whats the cheapest way to build a flatbed trailer, or to get a cheap good deal on one? not sure about how long of one im wanting.

 

I built mine from an old Winnebago frame. I finally got around to stretching the axles so the vehicles will go between the tires, rather than over. Over isn't that big a deal, it justput the center of grasvity higher and more wind drag. I got the added benefit of sway bar and load levelers. Some will tel you mobile home frames, but there are some things to look out for. The Ibeam type is actually pretty wimpy, and not up to the task. I would look for one that had a rectangular tube frame, and preferrably one with regular boly on wheels, there are some with 5 bolt Ford truck rims, and some with 6 bolt chevy truck rims, and then there are the 14.5 im clamps that you see a lot of, but tires are'nt real readily available like the 15 inch rims I mentioned. If you do your trailer with any of these frames, build your deck with another square tube welded to the top of the frame, and build your cross ribs on it, this will strengthen the frame enough to carry normal loads. The frame on mine was a formed tube, and wasn't real thick wall, so that's how I reinforced it to be sure. Basically, you need to find an old camper that the body is shot on, and rob the frame. It came with 2 braking axles as well. In all, if you don't count time, I have less than $100 in my trailer, but I got the frame for free. This gave me a 16 foot deck, too. I don't knoww how cheap you are referring, but it doesn't get much less than that. I used all used steel in the fabrication of the deck too, so that is why it was cheap. About the only new steel I used was the axle tube extensions. I also worked at a fabrication shop, so I raided the scrap bins for some of the small stuff.When I stretched the axles, I had cncerns of the location of the springs moved inwards in relation to the hub being too much stress and bending the axle, so I built a frame extension and moved the spring hangers out.

 

Make it from used steel. At least in GA, you can buy good used construction steel. Back of my flatbed truck is made from 8 x 2.5 x 3/16 steel. A popular size for used steel is 4x4 and 5x5 3/16 tubing, usually comes in 24 foot sections.

The best and cheapest way might be to grab a frame from a HD truck where the frame is basically two long C-channels with cross members. They are usually at least 1/4 steel.