diy utility trailer?

[tonycastec]

Steel35 ,
I suggest you add a second axle - I usually build two axle trailers and find them more stable and more useful because of the increase in load capacity.

 

[lutter94]

My cousin built this one at my house for his senior project. He bought the 3500 lb axle and fenders, and he/we built the rest. It is 12' long. It still needs a ramp of some sort on it yet...... I think he had around 800 invested.

 

[camarotoolman]

Buy a used one and fix it up. Thats the cheapest way to go. Buying new materials and doing it your self will save $50 like above. It you do build your own, save your receits for materials, some counties here make you prove it is home made to get your plate. Because of stolen trailes geting retaged. Also you can always go the old pick-up bed route, cheap and easy. About 2 hours and $50 in the last one I made.

 

[camarotoolman]

Here, you have a problem getting plates for "home made trailers". Because of all the stolen 1s that are trying to get them. You have to have receits for all your materials. Like above, by the time you buy all the parts and steel, you are only saving a small % of the cost of a new 1. buying an used 1 and fixing it up is the way to go if don't want something special. Old pick up beds are cheap, easy and they pull good too.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Okay trailer builders I have a question for you.

Why does everyone hang the lights on some massive piece of angle iron at the back corner, bight where it can make a huge gash in your leg if you walk around the corner too fast.

Why not just hang the lights on a bracket on the fender ?

 

[PCO6]

Okay trailer builders I have a question for you.

Why does everyone hang the lights on some massive piece of angle iron at the back corner, bight where it can make a huge gash in your leg if you walk around the corner too fast.

Why not just hang the lights on a bracket on the fender ?

My trailer is relatively small (a little over 4'x8') but I still wanted my tail lights at the rear of the trailer vs. on or near the fenders. I know I could have done both but I wanted to keep the wiring to a minimum ... less to break down. I wanted them at the back so both sides could be easily seen. I used LED lights with the fairly light weight brackets that came with them.

BTW - When I had it licensed NO QUESTIONS were asked about lighting or much else for that matter. I was shocked.

 

[steel 35]

Steel35 ,
I suggest you add a second axle - I usually build two axle trailers and find them more stable and more useful because of the increase in load capacity.

Here is one of seven I can borrow from work anytime; I am using it for a little design help, I don't need a trailer let alone another tandem

Here, you have a problem getting plates for "home made trailers".

I am going single axle and light so I don't need plates!

Okay trailer builders I have a question for you.
Why not just hang the lights on a bracket on the fender ?

Mine are the light brackets and are sharp as hell.

Today it pneumatic! but it works

 

[GT_Man002]

This website has a detailed, step by step description of how to build a utility trailer that is 5x10 with a tilting deck.

http://www.gt1projects.com/utility-trailer-project-how-to-build-a-trailer/

Regards,
Glen

 

[steel 35]

I may have bought my plans from the same place, plans called for a scissor lift kit that cost more then I have in the whole trailer; It didn't call for 1/4x2x4 either but and thats what I had.

 

[Bib Overalls]

I have built several trailers over the years. As stated earlier, you can not replicate a commercially built trailer for the selling price. The only advantage to building your own is custom features, increased strength, etc. Commercial trailers are engineered to use the minimum amount of material. I can show you one in my neighborhood that has a dove tail and not by design. It simply broke down behind the axle. One thing you should do is find out where the trailer builders in your area get their axles, wheels, lights, hitches, etc. Don't by from trailer builders or places like Tractor Supply if you can avoid it. There are better deals to be had.

 

[volleyball]

I may have bought my plans from the same place, plans called for a scissor lift kit that cost more then I have in the whole trailer; It didn't call for 1/4x2x4 either but and thats what I had.

How has your scissor been holding up? Where did you get your ram and pump from? What does your trailer weigh? Under 1k?

 

[steel 35]

How has your scissor been holding up? Where did you get your ram and pump from? What does your trailer weigh? Under 1k?

The Scissor has been flawless and Heavily tested, I ordered my Ram and wireless control from daltonhydraulic. ; They have the pump and kits as well.
My pump was recycled from a wreck that the control, cylinder & truck were totaled; 0, zip, nada. I drew the Scissor plan from the cylinder I ordered and viewed one from work very closely that was abused and liked it.
1K+ but never weighed single, 1/4" tube free but heavy.
Currently changing tailgate, adding wireless winch and wishing for a fabric snap on cover.

 

[TrailerBuilder]

I have built several trailers over the years. As stated earlier, you can not replicate a commercially built trailer for the selling price. The only advantage to building your own is custom features, increased strength, etc. Commercial trailers are engineered to use the minimum amount of material. I can show you one in my neighborhood that has a dove tail and not by design. It simply broke down behind the axle. One thing you should do is find out where the trailer builders in your area get their axles, wheels, lights, hitches, etc. Don't by from trailer builders or places like Tractor Supply if you can avoid it. There are better deals to be had.

Having built about 15 trailers over the years I find your answer interesting at best. Unfortunately your own answer proves you wrong. Not sure why so many people have this defeatist attitude when someone wants to do something.

"you can not replicate a commercially built trailer for the selling price. The only advantage to building your own is custom features, increased strength, etc."

