creating a trailer from longbed frame and bed
 

I've got the long frame and bed from my truck swap, and i can't bring myself to cut it up for scrap, so i decided i'll make a trailer to haul behind my now-shortbed '72... (i think it'd look, cool color coordinated)


My question is, has anybody done a writeup on this?
I've searched, but haven't found anything

I'm most interested in the best way to bring the frame together to form the tongue.

I figured i'd notch the upper and lower lip of the frame, and bend them together, to maintain structural integrity, but i'm curious about the best way to get them to bend.

any suggestions?

Re: creating a trailer from longbed frame and bed
 

Remeber reading somewhere on here that someone was saying leaf spring suspension was bad for pickup box trailers and coils were the way to go.

Re: creating a trailer from longbed frame and bed
 

Ive got the exact same set up ready to convert to a trailer so Ill be following this!!

Re: creating a trailer from longbed frame and bed
 

yeah, the truck was 2 wheel, so it has coils.

i had contemplated picking up a trailer suspension from northern tool, but it wouldn't be worth the cost and effort. i figure the coils will give it a nice ride, and i'll just pick up another set of trailing arms for my project truck...

Re: creating a trailer from longbed frame and bed
 

There are a lotta ways to do this but here are some pics of a 54 trailer

Re: creating a trailer from longbed frame and bed
 

Thanks to the pics powerdriver 1958 posted, I got it figured out....

Here's what i accomplished yesterday:

I cut the frame rails directly behind the front cab supports, and they ended up being the perfect length, quite by accident...

I measured 8 inches forward from the bed mounting pads, in order to avoid having to mess with the rear cab mounts (i'm so sick of rivets, but that's another story).

i cut 45 degree angles under the assumption that i would create an equilateral triangle because the frame is 34" measuring across to the outer edges of the frame, and from where i initially cut, i had almost exactly 34", but i suck at math, and didn't account for the 3" wide tube, and a couple other factors, but all in all, here it is

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o...r/P9201492.jpg

i still need to strengthen the gaps where i screwed up the angles, brace the center piece, and pick up a coupler.

on a side note, once i notched the upper and lower edge, the frame rail bent with little force, which was my biggest concern starting out ;)

i'll post more pics later

Re: creating a trailer from longbed frame and bed
 

looking good. it looks like you and I have the same length frame to work with. thanks for the heads up on how much angle to cut out. :)
I still have to remove the tranny crossmember but other than that Ill be following your instructions!

Re: creating a trailer from longbed frame and bed
 

unless you want to go shorter, 45's are not the way to go
I REPEAT... Say NO to 45's :cool:

yeah, i think the 8' box will make a great trailer :)