My jetski-camper trailer build

[WFO Speedracer]

I decided to take all my posts for the trailer build on the ( what did you fab up today thread ) and put them in a build thread because it is easier to keep up with, hopefully it will be in better order this time. So here we go.



There is where I started at, it was a utility trailer someone converted into a PWC trailer, I bought it and converted it back into a utility trailer, then I decided to make this a jetski -camper trailer so here the rails have been removed and a new plywood floor is being put down, the plywood was cut for biscuits with a biscuit router then glued with gorilla glue and clamped together. I don't have pics of that process but this pic is with the floor installed and the fiberglass top is laid on top to check for length.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

This is the top off of a high top conversion van, it has to be modified quite a bit it is too long but the extra length will be used for the back door of the trailer, here it is cut up before reglassing.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

Ok with the floor done I need some sides, also out of plywood, I used the biscuit cutter again and glued and clamped the pieces together with gorilla glue. it is pictured here with the top cut off and put on top to see if it actually fits.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

Because it will be used as a camper and not just an enclosed trailer we need windows, the windows out of the conversion van will be used for this purpose, so here we have the sides cut out for windows

 

[WFO Speedracer]

Ok the trailer has an open back as such it is kinda floppy going down the road, to solve that I made an inner skeleton out of metal tubing, here it is fitted up and installed with two skis inside to check how it all fits.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

Ok for this to look like something I need metal sides, I am using coil roll which is metal roofing that has not been put through the machine of dies yet so it comes flat and in a roll, here it is laid out.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

And here it is applied to the side of the trailer with contact cement and a J roller, it is applied just like countertop laminate, with this much surface are once it's stuck it's there forever. I cut the holes out with a router and a laminate cutting bit and it was not fun, in the process I got hot metal all stuck to my shirt. This pic shows the window reinstalled to see how it looks.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

With that handled we needed flooring I decided to go with plastic garage floor tiles in red and yellow.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

The cut out in the front of the trailer is there for a reason, there is a slide out there for a small air conditioner.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

With most of that done I started working on the top which was a complete mess, I started by doing some major sanding with 40 grit paper and an orbital sander, then I sprayed the whole thing with Evercoat polyester primer, then sanded that and started in with evercoat polyester filler, it is so nice to be working with bondo that sets up in 10 minutes versus hours for epoxy fairing compound..

 

[WFO Speedracer]

Lots of work was done on the corners because when I test fit it on the trailer again it didn't fit. The ends were cut open then lots of glassing and a lot more bondo work.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

Then I flipped the top over on sawhorses, Somewhere along the line the wood that was installed inside the camper top rotted, I zipped the fiberglass off with the multitool and saw why, they had cut down OSB and used it for the supports, OSB and water don't geehaw, so I cut all of it out and replaced it with some T1/11 I had laying around , while I was at it I added some lowered mounts for the rear hinges with expanded PVC board and some 1/8" Aluminum pieces that I glued together with JBweld to get 1/4" thick pieces, then I glassed over all of it.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

So I painted the top with pure white Kirker polyurethane and reinstalled the top with stainless steel screws. I also installed some Aluminum corners at the front made from diamond plate.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

I scored some fiberglass door panels to use on the interiohe trailer, theo using the plastic window surrounnds from the conversion van, they need major modifications to fit in here . The one on the left on the second pic is the modified on, the one on the right is where I started. the first pic shows some of the process of getting from one to the other.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

This trailer was a utility trailer and as such it had tilt function, since adding all the stuff on it iis now way too heavy to tilt by hand , I could buy a linear actuator and mount it up but I was thinking how else can I get it to tilt, so years ago I bought this electric screw jack from Autozone on clearance sale for like $20.00.

I have only used it once or twice because I usually have a hydraulic trolly jack with me in the truck, so I came up with this idea, I drilled some holes in the plate and it is just screwed to the floor right now but I am thinking of making a plate to bolt it up to and through bolting it in.

I replaced the u-bolt that held the latch with a longer one and added one so I can bolt a piece of steel to the tongue for the jack to push against, just to check it out I u-bolted a wonder bar to the trailer and the electric screw jack lifted the trailer easily, it did bend the pry bar though which means the steel will have to be really thick, no biggie on the wonderbar, the hydraulic press will fix it right up, I will pick up some steel at the house later today and try it again. It may take a few tweaks to get it to work just right and I may have to build a swinging cage for the jack pad to compensate for the arc as it lifts. A 2" pipe will fit over the pad and a bolt though the pipe would mate with the groove in the pad.

The pic is from under the trailer looking up. The second pic shows it tilted up to max lift.

Attachments​

 

[WFO Speedracer]

Her is a pic of the C channel I added to the back of the trailer and a pic of the progress on the inside as well.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

With that pretty far along I started working on the rear door again and it is a warped up mess, also the support wood pieces are all rotted out.

I replaced all the wooden pieces with T1/11 and glassed it all back up, I had to do a lot of heating and bending to get the door back in shape but I was able to get it done and put back on the trailer with the hinges.

The hinges I used were off of a Waverunner lll and they had to be modified to work, I will have to figure out a way to tie both hinges together to make it work properly.

I had hernia surgery last Wed so while the door is on the trailer it is too heavy for me to open at present so I may get some family to come buy and help with the door so I can get some hydraulic supports installed , if not I will start back on this at the end of January.

 

[BruceSki]

Coulda just bought this

 

[WFO Speedracer]

I am just going to assume your post was meant as a joke and keep moving along. ,My skin has grown quite thick over the years.

 

[BruceSki]

Yes it was a joke! Keep going.