If you build a 5x8 trailer for $1000 that hauls 4500 pounds and you can buy a 5x8 trailer at tractor supply for $1000 that hauls 2500 pounds then you haven't replicated anything. You built a different trailer and the comparison is null and void. If you shop around and get things on sale or at a good price you can easily save money but the biggest benefit is you get EXACTLY what you want and if you are a good fabricator, you get a much higher quality trailer. Rather than buying commercially built junk, I will continue building my own trailers and save money while doing it. It is a win-win situation.

By the way PC06 great looking trailer!!!!!!!!!!

 

[driz]

The best way to get a nice priced trailer is to constantly shop Search Tempest every day till yPeople sell , businesses end and guys die and estates are sold every day. It's a whole lot easier to fix one up beef it up if necessary and paint it than it is to go out and buy all that steel new and build one. Then of course there is that nagging thing about liability and we all know lawyers can do anything ever since the got OJ Simpson off.
Trailers come and go every day all over the place. Just keep your eyes open and have the stack of $50 bills on hand to flash when you show up to low-ball the guy. The number one rule of Craigs list: DON"T WAIT. If something nice shows up you have to drop everything and call then go right now. That's when you flash that cash.

 

[volleyball]

Constant searching is work, a second job. Sometimes you will end up ahead working a fast food joint, getting a paycheck and paying retail for a new trailer.
I don't see many CL trailers in northern NY at a great deal.
I do see a few tractor supply 5 year old trailers where they are asking more than the store does today.

 

[koditten]

Its called the "Dollar vs hassle" factor.

Yes, you can have exactly what you want if you build it yourself, but how much is your time worth? If it cost you and extra $500 to pay someone else and you can have exactly what you want, I don't see an advantage to building it yourself.

Of course if you view fabrication as a past time, then yes it is worth it to do it yourself.

Trailerbuilder:

I shop around and buy everything I can on sale. There is no way I can build a trailer cheaper than I can just buy one. I suppose if a person took 2 years to source parts, but who wants a half finished trailer taking up garage space for that amount of time.

I hope you will be around for a while, we need some more people with trailer knowledge. With 1 post I have to wonder.

Later

KO

 

[TrailerBuilder]

Trailerbuilder:

I hope you will be around for a while, we need some more people with trailer knowledge. With 1 post I have to wonder.

Later

KO

Thanks! I think everyone on here started with one post and I have to wonder if any of them actually knew what they were doing. How could ANYONE know anything with only one post?

Now I have two.

 

[koditten]

100% improvement. Can't beat that

 

[PCO6]

Having built about 15 trailers over the years I find your answer interesting at best. Unfortunately your own answer proves you wrong. Not sure why so many people have this defeatist attitude when someone wants to do something.

"you can not replicate a commercially built trailer for the selling price. The only advantage to building your own is custom features, increased strength, etc."

If you build a 5x8 trailer for $1000 that hauls 4500 pounds and you can buy a 5x8 trailer at tractor supply for $1000 that hauls 2500 pounds then you haven't replicated anything. You built a different trailer and the comparison is null and void. If you shop around and get things on sale or at a good price you can easily save money but the biggest benefit is you get EXACTLY what you want and if you are a good fabricator, you get a much higher quality trailer. Rather than buying commercially built junk, I will continue building my own trailers and save money while doing it. It is a win-win situation.

By the way PC06 great looking trailer!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks TrailerBuilder. I agree, you get what you pay for and many times it's better to pay the same or a bit more, do it yourself and get a lot more. I have about $1,700 into mine. I could have bought one with similar dimension but it would have had a 2,000 lb. axle and smaller tires. Mine has a 3,500 lb. axle with ST 205/75R14 tires on galvanized rims. The frame is 2"x2" square tubing and the sides and tail gate are 1/8" aluminum. It weighs a fair bit more than a similar sized store bought trailer but that's OK ... it's capable of carrying more and it tows great both empty and loaded. Plus it was fun to build.

I had a general idea of what I wanted to build but I was in no rush. I bought a lot of the components when they were on sale. I'm currently scrounging parts and looking for sales on components for an expedition style trailer. It will be smaller and taller than this one and built for camping. Again, no rush ... which probably means I'll design and redesign it my head several times over before I start the build!

 

[TrailerBuilder]

Thanks TrailerBuilder.It weighs a fair bit more than a similar sized store bought trailer but that's OK ... it's capable of carrying more and it tows great both empty and loaded. Plus it was fun to build.

I always struggle whether to build for a purpose or build for everything. I once built a beautiful race car trailer out of 2x4x.120 tube (for my race car). As others have stated all the load is near the springs. So that's how I built it. On one occasion I loaned it out to a friend who was having a house built. He needed to pick up some 2x12s. I should have known. He had zero mechanical knowledge or ability. When he came back with the trailer he had wood all across the trailer and about three feet high. The trailer was so bowed I almost killed him. Fortunately it wasn't permanently bent. After that day not one person borrows any of my trailers. Family, friends, or not. I'll move something but they don't get trailers by themselves. Uggggg.

 

[PCO6]

^^^ Sounds familiar. I trust one and a half of my brothers with my trailer and that's about it.