Truck Bed Trailer Project

[disciplerocks]

Thanks. I hope it works like I am thinking.



Mock up.

Toying with what I want to do with the dead space.

 

[86 slo-vo]

i would go with some heavier materials, i cant see the leafspring piece lasting long.

 

[disciplerocks]

It aint no dinky one. But I'll keep an eye on it. I had another idea, but its pretty much like yours and I didn't want to copy it.

 

[86 slo-vo]

copy away if you want, just dont wanna see a trailer running down the highway with a B2 in pursuit.

 

[disciplerocks]

Lol We'll see how this turns out.

 

[Snoranger]

i would go with some heavier materials, i cant see the leafspring piece lasting long.

I gotta agree with slo-vo. That looks awful light for what it will be used for. You'd be surprised how much force is really exerted on a hitch.

This happened on a recent trip to the Maze. Pretty sure this happened in Teapot canyon where there is a very tight turn that few vehicles can make without backing. At the same time you are also dealing with some 10-12" rocks, and you are sort of turning through the bottom of a small wash. Pretty sure this happened when we backed up, jackknifing the trailer to make the turn. It was all done at a snail's pace, so speed was definitely not a factor.

We took the hitch off and tried to straighten the bent ear with a 5# sledge hammer - we could not make it budge.

 

[bilzy7]

My imagination went wild picturing a bronco 2 chasing down a trailer.

 

[RangerSVT]

Dustin, where your level is at, I would take and cut a fish plate to cover both the top and bottom of the A frame joint...And if you are gonna use the plate from the leaf spring eyelet, I would take and build the material up to at least 5/8 thick that connects to the square tubing, might want to gusset both sides of the plate as well just for extra insurance...Remember, over build it and you won't have to worry about it
SVT

 

[disciplerocks]

I really wasn't worried about the leaf, I was more worried about the channel its gonna sit in. Its rated at 5k, but I was going to gusset it. The hitch I am using is rated at 10k. Not sure how I could gusset the leaf.

 

[RangerSVT]

Not sure how I could gusset the leaf.

I would gusset it on both sides, like turning it into an I-beam...
SVT

 

[disciplerocks]

I could do that, but I'd have to cut it down about 1/2" more.

 

[RangerSVT]

What about cutting the "tail" off completely and welding 2" tubing to it??
SVT

 

[disciplerocks]

I was trying to keep the number of welds on the hitch itself at a minimum.

 

[disciplerocks]

Not much to report today. Pulled the bed off the frame to make permanent leaf spring brackets and to paint it. Only got 2 brackets done. Hope to get the other 2 on and the frame painted tomorrow.

 

[disciplerocks]

Front leaf brackets done. Didn't get to start on the rear ones, but I did get the frame painted.