Wrangler trailer tub build

[sammi_davis]

I have always wanted to make a tub trailer to go behind my jeep . After last years family trip to Utah in our LJ I realized how much we needed more space and this is what got this project finally moving . My wife and kids dont bring everything they own with them , but once you add tools , spares , and various needed things for the trail there just isnt much room left over .

This is more or less what I started with . I had already cut off the cowls after picking these up from Yager .

The white tub is now trimmed and ready to be mated to the blue tub .

The blue tub in place and ready to be attached to the white tub .

I didnt take pictures , but I used two ratchet straps to hold the tubs together while I stitched them up .

 

[sammi_davis]

With a lot of cutting and drilling and a little luck I was able to land the blue tubs floor on the white tubs factory
crossmember .

The two halves welded up and ready for a frame to be started .

 

[sammi_davis]

Most of the frame is now cut and ready to be welded .

Started welding it up after tacking everything together .

Frame is welded (minus the top) and the tub is bolted to the frame .

I am making a multi axis hitch for this trailer based on Mike from Ruger Trailers design.
This is what I started with .

1st half of the assembly is cut now for the other side of this puzzle .

The tongue with the matching nut to the 5/8 grade 8 bolt that the assembly pivots on.

Sprung over with the hitch mostly complete . I ended up having to go to a spring under setup to get
the height more in line with my LJ .

Next up was to pull the frame from under the tub and paint it .

 

[sammi_davis]

And this is where the project stands as of today . The axle has been flipped to make the ride heights the same and I have bolted in the tongue . I do have the paint work completed , but no pics of that until I get rid of the crud . Hope to get the tub mounted back up this weekend and start working on the tailgates and bodywork .

 

[khwrx]

I really like this build. later on i may need to make something like this when going camping with my family.

 

[strange1]

Do you think that a u-joint and some old driveshaft ends could work for the pivot?

 

[drkelly]

I really like this build. later on i may need to make something like this when going camping with my family.

x2! Been thinking of something like this for the future when I take my wife and boy camping.

 

[foreman1063]

Very cool!

 

[250krawler]

Do you think that a u-joint and some old driveshaft ends could work for the pivot?

You could but you would get more travel out of this type of setup with out the slack of a pintle. You bind a hitch made out of a U-joint it will snap just like a drive shaft or axle would if bound up to much.

Edit: Though probably strong enough, U-joints arent really made to take side load forces like. In short its a bad idea.

 

[boatedwagon]

why not put another rear end for the LJ under it, easy way to carry a spare

 

[strange1]

You could but you would get more travel out of this type of setup with out the slack of a pintle. You bind a hitch made out of a U-joint it will snap just like a drive shaft or axle would if bound up to much.

Edit: Though probably strong enough, U-joints arent really made to take side load forces like. In short its a bad idea.

I thought about the fact that it wouldn't have as much travel right after I types that out, but hadn't thought about breakage.

 

[sammi_davis]

I really like this build. later on i may need to make something like this when going camping with my family.

I think it will make a good platform to camp and travel out of for the four of us .

Do you think that a u-joint and some old driveshaft ends could work for the pivot?

I suppose it could , but this hitch design is proven and easy to build thats why I went this route .

x2! Been thinking of something like this for the future when I take my wife and boy camping.

I always wanted to make one of these when I had sammis , but I never had the time . Will you go with a sammi based or jeep based tub ? The sammi sheetmetal is a pain to weld so that might be a determining factor for you ?

Very cool!

Thanks .

why not put another rear end for the LJ under it, easy way to carry a spare

Les weight and more clearance are the two reasons I went with a trailer axle .

 

[boatedwagon]

i was thinking that about the time i hit post lol

 

[drkelly]

I always wanted to make one of these when I had sammis , but I never had the time . Will you go with a sammi based or jeep based tub ? The sammi sheetmetal is a pain to weld so that might be a determining factor for you ?

I have no idea what I will end up doing. It will surely depend on what I can get cheap!

 

[tim robinson]

Looks good Greg

 

[sammi_davis]

I have no idea what I will end up doing. It will surely depend on what I can get cheap!

Thats the Sammi spirit I am up to $500 or so now .

Looks good Greg

Thanks Tim .

My wife kept me busy all day , and we had santa assembly tonight . But I still managed to get the tub bolted down and the tongue fully assembled .

Now that its on its wheels I am starting to figure a few things out . The first thing is I have to add leaf or two back into the spring pack . It is so soft right now that any weight in the bed will make it start to squat . The second thing is that I need some bigger tires ! It looks so funny on the 235s , but all in due time. Maybe I can hitch up to it and tow it around the yard tomorrow . Hope all of yall have a Merry Christmas .

 

[sammi_davis]

Test towed around the yard today to see how things worked.

I didnt get up to much speed , but it towed nice and straight without any bouncing . I drove up all over and even backed up the gulley with no issues. The
gspup aka Mike multi axis coupler worked great and is very easy to hook up . The trailer is back in the garage and ready for the bodywork to start , but it was nice to tow it today

 

[ORV design and fab]

Nice clean work

 

[AdamH]

how did you determine the size you wanted? I have thought about this myself and always envisioned the tub being bigger. Hard to tell from the pic, is it the same size as an LJ tub from the rear door opening back? Thanks!

 

[sammi_davis]

Nice clean work

Thanks .

how did you determine the size you wanted? I have thought about this myself and always envisioned the tub being bigger. Hard to tell from the pic, is it the same size as an LJ tub from the rear door opening back? Thanks!

I would have liked to have started with a LJ tub , but I had two TJ tubs to work with . I will measure it tomorrow , but I think its 51" long .

 

[upnover]

I say fab a TJ grill and lights in the rear gate, just to screw with people. Oh and add some exhaust tips out the back too, with lights in them.

 

[sammi_davis]

I say fab a TJ grill and lights in the rear gate, just to screw with people. Oh and add some exhaust tips out the back too, with lights in them.

That would confuse the heck out of some folks ...

I measured the tub length and it is 51.5" long .

 

[AdamH]

Thanks for the measurement!

 

[trevoringle]

itd be cool to cut a couple more holes on the tongue of the trailer so you could pull it in a little closer when riding the highway for a long time....might have a good bit of slop in it though unless you put another bolt in it too

 

[sammi_davis]

Thanks for the measurement!

Your welcome , now go find you a few tubs to cut up .

itd be cool to cut a couple more holes on the tongue of the trailer so you could pull it in a little closer when riding the highway for a long time....might have a good bit of slop in it though unless you put another bolt in it too

Thats not a bad idea , it would be pretty easy to make the tongue shorter . I havent had it up to speed yet , so I dont know what it will tow like on the highway.

I got the hinges off of the Cj tailgate and freed up tonight . Also got the Tj tailgate in place but the hinges dont sit flush ? I guess I need the other piece of plastic trim ? Either way I hope to mount the tailgates this week and weld up the uneeded holes on the tub . The wiring harness is ready to go in too , though I still have to come up with a set of tail lights .