What has 24" of clearance, 37" tires & is almost ready?

[MichaelW]

My trailer!



Here is the progress (finally) on my new 4x7 JK trailer. The lowest part of the frame is the torsion bar axles that are 24" off the ground.

The trailer will have almost the same track width as a TJ so a little more narrow than the JK. It is 7' long to accommodate a little quad or a boat load of goodies.

Here is what it looks like so far.... Not a lot to look at but the sides will be on soon and then its off to the powder coaters.

Can't wait to be dragging it behind on the trail.

[MichaelW]

Maybe I'll have it in time for the grand opening of the new Cabela's in Reno.

[Duke]

What is the plan for it? I mean do you use your JK for multi week camping trips or what? The Unlimited already has some much room. Just curious.........

Looks great.

[Gib]

Were you able to make it the same bolt pattern as your JK? Looks pretty good so far.

[RedRockJK]

That's going to be sweet!
.

[Gib]

I'm curious where you found this trailer coupler.


I scrounged a pintle off of a torn up Humvee to incorporate into my rear bumper, but this coupler looks like it will do the same function.

[MichaelW]

Duke - You obviously don't know my girlfriend. Seriously though we have a giant tent with two mondo huge cots with air mattresses plus our dog. The dog takes up the back seat. The story behind this is my girl doesn't like camping and I love it. So the only way she will go out is if I make her comfortable. So I have the trailer to bring the kitchen sink. Plus, I'd rather have everything in the trailer so I can stop, unhook and go play. I have plans on traveling to Moab from here on dirt roads and camping along the way. There is also the White Rim trail that I'd like to see all of it. So I guess the answer is yep, it will get used a lot.

Gib, yep it's 5 on 5.

RedRockJK, Thanks! I think so too.

Gib, This 3 pivot hitch is from Adventure Trailers. I found another one from Tough Terrain Trailers but they didn't want to sell one to the New Image Off Road Trailers the shop making my trailer. I originally looked hard at their trailers but decided against it after determining I'd rather not have a hard top.

There is a company out of Australia that has a pintle mount that has a rubber insert to silence it on the trail. I considered that but I'd suspect shipping was way more than the product. The racket of a pintle is the only reason I shopped for different hitches. This style should do the same function as the pintle only quieter and less jerky.

[Gib]

Good stuff. I'll be looking at 5 on 5 too so that I won't have to carry a spare on the Jeep. I'll keep a plug kit and a spare at the campsite with the trailer. So the 3 pivot hitch is supposed to be quieter than a pintle. Well I guess I'll have to do with some noise. I like the free factor, and I know how strong it is, I've been using pintles on the military stuff for over ten years now. It looks like those fella's at New Image are treating you right though. It looks like that will be a heck of an off-road trailer.

[MichaelW]

No doubt that the pintle is tried and true. Maybe you can ask the folks in the garage if they know of a source for the pintle inserts. You might have an inside I didn't. Yep seems like they have a good thing going.

Thanks!

[crusty1007]

I have to add my .02
Get rid of the girlfriend! Keep the dog.

[MossMan]

Originally Posted by MichaelW

Duke - You obviously don't know my girlfriend. Seriously though we have a giant tent with two mondo huge cots with air mattresses plus our dog. The dog takes up the back seat. The story behind this is my girl doesn't like camping and I love it. So the only way she will go out is if I make her comfortable. So I have the trailer to bring the kitchen sink. Plus, I'd rather have everything in the trailer so I can stop, unhook and go play. I have plans on traveling to Moab from here on dirt roads and camping along the way. There is also the White Rim trail that I'd like to see all of it. So I guess the answer is yep, it will get used a lot.

Gib, yep it's 5 on 5.

That's awesome! Have you been looking over on Expedition Portal for ideas? What's the goal for the finished product? Something like one of the Adventure Trailers? I'm gonna do something similar. My wife is of similar feelings as your girlfriend. And instead of a dog we've got 3 kids to fill up the backseat. So cargo space gets used pretty quickly.

Were the 5 on 5 hubs hard to find? I think I'm gonna use my stock wheels on the trailer.

[MichaelW]

Expedition Portal That's where my search/quest started. I had since forgotten the link thanks for the reminder.

Yep, something like the Adventure Trailers but without the tent and a few dollars less.

I roughed up some cartoons for Rick at New Image Off Road Trailers and this helped with the whole concept. Here in Nevada the desert is famous for eating tires and from my experience in Mining and biogeochemistry sampling we ALWAYS carried at least two spare tires. So both the Jeep and the trailer will have spares, so I will be carrying 2 full sets of tires for the JK. I will be carrying 2 - 5 gallon reserve gas tanks plus 4 - 5 gallon water tanks. Rick has suggested the products from PU-Products and we are going with the 9x9 plastic cans. I have asked for a Hi-Lift and shovel mount up front and just behind the spare tire. Plus I have places for 2 large yellow top batteries. All this on the outside of the 4x7 internal storage space. Additionally the trailer will have electric brakes for control on the trail mostly plus the electric break-a-way switch. The electrical connection will be via an industry standard 7 wire plug and I'm modifying my LoD bumper to have the socket embedded in the bumper and out of harms way. I have the HellRoaring Technologies multiple battery management system awaiting installation for when I get time.

I think I have most of my bases covered but if you (or anyone else) wants to add their two bits, now is the time.

I'll see if I can upload my cartoons.

There are some local guys around here that do the expedition thing around Nevada. I'm hoping to hook up with them and gain some experience. I think it so cool that Nevada still has so many "roads" that are still dirt and explorable. Not to mention the many ghost towns and mining camps.

