Topic: Trailer Upgrades

[reklund5]

This thread is for tips and tricks to make your trailer better/easier to use/and resistant to theft.  Post up your pictures and descriptions of what you've done!

[reklund5 [OP]]

I'll start off with the receiver hitch I added to the front of my trailer.  I added the hitch so I can use a winch on the trailer, but still be able to easily remove the winch for security purposes. 

I found an old hitch at work that was a takeoff from a used car.  I believe it was off of a Highlander...like anyone was gonna tow anything with a Highlander   It was probably only there for a bike rack anyway...but I found it stashed in the backroom.

A few cuts, and I had what I wanted:

[reklund5 [OP]]

To make it look nicer, I capped the ends and sanded them smooth:

[reklund5 [OP]]

A few minutes with a sanding disc:

[reklund5 [OP]]

I figured that the front bar on my trailer would be strong enough as-is, so I just welded my hitch to the bar.  I might end up adding some bracing later, but it should be fine to pull anything that rolls up onto the trailer.

[reklund5 [OP]]

A little black paint, and it's good to go.  I'll make a mount for my winch in the next few weeks, and run some heavy gauge wires to the back of the truck, so it'll be a plug-n-play operation.

I'm using a Ramsey REP8000 winch, which should be plenty.  It won't go on a multi mount until I take it off of my wheeling rig.  Dont worry, the wheeling rig is getting a new Warn 9.5XP 

Ryan

[KWP]

  That's a pretty good idea.

[Willy Mammoth]

BTW nice looking weld, I think it will hold.

[79coyotefrg]

do you have a quik plug  for the winch  or do you have a battery on your trailer charged thru the lights??

[reklund5 [OP]]

Thanks for the comment Mr. W!  That means quite a bit coming from you!

Glen-  I plan to run power to the rear bumper of my F250 and power the winch off of that.  I'll use a big quick-disconnect.  I thought of a battery on my trailer, but I think it would create more problems than it'd solve.  I only tow once a month, at most, and usually only for an hour or two.  To keep the battery charged up, I'd be getting into solar panels, more wiring, an expensive battery, and so on...

If I set the winch up with a quick disconnect, I can get a long pair of jumper cables to plug into the winch as a second set, so my buddies can use the winch on their trailers too...


Ryan

[reklund5 [OP]]

I didn't get this section setup so I'd have my own section to show off my junk...  Lets see some other ideas too guys!!!!!


Ryan

[biteme]

well i'll have to get some pictures of my hitch mount and tool box.but asfar a theif prevention i took an old wheel, wrapped a logging chain around it and buried it 3' underground at the rear of where the trailer is parked . so when it and the 4runner are at home they are chained up. I've tried to pull it out , it ain't goin to happen, and if it does and someone hooks up to it and floors it the 10' of chain before they get to the end is going to hurt.

[biteme]

as you can see i mounted on the tongue so its high enough that if i had to tow a smaller car on it it wouldn't drag the rope over the back edge of the trailer

[biteme]

I've also installed tiedowns front and rear. and i'm working on changing all the lights to leds

[biteme]

some rear tiedowns

[Short_Bus]

I really like the tie down idea, I may have to do that to mine real soon.  You can never have enough tie downs.   

[Shamb]

upgraded the trailer last weekend, since im running a wider axle i'd run over the fenders and eventually tear them off.. so I hooked it up with some angle iron across the fenders.. we drove Rudys 4runner over them a couple time. Held up just fine! Just gotta figure out what im gonna do about centering the rig on the trailer because it always wants to slip a tire off of one side.

I'll post pics next weekend or something.

[denis]

My second best trailer upgrade if I ever do it would be airbags on the tow truck. Making for hooking/ unhooking dead easy, no more messing with putting the jockey wheel on and off all the time.
First upgrade was fixing and reinforcing the cracked tongue that had been poorly designed 

[FIREBALL]

Did bags on my rig and love 'em. Like you said, made hitching easier and it handle so much better running down the highway.

[Yota87Truck]

Just a thought, Why not use the winch on ur rig???  I know it wouldn't always work...but it's an idea

[reklund5 [OP]]

Just a thought, Why not use the winch on ur rig???  I know it wouldn't always work...but it's an idea

Because my trail rig isn't the only junk that I haul around on my trailer.  Sometimes I'll go to get a buddys dead car, or move a hotrod project without an engine, or I've even dragged heavy misc. items up onto the trailer with it.

