Building a Redneck Toyhauler
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,623
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From: L.A. (Lower Arkansas)
I've been building one in my mind for a couple of years but how in the world would you get the 5er onto the gn? My little tractor doesn't have the umph to pick it up. Could you put on stilts and back under it? Any other suggestions?
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 195
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From: OK
The trailer you have will be alot better than the one I used. I used a 32' dual tandem equipment trailer and it was way overkill. Could have easily gotten by with a dual single tire setup with a lighter frame. If I remeber correctly I think my camper was marketed as a 23' trailer. I had about 17' from back of camper to end of trailer also. Hope this helps.
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Joined: Jul 2006
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From: OK
Find someone with a vehicle lift you can take over for a day. You can easily raise it, remove the axles, back your trailer under, and weld it down in a day if you have alittle help.
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 195
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From: OK
I used a vehicle lift to raise it and remove the axles, then just back the trailer under it. Luckily the frames matched up closely on the camper and the GN so I just used 3 tabs on each side that were welded to trailer and camper. You dont want to have a whole lot of welds/tabs on each side since you need to leave plenty of flex. If not you will end up buckling your camper walls going over rough terrain when your trailer frame twists.
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,901
Likes: 37
From: On the Farm, Manitoba
Well I bought a trailer today. Its a 30ft Trail-tech but its got a 5th wheel pin on it. It was of the removable style but some welded it in. 20 min with a grinder would have it out though. Nice thing about it is that its got tandem 7500# axles. Plenty for what I'll be doing.
It also needs ramps to load my jeep on, has the storage slots for slideout ramps but they are missing.
It also needs ramps to load my jeep on, has the storage slots for slideout ramps but they are missing.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Here is the link to my redneck toyhauler I built. I no longer have it because I stepped up to a nicer setup. I did keep the trailer though. Make sure you go to the second page on the forum to see the finished setup. There are quite a few pictures. I built the trailer that the camper is sitting on. It was a fun project.
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...d/18689354.cfm
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...d/18689354.cfm
Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,021
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From: Cochrane Alberta
I've decided to convert the pin on the GN trailer back to a ball. When we picked it up today we used my dad's 5th wheel to GN adapter so we could tow the trailer home with his truck cause it has a GN ball in the box. No hitch in the box yet on my '03.
So we had a GN trailer, converted to a 5th wheel pin, with a 5th wheel to GN adapter bolted on so we could use a GN hitch....
Anyway what decided me on the ball vs pin debate was that the auction yard was very full and was pretty tight to maneuver thru. At one point we had to back the trailer up on to the side of a 8ft high snow drift. The trailer was at about a 30* angle as compared to the truck.
Don't think that would have worked with a pin setup...... 
So we had a GN trailer, converted to a 5th wheel pin, with a 5th wheel to GN adapter bolted on so we could use a GN hitch....
Anyway what decided me on the ball vs pin debate was that the auction yard was very full and was pretty tight to maneuver thru. At one point we had to back the trailer up on to the side of a 8ft high snow drift. The trailer was at about a 30* angle as compared to the truck.
Don't think that would have worked with a pin setup......
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,901
Likes: 37
From: On the Farm, Manitoba
I've decided to convert the pin on the GN trailer back to a ball. When we picked it up today we used my dad's 5th wheel to GN adapter so we could tow the trailer home with his truck cause it has a GN ball in the box. No hitch in the box yet on my '03.
So we had a GN trailer, converted to a 5th wheel pin, with a 5th wheel to GN adapter bolted on so we could use a GN hitch....
Anyway what decided me on the ball vs pin debate was that the auction yard was very full and was pretty tight to maneuver thru. At one point we had to back the trailer up on to the side of a 8ft high snow drift. The trailer was at about a 30* angle as compared to the truck. Don't think that would have worked with a pin setup......
So we had a GN trailer, converted to a 5th wheel pin, with a 5th wheel to GN adapter bolted on so we could use a GN hitch....
Anyway what decided me on the ball vs pin debate was that the auction yard was very full and was pretty tight to maneuver thru. At one point we had to back the trailer up on to the side of a 8ft high snow drift. The trailer was at about a 30* angle as compared to the truck.
Don't think that would have worked with a pin setup......
Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,021
Likes: 7
From: Cochrane Alberta
I really like this cause:
1)no beavertail reducing my rear ground clearance, most 30 foot GN around here have beavertails
2)its got tandem 7500# single wheels axles. Mot trailers this size seem to have triple axles, or duals, or if they are single they're of a smaller rating(5k or 6K).
It still going to cost about another $900 to get it the way I want. Just got an e-mail for price on ramps and a GN coupler for it totaling about $900.
Chapter President
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,539
Likes: 7
From: Caistor Centre, ON, Canada
Hey cLAYH, if you are interested, check out my crawler hauler build thread I have going on a local forum. As we have talked about before, I am doing something similar to you. I have to update with more pics soon but you will get the idea of the direction I am going.
CTD NUT's crawler hauler trailer build
CTD NUT's crawler hauler trailer build
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 511
Likes: 0
From: Western Colorado
So I'm going shopping for the peices to build my toy hauler this weekend, mainly a small(19-24ft) 5th wheel and a 30" GN trailer. I'll be stripping the 5th wheel of its running gear and mounting it on the front of the flat deck trailer. There should be 14-16ft of space left at the back for my Jeep to ride on.
I have found a flatdeck trailer that I'll probably buy the only thing is that its set up with a 5th wheel pin.
I currently don't have a GN or 5th wheel hitch in my truck. A GN hitch from my truck is almost half of what a 5th wheel hitch is. If I but this trailer should I get it converted to GN and buy the cheaper GN hitch for my truck or should I just get a 5th hitch and be done with it?
Also what are the opinions on triple axle vs tandem? I've found a 32" triple axle for a good price but I want to keep my weight down. It looks at LOT heavier than the 30" tandem. I'll be taking it back country camping(nothing crazy) so being light and smaller would be better. How bad are triples for tire tire scrub when doing tight manoeuvrs?
I have found a flatdeck trailer that I'll probably buy the only thing is that its set up with a 5th wheel pin.
I currently don't have a GN or 5th wheel hitch in my truck. A GN hitch from my truck is almost half of what a 5th wheel hitch is. If I but this trailer should I get it converted to GN and buy the cheaper GN hitch for my truck or should I just get a 5th hitch and be done with it?
Also what are the opinions on triple axle vs tandem? I've found a 32" triple axle for a good price but I want to keep my weight down. It looks at LOT heavier than the 30" tandem. I'll be taking it back country camping(nothing crazy) so being light and smaller would be better. How bad are triples for tire tire scrub when doing tight manoeuvrs?
