It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 4:12 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 1:57 pm 
Offline
Posts like an LN3
Posts like an LN3
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 3:53 pm
Posts: 573
Location: Nashville, TN
Year and Trim: 82 GP
Feel free to move this to lounge if it belongs there. If not I'll be a post-whore here.

So I finally bought a trailer recently to haul projects around on. I have rented a uhaul car trailer so many times that I decided that this needed to happen.

Image

Image

Image

It really needs some work though. It had mobile home axles on it when I got it and it also came with 6 wheels and tires for those.

Image

Unfortunately the axles were in pretty rough shape, and none of the brakes worked at all and required all new parts for those. I also was not a fan of the bolt on hub design these had for any sort of distance on the freeway. I wanted to be able to take this thing across the country if I had to so they had to go.

The real issue with it was that the frame had rust holes in it and was basically rusting apart.

Image

Image

So off comes the fenders and the axles:

Image

Image

Image

Image

One of the previous owners put these plates in to fix the thing where the trailer had apparently cracked the frame rails:

Image

Image

Yeah it was pretty rough.

_________________
Image

2009 Chevy Silverado 2500HD crew cab, 6.0, Z71. The project mover.
2002 Regal GS: 3.4 pulley, E85, and quicker than my old 99
1982 Pontiac Grand Prix L67, T56, GT45, T56, Holley EFI; It's pretty quick Mod list here


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 2:08 pm 
Offline
Posts like an LN3
Posts like an LN3
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 3:53 pm
Posts: 573
Location: Nashville, TN
Year and Trim: 82 GP
The trailer was assembled in the 80's by who knows who. The trailer itself was put together pretty well, though it did seem like the frame rails were made of pretty thin metal for what the guy was trying to haul with it.
Apparently the first owner used this thing to haul a backhoe! Years of rust and water caking up in the wheel well pretty much did the frame rails in.


So here was the solution to the issue:

Plasma cutter!

Image

Image

Image

Patch panel welded in and grinded flush:

Image

Image

The passenger side wasn't as bad, but I still patched in some sections that were pretty rusty:
Image

Now for the real fix:

2 10' long sections of 4"x3" 3/16" angle iron and 2 10' long 3" sheets of 3/16" sheet to go over the inside:

Image

Image

I also ordered new 6,000 pound axles with brakes for this trailer as well as new leaf springs, and wheels and tires. With the tires I ordered I'll be able to bring this to a 10,000 pound Gross Weight.


New spring mounts measured and installed:

Image

I'm hoping to have this thing back on wheels tomorrow!

_________________
Image

2009 Chevy Silverado 2500HD crew cab, 6.0, Z71. The project mover.
2002 Regal GS: 3.4 pulley, E85, and quicker than my old 99
1982 Pontiac Grand Prix L67, T56, GT45, T56, Holley EFI; It's pretty quick Mod list here


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 5:36 pm 
Offline
Administrator
Administrator
User avatar

Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 6:04 pm
Posts: 25871
Location: Browerville, MN
Year and Trim: 2004 GXP - plus a handful of other Bonnevilles
How much are you in so far? That looks like a lot of work, I would have walked away after seeing the frame rot.

Have you tried loading anything on it yet? It's got a pretty high deck with no dovetail or tilt. Might get hung up pretty easy.

_________________
Andrew - owner/operator of Bonnevilles Unlimited
Image
2004 Bonneville GXP | 60k | White Gold Tricoat | custom built supercharged 3800 hot rod | garage queen
1997 Corvette | 55k | Silver Metallic | Z06 wheels | Date-night Hauler/Parts runner
2014 Town & Country Limited | Cashmere Pearl | 95k | Family Hauler
2002 Ram 1500 Quad Cab Sport | Black| 260k | Official Bonneville Hauler


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 1:36 am 
Offline
Posts like an LN3
Posts like an LN3
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 3:53 pm
Posts: 573
Location: Nashville, TN
Year and Trim: 82 GP
Those are all great points.

