Bought inexpensive, weird but solid trailer - some advice for a newbie?

[yong_sa]

I got this trailer for very very cheap. Looking to build a teardrop or squaredrop trailer. The bed area is 6x10.

There are some challenges:
- It appears that I will have to build above the wheel well
- I can't put end caps on the front and rear (A la wandertears Vaga, I'm thinking of removing that rear bumper thing, not sure though). Are endcaps necessary?
- In the front, there's a crank for the trailer jack which somewhat works (The wheel falls off when not holding the frame up)
- The second crank - I'm not sure what this is for.
- There's a box in the front - not sure what this is for
- There are brakes, according to the previous owner but they've been deactivated. Don't know how, or how to reactivate them.
- The area between the wheel well is about 50 inches.

Things I plan to do:
- Have trailer pro weld 6 attachment points: 2 in the back behind the lights, 2 in the middle just after the wheels and two in the front.
- Have a trailer pro:
- Add jack stands at the back
- Inspect the brakes and fix the wiring.
- Repair the existing trailer jack

Looking for some advice on how to proceed. Some questions.
- Is this a good base to build a teardrop trailer? Is Squaredrop better for this trailer?
- Should I build the entire trailer platform above the wheel well? How high above the wheels?
- How would I attach the floor to the trailer points if I'm building above the wheel well?
- What should I consider in terms of waterproofing given the location of the wheels?
- The two items and the brakes - should these be removed or replaced?
- Can I put a 5x10, 5x9 or 5x8 on this trailer, or should I stick with 6x10 to match the frame?
- Should I have this inspected by someone? It seemed to drive well on the way home without issues.

 

[QueticoBill]

It will work for a small camping trailer.

I would build the floor on the frame and bump up over the wheels

I'd create a wheel well with either sheet metal or possibly fiberglass to protect the cabin.

I would repair or replace brakes, but that's based on my toe vehicle that requires brakes over 1000 pounds up to 2900 capacity.

Match the cabin to the frame.

Have it looked at if you're unsure.

BTW, wheels look a little unusual to my eye. What are they? Can you find tire data?

 

[S. Heisley]

It may just be me, but those wheels look strange, a bit like they might wobble when pulled. If something is wrong with the tires, you might not know when you're pulling it. We had one couple here that had a flat tire and didn't even know it. When they stopped, there was very little rubber left on the wheel and both the tire and the wheel had to be replaced. There isn't a lot that can go wrong with a chassis but the wheel area is critical. So, yes, I'd get it checked now, before you start building on it. Better safe than sorry.

 

[GTS225-TNT]

I'll play a little;
Looks to me like what you have there is the frame from an old "pop-up" camper. That extra winch built into the tongue was for a cable that lifted the upper half of the camper body, and is no longer needed. T'were me, I'd remove it.

The tongue jack, I would think, should have a removable pin that keeps the wheel from falling off, and you may be able to swap it out for a stationary "foot", rather than a wheel. (Some of them had a little "detent" in them that worked with a 1/4 turn of the wheel, but those were, at best, unreliable.) If I'm not mistaken, Harbor Freight sells a top-wind jack just like that, and may even bolt right into that triangular pattern.

The brakes.........can you tell if they were electric or hydraulic? That extra "box" on top of the tongue may be a cover over a surge brake master cylinder. Surge brakes operated on the principle of the towing vehicle starting to stop, and the forward momentum actuating a hydraulic brake master cylinder mounted in the tongue of the trailer. They do work, but it may be obsolete enough that you can't get it functioning again.

The rear stabilizing jacks that you want to add......Harbor Freight also sells those, and you could probably bolt them on yourself, saving a few bucks to better use elsewhere. You might even be able to "rescue" a pair from a salvage yard from junked-out cars, if the frame sits low enough. (Make sure they both use the same kind of turning tool.)

Those frames are actually rather flimsy without a sheet of plywood mounted to them. As an exercise in knowledge, grab one corner and lift it up......you'll discover just how much it will twist and flex without the structure of a camper mounted to it.

Now, as a side note. I see you're up in Canada. You might want to check into what laws and regulations may effect you in building your own camping trailer, and whether you can make repairs yourself, of if they must be done by a certified or licensed welder. (That may be why you got it "very very cheap")

Roger

 

[Tony Latham]

It may just be me, but those wheels look strange

I concur, along with the axle.

Tony

 

[QueticoBill]

A picture of the wheel or just verifying the number and spacing of the bolts would help clear up that mystery. Might be a simple replacement.

 

[Pmullen503]

I'd leave the bumper on. The springs may be too stiff. I'd mount the cabin to the frame and build plywood boxes to cover the wheels and cover the underside with epoxy and cloth (be sure to make them deep enough to account for suspension travel.) You could narrow the frame to accomodate a 5' cabin and weld the side rails back on to the narrower chassis.

Depending on your trailer's condition, it may be more work than it's worth. At one point I picked up a very cheap pop up with the idea of using that as a base for a new trailer. I ultimately decided to start with a new trailer of the right size and sold the pop up.

 

[yong_sa]

Thanks everyone for all of your great advice. Took it to welder/inspector and he felt that the frame and wheels are solid and sturdy enough for a teardrop trailer. As advised, we're removing the winch. We will also be replacing the axle with a wider one and moving it back (60% front, 40% back). Also adding fenders. This will allow us to match the cabin to the frame as recommended..

Regarding the surge brakes, yes, that assembly in the front is part of the surge brakes. They will remove the existing surge brakes and install a new set since the original one has seized up and is disabled.

All in, the modifications will cost about $2K. About 50% cheaper than having a full custom build.

We're really excited and hope to built this out over the winter in time for spring camping. I'll let you know how it goes!

 

[GuyInSoCal]

I'm sure the weather this time of year is not the best in Canada but I was curious to see how your build is getting along