Input needed: Ingersoll Rand air compressor overland trailer build... Maybe....

So I went to great lengths

to grab this thing
You may have seen these on your local construction sites powering a jackhammer. I think it'll make a perfect little off road/tool trailer. Some concerns arose as I eyed this thing out
1. Weight.
Fucker is heavy. It should be as its meant to carry a diesel motor and fuel. I'm thinking of replacing the bottom panels with 3/16 aluminum. What else can I do to lower overall weight?
2. Axle.
It came with a solid torsion axle. I thought this to be a good thing as it gives it great clearance but I've read and talked to a couple of people saying torsion isn't the best off-road. I have my stock springs and am willing to swap to a regular axle on springs if it means I don't have to cry later.

Now on to the plans.
1. Mainly used as a tool trailer. As so I'd like it to be secure. The current latches aren't up to spec. I'm thinking handle latches on the interior of all doors except one side door with a lock. Open to suggestions.
2. Drop down 1/4 aluminum door on the rear to be used as a ramp. Tool boxes are a lot lighter on a ramp....
3. Roof rack with 1" square 1/8 wall aluminum bars
Loose mock up
Stainless hardware with rtv sealant.
4. Electronics
Agm deep cycle battery
3000w inverter
Led single row light bar reverse light and side work lights mounted under the roof rack
Led light strip inside of box
Led stop/turn lights
New marine grade wiring
New 7 pin male connector with bussbar
Quick disconnect for battery to alternator (charging) something like this

Obviously would have to make this waterproof. I've looked at waterproof connectors and I'm not paying $250 for a waterproof connection. I'm thinking of placing one in the bumper and have a loom on the 7pin male trailer plug so I can just plug both in. Open to suggestions as how to charge from truck alternator.
I'm thinking of getting a trailer tonge box made to house all the electronics.
Open to suggestions/tips/ideas on all these things as it's all in the planning stages.

 

How is that box fastened to the frame? A lot of your weight is going to be coming from that heavy duty frame and pintle hitch setup.. I'd be spending some free time pacing the isles of princess auto for a lighter axle setup, and browsing the local used websites for smaller but much lighter weight trailer frames, something light like a small boat trailer that can have a few feet hacked off the back (or otherwise converted for your needs).. Depending on your welding game, you could always hack and slash, then patch what you needed back on..

Personally, I'd take it to work for a few weeks, just so you can figure out if it's big enough, and what you'd do to make it better based on actually using it. I could see maybe wanting a few feet of flat deck ahead of or behind the box for additional storage.

 

Box is wrapped around the frame


I'm thinking of doing a 1 piece bottom out of aluminum. I removed the whole A frame tongue and it only weights like 30-40 lbs. Was thinking of making one out of square tube aluminum but I don't think it's necessary.

 

oh wow, right into it! sweet!

aside from cutting out that extra skeleton on the bottom inside, which is probably giving it a lot of strength, I'd say swap out that axle...? (post a pic of that torsion thing again, I know its up here somewhere but I couldn't find it)

and tires look heavy too, it'd be sweet to have matching tires truck and trailer, but that's extra coin and weight .

does the trailer have brakes? I'm pretty sure if I was going to make an overland trailer, I'd put brakes on it, gives a whole range of functionality being able to lock those tires up independent from the truck. it's more weight, but really handy..

Aluminum A-frame would save weight, but Im getting frustrated with electric on my aluminum trailer, all the stock wiring is grounded to the frame, but a lot of the connections weren't sealed properly, and they're corroding.. Had i done my research I would have ran ground wires into the harness and not used the frame to ground anything.. live'n learn.

how does it compare to other overland trailers weight wise? are you more than a couple hundred pounds off?

