Fleetwood Neon Modified for off road

[BADDANDY]

Scott from Dinoot trailers (M416 Harbor Freight clones) has come up with a trailer spring kit. e-mail him at scott@cttct.com. Basically I'm gonna get an 1150 lb GVWR spring kit which has 29" springs plus some extra bottom leafs to boost the capacity up to 1200-1250 lbs.. He also has a 1750 lbs GVWR spring kit which by pulling the bottom spring out of these would get close to 1500 lbs., but these are 27" springs.
Here is a link to the thread that explains it all. http://tventuring.com/trailerforum/thread-216-page-3.html

I'll replace my short 23" slipper springs with longer 29" eye-to-eyes. I'll cut off the old mounts and bolt in this new system to the existing 4" drop brackets.

 

[BADDANDY]

My trailer is now in the garage with the bottles, batteries, suspension, axle, rear step, and stabilizer jacks removed. Today I plan on cutting off the suspension mounts and the feet of the jacks. Then burning in the spring pads, suspension mount assys and stabilizer feet extensions.

 

[BADDANDY]

Got the spring pads welded onto the axle. I wound up painting the whole thing as there was alot of areas getting rusty from road use. I also got a few mounts cut off of the 3" blocks until my grinder died.



After using the new grinder I got the rail positioned. Still determining how much welding and bolting I want to do.

 

[BADDANDY]

In the last 3 days I got the frame, suspension, and axle ready for install. Lots of drilling holes, grinding and painting. I also painted the wheels, pulled the studs from my used tires, and welded shock mounts to the axle. All I need to do now is make a crossmember for the upper shock mounts, get the tires mounted, and install everything. Once that's done and the trailer is off the jack stands, measure for shocks, cut/reweld wheel jack to sit lower, and extend the corner stands.

 

[tyv12]

Awesome build, starting a tent trailer build right was so good to get some ideas from someone else


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[BADDANDY]

Thanks, but damn I'm sore. Ran down to the hardware store and got the bar for the upper shocks mounts and all the hardware for the install of everything. Had enough time to make the upper shock mount bar too.

 

[silvrzuki77]

Lookin good keep it up!

 

[BADDANDY]

Got the shock crossmember, springs mounts and springs in yesterday. Axle, wheels/tires, cut and move down trailer jack today. Now to start working on extending the corner jackstands.

 

[MountainD]

Super cool! i can't wait to hear how the springs work out for you. I order my steel tomorrow--we differ in that I am still going forward with a complete new chassis under the trailer for a couple reasons, the biggest being I want a rear point recovery in case I get hung up on the rocks. Next week I will begin my build in earnest! I am sort of bouncing between Dinoot springs, my local spring shop, and/or the 3" Trail-Gear/OME Samurai lift. Frankly, I have been delaying ordering the springs to hear how the Dinoot/(add leaf) set up works out!

 

[BADDANDY]

The springs traveled about 2 inches jacking it up to get the tires on and I can bounce it. Shocks deff required. That's 2 inches more than the stock springs, yes, they didn't move before as they are stiff! My axle sits rearward at least an inch, so be sure to mount your spring centered forward of the axle to compensate. The bottom of the frame is at 25". I got 2 corner jackstands lengthened, then ran out of steel tube and it started raining.

 

[orangeTJ]

I see your DRZ hiding in the usual spot. LOL

 

[BADDANDY]

Yup, and need of a carb cleaning.

 

[MountainD]

picked up the steel for the frame and axle-- and pulled the rotors and calipers along with a replacement stub axle (one had spun a bearing and was fouled). I'll start cutting the metal in e next couple days and grind and weld the axle. I still need to decide on spings and order the articulating hitch, but getting there! The rims showed up this weekend too . I'll be running 255/85R16 tires (33"), electric over hydraulic disc brakes Rover hubs/spindles/calipers. But unknown springs. Thinking about the YJ Jeep springs or possibly Samurai springs (I'd love input on this one). Frame is beefy due to the rocks here in Colorado-- 3x2 (11 gauge) main frame, 3x3 (.188) tongue and rear recovery hitch, 2-5/8" DOM (.188) main axle tube and will order the Lock-n-Roll hitch.

Sorry about pic orientation... Not a pro at this. Also, my garage is very messy and stupid small... Not even a one car garage and it is packed with tools...

 

[BADDANDY]

Holy cow, you have some work ahead of you. Can't wait to see the build (if it's right-side up).

 

[MountainD]

And miles to go before I sleep... I am going to be on a steady diet of doing a little more each day so I can get this done and go camping! So tonight was one of the harder nights (from a tedious standpoint) and I grinded down the ends of the hubs to prepare them for the axle and then took a pneumatic grinder to the inside to slightly relax them a bit to fit the 2-5/8" DOM axle... now both ends will fit on so the next step will be cutting the frame rails. I'll do the axle welding after I cut the frame so I can do that all at once. Tomorrow I break out my chop saw and cut the steel to section... sorry neighbors--gonna be noisy.

Here is the axle end fitted---I'll assemble the hubs and put on the rims so I can square them up prior to welding.


I searched for someone to make me a rover pattern on a braked axle, but no one was interested. I suppose I could have done wheel adapters and new axle, but this will (a) cost less and (b) give me a project to do that will function as spares for my rover if the need ever arise (shares tires, rims, hubs, bearings, stub axles and rear brake calipers/pads with the D90...

Still need to order the springs and brake parts but I have most the other stuff coming...