mdshaw
mdshaw HalfDork
9/21/21 10:19 p.m.

Since I don't use this anymore, I will be selling it. It started life as a 35ft 5th wheel camper. It's been semi-professionally modified using an aluminum 1" corrugated semi trailer bed the entire length. My friend who did the steel fabrication initially thought I was crazy but when it was done even he was impressed.
Added 2x6 3/16" rails to the the existing arms & V'd them in a goose neck fashion. Added lots of 1/4 3x6" angle in the front & down the bed rails until there was no more flex. The camper is the strength on these frames. 
Removed the stock axles & added 4-2500lb torsion axles with 4 brakes.  Tool box with a battery for the breakaway & winch on a hitch receiver, all new wiring, all new led lights & back up led lights. 1/4" aluminum diamond plate tig welded fenders. New manual crank jacks. 10 big D ring tie-downs that sandwich the frame & the aluminum bed. Lots of heavy duty straps. 
Building a trailer this way would not be fiscally responsible if all materials had to be purchased.  I got most of the metal for free from my previous employer. The 1/4" 3x6 angle was from the huge warehouses. They were yellow forklift floor guards for the huge 30' tall shelving. The safety lady required them to be replaced if they had the slightest ding from a fork lift. 
The diamond plate was from 2- 4x8 sheets that were bent reverse of what we needed.  Made a lot of tig practice pieces also. 
New wheels & load range E tires with 2 spares. 
Has made 4 trips cross country from Idaho to Florida. 
Probably needs aluminum wheels because both times loaded heavy, had the rear wheels crack from what trailer & the wheel vendor thinks were heat stress cracks while cooling off at night. They suggested going to aluminum wheels. 
I would also include a 41" 600ft/lb Armstrong 1"drive torque wrench if one ever wanted to re-clock the axles. 
Have lots of build pics also.  
So how much is it worth? 





 


 

914Driver
914Driver MegaDork
9/22/21 6:40 a.m.

That's a cool tow vehicle!

mdshaw
mdshaw HalfDork
9/22/21 7:17 a.m.

Yes it is. 350hp, 650ft/lb, water/methanol injected, double overdrive, 8 tune, air on board, air helper springed, 7.3, E350 Super Duty of towing coolness.

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter)
Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
9/22/21 10:36 a.m.

I have a 5er hitch, but no truck to put it in, otherwise I'd be throwing money at you.

Stampie
Stampie MegaDork
9/22/21 11:21 a.m.

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

You could cut the back off your van.

mdshaw
mdshaw HalfDork
9/22/21 5:16 p.m.

In reply to Stampie :

Ya cut the back off the van. Hopefully it's also a 7.3. Or I can deliver. 

As soon as I find space to store the rest of the tools in there, the box is getting disassembled & it's hitting the auction block. 
I should take it to the challenge & sell it to someone buying someone else's project, then deliver both to their new home.

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter)
Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
9/22/21 7:32 p.m.
Stampie said:

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

You could cut the back off your van.

Or just leave the doors open and don't make any turns.

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter)
Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
9/22/21 7:34 p.m.
mdshaw said:

In reply to Stampie :

Ya cut the back off the van. Hopefully it's also a 7.3. Or I can deliver. 

As soon as I find space to store the rest of the tools in there, the box is getting disassembled & it's hitting the auction block. 
I should take it to the challenge & sell it to someone buying someone else's project, then deliver both to their new home.

It's a Chebby.  I've had a few 7.3L vans, but I needed the AWD.  Express van to the rescue.

mdshaw
mdshaw HalfDork
9/22/21 7:47 p.m.

Oh ya...SNOW. I'm done with that.

914Driver
914Driver MegaDork
9/22/21 8:18 p.m.

In reply to mdshaw :

Needs a sun visor.  Ooh, one of those green glass numers from a Kaiser!

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