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Gooseneck service trailer
- Thread starter red EOD
- Start date
Something I should have built years ago. Getting all my mechanic/metal working tools on a trailer.
Sweet!
red EOD
1/2 ton status
This is something that I'm already wishing I had done years ago. Have bought/sold equipment when moving over the years whereas if I'd built the service trailer it would have saved lots of money in the long run. Plus having the tools/equipment on the trailer shaves a few thousand pounds off of the pickup.
The goal is going to be similar to this one.
I had been tossing around the idea of using the current 9ft bed that's on the pickup right now. Searching the local classifieds I came across this 11ft bed that was in much better shape for cheap.
Plan was to eventually build a trailer chassis for it until a friend found a lightweight gooseneck for cheaper than I could build the trailer chassis. It's on a pair of 3500 lb axles which should be enough for this build since the truck will take care of the larger crane needs.
Can't lower the bed down to the trailer chassis because the frame is too wide and the boxes are too deep. Even if I cut the service bed to make it wider for that and the outside edges of the trailer off, it would be past 9ft 8in in width (way too wide). The top of the service bed is 6ft so leaving it at that height is ok (I'm 5'10"). Going to remove the boards from the outer edges of the trailer deck which will lower the bed down about 2in. Am going to mount some boxes under the deck in front of the axle as well.
Some of the main goals for this trailer:
Easy access of everything from the ground.
All the tools/equipment I have/use on it. So welder, metal working stuff, fluids, hand/air/electrical tools, etc.
Waste oil tank.
Parts (not a big inventory by any means).
Small crane (1 ton) at the back. Mostly to help with assembly/disassembly.
Couple lights.
Awning. I'm a redhead, me and the sun don't exactly get along hahaha.
The goal is going to be similar to this one.
I had been tossing around the idea of using the current 9ft bed that's on the pickup right now. Searching the local classifieds I came across this 11ft bed that was in much better shape for cheap.
Plan was to eventually build a trailer chassis for it until a friend found a lightweight gooseneck for cheaper than I could build the trailer chassis. It's on a pair of 3500 lb axles which should be enough for this build since the truck will take care of the larger crane needs.
Can't lower the bed down to the trailer chassis because the frame is too wide and the boxes are too deep. Even if I cut the service bed to make it wider for that and the outside edges of the trailer off, it would be past 9ft 8in in width (way too wide). The top of the service bed is 6ft so leaving it at that height is ok (I'm 5'10"). Going to remove the boards from the outer edges of the trailer deck which will lower the bed down about 2in. Am going to mount some boxes under the deck in front of the axle as well.
Some of the main goals for this trailer:
Easy access of everything from the ground.
All the tools/equipment I have/use on it. So welder, metal working stuff, fluids, hand/air/electrical tools, etc.
Waste oil tank.
Parts (not a big inventory by any means).
Small crane (1 ton) at the back. Mostly to help with assembly/disassembly.
Couple lights.
Awning. I'm a redhead, me and the sun don't exactly get along hahaha.
I used to use a machinist/ welder to do line bore that used a trailer instead of the truck. I've often wondered about it for myself as well.
I’ve always tried to use trailers instead of having a truck for every purpose. Cheaper insurance and way less upkeep.
My only real problem is mounting a 10k crane on a trailer chassis. Would it handle it?
red EOD
1/2 ton status
When using a truck crane you are supposed to put the outriggers down which takes the weight off the chassis (among other reasons). Trailer chassis is the same way. I'm mounting an old Holmes 500 wrecker bed on my truck which takes care of the heavy lifting concerns in my case. Will mount just a little cheap 1 ton crane onto the trailer though for disassembly/assembly of stuff though.
I use all three outrigger on mine. But at 28' reach the body takes a ton of stress. Than there is those jobs where the ground sucks up every bit of blocking for the outrigger and still is squishy (technical term) at best.
What is it that you do?
What is it that you do?
My little 2020 crane on my F550 at work never picks anything heavy enough to use the outriggers, plus they suck cuz they are manual crank like semi trailer landing gear.
With the little crane hell be using he shouldn't even need outriggers on the trailer since the trailer weight will make up for plenty of ballast.
red EOD
1/2 ton status
Exactly, this trailer is just going to have a baby 1 ton crane. Mostly for pulling cylinder heads and hydraulic components when working on things near the trailer.
I've been working as a mobile heavy diesel/hydraulic mechanic since I got out of the military. Stationary equipment, trucks, and yellow iron mostly. This trailer build is for a mix of personal use and self employed service work.
Both of my old service trucks with a crane had stability issues when stretched all the way out if the ground was soft enough (normal). With the military m816 wrecker I used to have it's outriggers were utterly useless haha. Extended 18in from the bed and manually screwed down. The crane on it would flip the truck over with ease.
I've been working as a mobile heavy diesel/hydraulic mechanic since I got out of the military. Stationary equipment, trucks, and yellow iron mostly. This trailer build is for a mix of personal use and self employed service work.
Both of my old service trucks with a crane had stability issues when stretched all the way out if the ground was soft enough (normal). With the military m816 wrecker I used to have it's outriggers were utterly useless haha. Extended 18in from the bed and manually screwed down. The crane on it would flip the truck over with ease.
My daily driver is a ram 5500 with a stellar 5520, love that combo. Safe to say the crane sees a ton of use at home. I’m spoiled I’ve got hydraulic outriggers now. Used to have manually slid out trailer jack style
watching......
