Utility Bed as a Trailer (specific advice)

[LukeD]

I have it in my head that using a utility bed as the base for my trailer is the way to go. I have a pile of kids so I have a Ford E350 7.3PSD passenger van and I want to build a matching trailer with a couple of roof top tents, kitchen, cargo etc. I will pull it around the mountains of central California and possibly down to Mexico a few times, possibly longer trips but service and fire roads only.

I found an old long bed utility bed for a couple hundred dollars, I know it's about 1000 pounds and I will need to buy/build a frame and axle for it.

Couple of questions

1.Weight – figure it’s going to be about a 2500 pound trailer with tents and kitchen but not water/cargo , the van will have no issues pulling it, what am I missing? Negatives?

2.Axle – can I get a trailer axle with hubs that match my 8 on 170mm lug pattern of the van? I want to put the same wheels and tires (35x12.50x17E) on it so I only have to carry one spare

3.Tongue weight – the utility box is for a long bed so the wheel wells are way in the back and a lot of the weight will be up towards the tongue, no experience with trailers, will this be an issue?

I have done some searches and found one thread with the trailer being pulled by the bronco. There just doesn’t seem to be any discussion about anything except weight, other than a bit a MPG's why shouldn't I go this route?

Any advice is appreciated

Luke

 

[Titanpat57]

I think it would make a great platform ...especially if it was aluminum and a utility body for a single wheel axle, and not a dual.

Some utility bodies are even fiberglass, like a surplus Verizon truck or from a utility company.

Beautiful tow vehicle, but the weight adds up quick.

What's your skill level?

Pat

 

[LukeD]

Thanks for the Reply Pat

THe utility bed in the picture is the one I can get for like $200, it's steel and is on a dually truck.

My skill level for building this up is pretty good with the exception of welding and cutting but I have a friend that would do any of that work

 

[ntsqd]

1. Nothing that I can see and everything at the same time. Building a trailer isn't rocket surgery, but there are a lot of nuances and unexpected design details that will crop up. The dually's width would have me looking for a SRW version even though the price is right.

2. No idea. I would highly suggest that the trailer have it's own spare. When you build the frame get the spare tire winch from a truck in the junkyard and hang the spare under the rear of the trailer.
Personally I don't see much value is making the trailer tire size the same as the tow rig - particularly when the tire size is larger than a 31, but that is the 'in' thing to do these days.

3. Search out my thread on designing trailers. I came across some good links that will help you get the tongue weight within a reasonable range.

Design to use shocks no matter what spring type you go with. Stay away from the typical, short trailer leaf springs. They are too stiff for this use. You do not need the trailer to articulate, it has the tow coupler to allow for rotation, but you do want a soft enough ride that the eggs in the cooler/fridge aren't broken when you get where you're going. I will suggest using a late model GM pick-up rear leaf spring if leaves are the type chosen.

 

[elmo_4_vt]

I second the opinion of continuing to look for a SRW option, maybe of a little less length so that the wheel is more centered front-to-back. There are a lot of good options out there, and I wouldn't think the size and bulk of the bed you posted are warranted. I can easily pack for my extended family in my "little" 7'x5' utility bed. Even if you want to hang dual roof-top-tents on the trailer, I think it would be better to have them overhang the front of back a little bit then to tray and get something 9'+ long. Also, you're always going to have stuff that you don't want inside the trailer (propane, etc), so expect that there will be some length added for a tongue box of some sort.

As far as weight, while you're thinking that a few MPG won't be a big deal, and you're probably right with that beast of a tow rig, less weight is always going to be better. And even my 350lb utility body weighs in at around 2000lbs when fully loaded with tent, water, food, gas, and clothes. Starting at 1000lbs, having a bigger frame, and having even more room to pack even more stuff leads me to believe that the final weight will be well above the 2500lb mark. Just some more food for thought.

Don

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[bftank]

for $200 i say go for it. you can always take the extra width out of the middle to narrow it.

for springs go to junkyard and get ford f250 or 350 rear leaf springs

for axle either buy trailer axle with matching pattern or redrill a used one. or you could buy a newer rear axle with your lug pattern cut the spindles off and retube it using the spindles and hubs from the axle. use old axles to seal the hubs. carry spare van axleshafts inside it maybe.

 

[ntsqd]

for $200 i say go for it. you can always take the extra width out of the middle to narrow it.

This thought just occurred to me yesterday. Extra work, but might be worth the effort. It would be for me.

for springs go to junkyard and get ford f250 or 350 rear leaf springs

Anything in particular driving this suggestion? I've no idea, so I'm curious about why that application suggestion.

for axle either buy trailer axle with matching pattern or redrill a used one. or you could buy a newer rear axle with your lug pattern cut the spindles off and retube it using the spindles and hubs from the axle. use old axles to seal the hubs. carry spare van axleshafts inside it maybe.

In the Cheep Utility Trailer project I did exactly the the latter. We cut the spindles off of a 19 spline Dana 60 housing, inboard of the spring perches, and found a remnant tube that would fit over the axle housing tube. I then welded in a drain plug bung off the side at the bottom (facing to the rear so it's protected) and a fill plug bung on the top. The fill plug has a hose barb fitting in it for the vent and the axle tube is about 3/4 full of 90wt gear lube for the wheel bearings. We did cut the axle shafts off the flanges and reused them rather than making blank-off plates. It was easier to do it that way, and no one is going to miss a set of square spline axle shafts.

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

I'm in the middle of just such a project. It's been dead in the water for the most part since last October as I took an out of town assignment for work, but the gears are still turning in my head.

Here's a link to my build thread: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32267

Feel free to hit me up with any questions.

 

[miller_au]

Looks like a fun project. Not too sure on how ruff the tracks are that you use but you might find the departure angle of that truck bed wont be too good, there looks like quite a bit of over hang.

All that aside looks like a good platform, lots of storage options and dual RTT's would look cool!