Thinking of building my own trailer.....

[Spize909]

Might be getting back in the game but not at these stupid prices. Not sure If I'll do a buggy or SxS but if I do the wife is talking 4 seater this time.

Anyways, I'll need something to haul a toy around and was thinking it may be cost effective to build my own flatbed in my spare time. Thoughts? Anybody done it, have some sketches? I know how my old Carson was built and some of that would work but not for any real weight, plus it was 20'. I'm thinking 14' to 16' and maybe just single axle?

 

[zilla68]

i would just buy one. I laid out all the steel sizes and dimensions of what I would need because I thought it would be easier to build my own.

by the time I was done adding it up, I realized I wasn't saving anything, or much enough to justify my time it would take.

I know trailer prices are sky high

 

[Fullthrottleguy]

As high as trailer prices are  - steel prices, axle an suspension prices are as high

I just went through the same process  as I needed a new flat bed.  Having built many trailers in the past. I pulled the plans from my trailer 

Basic 18' by 102" wide,  dual Dexter 3500Lb axle  225x15 tires on steel wheels, both axles with brakes and drive over fenders, Diamond plate tire area wood between (or even thought about open center) LED lights, standard ramps, drop tail, 4x3 rails 2x4 braces .120 Diamond plate,  Primed and painted sprayed.

In 2018 I built it for $2300.  I priced it in Sept 2021 and it would have been $4100 plus the cost of welding wire, gas at $53 a tank now and the hassle of registering it in CA

You can buy an off brand new  or couple year old trailer for that... It may not be as heavy duty but they are 2000Lbs and carry 5000 thats all you need 

 

[L.R.S.]

I was going to have a trailer built for this season and knew exactly what I wanted for my transport business. 18' deckover w/wood deck, dual 7500lb 8 lug axles, 3' dovetail, fold down ramps, lots of D rings, winch mount. Got a price of $7500. Waited too long and when I was ready to pull the trigger the cost was just over $10k. FJB. Couldn't do it at that price. Ended up buying an aluminum 20' deckover to get us through all the jobs. It's a great trailer but only 97" wide and some of the cars I'm hauling ar 100" to 102" wide. Not really an issue bur clients don't like to see their $200k-$300k samd cars with tires hanging over the trailer sides.

Bought another 20' deckover I previously owned and plan to never sell again. My 20' aluminum deckover with 5k winch is listed here for sale but zero interest other than lowball offers. I'm negotiable if you want to check it out. We still use it but I don't need three flatbeds with only two trucks.

 

[Punchdrunk Monkey]

Check out Yiro Trailers. I had them build me an 18'er a few years back. Their prices were good. The trailers are built in Mexicali and it seemed sketchey at first. But the guys were legit. I picked up the trailer in Calixico and they had all the export paperwork done and ready. I took the trailer and paperwork to the DMV and got it registered. 

 

[Crusty]

 

[Rockwood]

When I bought my monster trailer, I had looked into building one myself.  Materials cost ended up being about $1000 less than just purchasing.  Granted, I still had some things to do to mine after I got it, but in the end I just purchased as it was easier.

 

[Dockmaster]

Like many of you, I have owned lots of trailers over the years. Thought about building my own but just can't justify the time when you really get down to adding up all the material costs, welding wire, paint, etc. I think you will find you will not save much, if any. 

When it comes down to trailer builders I find what separates them is paint. The structural work is typically fine unless someone is using cheap materials and thinner gauge steel. Painting is where they cut corners. If they simply paint over the mill scale the paint will fail. So the steel either has to be blasted and coated with a weldable primer before they build the trailer or it has to blasted and primed after it's welded together. Otherwise the paint will fail. Raw steel has mill scale and does not have a profile for paint to adhere to. 

 

[Spize909]

Like many of you, I have owned lots of trailers over the years. Thought about building my own but just can't justify the time when you really get down to adding up all the material costs, welding wire, paint, etc. I think you will find you will not save much, if any. 

When it comes down to trailer builders I find what separates them is paint. The structural work is typically fine unless someone is using cheap materials and thinner gauge steel. Painting is where they cut corners. If they simply paint over the mill scale the paint will fail. So the steel either has to be blasted and coated with a weldable primer before they build the trailer or it has to blasted and primed after it's welded together. Otherwise the paint will fail. Raw steel has mill scale and does not have a profile for paint to adhere to. 

Well I guess when the time comes, I will just buy one.....sold mine way to cheap (early) as I did with the buggy and the enclosed. At todays prices I probably left 8 grand on the table! . I bought some steel a while back for a project and was pretty much shocked but that was from Patton's and their prices are high to begin with.

