Create a New Trailer From an Old Ford Ranger or a Chevy Truck…
Building a trailer,motor vehicle,make you rold Car an attractive,new covanent vehicle
The term “recycle” conveys that something that has been used can be
processed and used again. For most people, this refers to newspapers,
cardboard boxes, plastic, etc. It may therefore come as a surprise that
your old Chevy truck or old Ford Ranger can be “recycled” too, albeit
in a slightly different manner!
Here are step-by-step instructions on how you can create a new trailer
from your old vehicle—
(1) The frame rails have to be dealt with first—they are on the underside
of your truck. Cut them as far forward as possible.
(2) Now it is time for some welding. Find rectangular tubing, around
2 x 6 ¼-inches in thickness—it should fit in between the frame rails.
Ensure that it is positioned directly under the front edge of the bed.
(3) Get another piece of rectangular tubing, 2 x 4 ¼-inches in thickness
this time. Attach it (welding) to the center of the first crossbeam that
has just been welded in. This tubing has to be attached to the trailer
tongue at the other end. Naturally, the length should be reasonable enough
to prevent the trailer and the tow vehicle colliding with each other during
sharp turns.
(4) Which is the best place to place the trailer tongue latch? When you
have fixed its position, cut the center beam to the length it should be.
(5) When that’s done, make a notch on the frame rails. This notch should
be directly in front of the crossbeam that was welded in at the beginning
of the whole process.
(6) The frame rails have to be bent into the center beam and welded into
place. Make sure that you leave room for attaching the tongue latch later
on.
(7) It is time to weld the tongue latch in place now.
(8) Finally, get a one-fourth-inch thick diamond plate and weld it over
the entire frame rails and tongue. This gives additional strength to the
tongue frame area, which has now acquired a large and triangular shape.
It is also a storage place for your generator.
(9) You are not done as yet, though. Your trailer needs light in the
interior—the lights have to be wired in.
(10) You will need license plates for your new trailer. The DMV people
are the ones to issue you a permit. They will, of course, acquaint you
with the laws pertaining to transportation in different states before
they grant you permission to drive your new trailer.
Now, the whole process of building a truck
trailer might have seemed like a cakewalk to you, but certain
precautions have to be kept in mind—
(1) Your old truck will make a very poor trailer unless it is properly
fitted with the right equipment. Take the wheels, for instance. They are
in the middle, and there is no weight over the ball bearings. A trailer
is has to be pulled by a tow vehicle and therefore requires secure and
easy handling. The wheels need to be positioned in such a way that they
are behind the centerline—at least to about 60% in the front and about
40% in the back. This will prevent the vehicle from whipping when going
over bumps on the road.
(2) The axle used for your truck is a heavy one; you could go in for
a lighter beam one. Or if you plan to keep the original one only, the
brakes will have to be stripped off to lighten the weight.
(3) Again, the gears must be placed together to seal the front end, if
you retain the original axle. This will ensure that the gear oil does
not flow out. An alternative option is to remove the gears completely
and replace them with a plate over the front opening. This is necessary
to ensure that the ball bearings do not dry up.
