DIY Expedition trailer

Grim Reaper

Expedition Leader
I'm all about the cheap. I am shooting to build a trailer for around $1500 complete. It should have a dry weight around 600lb. Main box about 40-44 x 60x 30. It will have 4 storage compartments 30x20x32 on the front.

I have been collecting items for a Expedition style trailer to pull with my 4Runner for about 10 months. I collected some decommissioned equipment cabinets that I bought from the Scrap company we use.

The boxes are made out of 5053 1/8 inch thick aluminum and powder coated white. Need to do some modifications including stripping some ventilation fans and hoods but otherwise pretty well ideal for my needs. The rear boxes I was going to seal but I may have found something better. I had two boxes may have showed up last week. They are 44x32x30 and have a bulb style gasket. Need to see if I can buy these boxes Monday and I will be ready to build.

The over all size will be about the same as the Chaser including the area the water tank sits on. Just a bit taller. I will use an off the shelf 20lb backyard grill LP tank instead of the small LP tank on the chaser. You can pick those up just about every other gas station so they will ease finding propane. Brackets are readily available as well. I will have a line plumbed up to where I will have my camp stove and a second line routed to the rear for a lantern.

The frame will be 2x3 box, Its just a good easy to deal with size that makes gasket mount tail lights easy to do. It has good rigidity to handle the rigors of off road. Easy to fish wiring through for lighting. Grab handle integrated at all 4 corner as well as clevis mounts for extraction if it gets stuck. I have a spare M8000 warn I had originally intended to mount permanently to the rear of the 4Runner. I think I will put on a receiver mount now. That will allow for it to be attached to the trailer as well as the rear of the truck. It can power off the trailer battery if needed to be separated from the truck.

Axle will be a 6 lug set up to match the Toyota it will be pulled with. For the short term it will run a 235x75x15 (that are currently on my 4Runner. Rims in the picture with new tires will replace them) but eventually run the same size 32-33's the truck will be on. That will allow the spares from truck and trailer to be interchangeable. I have thought about using a spare rear Toyota axle and run an alternator off the pinion to charge the on-board battery. Problem is to make it have trailer brakes. Yeah I could go surge but that has issues as well when backing in trail situations. Lot of extra weight as well. So sporting for a 3500lb loaded trailer axle is starting to make more sense.

Shooting for a 20 gallon water tank and use a portable show unit like a Zodi and plumb it to make hot water out of the main tank. Possibly a small pull out basin in one of the cabinets.

I will build a frame to support a roof top style tent that I plan to make. The idea is to have enough room to get the top hatches on the main box open. The frame should also serve as a exocage to help protect the trailer in the event it is layed over. It will have out rigors to support one end of a inexpensive 11x11 canopy. There will be a shelf built off the exo frame for prep areas and serve as the top of the fender. It will end up about 13 inches deep.

I am torn on fuel tanks. I have a 15 gallon tank with a 12v fuel pump and digital fuel level gage off a jet ski available. A NATO can may make more sense since the truck will already have a rack mounted.

It would be nice to have a pump out reserve tank but I also may be coming into possession of a 4500 Onan. Too much weight (it makes a full size van its presently on list badly) to go on this trailer but it may get mounted to the trailer I pull with my Suburban or it might get sold in favor of something like a EU3000 Honda that should fit in one of the forward storage boxes. Not sure if I will come up with a better tank for the Onan generator then the Jet ski tank if I do keep the Onan.


Here is a couple mock up pictures of the trailer including my stellar Paint skills!
Hopefully I can started on this soon. Just have to see how time goes.
 

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paulj

Expedition Leader
While your design is different, you may still get some useful ideas from web sites and forums about teardrop trailers.

paulj
 

Grim Reaper

Expedition Leader
paulj said:
While your design is different, you may still get some useful ideas from web sites and forums about teardrop trailers.

paulj

If I didn't come up with these boxes I may have built an offroad teardrop. They just tickle me to death. I probably have every teardrop site on the web book marked. I really hate tent camping and the teardrop would fix that.

