a simple trailer build

For the L3301, and also the U 25 mini X (one at a time.) I currently use my 12' dump bed trailer, and it works after a fashion, but living on a mountain with 1200' of fall I have to go up and down, I don't like packing the extra weight of the double dump bed etc., plus the higher center of gravity going down the road. The load height is high also, and the ramps are not wide enough, ha ha, or at least it seems like it halfway down! The sides get in the way when securing it also.

So, I am building a bare bones trailer, with an open deck/no floor, got the 5" channel ordered plus 2 5000 lbs torsion axles ( I think, maybe 3500, they are 6 lug though) I got used for $400.00. I hope to keep the empty weight under 1,000 lbs., thew dumper is over 3 K lbs., I may even spring for aluminum wheels. Max lightness with adequate strength is what I'm after. 12 to 13' long, 6' wide. The bed height should be low enough to allow just walking the mini X onto it, with very minimal ramps ( or maybe none, we'll see) for the tractor, that's the plan anyway. I'll post a few pics when completed. I also want the tie downs to be super quick and easy, probably with 2" web strap mini winches, welded or bolted to the right places for optimum strength at just the correct angles, something I have not been able to attain with the dump bed trailer. I gave a lot of thought to a tilt bed, but am trying to stay away from the extra weight and complexity.

I had that thought also, I may stick to chains and binders. I will be modeling the frame after my 10K dump trailer, which does have a V tongue, but a mix of 6 and 5 " channel, this one will be all 5". By open deck I mean no sideboards and no flooring. Just enough angle iron every foot (and only at the wheel/track width, luckily both the same) or so to give the needed support for a wheeled tractor or a treaded one. My little single axle trailer is like that, used for my earlier smaller tractor, it also ends up giving you tie down spots about everythere, as I can cinch off of the angle iron. No wood at all.

I also just made a little dump bed trailer for my ATV, and I am keeping that option open for this trailer as I build. I prefer to not over plan it and just be inspired as I build, more fun that way! I'll get the frame tacked together, with the torsion axles under it, and see if inspiration hits me for a tilt bed. The bed height is looking so low it may not be needed.

My old single axle utility trailer, again, nothing there that isn't needed! The new bigger tandem one will look quite similiar, it shows what I mean by "an open deck." It's so light it's real handy to wheel barrow around by hand, heck I even pull it with the Prius. Today I used my older Rav4 to haul the needed steel back to the shop. I have a 1 ton Chevy also, but it would have been overkill for this small load. Most will look at my trailer, the old and the new one, and think it's still under construction, ha ha. No brakes on the single, dual brakes on the new one, for sure. New radial tires also, not a place to scrimp, weight or money wise.

Got the tires (radial, trailer specific) and wheels, all mounted up. Got the frame dead nuts level in all directions, and squared up. Well, almost square, it's 1/16" out corner to corner. Simple as can be so far. I know the weight of the steel used, and I am weighing the misc. parts and keeping track, we'll see if I can get it under 1,000 lbs.

Here's a thought: my thinking is the weight of the torsion axles, and the wheels and the tires, should NOT be counted as part of the trailer weight. Sure, for most purposes, but say I end up with my 5600 lb. mini X and 1,000 lbs of trailer, I can then claim I am below the rated capacity of the running gear by 400 lbs. I am shooting for a bit below max when hauling the mini, and well below with the lighter 3301. My use for this will be intermittent, on the secondary roads in my area, it's not going on the interstate at 80 mph, but 45 mph, with 80 lbs of air in the tires.

I have the axles welded on, carefully triangulated to the hitch, it should only take up one lane as I tow it down the highway, the same one my pickup is using hopefully!

I set the first one, and then after determining the proper distance for the second/trailing one (quite close, only a couple inches between the tires, with the torsion axles you can do this, and the closer together the better, so the load "sees" one monster axle versus two, this increases load sharing between the axles, a new term I just learned, the torsions having some peculiarities in this regard) and then went out to the wood shed to find something I could cut down to 28 7/8", the required length for a spacer between the two axles. Using the spacer rather then a tape, I could just jam the axle up tight, clamp it, and be assured it was absolutely parallel to the other one.

It was a 2x4, and I eyeballed it when I grabbed it as long enough to cut down to the proper length, but when I had it on the chop saw table and pulled a measurement on it, I found it was already the perfect length, not a 1/16" off, just an odd thing, random luck, telling me the distance between the two axles was somehow preordained. These are the joys of making something, rather then buying store bought, it's great when it all falls into place.

To locate the hitch, I plumb bobbed down from the trailer frame center front and rear, and then snapped a line projecting 48" forward (the hitch distance from the trailer, my dump trailer is this length and it's super easy to back up). Then it was a simple matter to weld the hitch to the channel, which pre determines the angle, and then while supporting it with a jackstand at the front, shift it around until another plumb bob lined up with the snapped line. This is something you want to get right, and this was the easiest and most accurate way I could think to do it. I did have one close call though however, since I'm building the trailer upside down, at one point I realized I almost welded the hitch on upside down. Don't laugh, this would have created a real headache in having to invert my truck's trailer hitch to match, but at least I would never have to be bothered by friends wanting to borrow it.

The lights will be off on the sides, behind the fenders/protected by the fenders. About 1' ahead of the rear, with some small additional clearance lights between the beaver tail.

I'll post this picture for entertainment; first time out of the shop, and I got side tracked by changing my only 2 5/16" ball to a different hitch with more drop, and obviously didn't put the pin back in. In my defense.....I wasn't going out on a highway or even off my place. The fix was simple, (put the frigging pin in dummy) and it didn't hurt or bend anything. It also made me realize I had neglected to get some chain and hooks for the breakaway system, plus I need the electric gizmo that activates the brakes if it breaks loose. Also realized I had neglected to arrange for any fenders, and am trying to decide steel or aluminum.

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I found some steel diamond plate rolled fenders, locally, so no waiting for them! Strong enough to walk on while still not too heavy. Plenty heavy enough for the very rare tire incident, sounds like a manufacturer defect greenacres, either that or severely underinflated, whatever, point taken, fenders are more for just keeping the mud down.


I end up going with a little beaver tail, it knocked 5" off the load height, and also ended with a good structure to hang the ramps on. Thanks to the low height, the ramps are only 33" long, and have 2" angle cross bars so way strong for the load. The 33" length was largely determined by the long scrap out of a 20'r I had of 3" channel, so no scrap left over and an acceptable loading angle. Here's a shot of the rollout, using the tractor as a test load as the Mini X the trailer was mostly built for was out on a job. Nice and level, so pretty much equeal loading on those torsion axles. I'll install the fenders and breakaway chains today, then start painting. Two coats of Rustoleum rusty metal primer, my go to paint for anything metal. Maybe a black finish coat, but I doubt it

No total yet, I'll probably figure it up tomorrow. The steel will easy, and I've logged all the little stuff, tires, fenders, lights, breakaway chains etc., but it's looking good. Got it flipped over one last time, down side up, for paint. The next time it gets flipped over right side up, it'll stay that way, hopefully! Fender install tomorrow also, unless work gets in the way.