(800) 853-2651
SHOP NOW

Pickup box trailer

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
Am going to start building a pickup box trailer tomorrow, the kind where you take everything in front of the box off and bend the frame and weld a ball hitch coulper on it. Anything special I need to know about doing this? It should be alright to take the brake shoes and springs off the back brakes since they won't be hooked up anyway. Right? That way they won't cause a problem down the road. How about the rear differential? I don't need to take out the gears do I? It is a 1973 Chevy 1/2 ton 4x4.
 
Control frame flex by tying together the bottom and top of the frame rails at the point of the bend together cut. this needs to be a compression (U channel) on top, and at least 1/4"X 3" strap across underneath in tension. This keeps it from bending down at the front of the box. (tongue up)
The pinion and ring gear should be removed, but that dif must have the carrier or the axles will not be stable. (plug the pinion hole. Full float axles with a tube in the center are easier on weight. Front spindles machined down to fit into 2" Chrome Moly tubing with brake drum or disk removed is better yet. JimN
 
a couple things, first leave the rear end alone, the gm half ton rear axle is not a full floating design, it needs all the guts in there as well as kept full of gear lube to stay alive it will be just fine as long as you check it once in awhile, the other thing is when you lay out the hitch, make absolutly, positivly, 100% sure that you end up with the center of the coupler in the center of the trailer and the same triangulation on both frame rails or it will only be good for use off road behind a tractor it wont track straight on the hiway, you can take the brakes out but why? i have seen one trailer where the guy took what looked like the handel and ratchet off a manure spreader and hooked up to the emergency brake cables so he could apply it to keep the trailer from rolling when unhitched, myself , i would be afraid the brakes would stick on if it wasnt used very much
 
Take the shoes off if you want to but do not screw with the gears, check the gear oil and it will be fine.
 
If you aren't planning on towing the thing at hiway speed, other than a short trip, i'd just leave the gears in it. Always keep a check on the oil/grease in it, from time to time. the brake shoes shouldn't be a problem, either, although you could remove them, if ya want to. Might save the trouble of them maybe rusting in a dragging position.
The frame reinforcement is a good idea! And, be doubly sure that all welds are GOOD! Don't want something breaking and the thing coming loose!
 
Like 504-2 says
Take the brakes off if you want to but leave the rear end gears alone.
The carrier needs to be there to hold the axles up in the center and the ring gear should be left on because the teeth on the gear is what throws the oil around to keep all the bearings lubed.

Just check the oil every now and then and you will be fine.

Some kind of support where you bend the frame is also a good idea.
 
Look at all the pickups on the road today. Seems they all have the gears in the rear axle assembly and seem to be quite reliable.
 
I built my woodsplitter on an old pickup front
(solid), axle. Heard a scratchy sound pulling it
around, pulled drums, removed brake shoes, it's
quiet now. YES, they will drag if not removed.
 
My reasoning behind removing the gears is to reduce the towing forces necessary to pull it.
At highway speeds it can draw enough energy to feel the difference in fuel economy. The "punkin" housing, as I noted needs to be there. But the housing will be touching the oil level with the ring gear flange to lube it.
The pinion and ring will not need oil if they are not there. (I am just making a trailer that is as economical to pull in the future as it is today. Been there done that several times. Current trailer has tube axle and Ford front spindles. JimN
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
Where to buy a rim for trailer?
Replies
14
Views
988
Tractorcedric
T
D
1020 Front spindle Snapped!
2
Replies
26
Views
1K
Fixingfarmer
Fixingfarmer
Geo-TH,In
Tie rod ends came today faster than expected.
Replies
1
Views
414
Richard G.
R
A
2007 Chev 1/2 ton with a corrossion hole in the rear axl
Replies
17
Views
1K
rdandersom
R
super99
Trailer Brakes
Replies
12
Views
2K
Dennis Minn
D
Tractor Parts Tractor Manuals

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Copyright © 1997-2024 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters
Website Accessibility Policy

Back
Top