show us your truck bed trailers

[java]

yeah thought it looked pretty sweet and was sitting in traffic with nothing else to look at!

 

[Xtreme XJ]

I've always like Elmo's and Loren's looks really clean... I also like trimming the lower section of the bed...
Here are a few of my MJ bed slowly coming together... sits a little high so I need to reconfigure the leafs...

Curt

There is a backbone all the way F. to R. & if need be I can pull the tongue from the front & slide it in the back receiver.

 

[Curmudgeon]

Here are a few of my MJ bed slowly coming together... sits a little high so I need to reconfigure the leafs...

Maybe you've already done this, but you probably should try putting a full load in the trailer before lowering it. It might sit about right once loaded.

I made the mistake of setting my trailer's height unloaded. I guess I didn't realize how much all of my gear was going to weigh, and once loaded it was sitting much lower than I expected.

JP

 

[Xtreme XJ]

Maybe you've already done this, but you probably should try putting a full load in the trailer before lowering it. It might sit about right once loaded.

I made the mistake of setting my trailer's height unloaded. I guess I didn't realize how much all of my gear was going to weigh, and once loaded it was sitting much lower than I expected.

JP

10-4 I agree... but I also had the ball platform in the raised position in these picts. so in reality it'll be even lower and I believe it's easier to build up as opposed to lowering... so as the load increases I can modify the pack to suit the needed payload.
Thanks for the input...

Curt

 

[Chili]

This was Jeff's (JSMarine's) trailer until I bought it from him. The picture is one I borrowed from his write up.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/50754-Toyota-truck-bed-trailer?highlight=toyota+truck+bed
pic:

I had previously bought a crappy truck bed trailer that I would have tried to build like this, but the bed had too much rot to save.

I plan to swap the axle out for a 6 lug trailer axle at some point and run 255/85/16's to match the tow vehicle. I might cut the lower skirt of the rocker panels to clean up the truck lines like this:

I am not sure what my plans are after that. It's usually just me, the future Mrs. Austintaco, and our two dogs, so we don't really need a trailer to camp. We will use it for hauling decomposed granite for our back yard work this Fall, and if I decided to take a trip back to Big Bend with my buds, we can use the trailer to hold our bikes and gear.

I want to keep the trailer versatile.

Man, I tried to buy that trailer from him back in January but he had decided to hold on to it for a while. After plenty of watching on CL here locally I just picked up another trailer locally. It's a mid 70's Ford Courier bed. Still has the truck axle but has already been gone through pretty well. It has rhino lining in the bed, on the front and wraps all the way over the original tie-downs. Locking tool box inside as well.

My only real plans right now are to repaint to match the Bronco, and flip the leafs to the top of the axle so I can get 33's on it to match the truck.

I am researching on here right now but will post a build thread for my mods when I get to that point.

 

[Yellowkayak]

I found this the other day while surfing for a utility trailer:

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Thought it would make a great camping trailer with a lift kit installed and a rack for a roof top tent also.

JJ

 

[TRegasaurus]

That is very nice, not too expensive compared to an equipped expedition trailer.
There would be a few things I'd like to change such as suspension, full height tail gate, etc.
It is a bit heavy though.

 

[Mark Harley]

Nice, but you could find a whole truck with utility bed used for that price.

 

[Chili]

I looked at a few utility bed trailers, and really wanted to use one as a foundation, but they were all heavier than I wanted, and I don't have the scratch to buy a new one like the that.

I have been pricing out trailer axles and such and It's looking like I can ditch the truck axle, replace it with a new 3500 pound axle with a bolt pattern to match the Bronco for a couple hundred bucks. Seems to be worth it considering the weight savings and improved piece of mind.

 

[Burlbook48]

My Datsun half-back of unknown vintage. We made it out of a buddy's rolled pickup back in 1986, and painted the bed and tool box to match the 1985 Bronco I had back then. It has hauled more scuba gear (I use to teach diving), kayaks, zodiacs, sand, gravel, and rock (up to 2900 lbs!) than I can remember, not to mention camp gear for my family. The tool box is a great asset, every trailer should have one :ylsmoke: .

It has always pulled like a dream, but the stock tires would dig into a sand beach in a moments notice. Swapped the factory tires and wheels for a set of used rubbers off my old Bronco back in '87, and mounted them on a set of old Chevy rims. Had to cut out the fenders to fit them without contact when the trailer is fully loaded, so I added some cheap rubber fender flares to keep it legal. Built a plywood top that hinged in the middle to cover the load and provide a secure lockable area.

And so it has remained for about 24 years. Nothing fancy, just a means to an end. Added a pair of lift shackles recently to help it match my jeep's lift.

An the obligatory shot of my one specifically camping oriented modification. It dates back to the 1950's.

 

[loren85022]

I looked at a few utility bed trailers, and really wanted to use one as a foundation, but they were all heavier than I wanted, and I don't have the scratch to buy a new one like the that.

I have been pricing out trailer axles and such and It's looking like I can ditch the truck axle, replace it with a new 3500 pound axle with a bolt pattern to match the Bronco for a couple hundred bucks. Seems to be worth it considering the weight savings and improved piece of mind.

I found a fiberglass 'mini-truck' util-bed thats quite nice. I'm half way done and $5 grand for the Home Depot model sounds pretty appealing.

 

[Xtreme XJ]

I looked at a few utility bed trailers, and really wanted to use one as a foundation, but they were all heavier than I wanted, and I don't have the scratch to buy a new one like the that.

I have been pricing out trailer axles and such and It's looking like I can ditch the truck axle, replace it with a new 3500 pound axle with a bolt pattern to match the Bronco for a couple hundred bucks. Seems to be worth it considering the weight savings and improved piece of mind.

I tossed the O.E. axle for several reasons... did the spring over also... it REALLY raised the trailer, so you'll probably need to use your ball platform in the raised position.

Look for a relatively flat spring... I took a set of O.E. springs off a cherokee and relocated the spring hangers on the comanche bed to the cherokee length... it worked well... lot of work, but it sits much lower than the pict. above with jusssst a bit of tail end high on the trailer... from here I can adjust the height as the load dictates.

Brakes on the axle might be a good investment...

Curt

 

[bftank]

i finally get to contribute to my thread.

this was build out of a '75 gmc k20 somebody gave me. it has a 10 bolt axle under the rear with 3/4t springs. i left the frame long enough to put a 4' side platform for an atv on it. still need to build that and eventually get an atv. the trailer will be used around the house for landscaping, getting wood, and camping if i get my suburban running decent again. its a little to big for the explorer but it only cost me a $40 hitch so it is what it is.



i will get a better pic once i start using it.

disclaimer, i did not paint the bed or modify the rear bumper. and the shell is for sale in the classifieds section.

 

[Pooch72]

Holy crap that thing is beefy! Cool trailer... Thanks for posting it up!

I really need to get working on mine again. Hopefully this winter.

 

[ajsmith]

Here's mine, not even close to being finished, but usable. What I started with and where it's at now.