Truck Bed Trailer

HARDTRAILZ

HARDTRAILZ

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I sort of inherited a 98ish s-10 short bed based trailer. Decided to have some fun with it. It is definitely not the worlds greatest thing, but I think it has potential for running around town and hauling stuff for camping. First thing i did was hit the CL and find a tailgate $10 (it was missing), a plastic bedliner $10 (some minor rust in the bed floor), and a fiberglass high-rise camper shell for free.



To do:



replace rear window in camper shell

Cut rust over fenders

Install some bigger tires- dryrotted junk on there

Paint it up in black/white kinda like the truck

check wiring and lights

Big toolbox in front of the bed

Make mount for fuel can, water jug, and LP tank

Maybe side mount table.

Eventually swap over pin mount for some kinda offroad friendly hitch mount



I have a VERY small budget for this, since I am not sure this will be used much or will even meet my needs. However, it will serve as a test and experience for a possible future trailer build.



So far I got $20 in it and planning for under 200 total.

Any one have any tips or tricks or experience to share?

Will grab some pictures this weekend.
 
Assuming it still has the S10 live axle under it, you might want to check the dif fluid. If the brakes, and linings are still on the axle, time for a removal, and lighten it up some. Same with the fuel tank if its still mounted.

I have heard that most just remove the S10 live axle, and bolt in an axle from a FWD minvan. Lightens up the rigging a lot. But I don't know what vehicle they get the axle off of. And if you have plans for taking this far off into the woods, the solid axle is going to be a lot more robust.

In either case, make sure you put wheel adaptors on the trailer to take whatever rim you use on your TrailBlazer. Nice to be able to carry only 1 or 2 spares that fits all wheels when you are out on the trail.

From my experience, you don't want a big tool box on the front, if you plan on using this for any type of trail duty, the weight just throws everything off kilter. For a trail setup, what I have seen some people do is to put a 1 inch piece of wood over the entire bed, with the camper shell sitting on top of it. Then use the under the wood area for storage, tool box, etc, and the above wood area for a bed area.

That V-space on the front of the trailer makes the safest, more protected, areas, to mount fuel cans, LPG. And there should be enough space to mount water there as well. Or you could go under the bed, with hard plastic, for a water tank. Mount it right where the fuel tank was, and can even run a hose to the fuel filler location for easy fill.
 
Axle will be stripped n serviced or sold. Caravans are the vans to get em from. No fuel tank. Spacers are priced and looking for wheels. I have nice plastic 3x2x2 box for the v portion. Also using milk crates for water tank n lap tank holder/mounts. I have spare jerry cans and at least one mount.
 
Drug it to town Friday so I can get it inspected n such. Definitely not pretty and needs a ton of work, but it is $20 invested so far. It pulled great at 55 mph even with the junk tires. Did not feel very heavy. Actually balanced pretty good and was not bad to move solo. Might turn into something or may not be worth it, but pics were required.













The box on the tongue is labeled as a Delta Packer 45 and is nice and heavy duty.
 
It has some potential.
 
HARDTRAILZ said:
Axle will be stripped n serviced or sold. Caravans are the vans to get em from. No fuel tank. Spacers are priced and looking for wheels. I have nice plastic 3x2x2 box for the v portion. Also using milk crates for water tank n lap tank holder/mounts. I have spare jerry cans and at least one mount.
Click to expand...

Trailer Parts Depot - Axles | Trailer Parts | TrailerPartsDepot.com Then you have trailer wheels and trailer tires :thumbsup: You will have to give them rough specs, like how wide of an axle you want and the spring spacing... I'd get a 3500# Axle with 5 lug 15" wheels, and ST205/75R15 trailer tires (about as standard as you get with trailer parts!) :undecided: I've seen plenty of pickup bed trailers that have been converted to trailer axles...
 
Thinking 35s on 1/2 ton wheels so I can use them as spares in a pinch.
 
Now, this gives me the idea to make a trailer out of the ass end of an EXT TB! Gonna keep my eyes open for a cheap one that's wrecked in the front or whatever. :crazy:
 
flap00 said:
Now, this gives me the idea to make a trailer out of the ass end of an EXT TB! Gonna keep my eyes open for a cheap one that's wrecked in the front or whatever. :crazy:
Click to expand...

How about an Envoy XUV?
 
One of our member's is already working on a trailer from a tb.
 
HARDTRAILZ said:
One of our member's is already working on a trailer from a tb.
Click to expand...

Cool. Hopefully, he'll do a build thread, or at least some photos... :)

Yeah, an XUV's butt would make a cool trailer too, but the same TB EXT style and body lines up front and out back would be awesome.
 
Just a standard TB I believe. Been slow going and he has been scavenging parts off it for other stuff, but should be cool in the end.
 
Im looking forward to seeing the finished trailer. Any interior modification ambitions?
Urban camo would look pretty badass on the outside too:thumbsup:

Hope it sees some action this summer!
 
I like it, just some minor work and that thing could be a bad ass little trailer. For paint check the clearance section at wally world and Lowes. We got one of the $40 buckets of white rustoleum for $6 because it had a huge dent in it and some had leaked out, it was still about 7/8 of a gallon, we just rolled it onto the outside of our camper. The window should be easy, most of the rear windows could be the same from truck to truck as changing the size of the wheel itself would cover the bed. I know we used a Dakota cap window on an S-10 before, got perfect. I would measure to be sure first.

I was recently working on converting my old pop up to a utility trailer but my uncle got me a sweet deal on one of the old Army wagon trailers. $300 with 32" tires, canvas and all cross beams, 2.5 ton axle, and a set of steal fuel cans and the straps to hold them. It has a pintle ring, so I need to invest in a pintle hook.
 
Lights are wired and working. Plates are in the mail.
 


Got the wiring and lights working. Rigged some safety chains, but want to find a better attachment. Got temporary plates, so I used it for a little work.
 
Not really. Been looking for another cap and wheels and tires for it. Just got to busy. Have used it a few times just as a trailer and it pulls and backs nicely.
 
Got some 31 10.5 15 on 15x7 to replace the crappy 14 inch trailer tires



 
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Thanks.

Planning on roller painting it black. Getting tongue stuff mounted...toolbox, couple milk crates, new wiring. Making a plywood lid/cover that will be sleeping platform w shell on. Paint shell white n fix window on it.

No huge rush n may be this winter but its my basic thoughts right now. Sure is a handy lil trailer.
 
Thats some ingenuity, great use of an S-10 bed :thumbsup:. Hows the towing capacity of the trailer, only limited by space?
 
Only update is that is handy as shit. Moving a quad, a load of firewood, smoker/grill. whatever. It is really great to have around. I do need to Pint it and mess with the stuff I want to mount on tongue, but just keep running out of time.

I did redo the wiring connection and everything is working good again.
 
No real updates, but it has proven handy again recently. Hauling wood and kids random stuff around. Most recently I loaded it up with cooking equipment, coolers, and the daughters barbie jeep to see some friends new house. Pulled quite well and re-motivated me to finish fixing it up some. I used it as a windblock for the fryer when making chicken wings and the tailgate held more than a few beers throughout the day(wish the TB had one sometimes). Couple pics for fun.





 
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Yep. Will get painted this summer but may only be one color
 
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