Offroad Trailer

[Java]

I'm building a small trailer to take camping. It will sort of match my Jeep, mostly in color and tires. I plan on a small frame basket that can hold a couple of action packers with two crossbars that I can put a cargo carrier on. Its going to have a rear receiver for a hitch too, and 33s. Here's some pics- the hubs are too large for the centerholes on the Jeep ravine rims, if you look at the pic of the inside of the rim you can see a grease ring from the end of a hub I stuck in to see how it fit. The hole in the rim is concave from the inside so it clears the first 3/4". A common solution is a hole saw, but I'm going with 1.5" spacers with a 3.25" center hole and swapping out the bearing buddys for standard caps, maybe flat ones. The axle came with leaf springs mounted to pieces of steel with holes for the fenders, both fenders and 3 tires that I don't need, I'll be listing them soon along with the bearing buddys. $40.00 for all, trades always possible! there's a pic of that stuff with a Jeep sway bar and tie rod on top, I'll be taking better pics and listing them soon.

so far I've taken everything apart and cleaned up the axle, painted it red. it's a boat trailer axle. The tires are Firestone Destination ATs, not my first choice for my Jeep but fine for this. In a pinch I can run a flat tire on the trailer and swap one of these to the Jeep. Next step is to clean up both hubs, repack the bearings and put the axle back together. The spacers should be here later this week (the pic is from ebay), then I'll bolt up the axle and tires and start measuring for the frame.

I'm also trying to work in YJ flares that Monsterburb was kind enough to give me, and I have to pickup leaf springs from Nativetaco and a receiver from GlacierPaul- thanks to all of you.

:frontrange4x4:

[zukrider]

cool. what all do you plan to "incorporate" into it? ive been planning a similar idea, but a neutral design for any rig. will some certain dedicated spaces for things that wont ever transfer otherwise. and then some general open space for "stuff".

what do you plan for a hitch? multi-axis? home made or bought?

[southpaws3]

AWESOME !!! I liked my lil trailer then built it bigger, then bigger again............ damn thing. seriously enjoy

[Java]

I'm not surprised you have a monster trailer, Ed!! I'm going to keep it simple, not much more than a roofrack on wheels. There will be 3 crossmemebers under the rack with receivers front, rear and center; the tounge will bolt through the front and center ones with the rear still available for whatever, but I'll be able to remove the tounge and put it in from the rear should I get too hung up on a trail. I'll also be able to shorten it by sliding it in to fit in all 3 for better offroad manuverability. I have a big cargo carrier for the top of it. I'm not going to do onboard air / water /power anything like that, I want to keep it simple and inexpensive. I also plan on being able to change the coupler out, I'm planning to have a regular 2" ball and a pintle to choose from.

[MelloYello]

Awesome. Keep the posts coming. This should be cool.

[southpaws3]

Hell yeah !! Keep us posted

[Java]

turtling along, the spacers showed up today so I cleaned / repacked the bearings and hubs, put the spacers on with locktite and a torque wrench and bolted it up. I put the carrier on top as part of the mock up, and took some measurements. You can see a 4' ruler on top of the tires in one shot, it's got about 44" of clearance between the tires, I'm thinking a 38 - 40" frame width so far. the carrier will be much higher up with a roof rack style rectangular basket under it with two raised crossmembers for mounting the carrier.

[glacierpaul]

Cool! I will be getting the receiver hitch soon Paul!

[Java]

got this at a yardsale this morning, pays to go to work early!! it's a putnam 8 ton hybrid deal, has a 2 5/16" ball. The guy used it for pulling a cement mixer around, so it seems like awesome overkill for my little trailer. It was $30.00 and I got him to include a photo tripod sans head, pretty good deal!

this video explains it


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWaic0dYpmI

[Java]

anyone want to trade a 2" ball for the 2 5/16" on in the pics?

[Rick]

i have an 1 7/8 you can have if that would work for ya..Not sure where I got it

[glacierpaul]

I am pretty sure I have an extra 2" ball, I will trade you, as I am not sure I have a 2 5/16" one laying around :).

[trailfiend]

I've been planning on building my own (if I can ever afford it!). It's nice to see I'm not the only one thinking about that now :)

[Chris]

You can have mine Paul, I really don't need a trade. You can have the ball & whatever to part it's attached to it is called as well. My trailer came complete with a load equalizing hitch so the old one is collecting dust.

[Java]

thank you all very much!!! I can't get the 2 5/16 one off yet, I don't have the right size socket. tried it with a pipe wrench and some leverage, nothing... I may have to torch it. If i could find a 2 5/16" straight coupler for 2" tube I'd just keep it, but I can only find v-couplers so far.

[Java]

finally getting back into this, hope to wrap it up in Feb.

- 20000 lb lunette, four 1/4" steel tie downs, and the 2 5/16" ball will be wrapped in protecto wrap too see if it keeps the lunette quiet

-Two TJ hitch receivers waiting for the saw. Tacoma springs, XJ shackles, pintle & mount sanded and painted. Axle / tires ready to go.

[ExplorerTom]

Nice trailer.

I've always wondered one thing: why do trailers like these have AT or MT tires? Do the tires really matter on the trailer? Or are they used (and sized) to be "rolling spares" for the tow vehicle?

