Tall skinny tires for use on a off road trailer

[02RangerXLT]

My tri-rib tractor tires have no such problem.

And they are pretty much slicks with three ribs that run around the diameter.

Same on our spreader as well. Ours is set up to use old airplane tires...

 

[Tractorman]

Ha I take it you guys don't get stuck we were this fall. Talk about miserable.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Ha I take it you guys don't get stuck we were this fall. Talk about miserable.

No it was really dry here, people were actually wishing for a rain during harvest to take a break.

Last spring after all of our snow melted I was up to the front hubs in slop blading out the lot though.

 

[holyford86]

Well, I picked up a pair of 235/85R16 Cooper Discoverer LT tires today, will be picking up a pair of 16" stock ranger wheels in the next few days.

 

[strvger]

they should work out well for you.
spent many years in the military, don't know why i didn't think of the 9.00x16 tires they use. probably around to 33 inches tall. big, heavy suckers for sure. and to buy them new, would probably cost you the same as the coopers or more, and they would be bias ply.

 

[holyford86]

they should work out well for you.
spent many years in the military, don't know why i didn't think of the 9.00x16 tires they use. probably around to 33 inches tall. big, heavy suckers for sure. and to buy them new, would probably cost you the same as the coopers or more, and they would be bias ply.

Hmm, never thought of the military tires myself, I picked up the coopers used, in good shape for $50

 

[strvger]

sweet deal!

 

[holyford86]

sweet deal!

Just picked up a tailgate for the thing for $30, little bit of rot on the bottom but opens and closes nicely

 

[fyre82]

I've pieced mine together over the last year or two. Improved the suspension to identical on the tow rig, '88 Hi Rider 4x Ranger.

When we built it, we definitely weren't too technical, a tape measure, and eyeballs.
The thing tows perfectly straight, follows like it isn't there and hauls an exceptional load for short bed.

My trailer page is http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2534007/1988-ford-ranger-regular-cab/page-6 check it out if you like.

Rich

 

[holyford86]

nice, that's the same kind of route I'm going.

 

[holyford86]

Well, made some progress on this build today, got the cab removed from the donor frame, got the lift blocks installed, and got the tires on. The front suspension and front half of the frame are still connected to it for now. I wanted to see where it was going to sit height wise so I know what I have to do to make it sit right when it has a hitch welded to it. It looks like it's going to be within a couple of inches of my goal of using less than a 4" drop hitch without having to pie cut the frame to bend it up to work.

Blocks installed

Wheels on

All installed

Very bad pic of the whole thing (it was dark)
Costs so far:
Hitch & Ball- $50
Tires & Wheels- $100
Tailgate -$30
Blocks & Hardware - $40
06 + Tails (factory ones were missing) - $63

Total so far is $283

I still have to pick up a few odds and ends like:
(estimated)
Shackle mounts $40
Cables and hardware to make the parking brakes operational as a hill holding brake $50
trailer jack $50
Additional hardware $10

All of this should leave me with something that is reliable and registerable with a grand total of roughly $433

I am also planning on making this thing useful as a "tent" I'll be picking up a topper and a foam mattress to use it for camping as money allows.

 

[fyre82]

Looking really good!

I will suggest that you cut the frame as far forward as you can, even with the hitch right off the end of the frame this will be extremely short.
Mine is very sensitive to changes while backing and gets jack knifed in a blink.

Keep up the good work.

Rich

 

[holyford86]

I figured that it would be real easy to jack knife it. One thing that I hope will help a bit is the fact that this is a longbed that I'm using

 

[fyre82]

That long bed will help a bit I'm sure.
If I remember right, we cut just behind the cab, in front of the cross member.
Then just notched and two of us were able to bend the frame rails together.
I wish I had pics of that part of the build.

Keep up the good work.

Rich

 

[holyford86]

More progress today

frame cut

Almost finished with the welding (not me doing it)

Hitched to the truck. More pics to come