The trouble with having the trailer is that it gets used to haul everything!!!

Ryan

[Shamb]

Question reguarding trailers, how often do you guys check your trailer brakes?

i've been using my trailer for about a year or so now and only done routine maintenance like checking tires for wear/pressure and keeping the grease in the axles.

Havn't ever checked the brakes though... how often do they need to be checked?

[reklund5 [OP]]

I check mine once a year just to be sure they're adjusted properly and working.  Heres my routine:

Hook up the trailer to the tow vehicle.  Set your brake controller to its "usual" setting- wherever it most often is set while towing the trailer loaded.

Start by jacking up one side of the trailer and have an assistant push the brake pedal.  Spin the wheel on the braked axle, and observe if it stops when the brakes in the tow vehicle are applied.  This check verifies that the magnet in the brake is functioning.  If it doesn't, then check for voltage at the magnet wires behind the backing plate.  If the voltage is good there, pull the wheel off, and the outer bearing so you can remove the drum. 

Inspect the magnet for wear and the wiring on the inside of the drum.  I've had my wiring chafe on the bellcrank arm in there and short out before, disabling the brakes. Wash out the brake with some brake parts cleaner, and knock the brake dust out of the drum.  Repack the bearings, and replace the inner seal if needed.  Reinstall the drum and adjust the bearings.  Now, using the access hole in the backing plate, adjust the brakes until you can just hear/feel the shoes contacting the drum as you spin the drum.  Back off the adjuster just until the noise/feeling stops.

Repeat this procedure on the other side, and your trailer will provide years of reliable service.  Those magnets and the shoes are wear items, and require routine inspection and replacement.  I haven't worn out my shoes yet, but the magnets were shot when I got my trailer (used).  They're about $30/ea at NAPA, and I hear the shoes are cheap too...

Good Luck,
Ryan

[emsvitil]

I just use the manual override for adjusting the sensitivity.  (or just applying the trailer brakes)

So my checking is the setting of the sensitivity for the load.........

[Shamb]

thanks for the tip reklund5

I currently have my brake controller as high as it will possibly go because the brakes on my tow rig are horrible so the trailer brakes get alot of use.

I also never hooked it up to my brake pedel because I couldn't find the correct plug/wire to hook into the brakes for my truck 

so I just use it manually.. which sucks.. but works.

[reklund5 [OP]]

Shamb-

What are you towing with?  What kind of brake controller?

Lets get it figured out- it'll be much safer and more reliable if they're working as they're designed to...

Ryan 

[Duffil]

  Those magnets and the shoes are wear items, and require routine inspection and replacement.  I haven't worn out my shoes yet, but the magnets were shot when I got my trailer (used).  They're about $30/ea at NAPA, and I hear the shoes are cheap too...

Good Luck,
Ryan

Not sure if this is true at every parts store, but through us, it is cheaper (and easier) to replace the whole backing plate.  4 or 5 bolts(10" or 12" brakes) and a little wiring.  We sell 12" backing plates(complete) for 59 and the 10s go for 49.   

[Shamb]

reklund5 i'm using a Reese Brakeman controller  , tow rigs a 99' Chevy Tahoe.

I've explored aftermarket brakes for the Tahoe but just can't justify $8-900. Read an article about 6-7 months back in a 4x mag that had some great tech about the Tahoes... supposivly they're nutorious for horrible braking  (yea wish I knew that before I bought it!) 
but.. like I said.. it does the job and has plenty of power to tow it up the hill and back.


I was going to take it to an electrical shop to have it ran to my brakes but..... yea... I ended up never getting around to it

[reklund5 [OP]]

You should have no trouble hooking up to your trucks brake system.  The first thing you need to find out is if your truck has a factory tow package installed.

IF it does, chances are the wiring is already in place.  If not, any trailer or RV shop should be able to set you up for like $50.

Alternatively, you can read a very informative thread over on pirate4x4:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=88609

If your truck has the tow package, all you need is a $15 pigtail that you might even be able to get at NAPA, and a fuse or a relay or two.  If it has no factory installed package, follow the instructions in the pirate link...

Ryan

[Shamb]

i'll check out the link, thanks for the info.

I know the brake controller is simply hooked up to the sensor that rest's against your brake pedel so that when you push on the brakes it gradually works the trailer brakes as well.  I couldn't find that sensor!  lol... its weird...