Single Axle Flatbed Build

[f150skidoo]

Well, I'm back to post another trailer build thread. This time it's much simpler than my previous dump & roll off trailer builds. I'm building a 7.3' x 12' deck over flatbed with a single 6000 lb axle, I will also be sending the trailer out for hot dipped galvanizing. Since I'm tight on shop space I try to pre build all the small and detailed parts. The first part I built was the rear bumper/light housing. I had to make the 11 gauge part in 2 pieces since it would be to wide for my 4 foot press brake. Once formed I welded the parts to a 2"x3" tube, The bumper has two small doors for access for ramp storage, the center recessed area is the license plate mount.
Next I made a retractable step which is made from 1/4" side plates and a dimple died rung. The fixed part of the step is also made from 1/4" plate with a 1" square tube cross tube which supports the step when extended and also locks step in when retracted.

 

[f150skidoo]

Next was to fabricate the tongue and frame from 2"x4" x 1/8" rectangular tube. Once the frame was mostly built I flipped the trailer right way up and installed the axle and tires. Next was to mount the rear bumper then the 2"x2" x 1/8" angle iron which supports the ramps. On the front crossmember I made a headache rack with mounting for 2 small led loading lights. Once the rear bumper and front crossmember were welded in I added the outer deck frame rail which is 1.5" x 3" x 1/8" rectangular tube. Next was to add the 1.5" x 1/8" square tube crossmember on 16" centers and the 11 gauge fenders.

 

[The Cobbler]

subscribed for the build!
You've got a small fortune in steel already!

 

[pb57]

Very nice build. Good job.
Paul

 

[stinkity stoink]

I don’t know much about trailers ,but it looks damn good !!

 

[f150skidoo]

Some more progress on the trailer build. I don't have a need for a winch on the trailer but thought it would be smart to add a winch mount during the build. I cut and bent the mount out of 1/4" plate, and cut in the bolt pattern for a full size winch and a UTV size winch. I also made a spare tire mount that will bolt the spare tire under the bed between the frame rails, I don't have any other good spots for a spare so mounting under the deck was the best option even though it would be a PITA to get down. Also got the 3/8" x 2" rub rails installed.

 

[gearhead1]

Looks great!

 

[f150skidoo]

The first day I had the frame mostly completed and had the axle and tire's mounted I was unhappy with finished deck height which was 35.5". I did some research and its pretty common for deck over trailers with 6-7K axles to have as low as a 33" deck height. The easiest method to lower the suspension is switch the shackle straps to the shortest length and cut off the original tall front hangers and buy the short front hangers. But since non of the local trailer part's store's were open between Christmas & New Years I cut and bent my own hangers out of 1/4" to the spec dimension I found online. When I had the trailer flipped upside down to weld out the bottom and replace the spring hangers I also added the step and the angle irons across the bottom of the tongue to mount the tool box. I've since flipped the trailer back upright and reinstalled axle and tire and I've successfully lowered the trailer to 33.625" deck height.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Trick step, never seen that before.

 

[lilscorpion]

Trick step, never seen that before.

Agreed, that’s slick

 

[Farrier]

snow machine trailer?

 

[f150skidoo]

snow machine trailer?

Unfortunately not, with our winters getting milder the snowmobile season keeps getting shorter. I ended up getting out of sledding a few years ago. I need a flatbed trailer so I can pickup material from the steel yard and periodically take items to either the galvanizers or powder coaters. I opted going with a heavier axle since I like to borrow my cousin's 1.7 tonne mini ex.

 

[f150skidoo]

One thing that has been concerning me was if I were to drive a machine up the ramps I could lift the back tires of my truck off of the ground. With the trailer being a deck over a simple drop leg stabilizer with a foot wouldn't work since the legs tube couldn't tuck away nicely. I considered using a RV scissor jack but the frame rail is taller then the jacks max extension, plus those jacks aren't the best made. I ended up making a simple swing down stabilizer that will stow flat to the bottom of the frame rail. After drawing up the design in CAD I cut the brackets out of 1/4" plate on my plasma table then bent the brackets up in the press brake. The leg itself is 1.5" x 1/8" square tube, for the pivot I used a round 1" x .120" DOM tube with a 3/4" bolt as the pin. To lock the leg in its multiple position I used a 5/8" weld on spring latch that I had laying around. But the pin length on any of the spring latches aren't long enough to go through the 1.5" tube and the 1/4" plate. So I picked up some 5/8" zinc plated round bar and made longer pins with a larger handle. The last two pictures show the stabilizer both in its upright and stowed position, since the leg is a fixed length I made it 2" shorter then the frame to ground height.

 

[f150skidoo]

My original plan was to use the 3" channel ramps from my dump trailer but there unnecessarily heavy duty for this trailer weighing 90 lbs each. The ramps I built for this trailer are made from 2"x2" 1/8" tube with simple 2" 1/8" rungs, and the hooks are 3/8" plate. I wasn't happy with the doors holding the ramps in so I cut them off and changed the design so the rear of the ramp is visible and a vertical pin locks the ramp to the trailer

 

[f150skidoo]

The last few pics show the how the ramps store away and the stabilizer leg in the extended and retracted position.

