Ok all, I guess it is about time that I stay up a little late after work and post up some pics of this thing. It was an honor to be asked by the Tin Benders to build them a trailer for the raffle. I honestly can't wait for April and to (hopefully) be there when the winner backs up to the trailer and rig and hooks up. I guess I'll have to be there to do some DMV, at least, that's my excuse for going. Ok, about the trailer.....

Because it is a raffle and we don't know what the winner will be able to have for a tow rig, we didn't want to make a massive, super beefy, can haul your house, type of trailer. We wanted it to stay fairly light but have a good structure that will last for years to come. Here is a list of parts that we put into it.

5" structural channel main frame
4" structural channel wrap around tongue
3x2x3/16 angle cross members
2 5/16" a-frame K coupler
3500 lbs. axles, brakes on both
leaf springs rated for 4400 lbs. a pair
15" tires and wheels with a common 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern
spare tire
5' long ramps
recessed and sealed DOT approved lights
break-away kit with push button LED indicator
18 stake pockets
4 d-rings
deck size of 83"x18'
red paint, really really red paint (I hope is kind of matched)

We got the mainframe, cross members, tongue, axles and suspension together. The wrap around tongue was cold bent, no heat was used. Doing a four piece welded tongue or a heat bent tongue is actually harder then cold bending, I think. And cold bending is much stronger, IMO. A couple heavy duty c-clamps, a chain, and a beefy come-a-long (spelling?) is all that is needed.

Here is a shot of the 3500 lbs. axles with brakes on both. And NO, that is not a condom on the spindle, it is saran wrap. You can coat the spindles in a thin layer of grease and then wrap them to keep rust down. This trick works on spindles on your rig as well. This is handy when you are taking some time building it and not throwing hubs on right away.

This is kind of a crude method, but if you are building a trailer for the first time or the 50th time, it works. The 4x4 chunks work great as spacers for a spring under trailer when lining up for fender clearance. Just thought I would share a quick tip. You still need to measure from the top of the fender to the frame to make sure it is straight. But this will help to ensure the tires never rub the fenders causing the paint to blister.

"Hippy" from the Bloody Stump Wheelers stopped by to give a hand. He may not have long hair any more, but he still won't get a computer. Here he is tacking on the stake pockets. You can see them all sitting on the top edge of the mainframe.

TacomaJoe95, also from the BSW crew, stopped by and helped out. When he got done helping, we where out of beer.

Well, this is what we came up with. We where so close to the dead line that I had to take the finished pics while I was heading out of town. I stopped here to grab a gut buster of some sort and a twelve back of RockStar.

Here is how the ramps are stored. You can also see the rubberized undercoating used on the inside of the fenders. I just think that the inside of the fenders always looks better if they are black. Just one of my things.

We kept all the lights recessed and up out of harms way. The cold roll across the stake pockets is perfect for tire tread to grab onto. Not saying you should or shouldn't load/unload with ramps, but I'm pretty lazy. The deck was all 2x8's with one 2x6 split long ways to fit. You can't really see it, but just under the left tail light you can see the corner of the lic. plate bracket. It is a hinge to allow the plate to swivel if it hits something.

And this is how I left it when DanTheMan picked it up.

A HUGE thanks goes out to DanTheMan, Lemoore-on, and Butler for helping to shuttle the trailer down south to Benderland. I owe you guys one and I won't forget the help you gave me.

THANKS TO:
MP Trailers & Truck Bodies, Inc. (my dad still owns part, thanks pop)
AJ's 4x4 for lending a hand when needed
the Bloody Stump Wheelers for drinking all the beer

Thank you Tin Benders, for providing such a great thing to a lucky winner, and for a great cause.

Damn nice contribution!!

Thanks for hooking up the Tinbenders with this trailer.

Very nice!

Very good looking trailer. Whoever wins this will be very lucky indeed!

that thing is sweet, nice job as always!