The problem is the teardrop is it is a camper only if you build in the galley. This set up will let me get some cargo use out of it as well. Cant get much cargo through the side hatches of a teardrop and the shape makes a halo rack difficult.

The rack on this set up will handle plywood and long objects. Lids taken off the main box will let me haul other messy stuff I don't want to put in the back of my Sub or 4Runner and be able to clean out with the yard blower or hose.

It will haul the overburden of junk that comes when the family travels if we re not using the Airstream we are restoring. Some how with my family a 454 suburban can't haul enough crap for a week at the beach houses we rent. We end up pulling my other cargo trailer to haul bikes, beach chairs, grills, kitchen sinks and 20 gallons of water because wife hates the sulfur taste of FL water.
 

Grim Reaper

Expedition Leader
Mmmmmm Drugs are bad MmmOK

ROCK THIS!

While looking through Craigslist I came on a little gem that for the bargain basement price of $200 I just couldn't pass on. The box 4x6ft. Just 6 inches shorter then I would have built but I can make it work. Its rough but I couldn't buy the materials for $200. Its missing the top but no biggie. Just makes it easier to make a Flip Pac style top for it.

Its been tagged and will need a paint job. It at one time belonged to a band and they were a little rough on it. :rockon:

The best side I don't even have a picture of. Its painted GOLD. Has a little rust I need to repair but most of it is in places that I will modify so not a big deal. Main frame is 2x2inch 10gage. The sides are 1x1 steel with some formed pieces at the top and skinned with 22gage steel. It is remarkably sturdy. A little bracing and suspension upgrade and it should work out.

I guess it weights somewhere around 400lb maybe a tad less. I couldn't even feel it behind the Suburban. Haven't hooked it to the 4runner yet but I think it will be fine. Need to swap out the hubs for 6 luggers and it will be set.

My last revision of the trailer included some new boxes 44x32x30 that I planned on attaching so the doors would open up on the side and make a shelter area on the side a the box would form the roof and side and I would build a floor. Now I will just put the door on the side of this trailer. A lot less fabrication involved. The smaller boxes will be mounted through the side in the nose. I will make a new A frame like the front of the adventure trailer with the receiver allowing me to use one of their supper flexible hitch set ups and mount LP tank and other gear. Eventually scrap the leaf springs for independent suspension.

Tomorrow a quick coat of white house paint just to make it look a little better for the neighbors till I can make some time to work on it. Get it tagged as well.

The pictures are from the add.
Heck here is the add till its removed http://atlanta.craigslist.org/tls/302787559.html
 

Grim Reaper

Expedition Leader
Thought you would like that score.

Just got back from the tag office so now its even legal. I have a few hours work to do on the 4Runner and then out of money for it till next paycheck.

Will probably start tinkering on it late today or tomorrow since I have plenty of parts on hand that I have been collecting. Quick look and I think I can get it roofed with what I have here. The Flip top will be on the back burner for a while.

Flipping the axle looks like it will net about 4-5 inches of lift. That should clear the 235x75x15's I have been holding for it. I think I will have to swap the axle. Not enough space to get the 4Runner rims on it with the back set they have. Lacks about 2 inches.

OHHHHHH MAN is it lite! I rolled it UP my drive way by hand without a problem. I think its maybe 300-350lb as it sits. I figure 400-450lb with the roof and side doors on it before it gets a Battery and other doodads added.
 

Rezarf <><

Explorer
Very cool. How does the frame appear to be? Is it rugged enough for light duty, medium duty?

I bet with several corner braces you could make that thing as stiff as a drum.

Take lots of pics, we'd love to see 'em

Drew
 

Grim Reaper

Expedition Leader
The frame is 2x2 .120 wall. It is surprisingly sturdy. I'm 230lb and the floor feels very solid. It has a 1500lb pay load. What give I feel is suspension and tires like it should be.

The way it is built I can add a couple diagonal braces and turn the bottom 12 -16 inches into a truss and make it even stronger with only about 15-25 extra lb. Something like this: IXIXI Or I/I\I Add in some blue foam board and a interior skin for insulation and clean it up visually.