I'm following this build for sure.
I've been considering this type for awhile. And honestly, you've got a point. If the tow rig is has a big crane. The trailer can handle the road weight better than the truck. I would probably limit my woods work though.
I've been considering this type for awhile. And honestly, you've got a point. If the tow rig is has a big crane. The trailer can handle the road weight better than the truck. I would probably limit my woods work though.
red EOD
1/2 ton status
Bit of work today on the trailer. Pulled the service bed off and removed those outer boards from the deck which lowered the bed about 2"
Needs a new hub assembly on that side just not bothering with it yet.
Moved the welder back enough to make room for the spare tire. It'l get secured properly just wanted to get everything into it's location for now.
Lastly set the bed in it's planned location and ran a few bolts through the bottom of the front boxes. The rear of the bed needs to come down which will happen when the rear bumper gets cut off. Then to decide if the last few feet of deck will get cut off the trailer, or if that will become the work bench. The deck is too low currently for a comfortable work height unless there was something tall sitting there (larger engine for example).
Area between the bed and the welder is going to be for the waste oil/other fluids and a press.
Needs a new hub assembly on that side just not bothering with it yet.
Moved the welder back enough to make room for the spare tire. It'l get secured properly just wanted to get everything into it's location for now.
Lastly set the bed in it's planned location and ran a few bolts through the bottom of the front boxes. The rear of the bed needs to come down which will happen when the rear bumper gets cut off. Then to decide if the last few feet of deck will get cut off the trailer, or if that will become the work bench. The deck is too low currently for a comfortable work height unless there was something tall sitting there (larger engine for example).
Area between the bed and the welder is going to be for the waste oil/other fluids and a press.
I like having a work bench area to spread my stuff out when working out of a service truck. I vote raise it or maybe better yet build like a short bench on it and close the sides in and put some kind of storage drawers or maybe just make the whole work bench top flip up on hinges with some beefy struts and store seldom used big shit under there.
red EOD
1/2 ton status
That would be a good expansion and a large work bench, something I've never really had on a service truck haha. Got some cheater pipes and pipe wrenches that could go there while still leaving plenty of space to 'grow' into. Area under the bed where the truck chassis would be is where I'm planning to put tanks
red EOD
1/2 ton status
Now that the holidays are over and it got above freezing today figured I'd do some project work. For those that might remember from the crew cab build it took some cutting/welding to get the tool box into the old service bed. No surprise, same thing to get it out of there haha.
New bed has the same problem. Trimmed the sealing edge on the top/bottom, and trimmed the excess material off of the top of the box as well which gave just enough room to squeeze it into the new service bed.
Leaves some room alongside the box for other stuff, about 9" wide spot. Undecided what will go there. But there's a problem, not enough space between the door latches and the tool box. The shorter door is an easier fix that just needs some flat strap added to it, making the latch easier to reach. The main door however has no room for it's lower mechanism. The upper clears the box, but I'll need to either cut into the bottom of the box, or remove the lower mechanism from the door.
The old 9ft Knapheid service bed is getting sliced up with some of it to be added to the new trailer.
New bed has the same problem. Trimmed the sealing edge on the top/bottom, and trimmed the excess material off of the top of the box as well which gave just enough room to squeeze it into the new service bed.
Leaves some room alongside the box for other stuff, about 9" wide spot. Undecided what will go there. But there's a problem, not enough space between the door latches and the tool box. The shorter door is an easier fix that just needs some flat strap added to it, making the latch easier to reach. The main door however has no room for it's lower mechanism. The upper clears the box, but I'll need to either cut into the bottom of the box, or remove the lower mechanism from the door.
The old 9ft Knapheid service bed is getting sliced up with some of it to be added to the new trailer.
red EOD
1/2 ton status
Used the trailer today for working on the replacement springs for the crew cab (new urethane bushings). The deck of the rear work bench is too low by about a foot which was already known. An idea for a new addition though came up today. Needed the mag drill to sit higher so I clamped a piece of angle iron to the rail and raised it up a few inches off the deck. Thinking of making some kind of adjustable height platform that the mag drill or anything else could use.
Better pics of the door latch issues. Should be a simple fix by making the latch pins on the left door (main door) straight rather than the factory offset design and drill new holes for them to go into the service body.
Short door, easy fix by just extending the lever to the side a few inches
Better pics of the door latch issues. Should be a simple fix by making the latch pins on the left door (main door) straight rather than the factory offset design and drill new holes for them to go into the service body.
Short door, easy fix by just extending the lever to the side a few inches
red EOD
1/2 ton status
Been casually looking for a decent sized lathe for awhile and stumbled across this old Atlas/Craftsman. 12"x36" model. Rolled up with the k5 and voila, I now have a lathe haha. Needed some attention that was just disassembly/clean/reassembly work and the electric motor on it is smaller than what it's supposed to have. Came with some tooling.
During the overhaul
Say hello to it's new planned home.
The old wheel well area is nearly a perfect fit, just not quite deep enough which requires the service bed floor to be cut out a few inches. Making a drawer that the lathe will be mounted to so it will be pulled out when needed and stuffed back under the bed for transport.
During the overhaul
Say hello to it's new planned home.
The old wheel well area is nearly a perfect fit, just not quite deep enough which requires the service bed floor to be cut out a few inches. Making a drawer that the lathe will be mounted to so it will be pulled out when needed and stuffed back under the bed for transport.
