6 x 10 utility trailer build
- Thread starter koditten
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skeletonizer
Well-known member
KO, where do you buy your steel?
nonhog
Well-known member
Great! I pretty much want to throw away my cobbled mess of a 5X10 trailer after seeing yours. 
NWOhioChevyGuy
Well-known member
Quick question: If you were to build a single axle trailer to haul 2-3 ATV max, and usable for general light duty use what size would you build? I envision the ATV's loaded from the side, and using a single 3500# axle with fenders to keep the deck height lower for easy loading of my mower. I have a 60" zero turn that does not fit on my current 5x10 so will be building a new one sometime in the future.
I'm leaning towards 14' in length but am not 100% sure on the width.
I have an 18' tri axle goose neck for anything large so want to keep this one smaller and easy to move around.
I'm leaning towards 14' in length but am not 100% sure on the width.
I have an 18' tri axle goose neck for anything large so want to keep this one smaller and easy to move around.
Ksullivan
Well-known member
Do you use a shielded mig unit for your welding?
Wanna Ride
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Agreed. If I was building this for someone else, it wouldn't have normally been cost-effective. But I was building it for me personally. After owning numerous different trailers over a 20+ year span, I was tired of "trailer maintenance".Really like the idea of using the plastic decking. no need to worry about the wood rotting.
Sometines, I may not use my trailer but one or two times in a year, so I don't want to screw with it for half a day to make lights work, etc. I built the frame out of 2x4 rectangle tube, used LED lights and recessed them, with all wiring internal, hand-painted with implement epoxy, ramps incorporated as retention side-panels, rear and side loading/unloading for two and four-wheeled machines. I bought this to suit my needs, but not so specific that it's not diverse for whatever I may need to haul, that I haven't yet owned. I was tired of buying trailers and modifying them for my needs.
For the decking, I didn't want to paint it... ever. I didn't want it rusting, or splitting, or cracking, or getting dry-rotted. So the composite decking was the answer. I scanned all the big-box stores for months waiting to catch a clerance deal. I initially wanted the decking in red, but this stuff was just too good a deal to pass up.
Finally the local Home Depot was clearancing this color/maunfacturer, at a huge discount, but they only had it in 10' lengths. Most people building a deck need it in at least 12' lengths. Because of the beaver-tail, I was cutting it down anyways, I just had to do a little more math to get the tail pieces cut out of a couple individual boards. I paid less than $200 for all of the decking!
Bought 5/16 stainless steel carriage bolts at Menard's for $10, for a bag of 50 pcs... very affordable, and I'll NEVER have to worry about them rusting. All toatal, with aluminum wheels (from a 2wd Ford Ranger), the radial tires, the aluminum tool box, the lights, wiring, jack, steel, deck, axle, and aeverything else, I have less than $1500 in this trailer. I could have built it for less, but it's damn-near maintenance free, and plenty heavy enough to last, way after I'm fertilizer. Short of ths one being stolen, I will NEVER have to buy another utility/motorcycle/atv/lawnmower/etc trailer again, as long as I live.
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PCO6
Well-known member
That's the approach I took when I built my utility trailer ... liberal use of stainless steel hardware and aluminum, silicone sealer and good drainage built into the design. My floor is 5/4 pressure treated lumber and its held up very well.
Post #48 of ..."Homebuilt Utility Trailers...Let's see pics" ...
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37115&highlight=utility+trailers&page=3
pfarber
Well-known member
Buy used. In PA the costs to have a home-built trailer inspected is almost $200, plus all the other fee.
Transfer a title is like $25+ sales tax.
I bought one of the HF bolt together units (good deal) for $350 and spend another $300 to get it legal.... could have bought a used one via Craigslist for $200 and $20 to transfer + sales tax.
Transfer a title is like $25+ sales tax.
I bought one of the HF bolt together units (good deal) for $350 and spend another $300 to get it legal.... could have bought a used one via Craigslist for $200 and $20 to transfer + sales tax.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
Upper rails are a VERY important part of the structure ! Without them, the base will have to be MUCH heavier.
killerjeep
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I plan to do a 6x12 and I dont want any upper rails.
I am thinking of using 2x2 1/4 inch thick angle iron.
I want to to be stiff and not flex.
Has any one done some thing like this?
All the store bought ones around here are 1/8th thick. Even with a top rail they flex so much if you stand on a corner.
I am thinking of using 2x2 1/4 inch thick angle iron.
I want to to be stiff and not flex.
Has any one done some thing like this?
All the store bought ones around here are 1/8th thick. Even with a top rail they flex so much if you stand on a corner.
Sorry, it will not be very stiff and will flex pretty bad.
