DIY Trailer - From Truck Bed

[IONH]

I just picked up a late 80's F150 pickup with an 8 foot bed on it. It's not running, so I am thinking that I could cut the bed off and possibly turn it into a trailer. This would be an awesome alternative to my twin axle closed bed car hauler for picking up plywood and sheet rock, etc.

Anyway, I google'd and found some info, but I'd like to have a conversation about it from anyone who either has experience or knows someone who has it.

I do have the title, though I am uncertain as to how I would register it. This means we are at the very early stages of this idea.

Edit, the bed is approximately 4x8 between the wheel wells. I could pick up either HF 4x8 foot trailer 90154 (1195# weight capacity) for $300 or 94564 (1720# capacity) for $400 and bolt this bed to it perhaps.

 

[2drx4]

Normally guys just buck the truck frame off with the bed bolted to it. That way you retain the suspension and axle from the truck. As long as the axle has gear oil in it, it will survive fine as a trailer axle. The only issue is you might not have an option for brakes, which isn't a big deal on a small trailer.

Registration wise, there is a program for 'u-bilt' trailers and vehicles where I am from. You tell them you built a trailer, show them a picture, they give you a plate and registration papers for it. I'd imagine that there is similar options in other areas.

 

[HOTFR8]

Can you just unbolt the pickup bed and put it on a new frame ? Then sell off the rest of the truck and not worry about the title as you call it. Many do that here with ute backs or pickup beds.

 

[metal1313]

i have plans to build a trailer using a late 70's ford truck bed, but with a heavy square tube frame, and the stock axle, custom spring packs and shocks. the plan is to make it match my truck

 

[msnow]

I don't think there is any reason to put the bed on top of a HF trailer, to me you are losing everything from the truck and gaining nothing. I would cut the frame in front of the bed, box it in and then weld on a tongue kit and be done. I would also rip the brakes off, since it is such a small trailer and wire a trailer plug onto the lights. I would think a trailer like this could take 1500 lbs no problem and with a better set of springs maybe a ton. As far as registering it, it all depends on what state you live. For example in SC you do not need a title for a trailer but in NV you do. Every state I have lived in has a way to register something you built whether it be a car or a trailer. Just go to your states DMV web site and they usually have this information. Good luck.

 

[iagsxr]

I don't think there is any reason to put the bed on top of a HF trailer, to me you are losing everything from the truck and gaining nothing.

+1 Ditching the truck frame for a cheesy little HF trailer's just silly.


Cut the frame at roughly in the middle of the doors. Make pie cuts slightly ahead of the box in the upper and lower flanges of the frame(assuming it's a C channel). Pull the two sides together evenly. Plate, box, add a chunk of tubing, whatever, so you can mount a hitch.

Since you though ahead and unplugged the taillinght wire from the firewall rather than hacking it, install a flat four plug on the factory wire and you got lights.

Go to local DMV and register as homebuilt trailer.

It will haul more than you're likely to ever put in it. A. The axle's not driving it anymore. B. You've lost the rear axle weight of the engine and whatnot, so gained that much hauling capacity.

 

[IONH]

Good info guys.

In my research, I read about some concern with the tires being in the middle of the bed and the handling issues which may be caused by little to no tongue weight. Does anyone have any comments on that?

 

[atari]

In my experience all trailers are like that if you load them wrong.

 

[msnow]

Depending on your fab skills, cutting off the spring hangers and re-welding them further back to shift the CG would be a pretty easy project. I really like the idea of bending the frame to make your tongue. I would weld in a cross member first before bending to make sure the rest of the frame stayed square.

 

[iagsxr]

I've never known that to be an issue. You'll have to learn how to load it, every trailer/tow vehicle combination has a happy place.

Just pulled a tape on my old Chevy. The wheels are not in the center of the bed anyhow. Your results may vary.

 

[Torque1st]

I have done it very similar to iagsxr above. I cut the frame as far forward as I could then welded in a piece of pipe (tubing will work also) to make a nice long tongue. The tongue weight unloaded was about 50#. I load the trailer to keep the tongue weight under 200#. A long tongue increases the distance from the hitch to the wheels. It makes it much easier to back that way.

Another simple addition is to put an over-center toggle mechanism on the tongue to pull on the E-brake cable. It is VERY nice to have a parking brake on a trailer. Put a turnbuckle in the line for adjustment if necessary.

If I remember right the hitch should be 16" high with the trailer level.

 

[Furious D]

We used an old early 70's 3/4 ton pickup bed with a topper,or cap as some folks call it, for years to haul drywall, plywood and such. Its nice to be able to go buy 25 sheets of drywall and not have to unload them when you get home. I know we hauled 2000 pounds in it without a problem.

Finally had to get rid of it when it got so rusty that the bed started to seperate from the frame.

 

[Red Green]

iagsxr is right on with his advice. I have not had an issue with tounge weight. on the trailers I have built or used.

 

[s_ontario]

truck trailers are common BUT if you want your to stand out above the rest cut the truck frame short so its not visable from the front and then use 6" channel to make your tongue

 

[VegasBruce]

What I found on registering a truck bed trailer in NV. Using the truck frame and title, I had to leave the VIN in place on the frame. I kept all the receipts for everything else I purchased. The inspection was no problem and A new VIN was attached during inspection. It was a simple process. However without a title you cannot register a truck frame as a trailer here.

 

[IowaMercMan]

+1 Ditching the truck frame for a cheesy little HF trailer's just silly.