[zukrider]

I've asked the same question Tom. Best answer I've received is that scampers an other super aggressive tires are used to help with sliding while side hilling

[Java]

I'm using 33s and wheels to match my Jeep because I think it looks cool. Same reason I'm painting it red and black. :thumb: I've been looking at a ton of builds for these and a lot of people use them because they already have them. Some guys have 31s on the trailer and 35s on the Jeep- as long as the trailer axle has as much clearance as the diff on your Jeep I think whatever tire gets you there will work, it just comes down to personal taste. I do like the idea of extra spare tires, but mostly I'm doing it for looks.

[Brad]

Looks great Paul! :thumb:

[Popsgarage]

You've been contemplating this build for a long time, Paul. Good to see you finally starting on it, should be pretty cool. Looking forward to the build. By the way, what do ya want for the TJ swaybar???

[Java]

You've been contemplating this build for a long time, Paul. Good to see you finally starting on it, should be pretty cool. Looking forward to the build. By the way, what do ya want for the TJ swaybar???

It's yours, Jon, I don't want anything from you for it. Think kindly of me. :) I'll put it on my front porch you can get it whenever you want. I'll PM you my address.

[glacierpaul]

Sweet Paul, Coming Along Nicely!

[Java]

Nice to see you back, Paul!! The receiver I got from you is now red and on the back of my Jeep, I liked it better than the one I had. :thumb:

I need to fab a mount for the lunette that can swivel. This pic is from a guy back east who's videos I've posted here before http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxBQz85Lptg
it's his trailer and it's been from the east coast to Moab repeatedly so I know the design works. Anyone have any ideas about it? I'm always open for fabrication advice!!

"A welder friend of mine fabbed the plate and gussets, drilled the big hole, then tacked on the nut.. If I get really paranoid about parking the trailer, I just spin the ring out..."
https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1609779_10152153972114844_472670641_n.jpg


so last night I wrapped the hitch ball in ProtectoWrap (the stuff used to seal windows), it's an experiment but I'm very optimistic. It has about 30 layers of various sizes and the lunette fits very snuggly.

[dscowell]

Sweet! The only thing I'm curious about is how well it will turn. The wheels are connected by a single rod so would they rotate at the same speed? Or did you put something else in there that I just skimmed over to quick?

[Hypoid]

The hubs have bearings in them. You can see a picture of the hubs in the first post.

[Cr33p3r]

Looks good so far Paul!

[Patrolman]

Might be a little late now, but keep in mind that the Tacoma springs have a tendency to crack. The earlier model Toyota springs are much stronger.

[Java]

Thanks, Jeff, I'll keep an eye on them. They're in great shape and I'm expecting my little trailer fully loaded won't match the weight of an empty Tacoma bed, so hopefully they'll last for me. Thanks for the heads up! :thumb:

[Java]

Working on the coupler, the tounge is 2x2 square, this coupler is made from receiver stock so it will fit over it. I'm trying to add tounge weight to it, so I used some heavy pieces deliberately. It's a 6x6x6x3/8 angle up front; next is a short section of 2x2 square with a 1-1/2" i.d. tube tacked inside, and the spaces are filled with JB Weld so it resists crushing. The screw is going to be replaced by a zerk so I can lube it. After that is a piece of 3x3x3/16 angle. You can see a 7/16" hole where it meets the tube, that is for the 7/16" grade 8 bolt in the pic to through bolt the angles to the tube. That alone should hold it together; I'm welding it too, but I'm still a rookie welder and I want to be sure it's safe. I researched the bolt size because I'm anal http://www.boltscience.com/.

Everything is tacked, today I'm using a better welder than mine to burn it up. I have to say that I'm digging my HF 90amp welder (but an uprade is coming) more and more as I get used to it. I've found that deep clean bevels and surface grinding go a long way, and if my prep is good I can do up to 1/4" with it. It seems that in my limited experience good prep makes my welding better. And PAM smells great!!

[Brad]

Looking good Paul! :thumb:

[Sinister68]

Looking good, a buddy of mine had cut the front end pretty much from the firewall forward off an old Cherokee and welded a tounge on, gutted the inside and turned it into his off road trailer/camper, had the same size lift as his tow rig Cherokee and he painted it the same with tires and all it looked really cool.

[Java]

Got it welded up and did my best welding so far... which still was kinda ugly after multiple passes, lots of highspots. Practice... I didn't want to grind any of the welds down, I don't want to lose any strength in them, so I got the bright idea to build them up with JB Weld and sand it smooth. Mega PITA, won't be doing that again, it's tough to sand and it makes it look like massive welds. Fail! Tip for sandpaper- tape the backside. It makes it last all day, you can see the first piece I forgot to tape that tore long before it was used up next to the one that finished the sanding and still has some life in it. While I was at it I added a handle as well, which is welded on but I drilled out the mounting holes for 7/16" bolts that will hold it to the tounge and back up the handle welds.

[Brad]

It's like Weld Bondo! :thumb:

looks good!

[Java]

found some time to get into this again, so much for finishing in February! I cut the TJ receivers down for front and rear crossmembers; two more crossmembers are coming, but one of them is tied into the suspension brackets so they're in the next round or two. I'm working on gussets and diagonals too. The outside rails are 4x4x1/4" and the suspension brackets will sit inside them for a low center of gravity. The top of the rails and the top of the tounge are flush, it will have a flatbed. The frame is upside down in the pics and it's tack welded only so far. I got about $45.00 worth of Grade 8 hardware to back up the welds (I redesigned the huckbolts out of it, too much work / expense). I'd dip the whole thing in Grade 8 sauce if I could! You can see some of the holes are already drilled in the crossmembers for them, I have to drill through the sides still and do final welds next, but it's tarped up for the night now.

