyurethane on the wood it is time to start fastening it to the sides.

I decided to use L-track along the top rails of the trailer for securing items.

 

[aalbinger]

This is why I'd have made it a bit taller if I'd built this frame from scratch rather than buying someone else's abandoned project.

I'm pretty happy with how the l-track has worked out so far.

Obviously treating the floor still needs to happen. I plan to poly the top to match the sides but use rubberized undercoating on the bottom.

Next up will be determining a tailgate and then on to pondering a top of some kind. At this point I'd love to have a 12" tall reinforced fiberglass top with a rounded off "aero" front end but that may be a bit more than my skills can handle. If I make one of wood it will likely be really heavy. I don't think there is a retail option on there that will fit this thing. I'll probably have to run with a slightly tailored tarp for a while.

 

[aalbinger]

Different shoes & Plasti-dip sprayed the wheels.

 

[Mark Harley]

What are you doing for fenders?

 

[aalbinger]

At the moment nothing. Probably something like :

 

[aalbinger]

What are you doing for fenders?

I've used the trailer quite a bit this fall and early winter hauling stuff around with no fenders.

The other day I stumbled upon this photo. Today I put in an order for some 1" pipe, 14ga steel and a handfull of http://shop.wagnercompanies.com/elbow-218 and http://shop.wagnercompanies.com/elbow-214 to try make something similar.

 

[rnArmy]

Why are the spring pivot shackles on the front and not on the rear? Was that an error, or was that intentional? Seems like it would ride rougher being reversed as they are.

 

[highlandercj-7]

Nice and clean, I like em.

 

[aalbinger]

Why are the spring pivot shackles on the front and not on the rear? Was that an error, or was that intentional? Seems like it would ride rougher being reversed as they are.

That is how the person who started this project mounted them. I agree they are backwards. I've been hmming and haaing about grinding them off and flipping them this winter versus towing it out to Colorado on my trip this summer and seeing how it travels before going to the work. For basic around the area travel on highway and gravel roads in Iowa it hasn't caused a problem.

I'm really looking for some expert to tell me "You have to flip them or XXXX horrible thing will happen." but I haven't found anyone who knows more than most people mount them the other way so far.

-Andrew

 

[rnArmy]

Picture the springs mounted in the conventional manner (fixed point up front, pivot shackle in the back). When you're moving forward and you hit a bump, the spring compresses and as the shackle moves rearward the axle actually moves slightly towards the rear. It is a smooth motion as the suspension soaks up the bump.

Now picture your suspension with the shackle mounted up front. Again, you're moving forward and you hit a bump. The spring compresses, but it jars the rear fixed mount, and as the suspension is trying to soak up the bump the axle is actually trying to move forward against the bump (the shackles and axle move forward). It makes for a harsher ride.