Fining a decent Bantam or ex-military jeep trailer that is in decent shape is hard in some areas like around here. They are usually bubbafied in some way or rotted out. For me, this was an issue, plus I wanted one that I could haul a lot more with than a Bantam. So I decided to build my own when I was a senior in high school.

Warning: This is a project for an experienced welder. A good machine should be used too. I used a Miller 251 220V machine. I would not recommend and 110V machine for this! You need some serious penetration. If not, failure and serious damage can occur!

Material list:

2- 6' x 3" channel - tongue
2- 7' x 3" channel - frame
2- 4' 6" x 3" channel - frame
2- 4' 6" x 2" channel - frame cross members
10- 3" x 4" channel - side board slots
2- 7' x 2" x 3/16" flat - sides
2- 4' 6" x 2" x 3/16" flat - sides
1- 10" x 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" x 1/4" box tubing - hitch mount
1- 7 3/8" x 2" channel - hitch support/leg stop
1- 36" x 1/2" rod - leg hold up
1- 9" x 1/2" rod - leg hold up
1 - 68" x 2" x 1/4" flat - leg (best thing to do is bend it up first and then cut off scrap I think I started with a 10" piece)
2- 11" x 40" (I used 14 gauge sheet metal) - fenders
2- 9" x 30" x 1/8" plate - fender backs
1- 9" x 1" pipe - leg pivot
1- 2" black iron pipe x 60 1/2" - trailer axle
2- 7' x 1" x 1/8" flat - border for wood
2- 4' 6" x 1" x 1/8" flat - border for wood

And a recycled jeep part list:

2 - front spindle hub assemblies (unless you don't make your own axle, see below)
2 - 16" wheels
2 - 7 leaf pack springs from a CJ5 (or any jeep leaf springs)
4 - spring bushings (if you go with H shackles)
2 - Spring mount plates (unless you go with the below list)
1 - Stock drawbar hitch

In addition to the recycled jeep parts list, you could use:

jeep spring mounts
C-shackles
This axle
spring perches
U bolt kit

If you don't have the capabilities to make fenders or the leg, Tractor supply has some nice fenders that would work great and you could use a regular trailer jack.

And some pictures of building mine.



I made a drop down leg that resembles a Bantam leg.





I added a spare tire carrier to mine because my jeep uses 15" wheels and this uses 16" wheels, and I didn't want to mix and match the sizes.





Custom fenders and tail light brackets.



My custom axle. It uses a front jeep axle spindle and hub.









I made all my own spring hangers, but I might change them to jeep ones and run the jeep C shackles.



I also put a piece of steel around the whole perimeter to protect the edge of the wood decking.



One of the guys from the 2A page sent me a new Bantam data tag which I stamped with my initials, build date and my '53's VIN.



After some paint and wood decking, it is all done!





I put these on to hold the corners tight.



On the back, I made this sign on the plasma cam because that is mostly what I haul with it.



With the stock hitch setup, My trailer now sits perfectly level. I may do a spring over axle swap on it because the tires rub on the fenders some times. That means I would have to reverse the hitch. You can see the bracket I made for the safety chains and you can see my trailer plug in the rear bumper where the PTO hole is.

I did last year!!!!!

Mines not as purdy as Nate's , by far, hes got talent! But its handier than pocket on a shirt!!! I did my axle the about the same as GG. I used 2" sch. 120(?)pipe. (2 3/8 OD X .025 wall), with flanges welded on, made out of 1/4" plate, and a additional 1/4" spacer ring welded to the outside of the flange to clear the shoulder on the Jeep spindle. Its a tedious process to keep the flanges centered and perpendicular to the axle, and to prevent them from warping when welding. (Weld a little, let completely cool)  A GOOD mig machine would work better, I used a stick, 6011 rod to tack and to lay a root pass, and a 7018 rod for a filler pass and a cap. IMHO, grade 8 bolts need to be used to bolt the spindle to the axle. The springs came off my cj3a. The main part of the frame is part of a old boat trailer. The hitch is just a ring cut out of plate for a pindle hook The fenders are made out of "c" perlin.  The sides and floor are just 1x4's. I had dreams of painting the frame, staining the wood, and adding ndt tires, but haven't got there yet, maybe soon, I hope. Maybe this will give somebody some ideas, its one of the handiest things I've built, and for a total investment of $60 so for.

Bill, you can see the spacer in this picture.

when i work in the blacksmith back in 1965 we build trailer axle by buying a set of front spindles out of a truck or a car. you press the hub out of the brake drum and then cut the spindle out the mass that is left. you cut about a 1/4 inch biger then grease seal area. you can weld the spindle into a pipe or tube.we set the spindle in the pipe ont the lathes.
dennis

No, I didn't use any gussets. Just welded it right on with no recess for the pipe to sit in. Didn't use a lathe either. I posted a link at the bottom of the material list to a company that can make any size axle with the proper jeep wheel bolt pattern. I used schedule 40 2" pipe for my tube. After I got my spacer welded to the other plate, I just transferred the bolt holes from the spindle. Then I welded it to the pipe. The most hi-tech thing I used was a plasma cam to cut out the circles and tail light mounts. I built my axle with no machining.

I've put 3 hit and miss engines in my trailer once. Trailer didn't mind it, but the jeep hated it.   I would say the most limiting factor is the power of the 4cyl, not the trailer and how much you can load the trailer.

TQuote:

Thanks fbill!!!!

Nate might have a better method, but this is what I did,

I cut four pieces of ¼" plate the same diameter as the mounting flange of the spindle, then transferred and drilled the bolt holes.
Then I took two of the flanges I just cut and prepped, and welded them to the axle tube.
I very carefully measured and measured and measured, then scribed a outline of the spindle shoulder in the center of the two unused flanges with a compass, then cut a little smaller hole with a torch (plasma would a be better by far).

I would do test fit and grind on the inside of the hole, do a test fit and grind until everything fit and the bolt holes lined up. It doesn't have to be a interference fit, but close and somewhat snug, the grade 8 bolts will take most of the load.

Then lined up the bolt holes on newly made spacers with the bolt holes on the tube flanges ,(just used the bolts for clamps) then welded them together on the outside edge.