Dumping offroad military trailer

[NS Gearhead]

Hi everyone! I've been trolling the build it yourself forum for a while and decided to contribute a little. I don't have a "tractor", but call my Jeep one and use it as a tractor.

Here's a little trailer I picked up fall of 2010, and started working on at the start of 2011. I know... extremely slow progress... but life gets in the way... I'm sure you can all identify. LOL I'm determined to finish it soon. Here's the lead up;

What it looked like when I bough it

Donor axle

Tires and bed liner

Stripping the axle

Wheels (matched the Jeep at that time)

Buddy doing me a favor

Pile O metal

Start of the new frame

axle ready

another favor from another buddy with his own 4X4 plasma table

Painted

axle slung under

tires on

high density polysomethingerother so she don't squeek

donor trailer stripped of what's not needed

crossmembers added

tub and new frame introduced for the 1st time

"holder" built

lifting brackets made

Hinges

after lots of messing around 1st full dump at 45 deg

fenders

Not enough

Fender extensions

Much better

Some wireing

Last owner cut a ****** version of a tailgate... so here's the repair. Before;

Tailgate

Lower hinges

The upper tubing "lip" was bowed out and in wanting to put 6 stake pockets in for cheater boards it needed to be perfectly straight so replacing with square tubing. Also shows the upper chain link welded

and that's where I'm at now. I'm also fixing some rust, but that's no fun... so no pics of it. LOL

 

[Ed of all trades]

Like the idea of dumping with the jack:thumbsup:

 

[NS Gearhead]

We have 4 acres... and at 1st I thought I'd "open the property lines"... then I thought I might winden it enough to drive the Jeep around... then I thought I'd put some gravel down to make it a nice walking trail (that's what I tell the Mrs... but it's really a go kart track ; )... so that's what started the dump trailer build.

Taking her for the 1st ride on the trail

Picking up it's 1st load

and... wow, one load doesn't cover much.

 

[NS Gearhead]

Like the idea of dumping with the jack:thumbsup:

Thanks! I was going to use hydraulics and started gathering parts... but it was going to be too expensive... and I had the jack already. It's rated for 5,000lbs and my caculations say that a full load of gravel should be near 3,500lbs... and that's not being lifted, just tilted. The only drawback is that when it comes to spreading gravel it will be a two man job. One driving once the load starts to pour, and another on the jack.

 

[forgeblast]

Wow nice job, looks like it will get a lot of use!

 

[cockeyedMFer]

Thanks! I was going to use hydraulics and started gathering parts... but it was going to be too expensive... and I had the jack already. It's rated for 5,000lbs and my caculations say that a full load of gravel should be near 3,500lbs... and that's not being lifted, just tilted. The only drawback is that when it comes to spreading gravel it will be a two man job. One driving once the load starts to pour, and another on the jack.

I like it - especially the axle revision. How did you ensure straightness when welding the axle tubes together?

Have you considered hinging your tailgate at the top like a dumptruck? With a remote trip lever and chains to regulate the amount the gate opens, you could raise the bed, drive along the trail, pull the latch and tailgate spread it.

How's does the Jeep like having 2 tons of trailer behind it?

 

[NS Gearhead]

The sleve inside the axle tubes were a pretty tight fit, though not a press fit. The spool was a press fit on the sleve, so the three parts (spool and both axle tubes) were clamped in a big piece of angle iron and welded with a big 220 mig. Took about 5 passes as the spool was tapered. My buddy with the lathe did that part.

The top hinges are coming and the chains shown will also be used to limit the gate opening... though I hadn't thought of a remote trip lever. I'll give that some thought... it would be awefully handy when it comes time to put the crusher dust topper on the trail.

The one load I did pull was probably 2/3 full, and the Jeep didn't really notice it was there. She's no stocker though; 6.0, 4L65E, 241OR, D60, 14blt, ARB & Detroit, 4.56s

 

[medic0648]

Why not a 12v linear actuator to dump? If you could find 1 heavy enough for a good price. Then you could dump from the cab.

