Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

Any progress?

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

No, well, yes. I have gotten a rear bed panel and just got a great tailgate from perro13. Down to bumper brackets, rock guards and a bumper, then its bolts and I'll have all the parts needed. I have done some prep work to the frame, but have not painted it yet. I have new shocks for the 63, so I'll just take the used ones off for the trailer.

Theres a local guy who drives a 66 service truck and does welding. I plan to have him come over and do the welding work for me. My goal is to be done and painted by Jan 1.

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

one thing i would do is get rid of the "rear/differential" axle and go with a straight axle (find a trailer with round tube and 6 lug) or you can get the hubs and spindles ... http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hubs...-213-5UC1.html .. ( the spindles that fit are on the same page in what people bought with the hubs) and build your own to fit with 6 lug to match your truck (assume its still 6 lug) some states do NOT allow rear axles to be used one reason is that no one keeps up with the oil level in the diff. and the next thing you know things tend to lockup... the other thing you want is the tongue as long as possible/feasible the longer the tongue the easier it is to backup and the better it follows

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

A lot less drag as well. Sell off the rear axle to help fray the costs of the straight axle, 6 lug. There's so many options when it comes to trailer axles.

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

im considering rebuilding the rearend and installing the factory posi unit i have thats sitting here rebuilt. then just swapping it out and putting it in my 63. still 17 spline, but it would upgrade to bolted on backing plates if i decided to go to rear disk in the future

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

gives me an extra set of axles at the least. the 17 spline are getting harder to find

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

there is another reason to put in a straight axle you don't waste a good set of 17 splines

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

Very true..

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

I had a long bed fleet side trailer made from a 60 chevy bed. OEM axle underneath that was gutted and had 3/4 ton coils. I sold it though. Don't really wish I still had it cause I didn't need it....but sometimes I wish I still did!:chevy:

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

i have a 3/4 73 crew cab frame (nice long tongue) with a utility box on it and i put soft plugs in the axle tube ends cut the axle shafts off just had the flange used them for bearing caps packed the wheel bearings ( 3/4 ton axles are great for trailer as they are full floater ) pulled the ring and pinion out put rear cover back on and made a plate to cover the pinion hole put surge brake hitch on it used the original 13" brakes came out very nice

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

subscribed

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

Not mine, but nice.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...ba7c36e3bc.jpg

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

Here's Member Clyde65's
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1445652544

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

http://www.mar-k.com/index.php?p=classic-truck-trailers
.
http://www.mar-k.com/_assets/images/trailer7.jpg

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

Here is my truck and pickupbed trailer in action. Clyde is now in the paint shop getting all spiffied up.

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

coil or leaf suspension ?? the ones ive seen with coil seem to B more bounce & if U put a box on the tongue with straps/ chains/ & stuff(goody) that mite give jst enuff tongue weight!!!!

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

Coil suspension.

I plan on bagging it after I paint it. It has a pretty heavy tongue and with the box, that makes it pull good. Better if it has weight on it though.

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

Here's mine that I've had for years, I just built the stake sides for it. '63 longbed with coils and helpers. It's hauled a lot for me.

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

If you're designing a homemade trailer, here is something to keep in mind that I learned from pulling campers.

You want to make sure that the trailer is heavier on the tongue side than the tail side. When it's empty if it's not weighted this way then it will constantly bounce against the ball and be as annoying as f*ck to pull. When it's full, if it's not weighted this way it can be dangerous because it can pick up deadly oscillations.

This is the reason that the axle is usually behind the center of the load bed.

The general rule is that the tongue weight should be 10% of the total trailer weight. In other words, if you hold the trailer level and put a scale under the tongue, it will measure 10% of whatever the weight of the trailer is. This works full or empty.

