Datsun 620 Shortbed Trailer

[deadmonkey]

So this is my first ever attempt at making a trailer out of a pickup bed. I watched my dad do it when I was a kid so this should be a piece of cake right? lol...

That and I thought I would document this process with OICS and just have fun with it!

I would appreciate any kind words of advice since This is the first time attempting something like this.

Or unkind words even, I don't care!

 

 

Well I have already striped off the cab.

The motor is wating to be rebuilt and/or sold to some lucky datsun owner. Heck, maybe I'll make a dune buggy out of it someday!

(not likely)

Here is the progression thus far and only a days worth of work, not counting cutting up the cab.

 

 

Stripped the torsion bars and lower suspension out.

Unbolted the center support.

Everything else was stripped when I cut up the cab.

 

Cut out the other welded support.

Chopped off the front end (maybe I will redo the front end on my '76 some day)

 

 

 

After lots of measuring to find the center I guesstimated at the wedge to cut out.

The first wedge I cut was not enough of an angle.

I guess I cut the second a bit too much of an angle. :(

I was hoping to be spot on to I could tac weld it but I was going to bulster it anyways with another chunk of steel.

 

I clamped the ends together, matching up the ends.

Since I made sure everything was square when I cut everything should, in theory, be square in the end.

 

I don't think you can get much more square and on center than that! :thumbup:

It was hard to line up the camera, but that shit is dead on!

 

I'm not quiet sure what do do with the front end to get it ready for a hitch.

Any Ideas or words of wisdom would be appreciated.

I plan to weld/bolt in the trailer hitch between the tail lights, right in front of the license plate and maybe move the plate elsewhere.

This way, the trailer 'should' be level and match the height of the the truck frame.

[dvboth]

you can buy a flared piece that welds to trailer that goes over the ball and covers both rails, whatever it's called?

 

and if you put a reciever on your truck you can get an old chevy malibu license plate bracket, it has hinges on it to hide your reciever.

[deadmonkey]

you can buy a flared piece that welds to trailer that goes over the ball and covers both rails, whatever it's called?

 

and if you put a receiver on your truck you can get an old chevy malibu license plate bracket, it has hinges on it to hide your reciever.

Thanks!

for some reason I had in mind the regular sway hitch... Completely forgot about the wedge style! I bet that will weld right up! Like this one right:

[dvboth]

thats the one! might have to cut the frame rails a little more to cut down the wedge!

[deadmonkey]

And to think this used to look like this!

[Wide14u]

dont let sick see it he will try to steal it from you

[Jayden71]

He don't want a shortbed trailer! He wants my longbed trailer!

 

 

 

I told him $10,000 and its his :lol:

[sick620]

I was thinking about getting on my knees and sucking on that hook! :lol:

[Jayden71]

:rofl:

 

 

What else would you suck :devil: ??

[deadmonkey]

OK, so I did a bunch of welding today.

I went to henderson trailer here in Boise/Garden City and got this for $40

 

They have an angle of 50deg so what I had wasn't going to fly.

I modified the ends to match the angle of before the bend.

I didn't want to cut it back anymore since it is very well balanced as is.

 

Didn't get any steps inbetween because I was just working along and didn't thinks to snap any.

But here is it all welded up with out the coupler.

Please don't laugh at my welding.

I think I did good for not welding in like over 10 years and with no training.

 

Got it all ground down.

 

Got the coupler almost welded on before the sun went down.

I just have to get the top inside welded and the coupler is done

 

The only thing left for now is to get these welded up.

I will just cut some extra frame up and bolster it inside and out for strength

[Wide14u]

its coming out good when you paint the truck do the trailer to mach

[deadmonkey]

its coming out good when you paint the truck do the trailer to mach

but of course! :)

I was thinking about going to the JY and see if there is another bed for cheap cuz I don't want to do a bunch of bondo work for a trailer. I could get away with beating the dents out... but I'm not sure I want to do that either.