 

[dirtyjerzy]

Very nice work!!

 

[csp]

I also made a spare tire mount that will bolt the spare tire under the bed between the frame rails, I don't have any other good spots for a spare so mounting under the deck was the best option even though it would be a PITA to get down.

Mine is mounted under the deck and uses a spare tire winch pulled from an S10 pickup with the crank rod extended to the side of the trailer frame. I welded a 13/16" nut to it and use my four way lug wrench to lower the spare.

 

[cpttuna]

nice work. What size tires?

 

[tarbellb]

Always super clean killer builds, thanks for posting

 

[f150skidoo]

nice work. What size tires?

235/80R16

 

[nerraw117]

Well, I'm back to post another trailer build thread. This time it's much simpler than my previous dump & roll off trailer builds. I'm building a 7.3' x 12' deck over flatbed with a single 6000 lb axle, I will also be sending the trailer out for hot dipped galvanizing. Since I'm tight on shop space I try to pre build all the small and detailed parts. The first part I built was the rear bumper/light housing. I had to make the 11 gauge part in 2 pieces since it would be to wide for my 4 foot press brake. Once formed I welded the parts to a 2"x3" tube, The bumper has two small doors for access for ramp storage, the center recessed area is the license plate mount.
Next I made a retractable step which is made from 1/4" side plates and a dimple died rung. The fixed part of the step is also made from 1/4" plate with a 1" square tube cross tube which supports the step when extended and also locks step in when retracted.

I must have missed it in a thread but got a link to a thread about the roll off trailer builds?

 

[f150skidoo]

I must have missed it in a thread but got a link to a thread about the roll off trailer builds?

Roll Off Trailer Build

So for a little back story the reason I sold my first dump trailer I built was that it wasn't big enough for bulky items. After that I built my 6x10 dump trailer which was better but I quickly discovered that it was also to small for bulk items. I use my trailer more for picking up lengths of...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[captain14]

Nice project and well thought out.

 

[demetri94]

Great work, all of your projects are excellent and well thought out and executed!

 

[Sumboodie]

Have one on one of my flatbed trucks.

The others have a permanent step.

 

[jollygreengiant]

Looking good so far!

Also just a tiny bit jealous, both of your welding skills and your soon to be new trailer.

 

[nadogail]

Looking Good from here.

 

[f150skidoo]

The trailer came back from the galvanizers today, Hoping to have time next week to assemble, wire and install the deck boards

 

[shedfullatools]

Looks awesome, having it galvanized will be worth every penny in the long run.

 

[f150skidoo]

After reassembling all the parts back on the trailer I wired up all the lights. On the headache rack I mounted the loading lights.

 

[mike93lx]

Looks awesome, as always.

I think about your single axle dump build a lot. I'd use the hell out of one

 

[cbacres]

Very nice build. The galvanizing is the way to go.
What are they charging per lb?

What kind of decking will you use?

 

[f150skidoo]

Very nice build. The galvanizing is the way to go.
What are they charging per lb?

What kind of decking will you use?

Its was $0.50 per lb

 

[f150skidoo]

Looks awesome, as always.

I think about your single axle dump build a lot. I'd use the hell out of one

Of all the trailer I've built and sold over the years that's the only one I wish I never sold. Maybe one day ill build another copy of it.

 

[Monza Harry]

Very nice build. The galvanizing is the way to go.
What are they charging per lb?

What kind of decking will you use?

I would also appreciate the company that does it for you, I did recently find a place nearby (ish 40 miles away) that lists galvanizing but no size constraints or pricing etc. Further investigation is required but options are a good thing, your location is Ontario but that is pretty general considering it can take 20+ hours driving from here to get out of ON. Thanx and that is looking pretty nice! Harry

 

[f150skidoo]

I would also appreciate the company that does it for you, I did recently find a place nearby (ish 40 miles away) that lists galvanizing but no size constraints or pricing etc. Further investigation is required but options are a good thing, your location is Ontario but that is pretty general considering it can take 20+ hours driving from here to get out of ON. Thanx and that is looking pretty nice! Harry

I live NW of Toronto, the closest to me is AZZ Galvanizing in Acton.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

Its was $0.50 per lb

just to be clear, that charge is calculated on the weight increase before/after dipping, so in other words, it's 0.50 per lbs of zinc that sticks to your stuff, right?

 

[Monza Harry]

I live NW of Toronto, the closest to me is AZZ Galvanizing in Acton.

Thank You! Harry

 

[f150skidoo]

just to be clear, that charge is calculated on the weight increase before/after dipping, so in other words, it's 0.50 per lbs of zinc that sticks to your stuff, right?

Not quite, the price is based off of the finished gross weight. Post galvanizing my trailer and parts weighed 990 lbs, So I got charged $0.50 per lb from that weight which was $495.

 

[f150skidoo]

The pressure treated floor is down and also installed the DOT reflective tape, so the trailer is officially done. Sometime this weekend I'm going to weigh the trailer and get some better pics.