Ground up off-road trailer build

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EarthlingJim

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Fenders welded up and mounted, tail light housings and plate bracket mounted. Even before the fenders adhered to the body, they're strong enough to stand on. I was going to bend up the more complex design that I have drawn for my truck tray (flatbed), but went with a more simple design. I like em, pretty happy with how they turned out. Might try and get them linexed at work this week.
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Getting a state patrol inspection is booked out a month plus statewide, which is complete BS. The way that is done here in Colorado is absurdly inefficient and antiquated. We're supposed to take this thing on our holiday break. So if we bought a trailer built from out of state, it could take us two months to get it registered?! A new truck from out of state... Over a month wait for Vin inspection. Stupid.

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Not sure what I'm going to do just yet, might just pull it without plates.
 
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EarthlingJim

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I blend aluminum every day at work, but there's nothing complicated with my method. I build aluminum bumpers, storage boxes, and a whole lotta of other aluminum accessories for the trucks we build at work. I use 3m cubitron 60 flap discs to get the weld down close to flush, then a cubitron 80 on a DA sander to get it to a powder coatable finish. The 3m stuff is expensive, but it outlasts and gives a better result than the competition imo. PXL_20210916_193542924.jpg
 
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North American Sojourner

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What a epic build this is! Jim I see the JD squared bender but do you have a CNC plasma too? Outstanding craftsmanship.
Zim

EDIT. I bet you wore out the McMaster-Carr phone number on those 10/24 pan heads LOL
 
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EarthlingJim said:
I blend aluminum every day at work, but there's nothing complicated with my method. I build aluminum bumpers, storage boxes, and a whole lotta of other aluminum accessories for the trucks we build at work. I use 3m cubitron 60 flap discs to get the weld down close to flush, then a cubitron 80 on a DA sander to get it to a powder coatable finish. The 3m stuff is expensive, but it outlasts and gives a better result than the competition imo. View attachment 217116
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looks great, I assumed you used that method Ijust was not 100% sure. Very cool job you have there!
 
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EarthlingJim

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North American Sojourner said:
What a epic build this is! Jim I see the JD squared bender but do you have a CNC plasma too? Outstanding craftsmanship.
Zim

EDIT. I bet you wore out the McMaster-Carr phone number on those 10/24 pan heads LOL
Click to expand...

I do have a small cnc plasma. It's complete now, just need some time to set it up. Maybe after the holidays.

Those are 1/4-20, but I had leftovers from our fence. It's got nearly 1000 of them in it. BoltDepot.com beats MC when you need a 1000 of something. Haha. MC dinged get me pretty good for the hinges I just bought for this thing. Yeouch nice hinges are pricey.0516170524.jpg
 
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EarthlingJim

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Alright! My awesome wife got us scheduled with the local PD and they came out and inspected the trailer today. One hurdle down. I had heard that the local PD could do it... Turns out, that's how the state patrol would prefer it for home built trailers. She had to force the issue a bit with the local PD and emphatically relay the message that they could and should. They did and it's good to go to the next step. Woo!
 
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freak4life

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EarthlingJim said:
Alright! My awesome wife got us scheduled with the local PD and they came out and inspected the trailer today. One hurdle down. I had heard that the local PD could do it... Turns out, that's how the state patrol would prefer it for home built trailers. She had to force the issue a bit with the local PD and emphatically relay the message that they could and should. They did and it's good to go to the next step. Woo!
Click to expand...
She deserves a dinner out in my opinion.
 
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EarthlingJim

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Red_Leaf_Overland said:
Curious what material thickness you are using to the frame. Is it .188 wall?
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Trailer frame is mostly all .125, with the exception of the center receiver spine and the .25 angle that the suspension mounts to.

Camper frame is mostly .125 wall 2.5x1.25 and .125 wall 1.25x1.25. The stuff between windows/doors, rear shelving framework, where strength is less important... That's 1.25x1.25 like .120 wall or somewhere there close. A little under an eight, but not by much. That wasn't intentional, I just had some of the thinner walled stuff and I'm gonna use it up in places I can.
 
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EarthlingJim said:
Trailer frame is mostly all .125, with the exception of the center receiver spine and the .25 angle that the suspension mounts to.

Camper frame is mostly .125 wall 2.5x1.25 and .125 wall 1.25x1.25. The stuff between windows/doors, rear shelving framework, where strength is less important... That's 1.25x1.25 like .120 wall or somewhere there close. A little under an eight, but not by much. That wasn't intentional, I just had some of the thinner walled stuff and I'm gonna use it up in places I can.
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Awesome. For some reason in some of the pics it looked heavier and I was trying to figure it out lol.
 
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EarthlingJim said:
Alright! My awesome wife got us scheduled with the local PD and they came out and inspected the trailer today. One hurdle down. I had heard that the local PD could do it... Turns out, that's how the state patrol would prefer it for home built trailers. She had to force the issue a bit with the local PD and emphatically relay the message that they could and should. They did and it's good to go to the next step. Woo!
Click to expand...
That is funny, when I built mine, the only way was to take it to Colorado Highway Patrol in Broomfield. They would not even schedule it at Timnath I-25. They made me get a temp tag to pull it down there otherwise they were going to give me a ticket and this was way pre-covid.
 
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EarthlingJim

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old_man said:
That is funny, when I built mine, the only way was to take it to Colorado Highway Patrol in Broomfield. They would not even schedule it at Timnath I-25. They made me get a temp tag to pull it down there otherwise they were going to give me a ticket and this was way pre-covid.
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Funny story. Turns out, the gal at CSP didn't know WTF she was taking about and the local PD inspection was denied. Long story short... I've got a temp tag and an appointment now.

Trailer progress update... There is none. Ran out of time before our trip and had to switch gears to prepping the truck for RTT winter travel. No biggy, that's how we've always done it before. Honestly, I'm glad I could slow down. The build will just end up better. I'm ok with that.
 
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old_man

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EarthlingJim said:
Funny story. Turns out, the gal at CSP didn't know WTF she was taking about and the local PD inspection was denied. Long story short... I've got a temp tag and an appointment now.

Trailer progress update... There is none. Ran out of time before our trip and had to switch gears to prepping the truck for RTT winter travel. No biggy, that's how we've always done it before. Honestly, I'm glad I could slow down. The build will just end up better. I'm ok with that.
Click to expand...
Way too funny. The local PD can do VIN verifications but not build inspection from what they told me. Sorry for the hassle.

Going to be in town over the holidays? I am getting in on the 23rd and won't leave until the 2nd. Would love to buy you a cup of coffee or a beer.
 
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