Considering making an expo trailer from a grand cherokee

[carcrafter22]

The max trailer limit for my jeep is 6500 pounds and the max tongue load is 750 pounds. I have installed stiffer springs, a much more powerful diesel from a 1.5 ton vehicle and a transmission and transfer case from a 1 ton along with heavy duty driveshafts and bigger axles. I think this will help my tow rating significantly and can always add air bags in the rear if needed but I still worry about trailer sway if not loaded properly over the axle.

the only thing I can see helping this would be to make the front of the trailer the sleeping area and trying to make it as light as possible. I could just remove the entire interior and sheet in the firewall with .063 aluminum sheet using body adhesive to give plenty of strength. I can install a 6" memory foam matress (weighs around 45 pounds) on some suported 1/2" plywood just above the floor to sleep in. I can make a divider to seperate the front sleeping area from the rear cargo area so that most of the loaded weight will be directly over or slightly behind the rear axle.

I could actually see this working. I really think the front half will just be an empty shell 90% of the time till we pull over and sleep. What would the full cab add over the half cab? another 200-300 pounds roughly maybe? I only plan on haveing a very small window unit up there, a thin foam queen size matress, some blankets and pillows, maybe some shoes stuffed under the bed or something but the real cargo will be from the 2 rear doors all the way to the back hatch not up front at all.

 

[StaceyE]

This is what I built out of the back end of a Jeepster.

Tried to use the whole Jeepster from the firewall back but it ended up with too much tongue weight. If I had the kind of Jeep you have I would not hesitate for a second to make a trailer out of the same model. Have you considered using a rooftop tent for a larger sleeping area? This would allow you to keep all your stuff inside the trailer and in one place instead of juggleing it around when sleping.

Certainly will be subscribing to this build.

 

[Scott Brady]

should I just build a standard ole box type trailer?

IMO, yes.

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. . .

 

[carcrafter22]

This is what I built out of the back end of a Jeepster.

Tried to use the whole Jeepster from the firewall back but it ended up with too much tongue weight. If I had the kind of Jeep you have I would not hesitate for a second to make a trailer out of the same model. Have you considered using a rooftop tent for a larger sleeping area? This would allow you to keep all your stuff inside the trailer and in one place instead of juggleing it around when sleping.

Certainly will be subscribing to this build.

Are you saying the full body on mine might be ok as far as weight distribution? I did consider using a roof top tent but when I saw the prices of them all consideration went out the window, I'd sooner put that money towards buying a travel trailer before spending that much on a tent. Besides we already have a really nice tent for camping just not a roof top version.

I'm really liking the idea of being able to sleep in the trailer with very minimal setup (plug in power for the a/c unit would be about it) and still have all my stuff packed in the rear.

 

[StaceyE]

If I were going to pull the trailer with our Denali then the full body trailer would have worked - the Denali has automatic load leveling air bags - There was just too much weight towing the trailer with another Jeepster. Cutting the body directly behind the doors removed several hundred pounds vs using the whole body.

You might consider keeping the fuel tank in place, hook up a fuel pump and you will have an extra 20 gallons of fuel neatly tucked away and easy to transfer the fuel, beats hauling jerry cans. you might be able to mount a water tank in front of the gas tank inbetween the frame rails. add a skid plate for the water tank and now you have extra fuel and a low center of gravity water storage. Should be able to get a 30 gallon water tank under there.

 

[K2ZJ]

I am considering the very same idea. I have a ZJ and I can get a running one for $500-$900. So I was going to buy it and part it out and I should get some cash to help pay for the needed material for the trailer. I am 6'2" and I have slept in the back of my ZJ many times. I have to put the front seat all the way forward so I can fit. So I am thinking I will have to push the front up a little bit in front of the rear doors. I think using the whole thing is to much tongue weight. I was also thinking of using a coupler of some sorts to do the brakes. The axle is already mounted there and has the right bolt pattern, no mods needed. You can cut the fenders to fit a bigger tire and not lift it at all.

In a ZJ without the rear seats, the back is flat to the seat bottoms then dips for under the seat/foot wells, and then up in the middle for the trans hump. I was thinking of cutting it out and making it flat or have some storage with a lid. A WJ has the spare inside in back. There are a lot of people who have cut that out and raised the gas tank because it looks like a diaper hanging low on a WJ. I plan to use as much of the roof as I can to cover the front, fold it down. I like both ideas for the gas tank, keep it as spare gas, 23gal is a lot, or get a new clean tank and pump that will strap in there with a stock skid plate and have water with a pump.

With the diesel swap you did, I don't think this trailer will be tough at all. I am excited to see it done.

 

[carcrafter22]

I have been thinking of just leaving the fuel tank there and installing a small fuel pump when I need to use it, something like a marine aeromotive pump will hold up to diesel fine and pump out fast enough for me and I can run some 3/4" aluminum line to the front by the tongue with a quick disconnect so I can easily fuel the jeep while the trailer is attached. I'm only running 32" tires so the spare will most likely stay where its at but I have thought of making a swing away tire rack for the rear hatch so I can make better use of the spare tire area like maybe but a water bladder in there again with a pump so I can use it for many different things.

I'm thinking it may work using the firewall back as long as I can get enough stuff behind the rear axle or just above it and make the rest just sleeping space with only a matress and sheet of plywood for support. I guess the first thing to do is get the body then throw on some steel tube and a hitch then see how it pulls on its own, if it does fine there add some weight to it to see how it does and go from there.

 

[Ted_Z]

If you can find yourself a pair of WJ bodies you could cut them just behind the door and marry them back together.

 

[lbarcher]

Now that tips the cool-o-meter past the red!

One could keep the lift gates and fab up tent style ends for sleeping.

 

[Ted_Z]

This thread might help

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?p=245029387

 

[carcrafter22]

Thats pretty cool, I was actually thinking about just using the back half and have a hatch in the front open up like the rear hatch, it could pop up and then you fold out the floor piece with a piece of canvas connecting the two to make an extension to sleep in. I think this is what I will do if the full body turns out to be too tongue heavy.

I have been doing alot of research and it seems that alot of air stream type trailers had a very rearward axle, if you look at the layout of the trailer most of the heavy stuff is over or behind the axle to offset the added length in front of the axle. They usually put the kitchen, table, bath, toilet etc over or behind the axle and up front was the living area for a bed, couches, etc. This seems very similar to my idea of having the cargo area seperated from the sleeping area using plywood, leaving the cargo just above or behind the axle to help offset the extra body length in front of the axle. I'm starting to think it may work.


Great find Ted Z! Thanks.

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

I'm thinking of doing similarly with an FJ60 back half. Will be interested to see your results.

 

[wheelin62]

I'm thinking of doing similarly with an FJ60 back half. Will be interested to see your results.

I can't wait for that!

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

I can't wait for that!

Yep, My idea is to cutting roof and floor in front of the B-pillar leaving the back doors intact and bracing between the two. Not sure of all the details yet, need to figure it out.

 

[carcrafter22]

Yep, My idea is to cutting roof and floor in front of the B-pillar leaving the back doors intact and bracing between the two. Not sure of all the details yet, need to figure it out.

You're not that far from me.