I recently had most of a bump truck land in my possession. (Engine, tranny, frame, bed.) the engine went into my dentside beater, so I decided to cut the frame and make a trailer out of it.

I've been working on it for a few days now. It's fully operational now. But It still needs things done to it before it's DONE.

I made it so that I have a big toolbox on the tongue as well as the factory fuel tank so I have mobile fueling capability.
But I still need to find the correct hubs/spindles so I can make a proper trailer axle. ( I just have an old 8" from a car under it right now.) I even have some matching wheels to my truck that will go on it.
I need to add some side marker lights. It doesn't have any. so I'm thinking it was a 67-68 bed.

I might even sandblast and paint match it someday....

 

I would think about building a new frame. The truck frame is going to be overly heavy for no reason. If I was doing it I would find a trailer and take your bed and mount it to it. Solves the axle problem and could add brakes and lighten it up too. Just a thought.

Would love to see some pictures of the truck and trailer together

 

Nah I'll keep the truck frame under it. I need it to be strong. (I'm sure I'll put 5,000+lbs in it sooner or later.)

As for the axle, I just want to use a straight pipe so as not to have the extra weight, drag and or failure of the complete rear end. And I want to have a 5x5.5 bolt pattern, and track width to match the truck.

Also I have to come up with some kind of a tailgate, that was missing too.

The thing Is kinda ugly looking right now. The PO had the bed sanded down to bare metal then just let it rust. That and the ugly wheels i put on it... But I'll get some pictures anyway.

 

PICS ! WE WANT PICS !

 

My dad did this with his '63 GMC. It looks sweet!

 

X10
I want to do the same thing with an f250 bed.

 

I'll get pictures. You can count on that. But it's still crammed into my work area so I can't get back far enough. I should be getting it out tomorrow though.

 

When I turned Frankie into a trailer, I just left the original Ford 9" under him. I really don't notice the weight or drag when towing.
Here's the dynamic duo, Frodo and Frankie, all set for a run to the dump.


I need to paint my trailer, too.

 

I would have left the 9" under it. But I got it without an axle. So I just threw a old 8" I had from a car under it temporarily. It has the smaller 5x4.5" bolt pattern. I want to make my own axle so I can get the track width and bolt pattern right. And so I can run a matching wheel and tire size.

 

How 'bout getting a front axle out of something from the 40's or 50's? One with "juice" brakes on it. Lock it so no steering. I think the F1's and the Fat Fendered Fords had the pattern you're after. After all, "have heat wrench, will travel".

 

I've been keeping my eye out for something like that too, Jeff. I had seen one on Craigslist awhile back and almost bought it, but that was before I started this project.


If anyone in the greater phoenix area has some old straight axle that might work, let me know and I'll buy it.

 

How did you bend the frame rails? I have a bed on the frame but have not bent the rails yet. I know to notch both sides where I want the bend but I have not figured out how to do the actual bending. Any advice?

 

I just torched out the horizontal webs and some of the vertical rail and pulled them together. They bend real easy. Then I just welded it all back up where I had cut.

 

Dana 60s are fairly cheap, sometimes less than actual trailer axles. Pull the axles, cut, and reinstall the flanges to seal them up, and no more drag worries.
I've had a couple truck bed trailers, including a 50s International that came with a gutted six lug Rockwell style axle, and a Dodge sweptside. That thing had the worst suspension, my current utility trailer with a Caravan axle and springs is tougher.
A Ford truck bed trailer should do ok, they are usually balanced pretty well so they don't sway on the highway. I have seen way too many truck bed trailers that had negative tongue weight and swayed like crazy over 40-45.

 

This one is balanced pretty good empty. Probably. 50lbs tongue weight. If that. But when I put my big toolbox on the front it will be heavier.