[Wide14u]

i would do the body work just because im a brook bastard lol

[chester]

looking good need more oics lolz

[]2eDeYe]

Nice work, way better than the one I built out of my Mazda. A little tip, I used the ebrake handle from the cab, mounted it to the frame and shortened the cable. No need for wheel chocks.

 

 

You can get a jack with a caster that will bolt rihgt into that thing. :cool:

[deadmonkey]

yup... I was going to buy that later if I need one. right now it is very balanced. I can pick it up with my finger. I drive by the trailer place every day to/from work so not a biggie there. I was thinking of using the Ebrake somehow...that is a good Idea :)

[Jayden71]

Good work man!! :cool:

[deadmonkey]

Thanks!

I just hope that weld is beefy enough.

Next will be to get the hitch welded up to the truck. I have a general Idea on how to go about that one. I want it to be as minimal as possible with out putting that huge ugly bumper on.

[wilderb]

2eDeYe' date='07 January 2011 - 04:21 PM' timestamp='1294446103' post='405349']

Nice work, way better than the one I built out of my Mazda. A little tip, I used the ebrake handle from the cab, mounted it to the frame and shortened the cable. No need for wheel chocks.

 

 

You can get a jack with a caster that will bolt rihgt into that thing. :cool:

 

 

I would do one better and add some way of attaching a lock to the e-brake that way no one can hitch up and drive away :D

[deadmonkey]

So I did some work on the trailer today.

I took in most of the scrap from the rest of the truck to the recycle center and got $20 for it all.

It would have been more but I kept all the front end suspension and linkage in case I or somebody else wants to use the disk breaks.

I bought a nice chunk of scrap about 10' of 3" rectangular tube steel for $7 while I as there.

I saw them pick up a car with the wrecker, so that was pretty fun, never seen that before.

 

I kept the bumper so I could canibalize some more steel off it and used it to patch up the bends on the trailer from earlier.

I did one side today, the other I should get to tomorrow.

 

I will probably pick up the coupler jack tomorrow as well.

I need to re-register my truck tomorrow and will probably register the trailer as well.

It should all be done soon!

I'll probably work on the wiring soon.

Perfect time to get new tail light covers for my daily driver since I sold the ones off the trailer awhile back.

 

I'm wondering if anybody has the right rear "quarter panel" piece from the bed. I really need that piece for my daily driver.

Guess I should start checking the junk yards. Its just spot welded on right?

[deadmonkey]

Well worked on the trailer again today. It is pretty much done, I just need to wire brush the rust/dirt off and paint it and wire up the tail lights.

 

 

Here are the supports to bolt to the truck for the hitch.

I salvaged them off the bumper.

I will turn them up so they are little high and put the cross beam between them.

That way the ball/hitch will poke between the tail lights.

I'll have to remove the license plate mount.

 

Here is the 10' beam I got for $7 :)

 

Anybody have ideas on how to weld up the hitch? I have a general idea, but I haven't mocked it up yet.

I was hoping to do this all tomorrow.

 

EDIT:

Here is a quick mock up I did.

I'm not sure if this beam is going to be strong enough. Should I maybe double it up?

I'll add chain hookups later.

[deadmonkey]

More pictures, even though it doesn't look like anybody is watching this anymore.

 

I probably should have painted AFTER welding, but meh.

I haven't cut the long pieces off yet because I need some more cutting blades.

 

I probably didn't need to, but used a 3/2 drill bit to get the radius to match the hitch receiver.

 

The paint is still drying in what little sun there is today.

All is left is to cut off the extra and bolt it up after getting the bolt/nut/washer hardware.

I haven't decided were to put the safety chain clips yet.

[Wide14u]

i think your doing a great job

[greybeard]

Nice work that looks good. With the same wheels and paint as the truck it will look awesome.

 

Remember for it to tow well, you want the ballance to be about 60/40.

 

if the tongue is too lite the trailer will not want to track behind the truck

 

and fishtail all over at speed.

[izzo]

Actually deadmonkey, i have been watching this thread. Am wanting to do this as well sometime this summer, with a 521 bed to match my truck :D

 

I have this bookmarked at home