It was the prospect of doing longer excursions that was one of my primary motivations for getting the 4-door.

Sorry crusty1007, but I'm keeping both.

[MichaelW]

Almost forgot...

I asked Rick for places to tie down stiff inside the trailer but I didn't want to be limited to a few points or by figureing out exactly where I wanted the tie downs right now. I pointed Rick to some flush styled tie down rails like you see in pick ups and such and Rick had a source for something called F-Track that was less money than what I found but fundamentally similar. So we are placing two tracks for tie downs, one along the bottom and the other along the top. This way I can really secure my load.

[CABINHOLLOW]

cool, thats what I would call a trail rated trailer...

[MichaelW]

Dang, I was so hoping for some update pictures, but alas I have none.

[PhilD]

I'm disappointed, I looked at this thread expecting to learn how to get 24" of clearance on 37's. I want my money back

Nice looking trailer

[MichaelW]

Sorry Phil. No refunds. This is cash and carry and all sales are final.

[MichaelW]

I had to modify this bumper one more time. This time it was so I could actually use it for towing.

The LoD bumper did not come with anyplace to attach the towing wiring harness. It would have been nice had LoD at least allowed the utilization of the factory 4-wire JK harness that many may have opted for as a factory option. However I went with a slightly more robust trailer harness with the industry standard 7-wire plug.

The plug I purchased plugs in the factory harness plus has the extra wires for electric brakes, battery charger/power supply from a dual battery system and an aux power wire that is often used for back up lamps on the trailer.

I found these pdf files of industry standard trailer wiring diagrams. I did not create these documents and these are presented in their original form.

4 pole wiring dia.pdf
Electric brake control wiring.pdf
Trailer Wiring Diagrams.pdf

I also added some quick link hooks so I can attach my trailer safety chains and the electric break-a-way controller wire.

Well here are some pictures of my modifications. - note I am not a welder. I have never been taught how to weld. I bought a welder and enjoy burning stuff with it. I need to add that I used my torch on this bumper to make the hole for the 7-way plug. I'm not a torch guy either, apparently.

Here is a picture of my license plate relocation along with re-using the factory license plate light.


My CB antenna mount after I lost my CoolTech mount to a large tree on the Slick Rock trail which also took out my factory license plate mount. The CoolTech mount was the only thing holding my license plate on for quite a while until I actually relocated everything.

Also note how much better my steel corners from AEV-Conversions would have looked had they NOT had the license plate holes in it. Hello AEV.... Did you get this.


What the bumper looks like today.


And here is my most recent modification.


Note that this plug I bought at Napa utilizes the factory 4-wire harness that came with my JK and the towing package.


I have mentioned I like the "trunk" in my bumper.


Well that's my bumper/trailer update for today.

Now to go wire up my electric brake controller and my HellRoaring Technologies multiple battery system. Well ok the brake controller first. I still haven't decided on where I am putting the extra battery(s) yet.

I have a huge project in mind that has been postponed because I can't convince the guys at Gen-Right to make a big safari tank for the JK. They said something about DC asking them to not build a gas tank relocation kit with safari tank to remove the factory tank and install a nice larger capacity beefier protected gas tank back to the original TJ location. This way I could move my air storage tank to where the gas tank was and mount my batteries there too. So everyone call and email Gen-Right and tell them we want a bigger and more protected gas tank to be put back into the center of the vehicle and in between the rear frame rails!

But since the gas tank isn't going to be moved in the near future maybe I should build an air tank to go where the JK "trunk" is after removing the trunk and put some batteries either under the rear seat or in the back area so they are still somewhat accessible for the Ready Welder.

Oh well decisions, decisions. Now I have more to think about while installing my electric brake controller.

[4WheelinWithPride]

Hey, Michael, that trailer looks great! It has bigger tires on there than my tires The only thing is, is it stainless steal or somethin else, becasue I'm worried about that trailer rusting

Hope to see more!

[Foo]

Wow! very nice! Hey looking at your last picture, can you even see out that rear window with the 37 up there?

Just curious.

[MichaelW]

Thanks Guys!

It's not stainless or galvanized but it will be powder coated if that helps. FWIW we don't have the humidity and rust anywhere like the East or any of the coasts. I have some steel I bought 10 years ago sitting out in my stock pile and it looks the same as the day I bought it.

Oh heck no. That's why I installed a rear view camera from RearView Systems.

Hopefully I'll get some more pictures tomorrow.

[Foo]

LOL, Ahh yes I forgot you did that!

I should have got one of these for my wife, since she backed into another car backing up in a parking lot. No-Fault, no real damage.. $900 to the other car, but now my insurance is Double! I go have got the Deluxe Camera for just 6 months worth.

[MichaelW]

Jose, the man that is the fabricator on my trailer is somewhat back in the saddle as his wife is still having some issues after an emergency C-section for the birth of their child. So our prayers go out to him and his family.

However Jose has been back onto my trailer project. And Rick has sent me some updated images.

So here they are!

















I am starting to get excited. Obviously there was some changes from design to actual build but so far I am pleased. If anyone has any input, speak out.

[VSDPV]

You might consider an aluminum, lockable storage box on the tongue and move the spare tire to the inside. This might help with aerodynamics on the highway as well. Metal boxes are about $99.

[Gib]

If you like VSDPV's idea but don't want to put the tire in the bed, then it can also be mounted in front of your pass. side tire. It doesn't look like you have anything planned for that area yet.