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Grin's MJ Trailer Build

xj-grin

NAXJA Member #1096
So after years of thinking about it, and a year of DD'ing the anticipated donor, and after seeing Prepmech actually execute it really well (see thread in Adventure Forum of NAXJA), I am finally on the road to my MJ off-road trailer. Yellaheep and I agreed on a trade - my barely running MJ for a bed with a tounge for me to work off of. We both agreed that problems and all, my MJ was just in too good of shape to go under the sawzall. While I own a welder and can weld, I wouldn't call myself a "welder", and big thanks to Yellaheep for his talents and equipment in getting the touge good and secure!:peace::thumbup:

So, the tounge is made of 3x4x1/8 steel, with about 10 inches inserted into the MJ "frame, and rosette welded, with a couple of grade 8 bolts with crush sleeves for good measure
P1011795.jpg


Then we stared at it for while an cogitated, and agreed to take a 30 degree "pie slice" out of the inside of both rails. This way we could bend both sides into the center for an a-frame effect, while leaving the outer portion of the tubing uncut. We didn't use any jigs, but did a bit of plumb-bobbing and eye-measuring, and either through luck, skill or both, we appear to have a damn-near perfectly centered tounge... Yella then welded the "pie slices back over the bent and welded peices for added strength
P1011789.jpg


Once the bends were done, they were attached at the front with a nifty sleeve that Yella came up with, allowing the welding to be in multiple planes -- once it is road worthy, it will have a really cool 360 degree movement hitch from a Pennsylvania company called Lock 'n Roll (more on that to follow), and will also be able to accept a pintle lunette in case someone else needs to pull it...
P1011792.jpg


Then a cross-brace was added, which not only strengthened the structure, but made a great place for the center-mounted trailer jack
P1011793.jpg


That's the tounge build in a nutshell
P1011788.jpg

:guitar:
 
Yella delivered it to my house on a cold Sunday night, and took away the lesser half of my jeep stable (you can guess which one)
P1001600.jpg


Here's how the trailer sat, as delivered, including Yella's super sweet temp donuts on both sides...
PB280060.jpg

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I don't think it was going to clear many obstacles on those mini-meats, so I picked up some 33x9.5 BFG AT's, already mounted on stock jeep wheels on Craigslist for a song (the other two are available as spares, so check out the "for sale" forum!!). I haven't done the SOA that I plan to yet, but the new meats themselves made a world of difference
PB280065.jpg


Then I tackled the wiring. My XJ came to me with a towing harness in place, including electric trailer brakes, but I still have a bit of splicing to do, not to mention the chore of tracing various wire colors and making sure I don't have a flashing left turn signal on the trailer when I am hanging a right... anyway, I picked up some good supplies from Layton here in town, and wired it up in what will be a water tight enclosure when it is wrapped up
PB280066.jpg

PB280067.jpg


So there's how she sits this afternoon...
PB280068.jpg


The rig was an Indiana vehicle to start with, so there is some corrosion to deal with -- my POR-15 should be delivered tomorrow, and Sunday may be a dirty day of prep and paint for the underside:shocked:
PB280062.jpg
 
It is likely to get some trimming in the rear for a wrap-around type bumper, and probably something similar to provide some "sliders" in the front...
 
Looks good!

Just an idea; if you retain the brake hardware and set up parking brakes again, wouldn't you pretty much eliminate the need for chocks?
 
The D35 will eventually be replaced with a 3500lb trailer beam axle, with integrated electric brakes and parking brake (eventually being the operative word...):yelclap:
 
I like the use of household electrical box................:D

Looks good, but will look better when you paint it to match your Jeep :peace:
X2...then tell everybody you are still wheelin your first X/MJ. :guitar:
 
That is going to be a kick a$$ setup. I'll be keeping an eye on this for sure. I'm gathering and planning out and been checking out other setups and even taking some ideas from a pop up camper setup to cross over onto a long bed. Really want to plan this one out well before I get too into it. Have a few other JEEP things that need done first.
 
As a teaser to the eventual finished product, I plan on a Wildernest/FlipPac type topper on this with a fold out tent - should allow me to keep it workable as a utility trailer, but also as a "small RV" for longer trips with the family...
 
As a teaser to the eventual finished product, I plan on a Wildernest/FlipPac type topper on this with a fold out tent - should allow me to keep it workable as a utility trailer, but also as a "small RV" for longer trips with the family...


....you need to add a 2" receiver to the back of the trailer and add a Bumper Dumper or you can build a platform on the nice space in front of the trailer to put a port-o-pottie :passgas:

Maybe some triangulated long arms in the back :jester:

:D
 
....you need to add a 2" receiver to the back of the trailer and add a Bumper Dumper or you can build a platform on the nice space in front of the trailer to put a port-o-pottie :passgas:

Maybe some triangulated long arms in the back :jester:

:D

man, it truly disturbs me how much you and I think alike some times... all offense intended, of course.:worship::cheers:
 
lets all indulge frank making fun of OTHER peoples' rigs not running -- I think he has earned it!!:laugh:;)
 
Now all you need is something to tow it with.

:roflmao: :moon:

....you so bad...(internet hi five)....... looks like the curse has left you and went straight to grin....... :looney: ........... poor guy




........don't visit me anytime in the near future grin..I can't afford it. :conceited
 
DAMN RIGHT!!
Anyluck finding 231 parts yet? I'm keeping my eyes and ears open for ya.

Fred is hooking me up tonight, and if those parts don't work, Stang has offered what I need up in Aurora. Thanks.
 
....you so bad...(internet hi five)....... looks like the curse has left you and went straight to grin....... :looney: ........... poor guy
........don't visit me anytime in the near future grin..I can't afford it. :conceited

Mine's at least only an NP231 curse... sofar.:eek:
 
Mine's at least only an NP231 curse... sofar.:eek:

Lets see the body count so far...........you trashed 1, bought another 1 and rebuilt it by using parts off the old trashed 1 then in the process of selling its lifeless corpse, you trash the new 1 and luckily the old hadn't been picked up yet and you pulled the sale to combined the old and new 1's to make the current Frankenstein's monster, and now trashed it all with in 6 months .......everybody got that? .....unless xj-grin has other bodies of dead np231's lying around buried in his yard that he is not admitting to.............me thinks you should stay away from building transfer cases and let someone else do it this time. :)




..................then in the future for anyone listening be weary if xj-grin offers to help you rebuild your np231 :scared: :cheers: :D
 
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