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Topic Review (Newest First)
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| 11-28-2016 10:19 PM | |||
| rt4422 |
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Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk |
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| 11-28-2016 03:10 PM | |||
| u2slow |
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Turns out that in BC, Canada.... with an already registered travel-trailer, all that has to happen for a body type change (above 3000#) is a basic vehicle inspection. That means I can buy, register, insure the trashy trailer first, and simply take it for inspection after I'm done with the transformation. 
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| 11-28-2016 11:49 AM | |||
| rt4422 |
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This is in Louisiana though... I'm sure other states are tougher. The trailer weight rating was stamped on the tongue area with a gross weight of 13,000 lbs. I imagine 2 jeeps is roughly 9-9.5k and trailer itself is about 700 lbs without axles, leafs, and tires. Most of these camper trailers also have electric brakes on both axles which is a plus. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk |
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| 11-27-2016 02:05 PM | |||
| friskydingo |
In mi if any trailer doesnt have a title you have to get it weighed and it goes off that Sent from my 5017B using Tapatalk |
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| 11-27-2016 12:01 PM | |||
| u2slow |
I like these trailers in principle, but I often wonder if there's going to be some unforseen legality wrinkle that eventually sinks the project. What are you guys doing for licensing? My gut feeling is a cop's going to have an issue with camper-trailer registration for what now looks like a commercial equipment trailer.  Do these trailer frames typically have a GVWR tag on them? Or does it disappear with the body?
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| 11-26-2016 08:06 PM | |||
| arse_sidewards | Car haulers and utility trailers made from travel trailers do well on the cheap but if you're worried it won't look good behind whatever $50k turd you're making payments on then you have no business building one. | ||
| 11-25-2016 01:11 PM | |||
| friskydingo |
I did pretty much the same thing in high school to haul derby trucks took a rotted out 28fter, gutted the top, cut it down to about 15 ft and then planked it with some lumber from a collapsed shed.... For having no budget it worked well for what it was..., as people have said, the frame rails are kinda narrow, so my racetruck would hang an inch over each side  Sent from my 5017B using Tapatalk |
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| 11-25-2016 11:42 AM | |||
| rt4422 |
I did this with a 30ft(26ft of deck) camper bumper pull. Frame is 8" rectangular tube with some flimsy angle iron braces. I added square tube extending off the frame about 10" on each side, kinda eye balled spacing that looked good. Also added tubing crossmembers. Decked it with 2x10s. Total cost was about $1200 including new tires. Probably weights about 1500 lbs http://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/583885de...21_132123.jpg?   Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk |
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| 03-29-2016 12:04 PM | |||
| abig84 |
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i scratched the idea and just stole the trailer brakes off it for my current trailer 
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| 03-29-2016 09:13 AM | |||
| hasteranger | Every tube on every trailer I've ever worked on here in wv, which is starting to add up at this point, has been rusty on the inside. Tube is stronger but water and rust always seem to find their way inside. Check prices on stuff, though, steel is pretty cheap right now, for all kinds. | ||
| 03-28-2016 02:59 PM | |||
| mike_belben |
The square tube will do a fine job as well. Dont neglect creating a stout rub rail.. Itll do a lot to prevent the deck from bending into an accidental dovetail in the event that your main rails arent up to the task. Even if you use 2" crossmembers, still go with a 3" rail IMO, a lot stronger than a 2" rail. Edge standing proud of the wood or flush doesnt matter. |
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| 03-28-2016 02:20 PM | |||
| IAsoldier | Thanks for all the input so far gents, I will keep ya'll posted on how it all goes. I work at a factory and talked to the head honchos and can get 2x2"x24' 11ga steel tubing for ~40 bucks a piece. 33 dollars later this afternoon I have plates and registration. Apparently rust is not an acceptable color haha. So now, I'm the proud owner of a "2016 special construction small regular trailer". Never thought I'd get something this new this soon lol | ||
| 03-26-2016 05:32 PM | |||
| mike_belben |
Youre right, i quoted the wrong guy. Quote:
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| 03-26-2016 12:01 PM | |||
| Action Fab | I started to do this a few years ago. It ended up being too flimsy for my liking. I sold it to a guy who works for me. He cut it in half and mounted his saw mill to it. Seems to work okay at 14'. | ||
| 03-26-2016 11:45 AM | |||
| hasteranger |
Youre quoting a post from 2003. Iasoldier bumped this and wants a car hauler, now. And I think you're being a little dramatic and whiny. |
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| 03-26-2016 06:54 AM | |||
| mike_belben |
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Pick pick pick pick. Everything everyone else does is stupid, hacky, a waste of time, a waste of money or otherwise unsuitable for hasteranger. Except when its his junk pile, then its completely intelligent, sensible and justified. Beyond reproach actually. I never notice you attempt to help anyone, just criticize ad nauseum and remind us youve seen and done it all. Newsflash: Quote:
Go ahead, break down the semantics of the term "car hauler" so you can salvage your image of being technically correct in all things. You know what else "looks really narrow?" The frame rails between a set of tandems duals. Found under every 102" airbrake semi trailer ever built. |
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| 03-26-2016 06:06 AM | |||
| poncho62 |
I built this from an old camper. Got it for free.....    There are 2 things to consider when doing this.....the frames on some of these are sort of flimsy. I had to add a bunch of cross members. Also, they are narrower than a regular car trailer. 72 inches between the fenders on mine. A minivan fits on mine. I bet a 4x4 with big tires wouldnt. |
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| 03-26-2016 05:54 AM | |||
| hasteranger |
Car haulers don't have outriggers. Lol Youre building a 12k deck over car hauler? What cars are you hauling? |
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| 03-26-2016 05:17 AM | |||
| mike_belben |
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Its got no outriggers yet. Any set of main rails sitting atop the spring pads is gonna look narror till it gets all the deck joists laid over. He could make that 102" if he wanted |
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| 03-26-2016 05:14 AM | |||
| mike_belben |
Either move the axles back or cut off a few feet of tail. Its gonna wag, bobble on the hitch when empty, and scrape tail like a MF'er on grade changes where driveway meets road. It appears the tongue A frame is buttwelded and pierced thru the header. Good chance its gonna twist up. Easy sllution: Clamp some 3" C channel under each leg of the A frame and piecut/bend the slack in where it bisects the outer frame rail so that the slack runs down toward the front leaf mount and turns your 4" frame into a 7" frame from hitch to spring. Clamp that all up into a stack and put 3 or 4" of weld every foot. Youll have a pretty strong chassis at that point. I would buy new perches from etrailer or northern and go to a spring over, then set 98" long 3" channels @ 24"center down the whole length and plank it in 1-1/2" rough cut oak from cheapest sawyer to create a deckover flatbed. If its a car trailer you could go thinner in the center or even plywood, as long as the wheel strips are sufficient. I would also weld a 1/4" x 3 flat strip down the butts of the channels and leave a small gap against the wood. This gives you a rub rail for tie down points along the whole trailer, and it also adds a stout connecting member between the channels in the vertical plane. Basically its a very cheap way to make sure your main rails dont fold. Youd be building a rigid platform ontop of them then bonding it all together. 4" main rails + 3" vertical rubs and an extra 3" under the tongue. It would be a 12k chassis at that point, and when the axles bend, worthy of heavier replacements. |
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| 03-25-2016 09:46 PM | |||
| hasteranger | Looks narrow and flimsy. What is that frame made out of? Is it even square right now, with all of 4 crossmembers holding it together. | ||
| 03-25-2016 09:42 PM | |||
| IAsoldier | First and foremost, I have never undertaken anything like this before. For now I'd like to make it into a flat bed allowing me and my wife to move wherever we choose, I'd like to go to college and with the price if a uhaul, I figured I could just build something. So for $260 bucks I picked this up today. I figure that even if it never gets done, I could easily flip it for about the same price, if not more if I just put a decent deck on it. I am an okay welder, I just don't get the chance to do many long beads at my job. My father has about every tool you could imagine and then some, but I'm trying to be independent. Adding to that, most of any project time is finding where he put his tools etc. I don't mind investing in my own stuff, but I also only make so much money. Eventually I'd like to make it an enclosed trailer, but for now I'd be content with just a flat bed and tying everything down. The trailer frame itself is 70.5"x261". Just surface rust, really clean. I decided to invest in some nice LED lights since I plan on keeping it around. Thoughts? | ||
| 03-25-2016 06:18 PM | |||
| hasteranger |
If I got a camper frame, after looking at a few, I'd pull axles and springs and coupler and etc and scrap the rest or repurpose it, and just buy new channel for the frame. Travel trailers typically have cheesy thin stamped crossmembers, weird frame width, and poor axle placement for a car trailer. And steel is pretty cheap right now. Edit: and working with old steel sucks ass and takes three times as long as new. |
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| 03-25-2016 10:11 AM | |||
| mike_belben |
One of my campers came with dexter torflex axles and a genuine 4" channel frame. It just needed real crossties and decking to make it a real trailer. Another one was made of 4" stringer channel and all stamped gauge crossmembers. Moral of the story, you gotta crawl under each one. Most of them, i suggest doubling up under the existing frame with a second piece of channel that runs from hitch to forward leaf spring eye. Thats where the bulk of the load is on a car hauler. |
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| 03-25-2016 08:05 AM | |||
| MT4Runner |
Yes 1. Start researching 2. Research more 3. If its a camper trailer, get building 4. If its a mobile home, say "no thanks" 5. ?? 6. Profit!! |
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