The J10 trailer...
I've been building trailers from mini-pickups for years. My first pickup bed trailer was purchased from my father-in-law in South Dakota circa 1977. It was a Studebaker box. I did a spring under conversion and built it to haul my motorcycle... enclosed. Later I built several others myself. But then I saw a J10 box on a handbuilt frame and decided I had to have a J10 trailer. Chris W. from Maltby, WA and one of the early FSJ list members had this J10 just sitting... the rest, as they say, is history...
 August 10, 2004 - Snohomish, Washington |
This trailer started out as a '75 J10, one of the early FSJ list members owned it and after engine troubles gave up on it for a variety of other Jeep projects in early 2004. As of October 2008, I'm eager to install a trailer hitch on my Jeep trailer so I can attach my barrel lift for moving WVO. The trailer has become a valuable tool moving dirt, gravel, WVO, car parts, building materials and even furniture and appliances. It has proven to be very versatile and earns lots of kudos from other gearheads. Back in 2004, I started the process, but my friend Curtis finished it... he put wings to my dreams... :) I did the first two steps: Step one, obtain (preferably non-running J10). Step two, cut in half:
Seeing as how this '75 J10 had a Dana 44 rear axle, and SuperDawg, my '83 J10 Stepside "only" had an AMC Model 20... we did a little swap... Curtis swapped and gutted the axle, and welded up the tongue... The trailer pushed the "superdawg project" back a bit... long enough for me to find a 6.2L Diesel for it, but I digress... The J10 trailer boasts: - having started life as a '75 J10 longbed pickup... - hydraulic surge disk brakes using J10 rotors and calipers - model 20 ringless rear axle with front hub assy's to hold disc brakes - on board hydraulic pump - on board battery for aux lights and hydraulic pump - Rancho 5000 shocks - dual hydraulic cylinders - bed powers up and down, locks in any position - tool box (locks up the controls) - bed raises to approximately 40 degrees - removeable canopy - long tongue for easy backing and super smooth highway towing - 100% bed lined, under, sides, insides... all around... - estimated weight empty around 1,100 lbs (will be tested one of these days) - with some modifications this could be moved to another J10 frame if this frame fails - extensive use of existing frame mounting points and wiring. - an auxillary bed mounted fuel tank to be setup as a portable lawnmower gas station LEFT TO BE DONE: - front mounted spare - finish painting the JEEP letters - installing adequate side lights and reflectors - setting up the aux fuel tank as a rolling gas station - devising quick release for the canopy - building a slip in box with dump gate for gravel and topsoil distribution - remote wiring to control box from driver's seat - wiring on tow rig to charge battery - wiring on tow rig for backup lights & brake lockout - on board trickle battery charger - perhaps locate slide in camper setup for the next FSJ or Ouray gathering... For more pictures of the process see:
http://www.wagoneers.com/FSJ/rigs/J10-trailer/
before the hydraulics...
The following pictures are what happens when two grown FSJ type addicts are
left unsupervised by their respective spouses... :) The only limiting factors
are time, money and about 105 miles between us...
What started out as, "you know it would be cool if..."
Turned out to be what is now in my driveway. :)
I can hardly wait for SuperDawg to roll out... :)
