Just purchased a Military trailer to build a family hauler

Mark Harley

Expedition Leader
Hello Dolly!

I have not posted for a while due to work, birthday parties, Winterizing the house and the daily grind.

The trailer is getting a little heavier with the additions that are slowly appearing.
With a rack for the RTT and a camp kitchen in the works, The trailer is a little less nimble to move about the yard. It is still manageable but takes a little more shove to get moving. "Much like my girls in the morning"

I love to junk at yard sales, estate sales and fleamarkets, I find the coolest things there. And way cheaper than new.

I found a trailer dolly at an estate sale for $10.00 It will help me wrestle the trailer around the yard once it is
Harleyized with 10" pnumatic tires, and a 4" ball lift to reach the coupler on the trailer.

I am thinking up a plan for a squeeze brake for the dolly that would be on until you squeezed a bike brake handle. ??????
 

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Mark Harley

Expedition Leader
The little additions

I took the trailer to our cotage this past weekend to haul a load of pumpkins and misc junk we might buy at an auction we attended. This trailer pulls so nice! 75 mph on the Pa turnpike and route 79 to Erie. It follows every move of the truck. The truck handles and brakes way better loaded.

I figure if I had the trailer with me I should put it to work. We sat under the big red umbrella eating our meals prepaired on my vintage three burner Griswold stove and
webber grill.

I cooked on the diamond plate cook table I made at work. It worked geat and stows in the trailer quick. I used two aluminum angle pieces cut to fit in the receiver tubes.
The cook top sits on them and holds firm with the weight of the stove or grill.

I Got a hood hold down from a jeep to hold the tongue box closed. It worked well
and the box stayed dry. I use the box to store the cook table legs, hitch pins, umbrella tube, and gas lines for the stoves.

While at sales I am on the lookout for items I cam use on the trailer, Simple and cheap is my motto. I scored some stainless steel mixing bowels and a measuring cup.

I found a stainless steel fire extinguisher hanger and a cool dunk bucket from a mill.
It is perforated stainless steel and it will hold my cooking utentils and silverware.

Plans are in the works for the RTT rack and camp kitchen. Now with the cooler temperatures and No Garage the trailer build is slowing down.

I will keep all my fellow Portal friends posted.
Mark Harley
 

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Nick in Ca

New member
Lookin awesome Mark. Theres gonna be alotta people borring ideas from you. Me being one, like they say copying is the most sincere from of flattery.

Too bad its gettin colder, dunno if I can go the winter without seeing more ideas. Im a firefighter for the State of California and fire season is coming to an end, so I will finally have time to work on my trailer and Power Wagon..

Well I guess I have a starting point!

Great job!
Nick
 

Mark Harley

Expedition Leader
Nick:

Now that winter is here in Pittsburgh, I can sit back and read about your build.
I can't wait to see more progress on that power wagon. and your trailer.
Keep us posted.
Mark
 

Nick in Ca

New member
Ha, ok, Ill take over!LOL, guess Ill hafta start my own two threads. Gotta learn more about how this forum works, Steel Soldiers has albums I can link to, to show more of the progress pics. Thats ok, Ill deal with it. The power wagon is becoming an issue. The paint shop has had it since Memorial Day weekend and it hasnt moved. I stoped by Thursday morning and he wasnt there so I told his helper Im coming to pick it all up monday to find another paint shop, Friday he caled me at work and we were on a fire. Sooooo...

Ok, sorry to hijack your thread, Ill start mine in the next few days.

Thanks Mark

Nick
 

Mark Harley

Expedition Leader
2002 GMC Sierra 2500HD
6.0 344ci with automatic. "I miss my old 5 speed"
Air Raid intake, factory exhaust
4" lift fabtek
235-85-16 Hankook tires summer
235-85-16 BFG commercial AT M/S winter

I have had the truck for 6 years and it is like part of the family.
We drive it everywhere we go. lots of room and sits high in traffic.
 

highlandercj-7

Explorer
Nice, I been looking for one like that in a 5 Speed. I found just that a few weeks back on Pitt CL but, my jeep didn't sell yet, so I missed it. I am still mad it's too hard to fine one in a 5 speed to begin with lol. What kind of fuel mileage are you pulling with yours?
 

Mark Harley

Expedition Leader
4:10 gears and high teens on the highway, around town 10 at best.
My only complaint is that the tank is too small 28 gallon?

My old truck held 38 total.
It is a great truck, Emission exempt in Pa. registration is $79.00
and the only thing I have replaced was an upper ball joint.
 

grimbo

Explorer
Think this my favourite build on here purely for the cool, outside the box features. Think I need to check out more garage sales and moat importantly, learn how to
Weld.
 

JoshG

New member
Mark, you sure have made lots of progress. I scotch bridghted and painted one of my trailers and sold it without the cargo cover for $750. Working on selling my other one, green camo with cover and everything for $875. When that one sells I will have the money to get mine titled and fixed up. Mine will sort of be a camper trailer, generator hauler, and my supply hauler. Since I've purchased a suburban I've found I definately need a trailer.

I am also building a diesel generator and I will put it on its own cage of some kind and get one of those truck crains from Harbor Frieght (or maybe used)...figure if that is mounted to the trailer I can lift the generator out easily when I need to use the trailer for osmething else.
 

Mark Harley

Expedition Leader
Thanks to all for the complements.
It is getting colder in Pittsburgh and I have to button up the house for winter.
The trailer build is on the back burner for now, I am still using it to haul things around and it is
going to become part of my Halloween display. and be used as a float in the local Christmas parade.

I asked Santa for a RTT and if I am a good boy and get one that will start the ball rolling in the spring.
I have lots more simple build ideas for a sink, camp kitchen, fresh water storage, a shower " I have three girls to deal with"
More racks and tables. to fab.

This little trailer has become a fun project and I have met a lot of great people along the way on this forum.
Mark Harley
 

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