Expedition Trailer 3000

[Snowracer]

So i want to be all outdoorsy as fuck and fit in with the cool jeep kids down at the Tims parking lot, figured the best way to fit in would be build an expedition trailer. For real i need one to haul kayaks and camping crap now that i have a camper. Want the trailer to also work as a utility trailer for dump runs and if i get a dirt bike or quad blah blah blah. After shopping for new and used utility trailers and seeing the price on them and the crazy price for an expedition trailer it sold me on making my own.

had a rough idea of what i wanted as wanted an open trailer so can use it for more then then just camping. needs to have a rack for the kayaks but not a roof top tent so was leaning towards these style of trailers

[Snowracer]

Going way overkill on this as building the main part out of 2x3 and 2x2 1/8th steel. Its going to be 4x7 for the deck part and then fenders and outside rails to make it full width.





doing the side rails at 12 inch tall, kinda wanted to make them taller but working with what i have



the reason for the 12 high sides is i already have some 7 feet long aluminum to skin it in



drilled some holes and welded tube in for wire pass thoughts

[Snowracer]

To keep with the overkill feel i plan on using a 99-04 Ford Sterling 10.25 rear diff for an axle under this trailer i like that fact that it will have full float bearings and same bolt pattern as my truck so worst case i can swap a spare from truck to trailer ect. Scored some 17" aluminum wheels off a Welfare parts truck and going to use my old 35" toyos off my truck for that full douche expedition feel im leaning towards cutting the diff up and retubing it so that i dont have the extra weight and better clearance not having the center section under the trailer.

[BEEFY]

I like where this is going.

[HillBilt]

Nice! I was gonna say build it full width but your already doing it nothing worse than backing up a short single axle trailer with a camper on, at least if its full width you can somewhat see it in the mirrors.

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

To keep with the overkill feel i plan on using a 99-04 Ford Sterling 10.25 rear diff for an axle under this trailer i like that fact that it will have full float bearings and same bolt pattern as my truck so worst case i can swap a spare from truck to trailer ect. Scored some 17" aluminum wheels off a Welfare parts truck and going to use my old 35" toyos off my truck for that full douche expedition feel im leaning towards cutting the diff up and retubing it so that i dont have the extra weight and better clearance not having the center section under the trailer.

That is my plan to reaxle my Fordtrailero if I need to. Either use a Sterling or an AAM. It should be easy to find some scrap tube or pipe to sleeve either inside or outside the existing tubes to make up for the missing center section. Boom, retarded overkill axle for less than a shitty trailer axle from PA.

If a guy just wanted the clearance but didn't care about the weight, they could just rotate the pinion straight up and not run the cover (plug the inside of the spindles with something). But that would be 11/10 hacktacular.

[Snowracer]

I like where this is going.

wont be quite as outdoorsy as you get but got to start somewhere

Nice! I was gonna say build it full width but your already doing it nothing worse than backing up a short single axle trailer with a camper on, at least if its full width you can somewhat see it in the mirrors.

ya the outside of the trailer with be almost same width as the truck. using the truck axle will be nice as same width so i can see it in the mirrors and will track the same as the truck on the hwy.

To keep with the overkill feel i plan on using a 99-04 Ford Sterling 10.25 rear diff for an axle under this trailer i like that fact that it will have full float bearings and same bolt pattern as my truck so worst case i can swap a spare from truck to trailer ect. Scored some 17" aluminum wheels off a Welfare parts truck and going to use my old 35" toyos off my truck for that full douche expedition feel im leaning towards cutting the diff up and retubing it so that i dont have the extra weight and better clearance not having the center section under the trailer.

That is my plan to reaxle my Fordtrailero if I need to. Either use a Sterling or an AAM. It should be easy to find some scrap tube or pipe to sleeve either inside or outside the existing tubes to make up for the missing center section. Boom, retarded overkill axle for less than a shitty trailer axle from PA.

If a guy just wanted the clearance but didn't care about the weight, they could just rotate the pinion straight up and not run the cover (plug the inside of the spindles with something). But that would be 11/10 hacktacular.

figured it was the cheapest and best way to get what i want. plan is to turn down the outside of the ford diff as they are known to be unround on the inside. thought about just leaving the center section and just pulling the gears and crap out but im under budget so figured id spend a little and make it a better looking axle without the big ass pumpkin

[arse_sidewards]

The spindles of 2wd trucks that don't use a unit bearing are a forged slug that's hot pressed into the cast knuckle (for all practical purposes it may as well be welded or cast as one piece but the point is that it's good material relative to the rest of the knuckle). If one has a decently large lathe you can turn the whole knuckle between centers and cut off everything but the spindle leaving you with a nice spindle that pairs with a hub that's also a massive disk brake.

It's way more work but a pair of knuckles and hubs at the junkyard is cheaper than an axle.

[pointsnorth]

Nice I was thinking of doing the same thing as i need a trailer to pull behind the truck and camper

[pointsnorth]

what springs are you going too run ?

[Snowracer]

The spindles of 2wd trucks that don't use a unit bearing are a forged slug that's hot pressed into the cast knuckle (for all practical purposes it may as well be welded or cast as one piece but the point is that it's good material relative to the rest of the knuckle). If one has a decently large lathe you can turn the whole knuckle between centers and cut off everything but the spindle leaving you with a nice spindle that pairs with a hub that's also a massive disk brake.

It's way more work but a pair of knuckles and hubs at the junkyard is cheaper than an axle.

my first plan was getting some unit bearing cups and using the 99-04 superduty unit bearings as i have a ton of them around my place. the cost and extra work didnt make it worth it so doing the sterling rear instead

what springs are you going too run ?

going to use some old ford leaf springs i have laying around from projects or parts trucks to keep with my budget. might do sprung under to try and keep the trailer low on 35s

[Snowracer]

found some old ford springs and build some hanger for them, rear mount is just tacked so can move them to get a good shackle angle



cut up my donor axle and picked up some sch80 pipe for it, just a little over kill





dropped it off at Westweld and got the machine work done to make it all fit together

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

Adam (Westweld) does nice work. I've debated just dumping a pile of axle stuff at his place and asking him to deal with it.

[Mr.gutsy]

Adam definately does quality work if you have the money. Seeing as you are running full length leaf springs id imagine it might get a bit bouncy any plans to run shocks?

[arse_sidewards]

Adam definately does quality work if you have the money.

And that's why I own a big fucking lathe. Way cheaper than paying other people.