Thanks Aaron!!! :D:D:D

sweet! awesome way to contribute to the cause. how do you cold bend the channel? nice seeing how a pro builds a trailer :D

Heres a pic from when i dropped it off w/Lemoore-On...guess i need to use the flash next time...:D ...Hard to see it, but the trailer is there.

Glad i could help out a good cause.

Damn nice trailer, so Lemoore took her the rest the way down or is there more pics coming from each volunteer til we get pics from the winner? LOL

cool. i like how you guys took turns, each taking it closer to it's destination.

nice job on the trailer btw.

Thanks for all the nice words everyone.

Pics from each drop off, we didn't really plan it, so who knows. It was really cool how it got shuttled down though. It is just another great example of how a bunch of total strangers with one common interest can come together for a good cause. The power of the PBB.

Wow, now that's attention to detail! As someone who likes to build things themself (and needs to, being a broke-ass college guy) I really appreciate seeing how your trailers are constructed.

I'm curious, what is the difference between "structural channel" and the regular channel someone would pick up at a steel yard?

Very nice looking trailer guys! Thanks for all the effort thats going to a great cause!
Scott

Thanks Trailer Guy for you and your dad's time, $$, and effort with this project. Someday soon, as I am winching up one of the waterfalls with my kids in tow on the way up to Panamint City, I'll think about you and all of the others who have helped this cause.

I'm curious, what is the difference between "structural channel" and the regular channel someone would pick up at a steel yard?
:laughing: It is really just a term. Makes it sound really cool though huh?:laughing:

Thanks Trailer Guy for you and your dad's time, $$, and effort with this project. Someday soon, as I am winching up one of the waterfalls with my kids in tow on the way up to Panamint City, I'll think about you and all of the others who have helped this cause.
Thank you very much for those very nice words. I've never been there myself. Almost went back in (I think it was 1998), but I got busy and thought "I'll make the next trip." Of course, there was no next trip. I hoping that some day my rig and I can enjoy it.

Seen pics of Surprise Canyon, probably one of the many trails I will regret never gettin to wheel as it looked like fun!! I hope many have been by my side when I donated funds towards saving that trail.

The pics don't do this thing justice, it's fawking NICE:smokin: :smokin:


This was soo cool of MP to kick down like this. When we tell people that the rig comes with a trailer (as well as a kick ass hitch set-up and tie downs) that usuially will seal the deal on selling tickets to someone that was on the fence:D

Thanks Eric,

I figured that with a Rapid Hitch and a Ultra Pack kit, it would just be two less things the winner would have to worry about.

You guys are awesome, and the trailer is crazy nice!

Excellant work Trailer Guy. BTW, how much is that trailer worth? Also, I think I belong in the Bloody Stump Club, and I can drink like I got a hollow leg! ;)

Nice! MP Trailers is a great business!

I notice that your custom trailer shares many features with the trailer I purchased from you - I am sure that is a good thing. Love my trailer - made it to Moab and back with about 7500lb load with no problems :cool2:

Nice work. Beautiful trailer!

Excellant work Trailer Guy. BTW, how much is that trailer worth? Also, I think I belong in the Bloody Stump Club, and I can drink like I got a hollow leg! ;)
You might be able to drink but are willing to let me cut off your middle finger using my 80 ton iron worker?:evil: It doesn't hurt as bad as you would think. Once shock sets in the pain becomes pretty easy to handle.

2Dogs
Nice! MP Trailers is a great business!

I notice that your custom trailer shares many features with the trailer I purchased from you - I am sure that is a good thing. Love my trailer - made it to Moab and back with about 7500lb load with no problems
Glad to hear that everything is working good. Some features will be the same, "when it works, why fix it." Moab, I bet that was nice.

[QUOTE=Trailer Guy]You might be able to drink but are willing to let me cut off your middle finger using my 80 ton iron worker?:evil: It doesn't hurt as bad as you would think. Once shock sets in the pain becomes pretty easy to handle.

:laughing: I think I could handle it...it's just a finger! :smokin: Seriously, how much is that trailer worth?