Cut the frame at roughly in the middle of the doors. Make pie cuts slightly ahead of the box in the upper and lower flanges of the frame(assuming it's a C channel). Pull the two sides together evenly. Plate, box, add a chunk of tubing, whatever, so you can mount a hitch.

Since you though ahead and unplugged the taillinght wire from the firewall rather than hacking it, install a flat four plug on the factory wire and you got lights.

Go to local DMV and register as homebuilt trailer.

It will haul more than you're likely to ever put in it. A. The axle's not driving it anymore. B. You've lost the rear axle weight of the engine and whatnot, so gained that much hauling capacity.

Good, practical advice. I've built one using exactly this method. Makes a great little utility trailer (wish I still had it!)

IONH, you might be over-thinking and over-engineering this project, a utility trailer is about as simple as it gets!

 

[IONH]

I'm in communications with my insurance agent now about the process to register this. At first they thought I bought a truck bed that was already a trailer and previously registered. Once I explained that the truck is currently a full truck and that I wanted to convert it, they said they'll ask the registry and get back to me... Hopefully today.

 

[73Blaze04Prius]

Hey guys,
Wondering if anyone ever tried adding a truck bed to a HF light duty trailer? Only asking because I am looking to pull it with my prius. Yes, prius. It has a towing capacity of 2k, so an original frame and axle set up wont cut it. Thanks

 

[csp]

Adding a truck bed is going to add a LOT more weight than just building sideboards for a trailer of that type.

 

[bad_idea]

Any idea how much a truck bed trailer weighs in at? I have a small truck w/ a 2000 lb tow capacity, would hate to eat up 1/2 of that w/ trailer weight. BTW... good work resurrecting a thread from the dead, way dead.

 

[johndeereman]

I like the idea but i thought about getting a trashed service body and building a trailer with that.

 

[ibedayank]

good luck getting brakes to work when using the truck rearend

 

[GSMotorrad]

Great job on that one. It looks really cool.

 

[SteveH-CO]

I have built 5 pickup bed trailers, all from junk Japanese pickups. This is the best advice given here so far: I cut the frame as far forward as I could

I cut the trailers about where the front coil spring mount is (above the front axle - very far forward), which kicks up the tongue a bit, too. This gives sufficient tongue weight. To further increase tongue weight, you can mount a toolbox on the tongue, or mount the spare tire to the front of the box.

I have never seen a reason to cut off the factory frame at the front edge of the bed, and then fabricate a new frame - why go to all the trouble?

Japanese-truck trailers hold less than an old 8' box domestic trailer, but are much lighter and narrower. I tow my trailers with wheezing old Toyotas at 7000' elevation, so I need trailers that don't weigh much to start with. I have borrowed an 8' box '71 Ford F100 trailer, and it will hold a staggering amount of firewood, so I can appreciate all the room inside such a trailer.

 

[Richard D]

I realize this is an old thread, but if anyone in Texas is wondering, I just got off the phone with the DMV. You don't need a title for a trailer made from an old truck, as long as it is already road ready. Also, scratch-built trailer, 4000 lbs total weight loaded, can also be registered as a home built. Anything bigger/heavier needs to be inspected and issued a VIN.

 

[dadsEH]

You need to register a trailer?

 

[IONH]

I realize this is an old thread, but if anyone in Texas is wondering, I just got off the phone with the DMV. You don't need a title for a trailer made from an old truck, as long as it is already road ready. Also, scratch-built trailer, 4000 lbs total weight loaded, can also be registered as a home built. Anything bigger/heavier needs to be inspected and issued a VIN.

Be careful, different laws in different states.

 

[Richard D]

Be careful, different laws in different states.

I edited my post and put Texas in bold letters.

 

[jvitez]

You need to register a trailer?

Here in the land of the over-taxed, our provincial govt increased the "registration fee" on vehicles twice over the last few years. It's now $154 a year for cars, and a sliding scale for trailers based on weight, so my dump trailer costs $100 per year to register, plus $77 mandatory government monopoly insurance. My dual axle landscape trailer is $92 registration plus $32 insurance. That's per year. And they're still running a deficit......

I don't see too many truck bed trailers here anymore. They seem to be much more common in areas that don't need registration at all or those with a one time registration.

 

[HOTFR8]

You need to register a trailer?

Be careful, different laws in different states.

I edited my post and put Texas in bold letters.

Here in the land of the over-taxed, our provincial govt increased the "registration fee" on vehicles twice over the last few years. It's now $154 a year for cars, and a sliding scale for trailers based on weight, so my dump trailer costs $100 per year to register, plus $77 mandatory government monopoly insurance. My dual axle landscape trailer is $92 registration plus $32 insurance. That's per year. And they're still running a deficit......

I don't see too many truck bed trailers here anymore. They seem to be much more common in areas that don't need registration at all or those with a one time registration.

Here a 6x4 you do not have to register but take it interstate you could be booked for it not being registered . Just remember this is a global forum and we all have to deal with the so called red tape.

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

Service body on a former 1 ton pickup chassis yielded this nice tool and equipment trailer for on site event use. We painted it up to match the step van that pulled it. We eventually sold the step van (sigh, I wish we still had it), but I have the equipment trailer.

To make it a bit more stabilized for loading and unloading when not hooked up to a tow vehicle, we added a trailer tongue jack that slips into the rear receiver tube. That gives us four points of contact to the ground and makes it very solid.

 

[Richard D]

That's pretty slick.

 

[p_mori7]

VERY nice Vegaman !

 

[skoronesa]

Here's my trailer I am working on.