A 6 x 12 with 2" x 3" tube, 3/16" wall will be very strong and stiff. The price is not going to be that much more than 1/4" angle.
You can do an experiment using a cardboard box. Try to bend a cardboard box in half. You can't do it. Split that box so you have "L" shaped cardboard left over. Now try to bend it. It bends with no issue. I'm not an engineer, but even my room temperature IQ can tell that tube is much more stiff than angle. The same goes for iron. Hope this helped.
KO
A 6 x 12 with 2" x 3" tube, 3/16" wall will be very strong and stiff. The price is not going to be that much more than 1/4" angle.
You can do an experiment using a cardboard box. Try to bend a cardboard box in half. You can't do it. Split that box so you have "L" shaped cardboard left over. Now try to bend it. It bends with no issue. I'm not an engineer, but even my room temperature IQ can tell that tube is much more stiff than angle. The same goes for iron. Hope this helped.
KO
killerjeep
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So how about a 1x2 tube 3/16 thick for side rails??
killerjeep
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Sorry
What I am looking to build is a flat trailer with NO sides.
6x12 NO Rails.
Its to transport a couple of quads and dirt bikes. I dont want any side rails so I can put the quads on sideways.
I want it stiff so it wont flex going down the highway.
I was looking at 2x2 angle 1/4 inch thick for the frame rails. Every thing I look at is built with angle iron. So thats was what I was looking at.
You say it will flex even being 1/4 inch so I then was thinking to make the frame out of 1x2 3/16th thick tubing. Then angle for the cross members.
What I am looking to build is a flat trailer with NO sides.
6x12 NO Rails.
Its to transport a couple of quads and dirt bikes. I dont want any side rails so I can put the quads on sideways.
I want it stiff so it wont flex going down the highway.
I was looking at 2x2 angle 1/4 inch thick for the frame rails. Every thing I look at is built with angle iron. So thats was what I was looking at.
You say it will flex even being 1/4 inch so I then was thinking to make the frame out of 1x2 3/16th thick tubing. Then angle for the cross members.
I would have no issue with that if it was a small 4 x 8 trailer. A twelve footer needs 2 x 3, 14 gauge at minimum. Quads and bikes and all the gear can start to get pretty heavy.
I would build the trailer a little heavier duty. You never know what you may need a heavier duty trailer in the future.
I would build the trailer a little heavier duty. You never know what you may need a heavier duty trailer in the future.
460Rustang
Well-known member
I'll be waiting for this,.....................curious about info for a tandem auto hauler.
Ditto, I want a 6x16.
ghiradelli777
Active member
Do you have a write up on how to build the drop gate with the hinges and latches?
Wanna Ride
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koditten, I'm finally getting around to adding a spare tire carrier on my homebuilt trailer. But I want to add a lock to the tire. I'd like to be able to use one of my keyed-alike padlocks to secure it, but I can't seem to come up with a simple design for padlock use. Maybe I'm just stubborn and should buy one of the locking mechanisms I've seen, but I'd like to come up with a simple design.
Any suggestions? Don't think I ever posted any pics of my trailer - here it is when I first completed it:
Any suggestions? Don't think I ever posted any pics of my trailer - here it is when I first completed it:
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volleyball
Well-known member
Run a big bolt through the center hole with large washer and put the lock on the bolt.
What I've done in the past:"
In the center of the spare tire bracket, the part that can be seen thru the hub hole on the wheel, weld a 3/4" stud. Slide a metal disc over the stud. The disk is bigger than the hub hole on the wheel/ The stud has a hole drilled thru it the same size as the shackle on the lock. The lock is away from the wheel so as not to bang against it and mess up the paint/finish on the wheel. Put some sort of non marring material on the back side of the disc so as not to mess up the paint.
I like to have a nut that can be tightened against the disc. I weld a small piece of round stock(usually an old drill pit shank) to one of the flats on the nut. This way no tools are needed to remove the nut. Kind of like a one winged, wing nut.
Thats my way, others are welcome to offer their suggestions.
Later
KO
In the center of the spare tire bracket, the part that can be seen thru the hub hole on the wheel, weld a 3/4" stud. Slide a metal disc over the stud. The disk is bigger than the hub hole on the wheel/ The stud has a hole drilled thru it the same size as the shackle on the lock. The lock is away from the wheel so as not to bang against it and mess up the paint/finish on the wheel. Put some sort of non marring material on the back side of the disc so as not to mess up the paint.
I like to have a nut that can be tightened against the disc. I weld a small piece of round stock(usually an old drill pit shank) to one of the flats on the nut. This way no tools are needed to remove the nut. Kind of like a one winged, wing nut.
Thats my way, others are welcome to offer their suggestions.
Later
KO