[Hypoid]

Measure diagonally, from corner to corner. If it is square, the diagonal measurements will be the same.

[Java]

Did that Mike, over and over and over again. I'll do it again before I do final welds too, I'd hate to screw that up.

[ExplorerTom]

All trailers in CO must be registered/license plated, right? How's the process for a homemade trailer work?

[Jackie]

but mostly I'm doing it for looks.
:princess:

Just kidding! Looking great!:thumb:

[Brad]

Coming along nicely! Good to see one of us putting that welding class to good use. I am thinking of building my own bumper for the 98.

[Java]

All trailers in CO must be registered/license plated, right? How's the process for a homemade trailer work?

fill this out, take it and some $ to the DMV: http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application/pdf&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1239165408908&ssbinary=true

Last time I did that I had a crappy kit trailer from Harbor Freight. I tried to register it with the receipt from buying the kit, and the person told me it was worth more since I assembled it. I blew up at her, told her there was no ****ing way I was paying tax on my own labor. Supervisor came out, blah blah blah, I ended up telling them that I charged myself .735 cents per hour and had 11.435 hours in (0r something like that), do the math a-holes. It went on for a while, then other people started making fun of him, I finally paid tax on the receipt price.

[Java]

Jackie- I only meant the wheels and tires would match the Jeep!! The rest will be as ugly as it turns out, function over form! :)

Brad- my tools are your tools if you need them for your bumper. :thumb:

[scout man]

For a homemade trailer you have to take it in for an inspection. There is an inspection station in Arvada (ish). I pulled mine in there, gave the guy some cash (cash only btw) and he signed the paper. Didn't really even look at the trailer. Then fill out a "statement of homemade trailer" form and take it, receipts for materials, form from inspection, and insurance card for towing vehicle into the DMV. It actually was far less painful than the internet world implied it would be.

[Java]

Thanks, Steve, I didn't realize it was a separate location for the inspection. :thumb: Future headache averted.

[Java]

Got some time this week and got the frame finished. Added hangers and crossmembers, more grade 8 bolts, everything was primed by brush with oil based primer and undercoated.

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The top got painted and the rack got bolted on. It's a truck bed ladder rack from ebay, 79.88 to my door. The cross members are superstrut from Home Depot. The carrier will hold sleeping bags, pillows, jackets, towels, blankets, stuff like that.

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Painted red, that's as far as I got today.

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[Brad]

Good work Paul!

[The StRanger]

That works !!

[glacierpaul]

Sweet Paul!! Looking real good! How does 'Paul's Custom Off Road Trailers Inc.' sound?

[Jackie]

It is looking awesome, Paul! I'd love to have something like that!

[Java]

Sweet Paul!! Looking real good! How does 'Paul's Custom Off Road Trailers Inc.' sound?

Sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen! :lmao: I should probably finish #1 first!

Got the springs in today, so far so good. I hope to find u bolts and plate steel this week, but probably won't have time to do anything. Fuggen work.

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[Patrolman]

Let me dig around some. I must have 50 different U-bolts in my garage. I think some of them are square shaped (not necessarily U-bolts then I guess) since Toyota used square bolts on their spring over axles. If I find some, they are yours if you want them.

[Java]

THANK YOU JEFF!!! :thumb:

[Patrolman]

Found a set of 4. They are from a 2001 Tacoma. The plates for the Toyotas are rounded to fit the axle, so they likely won't work for you. The bolts themselves are approx 2-3/8" width and 4-1/2" to the threads. You are likely better off trying to just cut/drill some flat plate to make your own plates. Then you can make any width needed.

[Kevin]

Looks like a fun project

[Chris]

Looking good Paul, any tentative deadline?

[Java]

Thank you for finding them, Jeff, but I'm afraid they won't work for me. The trailer axle is 2" square and the bolts go around it from the bottom up so I need 2" id, about 4-5" long. I appreciate the offer, thank you. :thumb:

Chris- deadline was the end of February. Not looking good!

[Patrolman]

No problem. Just thought I would offer. Hope you find what you need.

[Chris]

deadline was the end of February. Not looking good!

Deadlines exist only to be missed Paul, you'll have it ready to test on a trail by the end of June just in time for plenty of use.

[Funrover]

That is coming along great!

[ILuvtheMountains]

I have a few sets of u bolts at my place. I will check the dimensions when I get home tomorrow, pm me to remind me.

[GaryG]

The trailer axle is 2" square and the bolts go around it from the bottom up so I need 2" id, about 4-5" long.
Looks like this is what you need http://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Tow-Tie-Plate-U-Bolt-Set/dp/B007FB02SC/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=09TGV9S6R8F78X2RYRFW

[zukrider]

why not weld a bottom plate that matches the top spring plate to the top of axle, and use bolts.

[Java]

I have a few sets of u bolts at my place. I will check the dimensions when I get home tomorrow, pm me to remind me.


Thanks Travis, but I ordered these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Trailer-U-Bolt-kit-2-SQUARE-x-9-16-w-Axle-Plate-Nuts-HEAVY-DUTY-/160959148150?_trksid=p2054897.l5668
Thanks again for the leaf springs, I'm still in awe that you pulled them so cleanly, everything was like new. :thumb:

[Java]

Crawling along...