It has been quite a bit of work, but the way I see it I'll have a pretty stout trailer once this is all finished. I got a really good deal on it initially since the previous owner knew it needed a lot done to it. I kind of enjoy cutting and welding metal too so I thought it'd be a fun project.

I'm at about $2,200 into it right now with everything and I'm pretty much finished buying things at this point. The biggest expense was the new axles, wheels/tires, and suspension components. I know a really good metal recycler nearby I can get good metal for dirt cheap from. The 10' sections though I spent about $200 on. I sold the original wheels and tires today too so I was able to get some money back now. I'm still hoping to sell the axles but those might just get scrapped.

Originally I figured I would just be repairing and reinforcing the frame though; I wasn't planning on replacing the axles. The mobile home axles needed a lot of work to get the brakes working correctly and new 14.5" tires would have been about $100 each minimum. I didn't really feel comfortable with taking the trailer on any real distance with those axles because of the way the wheel bolts on too.

I have thought about that quite a bit though and I do think I still made out okay here. Seems like most car trailers around the $2,000 mark are used wood deck trailers with 5 lug axles.
This one has a diamond plate deck and now has the capacity to handle up to 10,000 pounds with these tires.

I haven't tried to load anything on it yet though. I didn't want to test the frame before I took care of the rust issues. A dovetail would have been ideal I'm sure, but I've never had a problem with uhaul trailers in the past and the height seems comparable. If it's an issue though I could just get longer ramps or something. I suppose I could even convert it into a dovetail :lol:

Once it's out of the garage I'll be promptly using it to take my Grand Prix to a test and tune to see if I can break its driveshaft or its axle :lol:

_________________
Image

2009 Chevy Silverado 2500HD crew cab, 6.0, Z71. The project mover.
2002 Regal GS: 3.4 pulley, E85, and quicker than my old 99
1982 Pontiac Grand Prix L67, T56, GT45, T56, Holley EFI; It's pretty quick Mod list here


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 9:28 am 
Offline
Posts like an LN3
Posts like an LN3
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 3:53 pm
Posts: 573
Location: Nashville, TN
Year and Trim: 82 GP
I was able to get the axles bolted on yesterday and start on some of the paint work.

Backing plates installed, bearings packed, drums bolted in.

Image

Now just need to grease the crap out of them, paint and seal the new metal pieces, reinstall the fenders, wire the new axles and it'll be good enough to roll again.

_________________
Image

2009 Chevy Silverado 2500HD crew cab, 6.0, Z71. The project mover.
2002 Regal GS: 3.4 pulley, E85, and quicker than my old 99
1982 Pontiac Grand Prix L67, T56, GT45, T56, Holley EFI; It's pretty quick Mod list here


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Related topics
 Topics   Author   Replies   Views   Last post 
There are no new unread posts for this topic. The new-ish parts hauler

[ Go to pageGo to page: 1, 2 ]

Roadtech195

24

4133

Sat Jul 07, 2012 6:13 am

Saturn Simon View the latest post

There are no new unread posts for this topic. The Haro Hauler - 2001 Ram 2500

[ Go to pageGo to page: 1 ... 4, 5, 6 ]

harofreak00

101

7358

Mon May 18, 2009 10:17 am

harofreak00 View the latest post

There are no new unread posts for this topic. Haro Hauler 2.0 - 1996 Silverado (progress pics)

[ Go to pageGo to page: 1, 2, 3, 4 ]

harofreak00

61

8626

Wed Feb 17, 2010 3:07 pm

harofreak00 View the latest post

There are no new unread posts for this topic. my Super Sport

[ Go to pageGo to page: 1, 2, 3 ]

ptrfair

41

4236

Wed Nov 11, 2009 4:43 pm

Jrs3800 View the latest post

There are no new unread posts for this topic. 1999 buick regal GS super charger problems

smokingfireball

10

4756

Thu Mar 29, 2012 12:11 am

SSEiMan01 View the latest post

 


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 9 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group


phpBB SEO