When I make a new tongue, like the A-Frame tongue on the Adventure trailer it will add a lot of strength to the front half.

The part that is weak is the axle and it is gone anyway once I find a axle to work with 6x5.5 so I can run the same pattern as the toy that pulls it. Eventually I hope to have it up on 33x9.5's so if I loose tires on the truck I can steal a tire off the trailer.

What really sold me was the back door. I just couldn't build anything that nice for less then $150 after I priced out the parts.

It will get a fold up shelf for a Galley area. I even have the perfect table. A aluminum door off a service cabinet. Nice white powder coat finish and already has a full length piano hinge. Couple cable supports or fold out support and its good to go.

Thought I would have some time to work on it today but got shot down. Seems with all my precautions when making my e-locker control circuit that worked perfect on the bench, I managed to cross up a couple wires when I installed it in the truck. Ended up having to pull everything loose and trace it down to find where I screwed up and it took a couple hours. Works now though. Neighbors looked really impressed with the 33's squealing when I locked to a full spool. :xxrotflma
 

Rezarf <><

Explorer
Everything sounds good.

I would brace the floor like you mentioned, either would work but the IXIXI would be stronger. Lighter gauge tubing would work with all the triangulation you'd have going on.

I would insulate the floor as well. It makes great sense. You are wanting to sleep inside this thing right?

The galley idea is SWEET! I thought about doing that as well, but the additional pounds to brace the sides like that would add lots of #'s. So I am going to do a slide out kitchen like the drifta.

Keep it up, nice score for sure!

Rezarf <><
 

RunninRubicon

Adventurer
I'd humbly recommend you attempt to keep the weight to a minimum. Most all trailers start life light and then we add this and that. Next you know, your draggin too much. Try life w/o the cross-braces. Use aluminum in construction of the galley were possible. 60% weight in front of the axle is an important therom to work from. But certainly sounds like one heck of a start. You can't beat the price!
 

Grim Reaper

Expedition Leader
RunninRubicon said:
I'd humbly recommend you attempt to keep the weight to a minimum. Most all trailers start life light and then we add this and that. Next you know, your draggin too much. Try life w/o the cross-braces. Use aluminum in construction of the galley were possible. 60% weight in front of the axle is an important therom to work from. But certainly sounds like one heck of a start. You can't beat the price!

Ohh yeah weight is a BIG concern. I have learned my lesson on that. My other trailer is too heavy to be pulled by this truck. Hence the reason I bought this trailer.

The skin on this is steel and it has issues beyond the wonderful paint. I have about decided that it would be a LOT easier to just skin it back to the framing. The exterior sheet is held on with TEK screws. I will have more issue getting them out then anything. Once the skin is off I can quickly clean and paint the frame.

Re skin it with between .032 -.050 pre-finished white or Bone (to match the parts I have) aluminum. I know at www.wrisco.com (local to me) I can get .032 Mill for about $32 for a 4x8 sheet. Pre coated white probably be under $50 a sheet. I figure buy the time I buy strippers and paint I would have $50-60 and 2-3 weekends.

I could skin the whole exterior with two sheets and 4 bends in a weekend. Probably take me longer to get the old skin off then the new. So I will probably be lighter then when I got it till I get the side gull wing doors and roof on. Both of those I have and they are also Aluminum.

The gull wing (think utility shell) doors are going to add LARGE holes in the sides. They are 44x 32 out side dimensions and will allow easy access to anything in the trailer from the sides and keep rain out and allow cross ventilation when camping. Once the new wheels are on it the top will be close to 6ft from my best guess.

The sheet steel sides are actually helping strengthen the trailer. I think it wise to add some structure back in once those holes are cut. Once you see a picture of the interior you will understand the need. It will not add a lot of weight but will add a lot of rigidity from the tip of the tongue to the axle.

