Short Bed Trailers. Whos got em?

[West Texas Z]

Hey guys looking at making a short bed trailer to look exactly the bed of my truck. I'm a huge fan of BBQ's and tailgating. lol My plan is to find an old beater and use the axle and bed to make a cool bbq pit tailer. Has anyone done this yet? I'm sure someone has!! pics would be great. Thanks.

[West Texas Z]

Here is a pic of my bed. I plan to make an identical twin trailer and have it painted all the same color when I repaint the truck. This trailer will serve only as my tailgating trailer with my BBQ pit bolted to the bed. Plans include a canopy over the side for shade that collapse when not in use and the tail gate as a cutting board. Obviously no gas tank and full use of the tail lights for towing. Let me know what you think.



p.s can anyone photo chop a rendering of the trailer/bed? Thanks.

[Keith Seymore]

Great idea and excellent thread topic.

I look forward to seeing what's out there -

K

[Prerunner1982]

After many years as a Texas Tech Tailgater myself I am interested in seeing this build..

[THE "10" SILVERADO]

Originally Posted by West Texas Z

Hey guys looking at making a short bed trailer to look exactly the bed of my truck. I'm a huge fan of BBQ's and tailgating. lol My plan is to find an old beater and use the axle and bed to make a cool bbq pit tailer. Has anyone done this yet? I'm sure someone has!! pics would be great. Thanks.

Not mine but one I was going to purchase something like it some time ago..

[West Texas Z]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Great idea and excellent thread topic.

I look forward to seeing what's out there -

K

Me too. I'm sure our members here have built some cool rigs in the past.

Originally Posted by Prerunner1982

After many years as a Texas Tech Tailgater myself I am interested in seeing this build..

Sweet another Red Raider!

too bad we couldnt play for crap this weekend.

Originally Posted by THE "10" SILVERADO

Not mine but one I was going to purchase something like it some time ago..

Cool pic. I'm sure it cant be too hard to use the frame, axle, and bed. All I would need to add is a trailer lighting harness for brake/turn lights and fab up a tow hitch. Those can be found every where!

[Prerunner1982]

After some thinking you could get pretty creative with this. Put the grille at the back, with the tailgate down it would make a great table. At the front on one side you could put in a sink with a water storage tank and pump below it in the bed and/or even under the bed where the gas tank was. That way you can wash/prep food or wash utensils. On the other side you could make a serving line table that can be removed for transportation.. on that side in the bed you could have a area where you could put buns, chips, sides, etc.. People could start at the front of the bed, get their plates, buns, chips, drink and when they get to the end of the bed you give them the meat right off the grille. Though depending on the sides having a couple refrigerated bins would be good, but may cause more hassle than you want.

And using the stack bed pockets you could make a canopy to cover the grille and or serving area.

Just some ideas.

[Walts_restoration]

Ive got a longbed frame and bed i plan to make a camping trailer out of for when i go offroading. So same concept. The 2wd frame has a bend downward where the cab is, so basically you want to cut it at the straightest parts of the bend (You have about 3 feet to do this) and depedning on what hitch you use, you decide your length of cut for the V. Mine is a 25 degree from each side (So 50 degrees total). You can use brakes if you wish, i was looking into electric master cylinders so that you keep the same factory style hydrolic brakes, that or swapping in an actual trailer axle (5x5 lug pattern, although with my 4x4 i will get a 6x5.5 in the stock width of my trail truck so my spares for the trailer are the same as the spares on the truck)

Good luck.

[RandyP]

It I was going to make a trailer like that, I'd go 8' bed for sure even if I had a SWB truck. Would still look awesome but give you a little more room to work with. Plus the chances of finding an old topper for it would be greater. I recall seeing a CL ad recently where a guy had 3 long bed trailers for sale at $200 each, thought hard about buying one because they looked like very good beds and tailgates.

[West Texas Z]

Originally Posted by Prerunner1982

After some thinking you could get pretty creative with this. Put the grille at the back, with the tailgate down it would make a great table. At the front on one side you could put in a sink with a water storage tank and pump below it in the bed and/or even under the bed where the gas tank was. That way you can wash/prep food or wash utensils. On the other side you could make a serving line table that can be removed for transportation.. on that side in the bed you could have a area where you could put buns, chips, sides, etc.. People could start at the front of the bed, get their plates, buns, chips, drink and when they get to the end of the bed you give them the meat right off the grille. Though depending on the sides having a couple refrigerated bins would be good, but may cause more hassle than you want.

And using the stack bed pockets you could make a canopy to cover the grille and or serving area.

Just some ideas.

The sink idea is good. I like that. The electric water heater could be mounted either inside or under the bed. If I go with it inside, I'm thinking in a corner with a cover box.