(l-r)- spring plates, center pins and nuts, ubolts, overload leafs cut short, mounting plates, backing plates.

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triple measured, hand tight, marking for welding the mounting plates.
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welding on the mounting plates
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mounted
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it's starting to look like a trailer...
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I left a little extra room between the frame and wheels, the fenders will attach to the axle, not the frame.

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Start of the flatbed, it's plywood with rounded corners and a bullnose all around, slate grey paint leftover from my basement floor. I need to drill it and the frame still.

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[Tom]

Lookin good

[Brad]

Coming along nicely!

[Java]

No real time this past week, but I got the flatbed on and tweaked a couple of little things. It's held on with stainless bolts so I don't get brown streaks on the bed.

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it will get more undercoating, and to attach a tool box and cargo boxes I'll drill the bed and use square ubolts around the tounge to through bolt the boxes. I can change them out that way too.

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I have to figure out some shocks, it's bouncy. And it needs lights.

[The StRanger]

Its coming around nicely !!

[Patrolman]

I don't think that I have ever had a trailer that had shocks. They are just naturally more bouncy than you would want your car to be, but still go down the road fine. My old tow dolly was really light weight, and if you hit a bump in the road, it would launch a foot or tow into the air. I am sure it scared people driving around me. Since tow dollies don't even have suspension, that was all just due to the lack of weight to keep it planted.

[Chris]

I have to figure out some shocks, it's bouncy.

Like Jeff said, no shocks needed since the weight when loaded takes care of that. My trailer is 3300lbs and doesn't have shocks either.

[Brad]

I could see shocks possibly for off-road use to keep it more stable but not for highway. My pop up doesn't have shocks.

[blueYODA]

I wouldnt worry about shocks. Nice trailer

[The StRanger]

Never had shocks on any trailer !

[Java]

Thanks for all the input! I'd be kinda dumb to ignore everyone saying the same thing, so I'll run it without shocks for the foreseeable future. I plan to keep the tires at 20-25 lbs which should help too. Thanks!! :thumb:

[Java]

Almost ready for inspection! I got the lights mounted, made some simple brackets from 1 x 1/8 steel welded to the posts, all the wire is wrapped and tied up. The Jeep is wired too, simple wiring that plugs into the harness. I built some bolt on frames for the fenders, painted them black. The fenders are doubled up trailer fenders, under 20.00 each to replace, the frames are cheap angle (Metal Supermarkets!) and I can unbolt them need be. Also added safety cables rather than chains, they're quiet.

[carpenle]

Looking really good Paul :thumb:

[Patrolman]

Are the cables for safety? I have never seen anything other than safety chains before. Unsure if cable would pass an inspection.

[Brad]

Excellent! Looks great Paul!

[Java]

Cables and chains are both options, I ordered them from Amazon. I like that they recoil like a spring so they won't drag. I'm all set for inspection next week, just a few little tweaks. Next is to load up all the camping gear and make sure my tie-downs are proper, but the build is finally done. :)

[Tom]

Looks really nice Paul

[gm4x4lover]

It looks good. In regards to the shocks. It doesn't look like you used trailer leaf springs but rather some off of an suv? The dynamics of those leaf springs could require shocks as they have a progressive rate as opposed to trailer springs which are stiff and all about load carrying vs ride comfort and load carrying.

[Java]

Did some more stuff, just waiting to get an appointment with the Colorado State Patrol for a certified vin inspection. The process for a homemade trailer is kinda silly- first you have to fill out and bring a Statement of Assembly and all your receipts for the build to 18th and Pierce and have a vin search done. Ofcourse is shows up nothing, but that is required to get a temporary tag so I can drive it to CSP without just going to pick up a ticket. Before I go there I have to go to a certified scale and get a certified weight. I got all of this from Bill at the DMV, this is the official process. Then CSP does an inspection, makes sure I'm not trying to steal anything. I haven't been able to get a return call from the CSP in Golden so I'm hoping to get one in Commerce City this week. Then all the paperwork goes to the DMV, standard title / tag from there.

Here's the trailer with detachable mud flaps, just 2 wing nuts at the trailhead, and loaded with camping gear. The tent goes up top and bungees to some eyebolts that go to the frame, then all our soft stuff- sleeping bags, pillows, clothes, etc... go there too. This winter I'm working on a big cargo box with drawers and attached fenders to replace the flatbed, removeable as well.

[Patrolman]

This turned out great! Good job!

[Jackie]

Very impressed! Nice work!

[scout man]

They make the homemade trailer stuff sound really hard, Paul, but when I did mine I was shocked at how painless it actually was. Maybe I just got lucky, but they barely even looked at my trailer. Pretty much just made sure the lights work.

[Java]

They make the homemade trailer stuff sound really hard, Paul, but when I did mine I was shocked at how painless it actually was. Maybe I just got lucky, but they barely even looked at my trailer. Pretty much just made sure the lights work.

These are the locations for VIN inspections. http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/StatePatrol-Main/CBON/1251594439790 Too bad aircare doesn't do certified, that would be easy. So I called the Commerce City CSP office yesterday at 10 to make an appointment and was told I had to call on Monday at 8 to schedule an appointment. It was Monday. Apparently you have to call at 8am and get one of only a few available appointments. Left another message for the Golden CSP, they haven't returned my first call from weeks ago so I'm not holding my breath. I know they have more important things to do, but... Next I'm calling the Glenwood Police to see if they can do it. What a PITA.

