Off-road Trailer Page
I'm rebuilding my off-road trailer. (Are you looking for info on the Silver Streak Sabre?)
Here's a nifty 1/8 scale balsa model of the new trailer body. Very easy to
build, and extremely useful in knocking out any concept-to-reality bugs. Sharp
eyes may notice minor differences around the wheel wells from side to side, and
the final full scale steel version was different yet.
Below is the trailer before I demolished the trailer body. As bought, the trailer was fully enclosed. I opened the front so I could load dirt bikes. Notice the super long tongue? There was also a thick top on the trailer which hinged forward. The original builder had intended to create a tent trailer, and the open trailer was big enough for a large mattress.
For my purposes, the trailer body was very heavy. I loved the shape, but the
sides were very thick because of the steel, 2x8 lumber, and 3/4" plywood
construction.
Here's a side-by-side comparison of by XJ spare with 31" MTR and the trailer
wheel with 33" BFG AT. The owner before me also drove an XJ, and he used wheels
to match. The wooden body is gone, and only the frame remains.
The frame was in fair shape. It would have been easy to rebuild, but it was
good enough. I extended the frame to the rear and added a couple more cross
members.
The body rib construction started with the two identical end pieces. The
design goal is to have a small, light, Jeep-sized trailer with gates on both the
front and the end.
Steel skin was welded to both sides. I learned something about welding is
doing so. The long weld along the top rail caused the rail to curve. Next time,
it needs to be stitched, or maybe braced with a stiff piece of steel before
welding.
Lights! Paint!
Then I got bored with taking pictures. There's a plywood floor. The gates were also completed with plywood.