 

[kevin37b]

Nice build , excellent fab work . Ican see a 12 volt hyd . self contained unit coming up pretty quick .

 

[CNC Dan]

look arround for a junked snow plow for the 12v pump and valves. The angle rams could be used together for lift.

 

[dieselscout80]

A trailer jack would work too and if you got a two speed box from a semi trailer jack setup it would move fairly fast too.

ps great project!

 

[MFWD]

Hello,
Looks like you did a great job on the build, but wow, what a lot of work for such a little squirt of a trailer !!!!! Please don't take offense, but you sure can't haul much at a time with that trailer !!!!! Great job though !!!!!!


MFWD

 

[texasjohn]

great job, super stout...you'll find many uses for it. And, it'll never be overloaded.

MFWD, he doesn't have a tractor so it gets filled by the shovel full...I think it's just the right size for his jeep and personal loader (shovel).

 

[yanmars]

Nice job

 

[nwngunner]

Was i the only one thinking he was going to make it a powered axle?

 

[NS Gearhead]

Thanks for the kind words guys. This is my 1st serious project. I'd never layed a bead of weld before this. LOL

You're right Texasjohn, it is the size it is because of what I'm towing it with, my means of loading it, and the trail it has to go on. There are spots where the Jeep can't make the corner without backing up and going again. The trailer has no problem following because it's a little narrower then the Jeep. Now, when things get serious I may get a tandem load at a time dumped at the house and rent a bobcat to load it.

It is a unique little trailer. I've never seen anything like it done on the web... using the highlift to dump either.

I do have way too much into this (aprox $2500), and want to call it done as I have way too many other projects partially done, so the Highlift's staying.

Some specs;

-2X3X1/8" frame
-3500lb springs
-Corp 14 bolt axle (1/2" wall)
-oil bathed bearings
-18" clearance under the axle
-38" XML Military surplus tires ($60 each!)
-16X10" American Racing Outlaw IIs
-removable pintle ring (to convert to ball if I ever want)
-60" High lift jack (5,000lb rating)
-LED brake/signal/licence plate lights
-tub is aprox 3' wide at the bottom, 4' at the top, 18" deep, and 6' long (Roughly one cubic yard.)

 

[DougM]

What a great Job....

I want one just like it for the back of my Escape.

I think you could make a living doing things like this ...

 

[Renze]

Just one drawback: putting the square tube frame on the inside of the dumpbody, will make dumping sticky material, rip rap or mulch nearly impossible.

 

[NS Gearhead]

I thought of that. It's main purpose will be gravel and crusher dust. Worst case with those will be a couple handfulls left behind. I could also just put some angled sheet steel to defelect material.

DougM; there's no way I could make money building such things... with the amount of time I put into it, it would end up costing more then people would be willing to pay. It's just a hobby that I enjoy. Once I get a little more experience I may do little jobs here and there for favors, or horse trade, or beer. LOL

 

[deezler]

Great idea with using the high-lift jack for dumping! Never seen that before. Linear actuators are kinda flimsy until you get into the higher amperage and many hundreds of dollars. Hydraulic is great, but then you need remotes on your tractor which you obviously don't. So the jack setup seems pretty slick. It also seems like having a tall jack mounted dead center on the trailer would make it visually easier to back up to centered for getting it coupled to your tow rig.

But! My biggest question is, how long does it take to get the trailer dumped when loaded full, and how much effort is it (honestly) ? Would it be too much to ask you to take a video of you dumping the trailer, or at least time yourself doing it? Many thanks in advance if you can.

If this setup works as well as I hope it might, I just may go looking for an existing small tilt trailer and simply fab up mounts for a high-lift jack to get it converted to "dumping". I need a small dump trailer for my trails too, but have little to no money to spend on one. Certainly not $2500 and months worth of fab time, haha. But your trailer kicks *****!