[Java]

It looks good. In regards to the shocks. It doesn't look like you used trailer leaf springs but rather some off of an suv? The dynamics of those leaf springs could require shocks as they have a progressive rate as opposed to trailer springs which are stiff and all about load carrying vs ride comfort and load carrying.

Those are the stock springs from Travis' 2008 Tacoma. I'm still open to shocks, just going to wait and see.

I got the nicest callback from the CSP in Golden today, they didn't have an appointment anytime soon- October 23! It's good to have a date set, and again the CSP officer was just awesome. :thumb: Also, turns out I got bad info FROM THE DMV! Not to be mean, I screw up all day myself, but you don't need to do a title search on a trailer that can't possibly have been registered before to get a temporary tag, you just bring the confirmation email from the CSP about the VIN inspection date along with your Statement of Assembly, vehicle registration and insurance to the DMV and pay for a temp tag. That makes perfect sense. CSP FTW.

[Patrolman]

No need for insurance on the trailer. :)

[Hypoid]

vehicle registration and insuranceTrue and correct! When the trailer is hooked to the tow vehicle, it is covered by that insurance.

[CS79bronco]

Good looking trailer. Turned out very well and looks to be very functional. I would recommend ratchet straps rather than bungee cord. You need something that tightens well & won't stretch when the trailer bounces, letting your stuff bounce around & maybe bounce loose & fly off the trailer. Don't get the cheaper straps as they usually have poor ratchet mechanisms, but you don't need heavy duty ones either. The idea is to hold everything in place so it can't move. If it starts moving it will work itself loose.

[Java]

Yep, the insurance they want to see is for the vehicle, as is the registration. And they need to see my DL. Makes sense. re: Bungees, the containers on the trailer are empty, I'm just seeing how everything fits and figuring out where the rest of the tiedowns will go. the bungees are just so they don't fall off while in my yard. :) As long as I have a month before I can register it I'm putting shocks in too. Got a pair of NOS for the rear of an 88 Aerostar yesterday; no reason for that application except they were there, feel pretty mild and fit the measurements. Working on camp lighting too, and the all important camera mounts.

[Java]

So I'm wondering what to do here...

"Toyota is recalling 690,000 midsize Tacoma pickup trucks to fix a problem in the rear suspension.

The recall applies to 2005 to 2011 Tacoma 4x4 and Tacoma Pre-Runner pickup trucks.
Toyota says it notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that the trucks have rear leaf springs that could be subject to corrosion, leading to a fracture. If the leaf spring fractures, one of the plates could slide out of position and puncture the gas tank. The resulting fuel leak could cause a fire.
Leaf springs are made of individual pieces of metal that are sandwiched together, usually three or four of them. The problem could occur if one of the metal plates crack"

I have 2008 OEM Tacoma springs in my trailer that look fine, and I know don't have corrosion on them, and there is no gas tank, but now I'm wondering if I should swap them for something else. They are the same width as YJ springs, I'm using YJ shackles on them. Any thoughts? Thanks!

[The StRanger]

I wouldnt sweat it, You will see the corrosion be for you have a problem.
We have seen them coming through and they look like crap !!!

[Brad]

Your not going to put the trailer through the same paces as a truck puts them through. ie driving it under load with a fuel tank by the axle. You should be fine.

[theluke19]

And - if they were on the truck, you'd be using them daily. on the trailer, you'll put less than half as many miles on them.

[Java]

Thanks for the responses, I was thinking / hoping the same thing, it's good to hear it! Jeff gave me a warning about it a while back so it's been in my head. It would suck to have to replace the springs, the trailer is somewhat designed around them.

[Patrolman]

I wasn't aware of problems with the newer Taco springs, but the 1st gen Taco springs were known to crack the main leaf. I know someone who replaced both sides, and I believe I replaced 1 or 2. Frankly, they still held together as the crack was right in the middle of the axle, but the sag was noticeable. That was the dead giveaway. If you don't have anything visibly cracked, I wouldn't worry about it.

[Java]

It's official, got my VIN inspection done today, just need to go pay for the tags and title. Edit- forgot, I have to get a certified weight on it to. Getting it here http://wardlefeed.com/certified-scale . They were very nice at CSP, the officer that inspected the trailer was really on top of things, he looked at all of my paperwork and receipts and asked quite a few questions. He also had some good fab ideas about how to mount the license plate. One of the other guys that works there, in a shop I guess, showed me these really cool PIT maneuver practice vehicles, the bumpers were awesome. They tied into the frame but could be unbolted modularly if they got mangled; but to say those guys do some sweet welding and fabrication on the bumpers would be an understatement, I think they could take a lot of abuse before they'd need to. I also saw a cool truck with a lot of potential, it was a good time at CSP today! :thumb:

[MultiScuf]

Gratz

[Cr33p3r]

Congrats, trailer turned out awesome Paul!

[Brad]

Very cool! Congrats! :thumb:

[Java]

drove it to Wardle Feed this morning and got a certified weight- 660 lbs. That's with my tent in the carrier, and with my highlift jack, axe and shovel mounted. DMV Monday!!

[Hypoid]

Wow, things have changed! The clerk at the county office asked me how much I thought my trailer weighs, and how much I would sell it for. That established the taxable value and equipment requirements.

FWIW, I would have weighed the trailer while empty.

