# Making a bov trailer from an old boat trailer



## rikinwyoming

So, I was given an 18 foot boat trailer for my birthday for free.... yay
I wanted to make it an "offroad trailer, about 4'x6' but when I measured the full wheelbase of my harley it is 7'4''. Anyway, so my trailer is going to be longer, and I decided as such to put basically a 4'x8' bed on it and leave room for a toolbox...
I haven't gotten too far yet, but I did get a start on it today. I still plan on moving the tongue back, adding 31 inch tires (as that is what I plan on putting on the cherokee), building sides, etc... so this will be an ongoing thread on my trailer build...

Here's some pics of what I got done today so far...


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## Tirediron

Looks good so far, but you prolly want to have 60 percent of the deck length ahead of the center of the axle, it will tow a lot more stable that way.


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## rikinwyoming

Tirediron said:


> Looks good so far, but you prolly want to have 60 percent of the deck length ahead of the center of the axle, it will tow a lot more stable that way.


actually I have done a 60/40 split with the 60 in front of the rear axle,,, it looks alot longer because that tongue is almost 6 feet long. I am going to be moving the tongue in tomorrow or the next day and putting a second set of bracing in....

Good call TiredIron!


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## ajsmith

Looks good, got to love those "free" projects. I'm looking forward to following this thread. I hope you post lots of pictures and give lots of details. :beercheer:


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## rikinwyoming

This is why I started posting tonight, will try to have lots of pics... TiredIron, forgot to mention part of the reason the deck is where it is located is because there will be a fullsize truck toolbox going in the front, hence part of the consideration on the 60/40 weight split...

As far as details, I will try my best to be accurate and thorough on what I did and how,,, I have some bracing to do still as well, and clearancing for the 31 inch tires...

Thankfully and quite coincidentally the lug pattern on the axle of the trailer matches the lug pattern on my jeep cherokee,,,, so that works out for the better as well!


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## HozayBuck

*Hi Rik , I had a boat trailer with the same idea in mind, but I did find one problem . On mine the back of the trailer that goes into the water while looking good on the outside was rusted real bad inside..before I got further other things came up and I gave it away.. just something you may want to check.. easy fix I think..

Keep us posted!
HB *


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## ZoomZoom

I love doing projects like these. Looking good!

Please consider adding more springs. That trailer was made for a pretty light boat. Switching it to a utility trailer may require beefing up the suspension. Helper springs are easy and cheap.


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## rikinwyoming

HozayBuck said:


> *Hi Rik , I had a boat trailer with the same idea in mind, but I did find one problem . On mine the back of the trailer that goes into the water while looking good on the outside was rusted real bad inside..before I got further other things came up and I gave it away.. just something you may want to check.. easy fix I think..
> 
> Keep us posted!
> HB *


Good point HozayBuck,
Wyoming is a semi desert environment, and as luck would have it while I had the trailer apart I did check inside the main beams, etc,,, all rush free. The supports for the springs had light surface rust, nothing a few minutes with a wire wheel didn't take care of, but I lucked out on mine...

BCZoom,
I agree about the springs, and for now I am going with these, but I have a set of springs from a mobile home trailer that are much stronger, so if these don't suit my needs, I will put them on!


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## rikinwyoming

did a little more work today, changed the braces on the suspension a wee bit, moved the tongue up and moved the frame some,,4x8 bed like I said with two feet in front of that for the toolbox, all together it is split 60/40 for weight so it should tow well..
also cut some steel bracing I will be welding on, but have some corner bracing to cut yet tomorrow,, then hopefully will get that all welded up before I put the deck on and start on building the box...


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## headhunter

*been there*

Your trailer appears to be a twin to the E-Z Loader trailer I had during the '70s and early 80s. We used either my jeep truck or my wife's '74 full sized Cherokee as the tow vehicle. The trailer made numerous trips fron the Midwest to Wyoming and Montana. I left mine with the original 13" wheels and tires. The only trouble I remember was I had a problem keeping the wiring operating at 100 % . It tracked really well. Good luck!


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## rikinwyoming

Good eye, it is an ez loader trailer.. thusfar I have just slid the tongue way back to shorten the trailer. I have taken it out and as you stated it tracks well. I still have to make some slight modifications to clear the larger tires, and also come up with a budget minded solution to support the 4x8 deck I am using for the trailer floor. (I am thinking about just bolting a 4x4 to each side of the beams for support,,, or I just may wait a little bit and buy some steel and start some creative welding)

Winter is coming here and I have no garage, so other priorities have taken over... but I am still working on it little by little...Also, I am re-wiring the entire lighting system so hopefully that will not be an issue.


