building a trailer.

uhohhotdog151 · Jan 21, 2009

so im building my own car trailer. it started as a camper trailer frame,when its done its just going to be 18 ft flatdeck. i have abill of sale and all that good stuff. and i know i have to keep all of my receipts for parts used. but what im looking for is a list of requirements i have to meet, in order to pass inspection. i called the state patrol and they just sent me to their website. i couldnt find what i was looking for. anybody have some info, or a link?

TreeClimber · Jan 21, 2009

From past experiences, it's not worth it to build a camper frame into a car trailer. The camper frames I've seen aren't sturdy enough to support the load, the axles don't have enough capacity to support the load.

You're better off buying someone's existing car trailer when they upgrade to a BIG one.

nevada · Jan 21, 2009

ive done it...yet go get it inspected tho...

but..if the trailer is heavy enough, mine was a 45' mobile home, i cut it down, and relocated the axles.

make sure ALL the brakes work.
wire in a break-away switch, with battery.
if its over 80" wide, you need the 3 lights across the back.

amber lights in front. not sure of the length its required at..but...an amber light in the middle lengthwise, on each side.
red in back.

you need to have it weighed, on a certified scale also.
plus the above..reciepts, and such..

ive got the ACTUAL paper with all the requirments at home...im going off memory here.

uhohhotdog151 · Jan 21, 2009

TreeClimber said:
From past experiences, it's not worth it to build a camper frame into a car trailer. The camper frames I've seen aren't sturdy enough to support the load, the axles don't have enough capacity to support the load.

You're better off buying someone's existing car trailer when they upgrade to a BIG one.

im not too worried about the frame, im goin to build a sub frame on it, to spread the load out. as for the axles, what are they usually rated for? tandemaxle, 5 lug. with brakes. i couldnt find a tag or anything that said a weight rating. i wanted to build this one because it would be damn near free. and i cant afford to buy a trailer right now.

Not Jobless · Jan 21, 2009

uhohhotdog151 said:
im not too worried about the frame, im goin to build a sub frame on it, to spread the load out. as for the axles, what are they usually rated for? tandemaxle, 5 lug. with brakes. i couldnt find a tag or anything that said a weight rating. i wanted to build this one because it would be damn near free. and i cant afford to buy a trailer right now.

There has to be a tag somewhere that states the gross trailer weight.

CHOP SHOP · Jan 21, 2009

There 3500 pound axles. Nothing wrong with a camper trailer to start. Mine is 5 inch channel iron with more on top.

I went down to the trailer place and all I could afford is a pos made from angle iron. I dont see how that was cheaper or stronger than my camper conversion. I have less than 500 in mine. Including nice alum mags and title.

It dont cost much to go wheelin.:beer:

CHOP SHOP · Jan 21, 2009

TreeClimber said:
From past experiences, it's not worth it to build a camper frame into a car trailer. The camper frames I've seen aren't sturdy enough to support the load, the axles don't have enough capacity to support the load.

You're better off buying someone's existing car trailer when they upgrade to a BIG one.

I have two donors here that I will build and sell.

The frame on both are 2x6 boxtubing with 3500 axles. both with box tube tounges aswell. They both have brakes that I can get parts for.:awesomework: I have to deck it ($100), paint it, wire it ($100), inspect it, sell it. They were free also. someone here was selling a set of new trailer tires for cheap too. Or get takeoffs from the lot for cheap if needed.

If I keep them under 1500 pounds, I can still haul 5500 pounds with the 3500 axles.

Any wheeler or jeep over 5500 is, well heavy!

nevada · Jan 21, 2009

CHOP SHOP said:
I have two donors here that I will build and sell.

The frame on both are 2x6 boxtubing with 3500 axles. both with box tube tounges aswell. They both have brakes that I can get parts for.:awesomework: I have to deck it ($100), paint it, wire it ($100), inspect it, sell it. They were free also. someone here was selling a set of new trailer tires for cheap too. Or get takeoffs from the lot for cheap if needed.

If I keep them under 1500 pounds, I can still haul 5500 pounds with the 3500 axles.

Any wheeler or jeep over 5500 is, well heavy!

mine has 6lug axles. i figure theyre 3500 each. never actually checked for a tag tho...

ur talking 3500/pair? thats not very heavy. but..if u can do it cheap, or free....why the hell not:awesomework:

and yeh...my truck is HEAVY:eeek:

CHOP SHOP · Jan 21, 2009

nevada said:
mine has 6lug axles. i figure theyre 3500 each. never actually checked for a tag tho...

ur talking 3500/pair? thats not very heavy. but..if u can do it cheap, or free....why the hell not:awesomework:

and yeh...my truck is HEAVY:eeek:

Not pair, EACH.

