Operation Trailermaker is officially underway

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flyboy2610
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Operation Trailermaker is officially underway

Post by flyboy2610 »

I have started the project of turning my '68 F100 into a trailer.
I plan to use the 390 in my '69 F250 CS, but I removed the cab anyway.
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I thought about doing what Sharkdance did and roll the cab off to one side, but I have a fence on both sides of the truck and not enough room.
It was for these situations that God invented reciprocating saws and angle grinders with cut off wheels!
Image
The cab is now in 5 pieces in the back of the F250. I cut off the roof, then cut the cab lengthwise and crosswise into four relatively equal pieces. This all goes to the junk on Saturday.
I plan to leave the crossmember where the rear cab mounts were. I'll notch the frame just ahead of that to bend it.
I have a couple of questions for those of you that have done this.
1: How long is it from the front of the box to the coupler of the trailer? I could use several replies here, so I have an idea as to how long to make the tongue. I want enough room to be able to turn corners without hitting the trailer, but not so long as to make backing in off the street unnecessarily difficult.
2: How did you make the coupler end of your trailer? If you could take a pic of it and email it to me I would really appreciate it. I have a couple of ways I could go, but would like to see what you folks have done. If you have a pic, PM me and I'll get you my email address.
Thanks much! :)
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rjewkes
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Post by rjewkes »

3' 7" from front of bed to tip of the coupler. It was one i picked up for 140 at a scrap place so it was already made.

As short as i think it is it is unnecesarily dificult to back in. and it too has the cab mount crossmember.

I'll have to take a picture later on.
"It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt." - Mark Twain
'70 f250 4x4 Crew cab 460/C6 '72 F100 390/C6 9.8 MPG AVG. '89 Mercury Cougar LS Dual Exh. V6 . 18.9 MPG AVG. In Town.
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I don't want to give em a heart-attack. That is what would happen if I answered the door in the buff. Heck it almost scares me to death when I step out of the shower and look in the mirror.~Mancar1~
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Post by 72hiboy4x4 »

all mine have the crossmember, and I make all mine at least 4 ft from the box to the tounge coupler, so it won't hit the box.
there is a hole in the frame just ahead the crossmember that I use to notch and bend the frame on. just saw a line from inside the frame to the hole, then use a come-a-long to bend the frame ends over. Hammer the crease down, weld up the saw-line, and it looks good.
I'll take pics of the one I have in the yard right now, I built it a couple years ago. (I really outta put lights on it and tag it! :lol: )
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Post by FLATBEDFORD »

Actually, A longer trailer is easier to back up tham a short one. A short one will jacknife much quicker than a longer one. Ask some of the truckers around here, I think they'd say the same. I'd much rather back up my 22' boat trailer than my father's old 14' one.
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flyboy2610
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re: Operation Trailermaker is officially underway

Post by flyboy2610 »

Yea, a longer trailer will back easier than a short one. It's easier to see the trailer drifting when it's longer. By the time you see that a short trailer is drifting, it's tough to correct it while backing. It's usually easier to pull forward until the trailer is back in line with the truck, and then start backing again.
I appreciate the replies. I'll keep you posted on how this project comes along.
Like I said, I plan to have the trailer be a carbon copy of the back half of the pickup, so it may take a while. It'll be worth it, though.
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rjewkes
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re: Operation Trailermaker is officially underway

Post by rjewkes »

Heres some pics.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
"It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt." - Mark Twain
'70 f250 4x4 Crew cab 460/C6 '72 F100 390/C6 9.8 MPG AVG. '89 Mercury Cougar LS Dual Exh. V6 . 18.9 MPG AVG. In Town.
Image
I don't want to give em a heart-attack. That is what would happen if I answered the door in the buff. Heck it almost scares me to death when I step out of the shower and look in the mirror.~Mancar1~
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flyboy2610
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Post by flyboy2610 »

Thanks for the pics, Robert! :)
"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy."
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If you're going to live like there's no hell...............
you'd better be right.
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rjewkes
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Post by rjewkes »

No prob. nothing like 5 mega pixels and a good auto flash to make it look like it was took at day except for the nightsky you see above the trailer.
"It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt." - Mark Twain
'70 f250 4x4 Crew cab 460/C6 '72 F100 390/C6 9.8 MPG AVG. '89 Mercury Cougar LS Dual Exh. V6 . 18.9 MPG AVG. In Town.
Image
I don't want to give em a heart-attack. That is what would happen if I answered the door in the buff. Heck it almost scares me to death when I step out of the shower and look in the mirror.~Mancar1~
fuelly.com
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