Build a Pickup Bed Trailer

Hey, what's up guys, ever have that old truck in the yard or pasture, and just can't bring yourself to selling it? Why not make a trailer out of it?

Steps

  1. After you have all your parts together, roll the truck, or put the parts into your shop or workspace.
  2. If you don't have the whole truck, skip to step 5. Unbolt the fuel tank and drive shaft. Then cut off and remove the exhaust. Don't worry about brake lines or wiring as long as you just separate them from the rest of the truck via a knife or box cutter.
  3. You may have to unbolt and/or remove the cab, motor, and tranny to have just the bare frame to work with.
  4. Support the frame of the truck with the jack stands behind and in front of where you're cutting to keep the front and rear ends from falling once there cut.
  5. Cut the frame on the cab area. This extra frame is for the tongue of the trailer. Where in this area depends on the length of the tongue and type of truck.
  6. Cut notches in the frame even with the front panel of the bed. Make sure that none of your cuts are more than a half of an inch off. Then grind them down until they're even.
  7. Then heat the end of the frame that you just cut with a torch to make it soft.
  8. Bend the remaining frame in front of the bed into an A shape. Make sure that this cut is not off by more than 3/4 of an inch.
  9. Put in a piece of C-channel in between the two frame rails weld it into place.
  10. Weld on your coupler and trailer jack.
  11. Finally, wire your lights and put on the trailer light plug. You are done.

Things You'll Need

  • Wrecked truck or a truck frame, pickup bed, rear axle, rear suspension, wheels, and tires.
  • Trailer coupler
  • Trailer jack
  • Welder
  • Grinder
  • Trailer wiring
  • Wiring connectors
  • Jack [1]
  • Jack stands [4]
  • Assistant [or stunt dummy, which ever you want]
  • Clamps
  • Tape measure
  • Wire cutters
  • Square

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