[gm4x4lover]

I just titled a 49' wedge that I bought with out a title or a vin. They asked me what I thought it weighed empty, and what I thought the gvwr should be. The best part is because it says Kaufman on the side the dumb didn't issue a hmd title but rather listed Kaufman as the manufacturer. So I ended up with a 2014 Kaufman wedge. Total score.

[Java]

Mike, you have the right idea, I should have taken those things off, but I'm sometimes lazy and I just didn't. That's the long and short of it, I looked at it and said f-it, weigh it as is. I'm guessing I added about 80 lbs with all that, and I will divide the cost of my registration by 660 and will know exactly how much my laziness cost me, per pound. :)

[Java]

Added shocks today, it was too bouncy on the road and reacted too much to little bumps. I also lowered the tires to 20 psi from 30, that should help a bunch. I got some 5/8" Grade 8.8 bolts and drilled the frame for them. Bolted them on with an 8.8 nut and red Loctite, then a washer / shock / washer / nyloc. The lower mounts were located with the shocks attached to the top, then I pulled the axle and welded them on. They're universal mounts from Summit Racing. I didn't get a pic of everything buttoned up, in the last pic I was waiting for the paint to dry on the lower mount, and it got dark before I put it away. Everything clears well, no rubbing, and it feels great. Not as dampened as my Jeep, but not the bouncy house it was. The minivan shocks seem to be a good choice so far.

[Hypoid]

Nice touch, Paul!

All my home built trailers already had shocks mounted. I never had a problem because of having shocks mounted.

[ILuvtheMountains]

Thanks for the responses, I was thinking / hoping the same thing, it's good to hear it! Jeff gave me a warning about it a while back so it's been in my head. It would suck to have to replace the springs, the trailer is somewhat designed around them.
Paul, I just got to catching up on this build and I have to say: great job! I am a fledgling fabricator and I hope to be able to put together something this unique and this level of quality!
as far as the springs go, I called toyota about the recall and they said my vin wasnt listed as needing any work. Also, there are so many 2nd gen taco guys replacing leaf packs that if you ever did have an issue you could just look around CL or have me scan tacomaworld.com for a seller and get another set of take offs from another taco for cheap. But, as everyone else said: you should be fine!
I have only one request, having furnished the springs: we MAKE SURE that we do a trail run/camping trip next summer. Both of my kids will be old enough and I would love to meet you in person finally. :)

[Java]

Paul, I just got to catching up on this build and I have to say: great job! I am a fledgling fabricator and I hope to be able to put together something this unique and this level of quality!
as far as the springs go, I called toyota about the recall and they said my vin wasnt listed as needing any work. Also, there are so many 2nd gen taco guys replacing leaf packs that if you ever did have an issue you could just look around CL or have me scan tacomaworld.com for a seller and get another set of take offs from another taco for cheap. But, as everyone else said: you should be fine!
I have only one request, having furnished the springs: we MAKE SURE that we do a trail run/camping trip next summer. Both of my kids will be old enough and I would love to meet you in person finally. :)

Thank you, and thank you for letting me know about your conversation with Toyota. I'm not much of a fabricator, just a guy with more tools than skills. I'm learning as I go. :) Absolutely we'll set up a trip!! :thumb:

[Java]

I guess this will wrap it up for a while, I dont have much else to do just now. The shocks are a fantastic addition, it rides silently and smoothly now, but articulates well enough that I have to raise the fenders a little as the tires rub a bit when it's flexed. This winter I'm going to work on a box to replace the flatbed, what I have in mind is something like the drawer systems a lot of Overland companies make for the backs of trucks with a battery / inverter built in. Also trail and camp lights, a big tool / parts box, and a shower.


Also, I was surprised to see that the area we meet up at by the Cemeteries has a real estate sign on it...

[Jim]

Looks great!

battery, inverter, shower, massage chair...

[Java]

Looks great!

battery, inverter, shower, massage chair...

That's Lincoln thinking!! :thumb:

[Java]

two things I wasn't sure of have worked out well:

Protecto-Wrap on the hitch ball to quiet down the lunette has worked out very well after a couple of uses. It is wearing, but easy enough to re-layer as needed.

The truck bed rack comes apart with 4 set screws and the top is light and easy for two people to move. It took two minutes to empty the carrier, loosen the 4 set screws and remove the top as a unit. I brought home eight 7/8" OSB with it, I always figured it would spend more time at Home Depot than camping. :)

[H8ROADS]

Pardon the super stupid question here, but where did you source most of the metal? I've been taking some welding classes and am thinking of doing a similar project, but honestly not sure where to start.

Also, nice work...turned out great!

[jayson44]

another question: what is the distance from your hitch to the axle? I'm trying to figure out why my trailer has death wobble at speeds higher than 35 when it's empty. I'm wondering if the PO cut the tongue too short when he cut off the pintle...

J.

[southpaws3]

probably not wanting to hear this ---------------AWESOME EYE PORN!!! .... is it going to be on the anniversary run?

[gm4x4lover]

Put some weight in front of the tires and see if it goes away.

[jayson44]

it only goes away if there's weight in the trailer. but I don't want to have to carry around 200lbs of weight just because...it never wobbled until I put the 33's on there...so they may not be the best balanced tires. but it needs a new frame regardless. just trying to plan stuff out and I wanted to see what others have come up with as far as good lengths for their off road trailers.

J.