B

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

Bringing this thread back because it's got some good info. Once I find a better longbed for my 63, I'm planning to put the current, beat up bed on this trailer frame. I got this trailer several years ago for free, so I wasn't complaining that it has the wrong bed :lol: Right now, I'm just using it to store parts

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

The first tire I ever changed a tire it was on a white 60-66 trailer. It was buried in a snow drift. Hence Dad figuring it was a good time for me to learn. After some digging.
As a side, if anybody in the Salem Or area is fired up to start a trailer project. They can have the square body version in my back yard. I converted it 10 years ago or so. I've had it all over. The sheetmetal is beat and rusty but the dual exhaust more than makes up for it.

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

I have a squarebody trailer to haul behind my squarebody truck.

Bloody heavy, and hard to move around the yard by myself.

I won't be doing the same with my '61.

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...42783_HDRs.jpg

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

I saw this on the web a while back. Don't know the details but Mar-K sells them. I would pull one of these in the back of my 60 to the Swap meets/Car shows for sure! :metal:

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

Sorry I saw LostMy65 posted this pic and info.:dohh:

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

Did the OP ever finish his?

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

Finally got my trailer finished up over the weekend and took it to a cruise in.

I used the 67-72 steel floor and header panel, but took the corners from a rusty 60-66 panel and welded them on to the 67-72 so that everything would fit up nicely. It turned out pretty good for some old, junk parts

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

That's what I'm talking about!
The only other thing you might add is a toolbox at the front.

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

I've thought about that, but not exactly sure if the tongue weight would be too heavy with a box there. So far, it pulls really well though!

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

.
Then it might be best to leave it as is. A trailer that tows good should not be messed with.

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

I recently purchased a short bed in rough shape for $100.. Have a small trailer I'll be mounting it to.. Would have rather had a long bed but for the price I couldn't go wrong..

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

That would be perfect to pull behind a short bed truck!

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

These trailers are perfect for swap meets. Plenty of room in both the truck and trailer for parts.
When I'm not pulling the trailer around, it functions great as parts storage. Throw a couple bumpers or 2x4s on top to keep the tarp supported in the center and then rain and leaves won't get in to make a mess.

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

Here's a couple of points to remember when building a trailer :

1. Make the tongue long , you want the coupler to the axel at least
the same as the wheel base of the tow vehicle . This makes
backing up easy and well controlled . Plus it gives room for a
bed box on the tongue or a platform or the spare tire .

2. The axle center line should be to the rear of the bed center line .
You want at least 10% of the weight on the ball better yet 15%.

Check out my trailer build by clicking the link in my Signature .

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

Finally got my trailer together.. Started out with a home built trailer that tilts and dressed it in a bunch of parts I acquired over the last year.. Great thing is that the home built trailer has a title and is registered for highway use.. I bought a short 1964 stepside bed for $100.. It was rough but had fenders and side rails I could use for now.. I then found a '57 GMC tailgate for $50 and a few months later a '55 GMC tailgate for $100.. a couple hours of sawzall work, some drilling and bolting and here's what I ended up with..A trailer with front gate and rear tail gate.. This allows me to haul 16 foot lumber, 13 foot guitars (which I also built and play) or use it to pick up loads of mulch or soil for the garden and landscaping. I am still looking for some cheap long bed steps to make it complete.. I may just make them out of 2x12 lumber? Anyway, Here it is..

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

More pics.

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

Sweet! I like the dual gate idea

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

I like the twin tailgate idea. It would also be nice if you were loading truck bed with trailer attached so you could just load through the trailer with small ramps or something.

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

Yes, I do that too.. and when both gates are down there's 12 feet of platform.. This thing is great, It's like having another work truck..

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

Old thread, but the one having the most posts
.
How do these trail?

I have a utility trailer that you have to load correctly or it'll really start whipping around.

Re: 60-66 Trailer made from a 60-66 bed
 

Pretty much any single axle is going to be more sensitive to weight distribution but we have built 3 truck bed trailers (no 60-66 unfortunately or would that be fortunately?) and they pull pretty well and seem less prone to wagging than my 5x8 utility trailer but I think we always had longer tongue's on them. We would cut the truck frame right behind the middle cab mounts and V the frame in right infront of the rear cab mount.