I am debating skinning the inside with the same aluminum as exterior or 3/8’s ply on the bottom 16 inches and ¼ luan or combo of Aluminum on the rest of the interior for durability and to cover over the insulation. The 3/8s along the bottom would also help with strength as well if fastened properly.

I am going to try to keep it mostly empty inside so I can get cargo duty out of it in between trips. What does go in it will be easily removed...Chuck box fold up table etc. I am debating a fixed water tank or just a couple Scepter cans on the side in front of the wheel wells.

My original build was going to use four of the boxes in the first post of the thread. I think one of those will go on the tongue and have battery and recovery gear in it. 20lb LP tank on top of that. Sell off the other 3. That will assure I am always 60% or better weight to the nose even empty. Once I get the SOA done and the 235x75x15’s on it I can see how the ground clearance is. Hope to have enough so as to hang the spare tire in front of the axle again making sure we keep the tongue weight. Right now it has maybe 30-35lb on the tongue. I want something closer to 100-125lb.

I think I have the roof top tent figured out where it will be lite but that will be a project for later in the year.
 

Rezarf <><

Explorer
Very Cool-

Lightwieght vs. Strength will always be your battle. I would make sure it stays together first, then think of how to keep it light.

Nothing quite like an ultra light broken trailer.

Drew
 

RunninRubicon

Adventurer
Light vs STRONG

I concur with the therom of strength will carry you home. However, as I said before and I humbly submit it again. Strive to keep the weight low. Strength can be found through considered moves and materials. As I read it, it appears the man's got in hand. I look forward to view pic's when your done.:victory:
 

Grim Reaper

Expedition Leader
Made some head way on it the past few days. The Skin will be replaced with new aluminum sheet in a few weeks so just pretend you don't see the rust. ;)

For an idea of the size...It is rough foot print is the same as a 1/4 on M416 ( http://vegasauto.net/m416.html military trailer ). Just 48 inches from floor to roof. It is just big enough inside for me to sleep on the floor. I will probably build a sleeping platform so I can store gear under the bed. Hang some mosquito netting on the side doors and it will be ready to camp. :1888fbbd:

Axle is 58 face to face. That's the same as the 4Runner that will pull it but it has to run a shallow offset rim because the body between the frame is a little wider (48) then the 4Runner (42). When the axle gets swapped it will be for a 60-62inch axle so that it can run the deep offset wheels the truck runs. Would have preferred it track the same as the truck but not possible unless I got to a 3.5 back set on the 4Runner. That would cause clearance problems on the truck so this will be the most cost effective route.

I flipped the axle from on top of the springs to under the springs for some lift so I don't have to use a drop draw bar to pull it.

Got the side doors mounted this week. Got the top of the body/frame repaired and ready to support anything I can dream of. For right now it will just have a rack like a ladder rack on a van. Later down the road I will make the flip open top. I did already add the braces and add the structure for it. I can walk on the roof no problem.

When I replace the skin the full frame will be cleaned and painted. You will notice a vertical member in the side door opening. That will be gone hopefully tomorrow. Just haven't cut it out and added in the lower bar along the bottom of the door opening yet.

The hitch is short and makes it really hard to back. I pan to swap out that hitch for a longer A-Frame set up. I think I will also use a reciever and make the hitch where I can slide it out when needed to make backing easy and pull it tight to make it draft better on the hwy. The axle will be moved forward a couple inches and the fenders replaced with a larger radius to accomodate larger tires when the hitch is swapped. Its foot print will be closer to the Adventrue trailer with a storage box on the tongue at that point.

Right now funds are tight ($450 vet bill this week :( ) so it will stay on 5 lugs for now. I have a set of Mags that will go on it tomorrow with better tires till I can swing the axle.

Tomorrow after work I hook it to my truck and run it down to my buddies shop to mount the tires on the rims. Drag it to work Friday to pick up banquet tables and a canopy for a blood drive on Saturday. Pack it full of stuff Friday night go about 50 miles to the location of the blood drive Saturday morning. Then home and back to work Monday to drop off the tables and canopy. I figure I will put about 250-300 miles on it in the next few days. Good way to break it in.
 
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