I had originally had the idea to just run a faucet handle to the front of the bed (where the bed meets the cabin) and run the pipes down inside the bed and I could screw on a water hose for simple hand washing from underneath the truck. That way I could shut it on and off at my need. But the down fall is that a puddle would probably form around the trailer if the water was used too much. But this method will be cheaper and just as effective.

This is the pit. The smoker will be cut MUCH shorter to fit inside the bed accordanelly. I'll lose the function of smoking but thats ok.





Just for kicks...



BTW, Not looking to add a camper. This will be built for tailgating and not so much camping.

[Prerunner1982]

The mud puddle had crossed my mind as well and with the sink you could attach a hose to the drain and then you could run it to an area away from you. For a water heater you could run the pipes through the BBQ pit first..

Oh and I am sure the BBQ is nice.. but due to blocks are work I can't see it.

[West Texas Z]

Originally Posted by Prerunner1982

The mud puddle had crossed my mind as well and with the sink you could attach a hose to the drain and then you could run it to an area away from you. For a water heater you could run the pipes through the BBQ pit first..
Oh and I am sure the BBQ is nice.. but due to blocks are work I can't see it.

Whoa. Thats an idea. I wonder how much work that would take?

[West Texas Z]

Here is a little rendering of what I plan to cut and weld new brackets to bolt to the bed. The second pic has where the door will be relocated so that I can clean it. I'll also need to make a small vent door too.

[silvereagle07]

The piping should be simple. Just runs some copper coil through the grille. As for the hand wash, just run a catch piped to a storage tank and pump it out with a bilge pump at a safe location.

[Prerunner1982]

Looks good... only question.. with it mounted in the bed will there be enough room to access the side door?

For the copper through the grille, I would put fittings through the grille side so that it can be easily removed.

[nbpro]

http://sweptline.com/blog/2009/01/20...-pickup-truck/

[West Texas Z]

Originally Posted by silvereagle07

The piping should be simple. Just runs some copper coil through the grille. As for the hand wash, just run a catch piped to a storage tank and pump it out with a bilge pump at a safe location.

Good idea.

Originally Posted by Prerunner1982

Looks good... only question.. with it mounted in the bed will there be enough room to access the side door?

For the copper through the grille, I would put fittings through the grille side so that it can be easily removed.

Yes, I've measured already. With the pit all the way to the left, it fits great. About 1.5 foot gap. Worse case senario.....I bolt it long wise in the bed level with the bed, this route the truck will need to be lowered. But thats fine because I want the truck and tailer at the same height. I've thought this out several times before posting. lol

[West Texas Z]

Originally Posted by nbpro

http://sweptline.com/blog/2009/01/20...-pickup-truck/

Dude, you rock. Thanks.



How about bolting it long wise in the front? Like where he's standing? My only concern here would be the weight on the front.




This guy placed a tool box. ^

[3r!c84]

Do a flip kit on it to match your lowerd truck
Posted via Mobile Device

[Prerunner1982]

I wouldn't put the pit on the front.... you will have to be stepping over and around the tongue to do anything. However, thinking about the weight being on the back I would look at jack for the rear of the trailer to support the weight when not hitched.

[West Texas Z]

Originally Posted by 3r!c84

Do a flip kit on it to match your lowerd truck
Posted via Mobile Device

Definitely, it will have to match riding height. I'll have to wait till its all said and done. I dont want to pan cake it when I add weight. lol

[bucannon]

if you put enough time and money into this it will be badass no doubt about it.

[texasfunk]

Originally Posted by West Texas Z

Here is a pic of my bed. I plan to make an identical twin trailer and have it painted all the same color when I repaint the truck. This trailer will serve only as my tailgating trailer with my BBQ pit bolted to the bed. Plans include a canopy over the side for shade that collapse when not in use and the tail gate as a cutting board. Obviously no gas tank and full use of the tail lights for towing. Let me know what you think.

Sweet another Red Raider!

too bad we couldnt play for crap this weekend.




Cool pic. I'm sure it cant be too hard to use the frame, axle, and bed. All I would need to add is a trailer lighting harness for brake/turn lights and fab up a tow hitch. Those can be found every where!

first of all moses. i amextremly jealous at how goot the truck looks woth my old TG band and whels on it, second, i had the idea of a trailer BBQ pit to match my 87! custom painted and everything! esp considering i had 6 20" wheels at the time for it! it is a great idea! need any help lemme know! we'll fire up the welders at the shop!



and im a texas fan, booo ya! :P

[BigBlocksRule]

Find you a straight axle out of a '47 - '59, they're lighter and a whole lot cooler than a 10-bolt. The frame is easy to build, lighter and ride height can be set spot-on, you can pick your suspension stiffness, too.

[78 Chevyrado]

I like them!