[Java]

Jack- thank you, and the metal source- http://www.frontrange4x4.com/forums/showthread.php?20732-Metal-Supermarkets

Jay- I will measure the tongue to axle next chance I get, but I think more importantly my axle is set towards the rear of the bed, the trailer rakes forward, and the tongue is very heavy- I built it with receiver stock and heavy angle specifically to make it heavy. I'd guess your larger tires are raising the tongue to where it doesn't have enough pressure on the ball until you load it. Just a guess...

Thanks, Ed!! I hope to bring it on the anniversary run as a shakedown for Moab later in March. It's going over China Wall if I do!

[H8ROADS]

Jack- thank you, and the metal source- http://www.frontrange4x4.com/forums/showthread.php?20732-Metal-Supermarkets


Brilliant..thanks for the tip!

[jayson44]

I'd guess your larger tires are raising the tongue to where it doesn't have enough pressure on the ball until you load it.

that's what I was wondering, but I do know that there is a little bit of upward rake (the tongue has a slight upward angle to the ball) which is better than downward, correct? also, the frame is super flimsy angle iron...not sure if it's original or not. so I like your idea of building a new frame with a heavier tongue.

J.

[Brucker]

that's what I was wondering, but I do know that there is a little bit of upward rake (the tongue has a slight upward angle to the ball) which is better than downward, correct? also, the frame is super flimsy angle iron...not sure if it's original or not. so I like your idea of building a new frame with a heavier tongue.

J.

Think Paul nailed it on that one. Lower the trailer or raise the hitch/ball.


Paul, nice work with the trailer! hope it works out well for you for a long time.

[Java]

there is a little bit of upward rake (the tongue has a slight upward angle to the ball) which is better than downward, correct?

J.
as I understand it the goal is level, but I'm open to correction! Mine rakes forward empty, levels out loaded. So far it's been fine, but now I'm wondering...

[southpaws3]

C and m metel 3037617881 in Englewood /sheridan old hampden road has plenty of steel eveven has a salvage yard in the back where you can pick up scrap iron precut messed up all available

[Java]

I redid the fenders this week into a more functional form. I took off the twin trailer fenders and replaced them with a frame made from steel with tons of holes in it (bungee heaven!), added some gussets and put 32" x 12" cutting board plastic on top with stainless fasteners. I used a hammer to resolve a small conflict between the fender frame and the shock absorber on the passenger side. I added a small support bracket and two through bolts to attach an ammo can to each fender for waterproof storage. The fenders are tables now, and really strong. I can support a big water container on them so I'm considering cutting a drain with a stopper in the bottom of one of the ammo cans, bedliner it, and use it as a sink.

Before: http://www.frontrange4x4.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38596&stc=1&d=1411349293

[Jim]

Multi-function is a nice thing!

[Brian]

Very cool! It's like a rolling Swiss Army knife!

[Java]

sorry if this is just news to me, but I was happy to find that Home Depot has supersized their 27 gallon black container to 55 gallons. It's awesome, 27.00 and holds a ton of stuff. :thumb:

[Java]

new tires and wheels, 15 x 6 steel and 225/75r15 trailer tires, 28" tall by about 8" wide. I went 5" smaller, for about a 2.5" drop in height that should put the trailer at the perfect height in relation to my Jeep. The 33x12.50 ATs were too tall, the trailer was always tilted, and the real issue was that it slipped too much on the trail in off camber situations- the trailer weighs maybe 1000lbs loaded for bear and spread out over two big tires there wasn't much grip. It really slipped a lot, like every time it got sideways. It turns out trailer tires have a certian tread style for a reason- they have little siping and continuous tread beads for lateral stability, exactly my issue. They don't brake or accelerate so they don't need tread that does those things well, they need to track straight. We'll see... so far I really like them, and they are 8 ply so they should hold up well.

[JandDGreens]

Paul trailer looks great. Hope some day ((this summer) I can get mine on the road. I would like to take it to Moab in the Fall but will see how it goes.

[The StRanger]

Very nice.

[Patrolman]

Sounds like the trailer tires should solve the problems that you had. Additionally they probably have a lower rolling resistance, so you may find a slight increase in road manners.

My only question is what are you doing for a spare?

[Java]

The spare is in progress, it's going on a swing out carrier that will also retain cargo and I'm not sure if I can fit a same-size spare there or not. I wanted to have tires this size before I got the carrier built to measure accurately. I'm going to get an identical tire / wheel, ideally, or the closest I can fit realistically. Fortunately trailer wheels come from 12x4 up to 15x6 with 5x4.5 bolt patterns with a few sizes of tires to choose from so I'll do what I can. Fullsize is ideal but since they're independent hubs different size tires aren't a mechanical problem. I just rebuilt both hubs too, new bearings and races all around, and I'm adding bearing buddies.

[Patrolman]

The bearing buddies are great. I did the same mod to my pop up trailer. They can be a bit of a PITA to get tapped into place, but the end result is well worth it.

[Java]

Progress on the swing out tire carrier / cargo box retainer. The cool part is it has cost $0.00, its all stuff I had sitting around.

I cut the head off a long bolt, welded a washer to it and welded it to one of the uprights. To stop it from bending when the carrier swings I added a small wrench that came with something, twisted it to fit and used a self-tapping screw to secure it to the upright.

On the other upright I welded a bolt for a striker, I fit a piece of rubber over it and have a big wing nut that fits it. If you think that top weld is a booger you should see the bottom! :lmao:

I had an odd double-U shaped bracket from an old workout machine that fit some scrap steel I had for the cross piece, I doubled the scrap steel in the middle to bolt on the tire carrier. On the end that meets the striker I made a flat steel pad with a hole in it from other scrap and welded it to the cross piece.

