10 replies to this topic

[JDeanP]

As a kid, they were always seen as a "redneck" (I don't personally consider that moniker derogatory) trailer, and not really something that was used for tasks more serious than dump runs. These days people are making some pretty slick looking conversions.

 

When I weigh the factors of intended use, cost, durability, upkeep, etc, the option that seems to best suit my needs is a truck bed trailer.

 

I drive a 96 F250 7.3 with an 8' bed. My 80 FWC Keystone sits in the back. The plan is to purchase a Kawasaki KLR650 sometime in the near future. There is also a large kayak in the equation, but that may evolve into a ~16' aluminum v hull (ladder rack?). Ideally, everything would be self contained and a long trip could be taken to various parks, BLM land, hunting camps, fishing waters, etc. I make no claims to being a well seasoned off-road driver. The limits of my vehicle far outpace my own as its driver, so it's not like I'm going to be hitting wild angles as I take shortcuts through the Grand Canyon or anything, but I do frequent unpaved places. If the original donor truck was close enough to mine, the same axle, wheels, and tires could be used and be an option for spares in a dire situation. 

 

So,

1) Adequate off-road capability/durability

2) Room for at least a KLR650 and kayak, spare tires, misc. extras

3) Won't make driving on the interstate look like a trailer for the next Final Destination film (corny pun intentional)

4) Won't break the bank

 

Other forums have some good information on builds, etc., but I wanted to get some feedback from this community on trailer options while driving a vehicle with a pop-up camper. Is my thinking far off and ridiculous? Am I not considering certain factors or options? Let me know what you folks think.

Edited by JDeanP, 09 June 2018 - 09:47 PM.

[Wandering Sagebrush]

My only thought about your idea is a truck bed trailer sits pretty high to load a bike like a KLR. My son-in-law ended up buying a winch to help load their bikes into the back of a F150. I don’t have a bike, but use a 4x8 Aluma trailer with a ramp for hauling the garden tractor, extra camping gear and that sort of stuff. I put gutter clips on it for my Yakima bars to haul canoes, kayaks.

Not tremendous ground clearance, but adequate for the average dirt road.

[Optimistic Paranoid]

It basically strikes me as being a lot heavier than it needs to be for the purpose you have in mind.

 

Now, if you needed more sleeping space for a bunch of kids, one of these with a cap on it could make a lot of sense . . .

 

I do like the idea of using the same wheels and tires that your truck has, but wonder if a regular Dexter axle could be converted to use them, either by buying some parts from Dexter, or maybe some of those adapter plates?

[JDeanP]

That's a valid point. I think the same wheels and tires I'm running now would be low enough on a bed with stock height and the right ramp. Combined with a winch it should be very doable. 

 

Part of the thinking on this "project" is to accommodate a move that will take place in a little less than 2 years. There won't be any uhaul type involvement. If it doesn't fit in the truck or behind it, it's going to be sold or given away. I'm actually in a very nice position where the biggest item that needs to find a new home before then is the bed cover/camper top I took off when I got the Keystone. If a move were happening today, that's about the only thing I'd absolutely have to downsize on. This is really a spitball/plan ahead kind of thing to see if a bike and a bigger boat are doable without buying something ridiculous. 

[JDeanP]

It basically strikes me as being a lot heavier than it needs to be for the purpose you have in mind.

 

Now, if you needed more sleeping space for a bunch of kids, one of these with a cap on it could make a lot of sense . . .

 

I do like the idea of using the same wheels and tires that your truck has, but wonder if a regular Dexter axle could be converted to use them, either by buying some parts from Dexter, or maybe some of those adapter plates?

 

No kids on any trip I know about!

 

I am indeed more interested in using the same tires and wheels than I am the same axle. That would just be an incidental bonus of using the same era donor. 

