By Tony K
I guess you could say that the start of my metal fabrication was this trailer. It was made over a winter in the backyard. I didn’t have many tools at the time, only an AC/DC stick welder, drill, sawzall and a grinder. And the welder I got just so I could build this thing. I always liked the WWII style of trailer but I did find some weaknesses in the originals as well as some things I just wanted different so I made my own. It is loosely based on the Bantam trailers used in WWII.
I have always liked the shape of those old trailers so I didn’t change that and I included the parking brake that was on the originals. I did make my trailer a bit larger but not by much. I decided on an axle width and lug nut pattern that matches my wagon and I have a set of Toyota rims that I still need to install. I also included a tailgate which was never a feature on the originals, they were actually designed to float if need be. A feature of my tailgate is that it is hinged to open sideways with a removable pin. Integral to the tailgate is the spare tire rack.
A heavy duty rack for lumber and long stuff attaches with pins. The forward section even has a provision for a snatch block so I can pull stuff into the trailer that is too heavy. I can use my rear winch to do this or use a two speed boat trailer winch that attaches to the tongue.
Whenever I have long stuff on the trailer the tongue can be extended about 2 feet so things don’t hit the back of my rig. I have even made an 8 ft extension to haul a 25 ft long bar top I made. And the tube the tongue slides in extends all the way through the trailer and allows me to attach a shackle at the rear. This construction allows me to pull the whole rig out with trailer if I get them both stuck. The rear shackle is also a good point to pull the trailer sideways to clear obstacles.
Brakes have also been fitted as I do tend to put quite a load in this thing. Which is a must with the brakes on a 60!
The platform on the tongue has mounts for a propane bottle and an extra Jerry can. Brackets on the sides of the trailer allow for the attachment of a Yakima rack for extra room while camping. The cover was made by a local canvas shop out of a material called Truck Tarp. It is heavy and waterproof and held tight with numerous loops of bungy cord. Fiberglass bows keep it from drooping and holding water.
One thing I have never understood about utililty trailers and pick ups was the complete lack of tie downs inside the bed. Just how do they expect you to tie down anything that is shorter than the bed sides. I remedied this by installing 24 tie down points inside the bed and 8 on the outside. One other minor thing that bugs me about trailers is the lack of a place to leave the chains and wiring plug. Solved the chain issue by welding a hook to the frame and solved the plug issue by installing a female plug in the frame to just plug the loose end into. That way it is
not hanging in the mud and water while the trailer is disconnected.
The other unique feature of my trailer is the hitch. There are serious restrictions to the movement of a traditional ball and pintle hitches can make a lot of noise on the road do to how they fit so I came up with my own. My hitch is fully articulated, the only limits to its movement is when it hits the back of the rig. It could even roll over without affecting the tow rig. If you want to know more about the hitch read the write up in this section, The Ultimate Hitch.