The tire carrier is two light brackets from the roof rack of my old FJ60 with a mangled wheel spacer from my Jeep bolted to them. That attaches to the cross piece with two U-bolts I have from another project.

The red paint I just have, it's Rustoleum Sunrise Red which happens to almost perfectly match OEM Jeep Flame Red. I painted stuff outside but moved it in to my garage to dry overnight.

[Java]

got a little break in the weather for a test fit, so far so good.

[Java]

more progress, got the hilift mounted to the front uprights, my cooler goes infront of it.

added a small handle to the tire carrier

added a chain to the carrier that transfers the weight to the rack when its open. I wove a small bungee into it to keep it quiet and out of the way.

put bearing protectors on the hubs, put a whole mini tube of Green Grease in each one. I had to rebuild one of the hubs after a few watercrossings, both races were scored and making noise, so hopefully this will prevent that from happening again. I also bought two more bearing sets for spares just incase.

just need a spare tire and I'm done, ready for our first camping trip of the year. I'll probably just take the 20% off coupon to Harbor Freight and buy a new one, about $50.00 for the tire/wheel.

[Brian]

I might have missed it Paul, but do you have any aux lighting or plans for such. The trailer looks like a natural for some LED spots on either side. Would be handy at night for repairs or just to throw some light where needed. Digging the build! :smokin:

[Java]

Thinking about mounting a battery, lights, outlets, solar charger and propane down the road, but that's still in the scheming and dreaming phase...

[Java]

spare tire on, got it at Harbor Freight with the coupon. it's little, it will do for now but I'm going to do an underbed mount for a fullsize spare ASAP.

[Java]

Got it out for a quick trip to Fourmile, found a great spot on 376AA. The new tires make it so much easier to maneuever by hand and it had zero issues. The fender / tables are the best upgrade, there is no downside to having two more tables when you're camping! The tire carrier needs improvement, and I have some other stuff in mind, but so far so good! :thumb:

[Java]

Upgraded the tire carrier, cut the uprights down and capped them, and repainted the whole thing in Hammered Black Rustoleum. The tailights work but are beat up and had cracks in the housings, so I ordered an upgrade, new LED taillights are coming Monday. I also sanded and repainted the plywood deck on both sides.

I made the carrier out of two greaseable hinges I bought from Amazon, some Superstrut from Homedepotand a small piece of square tubing. Pretty simple. I left the top piece long as a handle, and added a drawlatch to close it tightly and a hoop to support the end when it's closed. I added two feet from an outdoor workstation to contact the rack when it closes and keep it from rattling, and the tire carrier itself is an old wheel spacer that had to be cut off one lug spaced out with a piece of square tubing. I offset the tire carrier so it can carry something (?) else, and left the ends open because there are all sorts of things you can do with superstrut, including spring loaded nuts that fit inside of it.

It's all painted and drying in my yard, hope to put it back together tomorrow. :thumb:

[Java]

more

[Java]

Taking this to the Central City area tomorrow to take on trail sale pics. all know issues are resolved, even organized the spare parts into a kit. :thumb:

[Java]

Apparently on June 24th "tomorrow" meant August... I've been having some separation anxiety, but it's going up for sale...?

[JandDGreens]

Paul I understand (labor/love) you did a nice job on it. Hope you get what you're asking for it.

[Java]

I'm back on the fence, I really like this thing and... IDK... we want to get a pop up and I currently only have room for one trailer. Might have to make more room.

[Brian]

I don't know how loaded you leave it when not in use, but it looks like it would be a decent candidate to store vertically or suspended out of the way to make more room.

[Java]

If I understand you correctly you mean my wife should start parking on the street? That does make a lot of sense, thank you. :thumb:

[Brian]

If I understand you correctly you mean my wife should start parking on the street? That does make a lot of sense, thank you. :thumb:

Exactly!

[Java]

Decided to ditch the homemade fender tables, ordered these https://www.recpro.com/steel-trailer-fenders-single-axle-36-x-13-x-20/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvMuD2cOP6wIVrB-tBh1gyAEuEAYYAiABEgLFjvD_BwE

https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-kwuh809851/images/stencil/608x608/products/1786/14278/RP-FNDS-361320-Fender-Measurewments__45113.1584465283.jpg?c=2

[Java]

New fenders- the backing plates only go about 1/2 way down because the tires articulate inward and I anticipated a conflict. Ordered a set of mudflaps for a semi that I'll cut to fill the rest so they can flex. The fenders are mounted slightly to the rear so as the axle flexes it will not hit, and they are mounted higher than needed for 31s in anticipation of 33s or 35s down the road. I made them bolt on instead of welding them so I have a good deal of adjustability need be. Thank you again for the tires and wheels, Jim! I got a wire wheel for my angle grinder and cleaned them up, turns out all the major rust was on the cosmetic trim ring. I soaked the bolts in vinegar for a couple of days, they came out shiny silver but developed surface rust overnight so I cleaned them up again and just painted them along with the wheels. The paint is Rustoleum Hammered Black. Replaced the valve stems with angled ones from a motorcycle. Replaced my hitch pintle / ball combo with a regular pintle hook too. I also added a locking cargo box I already had to the front, through bolted to the frame.