[ntsqd]

MISF & I built such a trailer. We started with a donated IH 3/4t 2WD pick-up. Using the truck axle was silly. It weighed more than needed and had several liabilities to the use. We used a piece of remnant 3" heavy walled tube and inserted cut-off ends of the axle (spindle + ~8" of axle tube) into the remnant setting the existing spring perches back on the springs in spring-under configuration. A less rusty Chevy bed came our way for free, so the pretty rusty IH bed had a "Sawzall Accident". Then a pristine Chevy CUCV bed came our way for free, so the first Chevy bed had a "Sawzall Accident" too.

 

We built with the general concept to do it as inexpensively as we could, except for one area that is the bane of trailers everywhere; wheel bearings. It has $200 worth of Timken bearings and CR seals in it. To put that in perspective, including registration, the total outlay for it was just short of $300. The whole axle tube is about 3/4 full of donated gear lube, so those bearings run in a very large oil bath and should never get hot or even warm.

 

Additionally, at the time I was part of a volunteer pit crew for Baja desert races and I expected that this trailer might get drafted into service for that. So we built everything as "Baja-proof" as we could. The rear bumper is 2" Sch 40 steel pipe with forged weld-elbows. It carries it's own spare underneath (to keep the spare out of the sun). The wiring has an RV 7 pin socket on the tongue. Makes the lighting lead easily replaced and the rule is if you borrow it and the tongue box doesn't have a lighting lead that works for your tow rig, that the cost of borrowing it is to make one and leave it in the box when done.

 

We set the bed level and worked to a tow ball that was 24" off the ground to the top of it. I used Grandad's formula for setting the tongue length and err'd long. It has been towed, not be me, to over 100 mph in Baja and deemed stable. It is exceptionally easy to forget that it is back there. I don't know if we ever had it weighed, the hill had to be really steep for even that tired 350 in the Sub to feel it unloaded. I'll wet-thumb-in-the-wind guess ~700 lbs.

 

Here it is loaded down with the tools that I inherited from my grandfather on our way home:

 

And as food for thought I'll post this pic taken at the 'Top Gun' pit, Vegas to Reno, 2009. As I recall it came in being towed by the white FSB next to it:

 

[JDeanP]

Thom, thanks for the reply. That's a lot of solid info. I think you came out alright on that project. 

[ntsqd]

You're welcome.

 

One thing that I meant to address and forgot was the bed height. Even with it being spring under axle the bed floor isn't quite normal countertop height, so I'll guess 26"-28" high, which is workable but high. Walking my old XR into it meant that I needed some steps for myself because it was a little too tall to walk up alongside the trailer while holding the handle bars.

 

If the main goal is to be able to transport a D/S then I'd look at buying or building a more suitable trailer with a lower deck height. But for a general utility trailer that has to do many different chores a well thought out and built pick-up bed trailer isn't a bad option.

 

Don't let the desire for 8 lug wheels keep you from buying an otherwise perfect trailer, can always change the axle and/or wheel hubs to get 8 lug. If your truck is the later Ford-only 'metric' 8 lug then it may well be that your only option to get matching is adapters. I've not had cause to look, so I don't know if that pattern is offered. Safe to say that 90%+ of the 8 lug trailer stuff is the older, more universal 8 lug pattern.

[JDeanP]

This is helping me to explore my options. I'm not 100% set on a DS before this move, so it's not going to break my heart if I don't drop the cash on one. I think I can also get away with a smaller trailer for spares, fluids, maint. equipment, etc. and still be able to convert the hubs and have some off-road capability. This option seems very affordable as well.

 

If all I wanted to do was go outside for a weekend at a time this would be much easier!

[JDeanP]

Turns out opportunity made my mind up for me. I was able to trade into a small homemade off-road trailer. Nothing fancy, but it'll to the job AND I was able to trade some things taking up space in the storage unit. That's a big bonus and sweetened the deal on my end. I'll make another thread when I get to cleaning up and working on the trailer.

 

Thanks for all your input on the matter.