Single Axle Crawler Hauler

sierradmax

sierradmax

TJ Addict
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Jan 1, 2020
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RI
I was inspired by a "Built, not Bought" FB post about Fred Williams' crawler hauler. It's a single 10k axle trailer that is around 1,000 lbs. and hauls his jeep around. I started pricing a trailer build and quickly got out of the realm of financially realistic. 10k trailer axles, tires, brakes, etc are around $3,000. That doesn't include the steel, wiring, and so on. A year goes by and I find a local FB Marketplace add for a "Rice Utility pole trailer". After stripping the wiring, pulling the axle, and scrapping the rest, I'm into the axle for less than $400. However, the axle does need new brake shoes..

I designed the trailer around two 3" x 5" x 3/16" rectangular tube rails and 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" square tube supports. 1/8" diamond plate treads. Trailer will be just over 1,100 lbs, roughly 14' in total length and I should be able to adjust a my 101" wheelbase TJ such that I can position it 50/50 or 70/30 over the trailer axle.

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Trailer build took a little break. I had to go on a 3 week business trip. However, I designed and had sendcutsend.com cut me some fish-plates to weld to both sides of the frame rails.

I flipped the trailer over to weld the bottom of the trailer, more comfortably. I also added the trailer tongue. After further research, I think tongue length with end up being too short.

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I strengthened and added more to the tongue by a center draw-bar. I flipped it back over to weld the plate receiver, add D-rings, and some expanded metal for decking. I really like my new Miller 220. I think I'll hold off on the fender build until the axle is back under the trailer.

question is what kind of finish.?

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Finished with the steel. I've been weighing all options for what kind of finish. Pretty much anything with paint or powder will cost me over $900. I called my local galvanizing plant and they would charge roughly $0.65 per lb. The only issue is I'd have to drill a bunch of 9/16" (minimum) air vents and drains in the tube steel. It's not a bad thing, this means galvanize coating would get inside the tube.. So, I think this will be the finish. Should last forever...

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sierradmax said:
Well, galvanizing was much cheaper than I thought. $440 and it looks pretty good! Now time to start wiring..

View attachment 543905
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Looks great! So the frame is about 650 lbs, what do you expect the final weight to be? You were aiming for 1100 #, IIRC. Gonna hit that or go over?
 
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Mike_H said:
Looks great! So the frame is about 650 lbs, what do you expect the final weight to be? You were aiming for 1100 #, IIRC. Gonna hit that or go over?
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Steel weight on the slip, at the time of purchase, read 1,050 lbs. There was some waste and I originally bought diamond plate to be used where I opted to put down expanded metal. The galvanizer must have had some scale as they put down 950 lbs. That 10k axle is heavy (mostly the hubs). My guess is complete, with wheels and tires, it's 300 lbs. I'd say I over-designed, more like over red-neck engineered it, but a little extra weight for added strength is OK in my book. If it's around 1,300 lbs dry.. I don't think I'll notice the extra weight with whatever I tow it with.
 
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sierradmax said:
Steel weight on the slip, at the time of purchase, read 1,050 lbs. There was some waste and I originally bought diamond plate to be used where I opted to put down expanded metal. The galvanizer must have had some scale as they put down 950 lbs. That 10k axle is heavy (mostly the hubs). My guess is complete, with wheels and tires, it's 300 lbs. I'd say I over-designed, more like over red-neck engineered it, but a little extra weight for added strength is OK in my book. If it's around 1,300 lbs dry.. I don't think I'll notice the extra weight with whatever I tow it with.
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They gave you a pretty good discount, based on the quote, weight, and total price.

I'm doing a new frame for my jeep in the future...strongly thinking of having it galvanized.
 
Mike_H said:
They gave you a pretty good discount, based on the quote, weight, and total price.

I'm doing a new frame for my jeep in the future...strongly thinking of having it galvanized.
Click to expand...

Just bare in mind that fresh galvanizing "off-gasses" for quite a while. I remember working on a construction project that required some structural steel galvanized then epoxy coated. Both said to wait 3-6 months and bead blast before coating.
 
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I've been slowly picking away at finishing the trailer. Wiring is 75%. Axle, leaf spring and hubs were blasted & painted. Wheels were blasted and powder coated. New tires. Brake shoes, hardware and backing plates were cleaned up & greased. I think I'll like how low it will be.

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That is crazy cool. Love it. It turned out awesome. Do you have an idea how much it weighs?
 
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