Lifted truck bed trailer?

[North Idaho 5.oh]

So I ended up getting a 94 ranger that has no title. (Vin verified)
I originally purchased it for a parts donor, but when I was done I wanted to build a lifted truck bed trailer.
Now my question is, should I swap springs and axle? Or just leave all that alone?
I want to put a little toolbox and the usual stuff, but is a camper (flip-pac) a little too much? As far as weight distribution?

 

[Otis413]

Are you going to use the truck frame or build a frame from scratch? I'v built a few trailers in my little welding shop over the years, use good shocks and if hauling a camper use an anti sway-bar, (especially if lifted) I think '94 had them OEM.
I personally would use a trailer axle with electric brakes, they're common with the same wheel bolt pattern as the Ranger so you can use matching wheels.

 

[sgtsandman]

I don’t know how well the OEM brakes would work with a surge brake actuator but it might be an option to look at. Just make sure it has a lock out so you can back the trailer without engaging the brakes.

 

[Otis413]

I don’t know how well the OEM brakes would work with a surge brake actuator but it might be an option to look at. Just make sure it has a lock out so you can back the trailer without engaging the brakes.

I'v been thinking about trying this, it would be handy to use the old parking brake hooked to a ratcheting handle (like the kind between the seats of cars) mounted on the trailer tongue to help keep it from drifting off...

 

[Curious Hound]

I'v been thinking about trying this, it would be handy to use the old parking brake hooked to a ratcheting handle (like the kind between the seats of cars) mounted on the trailer tongue to help keep it from drifting off...

Nope.
Nope. Never seen a trailer with a hand brake.

 

[sgtsandman]

My only concern is that the hand brake lever you are talking about wasn’t made to be exposed to the weather. A Traditional brake lever might be a better choice.

 

[Otis413]

It would be I'm sure, I just have an old '84 Escort project car in my barn (3.0L V6 powered) that has the ratcheting handle, just thinking about using the parts I have on hand..

 

[Otis413]

If you're thinking about building your own frame (as I am) here's some measurements I took while my bed is off.

Short bed mounting measurements.

My current rebuild looks like I'll have a spare bed in repairable shape (cosmetic rust mostly) and I'm planning to make a trailer out of it, with a topper/cap, it could come in handy. So while the bed was off I took some measurements in order to build my trailer frame. (I have some 6" channel...

www.therangerstation.com

Bed mounting measurements.

 

[racsan]

if youre using the truck frame, make the toungue as long as possible, add a tool box & spare to the front to help with toungue weight. when I first built mine I couldnt sit on the tailgate without raising the hitch off the ground. Im still using the stock truck axle, added coil helpers and a sway bar. I have a aluminum cap for it or side racks for firewood. Twice Ive had a full load of dirt in it. Towing isn’t bad but a regular trailer axle would be better. ( you dont have the resistance then of spinning the ring & pinion ) Brakes arent a bad idea , ive just never bothered with trying that, if I were to Id just simply use a brake coupler/hitch like boat trailers do (most have a lock-out lever so you can back up) I mainly kept the truck axle just in case I would need it, with it under the trailer I always know where it is and it sees enough use that it doesnt seize up.

 

[sgtsandman]

Another option I just thought of is electro-hydraulic. It’s a hydraulic brake system with an electrical actuator on the trailer. That system gives you the brake tweaking ability of an electrical braking system but keeps the original brakes on the axle too. I’m sure it’s more expensive than a surge brake system but wanted to throw it out there so you knew it exists.

Installing a true surge brake actuator with reverse lockout (whether manual or electrical) is going to be the cheapest and less tow vehicle dependent route. The latter part is the main reason my utility trailer is going to get surge brakes instead of electrical when I upgrade the axle.

 

[don4331]

if youre using the truck frame, make the toungue as long as possible, add a tool box & spare to the front to help with toungue weight. when I first built mine I couldnt sit on the tailgate without raising the hitch off the ground. Towing isn’t bad but a regular trailer axle would be better. ( you dont have the resistance then of spinning the ring & pinion ) Brakes arent a bad idea , ive just never bothered with trying that, if I were to Id just simply use a brake coupler/hitch like boat trailers do (most have a lock-out lever so you can back up)

While I agree a regular trailer axle is better (lighter, more clearance), why not just pull the spiders out of the differential? Then the differential/ring won't spin.

Historically, I went with @sgtsandman's suggestions of surge brakes, inexpensive/vehicle independent, but with solutions like Curt's Echo Controller/Intelli-Hitch brake controller, the additional control is hard to ignore..​

Depending on how you want to use the trailer, the long travel OEM springs - as racscan notes, he need sway bar...

The biggest issue with truck box trailer - the box "balances" the weight on the axle - good for a truck, lousy for a trailer - it makes it extremely difficult to maintain 10-15% wait on tongue*. And moving axle back the required 4-6" makes it look "weird" in the wheel well at least. (swapping springs end for end, moves axle back 6-1/2").

*Tool box/spare is OK for balance empty, but doesn't cut it loaded.

 

[sgtsandman]

The biggest issue with truck box trailer - the box "balances" the weight on the axle - good for a truck, lousy for a trailer - it makes it extremely difficult to maintain 10-15% wait on tongue*.

I think that is part of the reason truck be trailers have such a long tongue on them and the tongue is made from the original frame cut, bent, and welded back together. As you mentioned, load management would be very important to keep the tongue weight where it needs to be. Since I rebuilt my trailer and modified it, I have a bit of the opposite problem. Empty, it's too tongue heavy because of the tongue box I built. It tows well enough empty but when it comes to loading it, weight management is just important or I'll really feel that heavy tongue when hauling it loaded.

 

[racsan]

you need to keep the spiders and the rest of the gears intact so the ring gear will turn and pick up oil, otherwise your axle bearings wont get lubricant and will fail at some point. Granted since the gearing isnt under load you can put in a lighter oil and not have the heavy weight 80/90 that would normally be ran in a rwd axle.

 

[MikeG]

Ummmmm.........

Look at the torque specs for a pinion nut, before assuming that spinning the differential parts will eat up any meaningful amount of power.

 

[BlackBII]

Here's mine. I added first gen Explorer leaf springs with an extra overload spring, new shocks and a sway bar. It tows pretty well with a bunch of weight in it.