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## NaeKid

I have a flat-deck-trailer built out of an old boat-trailer as well. I left the hand-crank winch on the tongue and the V-stop as well. When the trailer is being used as a storage-container, my Jeep hard-tops sit on it. When it is being used to haul one of my motorbikes, I wedge the front-tire of the bike into the V-stop and then strap the bike down to the trailer (I have placed a dozen D-rings for tie-down-straps) ... picture below of one of my old motorbikes on my converted trailer ... 

I have also used the trailer for moving, for hauling construction-stuff (2x4's, 4x4's, ply-board, sheet-rock or dry-wall) and general do anything trailer. The deck is 4' by 10' with an overall length of 16'. I welded brackets to the rear cross-member that hold the trailer-lights and I wired it up with fresh wiring when I put the brand-new lights on it. 

I am in the process of designing and fabricating a new trailer that will be a combination motorcycle hauler and rolling tool-chest / mechanic-shop. I am looking at starting a part-time business as a motorcycle "tow-truck" for those people who do not have their own trailer or other means to transport their bikes as required.


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## rikinwyoming

I am planning on mounting d-rings in the deck as well, have seen them in many trailers and it is a good idea! Today I got some more cross bracing done, they are bolted in at the moment until I can weld it all up...

I should have another pic or two tomorrow...


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## The_Blob

I just bought a frame from a double axle 22' camper with wheels/tires for $50! one wheelbearing was spent so I bought a replacement for it for $8, packed it with grease & it's good to go... the tires are old but have a lot of tread and no cracks. I haven't decided if I want to enclose it or keep it open. :scratch


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## rikinwyoming

The_Blob said:


> I just bought a frame from a double axle 22' camper with wheels/tires for $50! one wheelbearing was spent so I bought a replacement for it for $8, packed it with grease & it's good to go... the tires are old but have a lot of tread and no cracks. I haven't decided if I want to enclose it or keep it open. :scratch


awesome! start up a thread!!


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## lotsoflead

if you're going to carry anymore than half ton, you need to look for another axle to put under it or some 8-10 ply tires


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## rikinwyoming

lotsoflead said:


> if you're going to carry anymore than half ton, you need to look for another axle to put under it or some 8-10 ply tires


Interesting,, according to the manufacturer (yes I called) the original axles are rated to carry 1500 lbs the way the trailer was configured originally. The 31 inch offroad tires (goodyear mtr's) are an e range rated tire,,, I think I can carry alot more then 500 lbs on it... hell, I carried my harley on it already which is over 600 lbs and it didn't even phase the springs, much less anything else and couldn't even tell I was towing it back there....

I have done some more work,,, forgot to take pics,,, will try to on the next nice day,,, right now in central wyoming we have been getting snow every other day and have sub zero temps...


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## 41south

I modified a tiny trailer a friend gave me. It was one of those little bolt together harbor freight jobs, 42 inches wide and 42 inches long, plus the tongue. Anyway I had some strong but light 1 1/2 inch wide by 3 inch tall tubing, I added enough to make my little trailer bed 42 wide by 84 long, then made a little rectangular rack in front of it to strap my camping cooler on. 

I tie a poly toolbox in the front of the bed and another at the rear with ratchet straps, made perfect places to place sleeping bags, in one and other stuff like lanterns, stoves and tools in the other and have room for firewood in between them. And I can pull the straps and set the boxes off and use the trailer to haul my four wheeler, mower, or dirtbike.

It works great for my purpose, of hauling our camping gear in and from where we leave our camper. It allows us to leave our old camper empty, and bring all the gear out in the dry without cramming it all in a truck bed, or worse in a old Blazer in the rain with the grandkids strapped to the top to make room for the gear.

The thing weighs less than 300 Lbs, so I can pull it with my four wheeler and haul my little two seater boat behind it. And it will handle three 55 gallon poly barrels of water. If the need ever happened I could put a set of wheels on a dolly for the front and pull it with horses in case of TSHTF. 

On all trailers, I always go by the 60/40 rule, on this one I wish I had built it 55/45 it has more tongue weight empty, than I wanted but it's not extreme. I also used some old thin pipe to make rails around it, to hold the sideboards and to give it strength. I found a old yard swing and was able to cut it up to make the rails.


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