Most 5 lug axles are usually 3500 each for a combined total of 7000 fortrailer and load.

most 6 lug axles are 5000/5500 pound axles with a combined of 10,000/11,000 total. Blah blah etc.:beer:

nevada · Jan 21, 2009

CHOP SHOP said:
Not pair, EACH.

Most 5 lug axles are usually 3500 each for a combined total of 7000 fortrailer and load.

most 6 lug axles are 5000/5500 pound axles with a combined of 10,000/11,000 total. Blah blah etc.:beer:

ah..ok..makes much more sense....i dont know wtf i was thinking

cavemandogpound · Jan 21, 2009

some old travel trailer axles, with brakes, are still only rated 2500# each

Fordzuki · Jan 21, 2009

I built the one I haul the LJ on, I wanted to keep the weight down, so I cut it down to 14 feet, and moved the axles forward. I also added a bunch of crossmembers. With treated 2x decking, the steel, and the purchase of the trailer with title, I'm in it about $500.

Just found another on craigslist for $200 with title, 28 foot shasta. We're gonna cut this one down to about 18' for my dads ranger.

I did notice the 28 foot trailer had a much beefier frame than the little 18 footer, so the bigger the trailer you start with the better.

zukkev · Jan 21, 2009

There's another issue with using travel trailer axles---->width....the axles are narrower than a car trailer's axles, meaning you'd have to widen them, and likely move the springs outboard to carry the load without bending the tube... unless you're going full flatdeck(no fenders), but then there's COG you'd have to worry about...and yes, MOST (not all) 5lug travel trailer axles are rated at 2,500lbs each. unless you happen to be scrapping a newer trailer (say 89 &up), that's 26-30' long with 5lug axles, you've likely got the 2500 axles, not to mention you'd still have to widen 'em.....My .02 would be to buy an actual car trailer.
If you're still planning on building the trailer, just buy a set of 3,500 car trailer axles w/ brakes from a trailer supply store (they're not that expensive);(by the time you rebuild all the brngs/brakes on your old axles, you coulda just about bought the new ones!)... or keep an eye out for good used set (they come up here from time to time). :awesomework:

Pat · Jan 21, 2009

Fordzuki said:
I built the one I haul the LJ on, I wanted to keep the weight down, so I cut it down to 14 feet, and moved the axles forward. I also added a bunch of crossmembers. With treated 2x decking, the steel, and the purchase of the trailer with title, I'm in it about $500.

Just found another on craigslist for $200 with title, 28 foot shasta. We're gonna cut this one down to about 18' for my dads ranger.

I did notice the 28 foot trailer had a much beefier frame than the little 18 footer, so the bigger the trailer you start with the better.

Be careful using pressure treat for a trailer deck material. The new stuff (5-10 years and newer) will rust steel very quickly. I've seen non-galvinized nails disintegrate in less than a year.

jimijam19K · Jan 21, 2009

Getting back to the OP's question here are the guidlines I'm using to build my 18' trailer from an old wilderness camper I got from a friend. Very simple easy to follow rules, this is a 7 page PDF document if you have any specific questions after reading I'd call the WSP again...but this time your armed with the baseline rules and have something to work with. Good luck, hope it works out.
http://www.wsp.wa.gov/traveler/docs/cvd/150_015.pdf

dustym · Jan 22, 2009

Dont weld the saftey chains on. They will make you redo them.

zukkev · Jan 22, 2009

Yes, the safety chains must be BOLTED on

budgetxj · Jan 25, 2009

do any of you have pics of the trailers you have built out of these travel trailers? just wondering what the final product looks like

CHOP SHOP · Jan 25, 2009

zukkev said:
Yes, the safety chains must be BOLTED on

With two seperate bolts each, not both chains on the same bolt. I learned the hard way

CHOP SHOP · Jan 25, 2009

budgetxj said:
do any of you have pics of the trailers you have built out of these travel trailers? just wondering what the final product looks like

Heres mine. I built it a few years ago. It needs a new paint job, but otherwise works well. I used a 24 foot camper that I cut down and built drive over fenders (how I addressed the narrow axles). I used some 7 inch channel iron for most of it. I got the channel for free from a neighbor that scrapped a mobile home a few years back.

I welded on a free hand winch on the tounge. I then welded on a jack I found at the dump. It was in a pile at the drop off station, it was a bulldog jack with the wheel missing. So I welded an old sami ubolt plate to a broken toyota birfield (notice crack!) and welded it to the jack for a foot. I also welded in some 1.25 inch 1.20 wall to the sides and fenders as recievers for some side boards all around. I used 1 inch plywood for the side boards and some 1 inch tube to fit inside the 1.25.

I went to the local wrecking yard and got the wheels and tires off of a ford ranger. They were like new and I got them for 75bucks rims and tires. I know, I know they are not trailer tires But I have had zero problems with them.:beer: