So most of you know I fenagled my way into an '04 Quad. Well - I like it a lot, so much in fact I didn't like the idea of filling it with gravel, dirt, mulch etc. So I started looking for a trailer.

Nothing major - just a small util I can drag around when I need to haul dirt.

I found a first gen. Dodge Dakota bed that was converted into a trailer.

I'm the first owner.

The truck hit a deer & the ins. company totaled the truck out. So this mechanic buys the truck for the engine & tranny & instead of scrapping the bed - he decides to build a trailer.

This is what I got for $300.











No rust! - axel still in place - has a bed liner & a bed mat!

I just need a hitch so I can pull a double!

 

haha thats genius, only thing sweeter would be if it matched your 2gen.

 

I know - I'm half tempted to get the paint code & have it painted at one of those $99 places.

 

well i ment a 2gen bed. but good idea on the paint.

 

I have had a thought or two about buying a 2nd gen bed to match my truck, but it would be mainly for my offroad adventures, to haul all of my camping, fishing and hunting gear. Nice lookin little trailer though! I might have to start a build thread on a trailer if I can find a bed cheap enough....hmmmm

 

No Rust? What about all of the rust underneath? j/k

I don't know if you want to put any effort into it, but consider taking a wire wheel to it and spray a coat of undercoating or something on it.

Otherwise, rock it how it is! Pretty sweet for $300

 

that rust underneath is only surface & not on the sheet metal where it hurts.

I already have 4 cans of undercoating for my 04. I think I'll get 4 more for the trailer.

It even had a matching full size spare with a matching aluminum wheel!




I do agree that having a gen 2 bed would be more cool, but hay - I can't have everything for cheap! You know - I have a pretty good compressor & a spray gun. A quart of color & I could be in business by myself! I've painted jeeps before why not an old trailer!

They guy put 1/4" plate steel across the front in order to mount a tool box, but decided not to spend the dough on one after seeing the prices.

I was thinking of rigging a hand brake like on the old military trailers. He cut the e-brake cables, but those have to be cheap.

 

Oh yeah - I forgot to mention the air shocks too! The nozel is under the gas cap cover! I could load this thing to death & just air it up & drag it along.

Now I actually have to go & get the gravel & dirt & mulch I was talking about. What have I gotten myself into? ; )

 

That's pretty trick!

The only issues I have with bed trailers, is

1) half the time, they aren't wired right (if at all)
2) the axle is too far forward for the CoG. Most trailers have the axle around 3/5 to 4/5 of the way to the back, compared to the load area. A bed trailer actually has the axle forward of centerline, which creates an instability of any significant load places behind the axle (most of the load)

 

Very good point. & one I had not thought about until you mention it.

The trailer has all new wireing including new sockets & it is all good. Tested it & towed it home.

I took a closer look since you mention the cog. The guy who built this was thinking - because though you can see in the pics the axel is forward of center in the bed it is way behind center of the over all trailer. He has extended the tonge way out to make it pull better etc.

Now that won't really help if I put 2 tons of crap on the tailgate. So I will need to keep that in mind. I don't want a light tongue lifting my back wheels when I need an emergency stop.

I had that happen once in a jeep - scared the crap outta me!