 

I would imagine this torsion axle to be of similar weight or close to the weight of a regular axle. Tires I'd eventually have to find a couple of 17' 5x4.5 rims for 2 of the 6 ko2's I have sitting in my garage, so even more weight. I was looking at how the bottom bolts together and I think I'll keep the current side pieces and just have a new center piece cut out. The sides of the body bolt onto a bend in the bottom piece. (3 piece bottom) what would be the benefit (other than stopping) of having brakes? Still have to take it by the local dump to actually weight it but from what I can gather it can't be more than 600-700lbs empty. There are quite a few overland trailers I've seen with a starting weight of 1000lbs.

 

I really think I'll have to buy a welder and learn.... I have alot of shit I gotta put together.

 

I wouldn't be so quick to swap out the axle. How does it tow?

Definitely agree on using it as it is for awhile and seeing how it performs before you go throwing too much money at it.

 

Almost picked up a used one at a pawn shop the other day.. Not having that skill is holding me back.

Trailer brakes makes it easier to manipulate a trailer on tight trails, force a jack-knife, or straighten it out just by locking the trailer brakes and pulling forward, and for us MT guys, having an independent set of brakes is awesome.. Hill starts etc. extra braking power when winching.. Certainly not required, but I find it pretty handy at times. but i overbuild just about everything.. my trailer is 1000lbs dry, definitely not needed..

 

Rolls well. A couple of hundred km of highway and about a half day through the city and I like it much better than my utility trailer on springs. Money spent on this will be minimal. I already have
Deep cycle group 31 battery
3000w inverter
0 awg cable
Tinned connectors with crimp tool
Got a quote for steel door front and rear plus bottom plate laser cut from 3/16 for CAD $180

 

are you fastening your floor onto the underside of the frame, or just sitting on top?

 

Both. It came with the bottom covered but with access hatches/holes. I want this thing water tight, hence a new center panel and patches on the smaller holes. I'll be looking into grommets to still have drainage when necessary. For the interior I'll just do 3/4 ply so I can screw shit down/make wooden partitions.

 

The water tight thing might get tricky. There's alot of small openings between panels. I'm honestly considering spray foam on the interior as a vapor barrier. Or maybe blueskin. Just thought of roofing rubberized asphalt.

 

froth Pak spray foam has worked awesome for me.. ive done the underside of my old TT in it, and the entire envelope of my cargo trailer and am very happy with both.. TT is two years old, and it has held up fine to highway and weather.. I was worried about it not adhering and dropping off the underside, or deteriorating over time, but so far so good..
its also quite light

different purpose than waterproofing, but my observation is that it would accomplish this well..

 

First bead.... Ever.

Got this little fucker at 28% off cause they messed up on the tag

 

Jesus your not messing around. Could always use rivets to secure the aluminum to the floor, or weld nuts on the backside of the frame and use bolts to secure them.

For your charging setup, you can get maintainers that work off the 12v accessory plug on your trailer plug.
https://www.etrailer.com/question-17486.html

If you go with a full on dual battery setup that charges off your alternator, you can get plugs for the connectors that you posted that make them somewhat water resistant. However with our winters it will eat away at it (hell I have replaced my trailer harness twice already, going on my third). Think the easiest may be the ctek unit. You can run it at the job site with your truck running or you can plug it in at the job site to charge your batteries while sitting. Only issue is will it keep up with you running tools off the 3000w inverter.

 

That's perfect for the amount of power I'll actually be drawing. If need be I can just use 2 awg jumper cables to top off. It'll save me from buying a couple hundred dollars worth of electrical shit.

I've honestly given up on trying to run shit for anything other than emergency off the inverter, tool wise anyways, I think it's too taxing on the whole electrical system.

 

Nice!! congrats on the new toy.. Keep not pulling the trigger cause I know I have to pack it up and move it across the country right away..
So when you gonna start fabbing sliders, and I need a HC rear bumper

Everything but my compressor is cordless..or gas..ftw

 

Couldn't agree more. I always ran a compressor with Hitachi nailers. Just switched to pasload. Game changer. Liked it so much I bought the finish nailer. Then slowly went 60v dewalt. Now I complain whenever I have to run an extension cord.

 

Ok just seen this and i need more

also