As for paint. We ordered our 20' flatbed back in '07 from Carson. Had it built not just pulled off of the lot. The paint and the wood were both horrible. The underside wasn't really painted at all, so I get you point on paint. I would just go buy 6-8 cans of Rustoleum satin black every 3 years or so and paint it and when I beefed it up and widened the rear and put on the ramps I painted the underside. I did sell it (2019) for about what I paid for it. Right around $2400 iirc.

 

[Spize909]

I was going to have a trailer built for this season and knew exactly what I wanted for my transport business. 18' deckover w/wood deck, dual 7500lb 8 lug axles, 3' dovetail, fold down ramps, lots of D rings, winch mount. Got a price of $7500. Waited too long and when I was ready to pull the trigger the cost was just over $10k. FJB. Couldn't do it at that price. Ended up buying an aluminum 20' deckover to get us through all the jobs. It's a great trailer but only 97" wide and some of the cars I'm hauling ar 100" to 102" wide. Not really an issue bur clients don't like to see their $200k-$300k samd cars with tires hanging over the trailer sides.

Bought another 20' deckover I previously owned and plan to never sell again. My 20' aluminum deckover with 5k winch is listed here for sale but zero interest other than lowball offers. I'm negotiable if you want to check it out. We still use it but I don't need three flatbeds with only two trucks.

View attachment 23703

View attachment 23704

View attachment 23705

You get rid of that trailer you bought from that friend of mine a few years ago?

 

[L.R.S.]

You get rid of that trailer you bought from that friend of mine a few years ago?

Remind me which one that was? I only have the 3 flatbeds pictured. Swmt the aluminum trailer on a 900 mile transport last week and it's loaded again for a job tomorrow. My son will use the 24' to haul a Funco and 2 seat RZR to Glamis tomorrow morning.

$7k obo for the aluminum trailer. I use it but don't 'need' it. Pink in hand, PTI plate registered in my business name through 2026.

 

[Dzrtrat1111]

I have built 2 different trailers using the frame for a travel trailer. You can usually get them pretty cheap just like this one. 
 

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/tro/d/fallbrook-24-ft-travel-trailer-frame/7438125077.html

minimal additional cost in steel to widen and brace it if you like and to build ramps. Wire it, and lights and accessories and you are done. 
 

Now, both that I built did not have a vin stamped on the frame so I was able to register as a home built trailer with PTI registration. 

 

[Spize909]

Remind me which one that was? I only have the 3 flatbeds pictured. Swmt the aluminum trailer on a 900 mile transport last week and it's loaded again for a job tomorrow. My son will use the 24' to haul a Funco and 2 seat RZR to Glamis tomorrow morning.

$7k obo for the aluminum trailer. I use it but don't 'need' it. Pink in hand, PTI plate registered in my business name through 2026.

View attachment 24697

Flatbed, probably fairly heavy duty from Chris out by Hemet.......

 

[L.R.S.]

Flatbed, probably fairly heavy duty from Chris out by Hemet.......

Oh yeah, maybe 4 years ago, that trailer was, uh, special. Definitely heavy duty, definitely had some issues. Sold it to a buddy before I ever used it snd he sold it soon after that. 

 

[richard h]

I just got a quote to replace my 16' enclosed and crapped myself. With tax, not delivered from Indiana, 21,475.00

 

[wopachop]

OSG built himself a trailer for cheap not too long ago. Maybe someone can link him to this thread. He would have great advice on current material prices. 

 

[Spize909]

OSG built himself a trailer for cheap not too long ago. Maybe someone can link him to this thread. He would have great advice on current material prices. 

that'd be great.....might be on the lookout for craigslist stuff. Channel, tube, 5000lb axle, whatnot.....

 

[J Alper]

For me i have owned a bunch of low end and hi end trailers, 

The only way i will go for me is my own trailer, 

I love mine but the next one will make the fender wells go all the way across so it will only fit a offroad car or lifted,  the next one i do will not be able to haul someones non lifted stuff, 

If you have a nice trailer everyone will want to use it,   it helps if it only fits your toy, 

mine has drive over fender wells, no side pockets, and only 4 tiedowns just for my car,  

it was made out of 5'' I-beam,  I did 17'' wheels with Comercial Van tires, rated for 110-mph, tires are the same size as a trailer tire but really more durable, I also did back up lights for night, theses lights work off the truck back up lights,  also did aluminum ramps,  the jack has a drop leg,  

 

[Fullthrottleguy]

I did 17'' wheels with Comercial Van tires, rated for 110-mph, tires are the same size as a trailer tire but really more durable, 

Jason  - what tire and size did you use?

I am considering moving everything to commercial (truck)  But I was told commercial are in .5 increments like 17.5, 19.5. 22.5

Using 60-70MPH trailer tires has always bothered me.   LT truck tires are good for trailers (and rated for them) but the outside diameter is usually too big