PWC (Jet Ski) trailer build

I built this a few years ago, and posted it on another forum. But after seeing @koditten thread about his trailer build, I thought this may be of interest here.

My factory built trailer was the standard box tubing, with holes cut for the wiring to go through the box tubing. So like all off them, it held water, and eventually started rotting out. From the original trailer I reused the axle, springs, rails with rubber rollers, and winch post. I built a new new trailer using C-channel, and I-beam so nothing on it holds water. And its thick enough it wouldn't rust through anyway. The toungue is hinged for nearly the entire length. For the wiring, I used 16/4 cord wire and soldered & heat shrinked the connections.

Like most of my projects, it was a "make it up as I go along" operation.

Here's the frame, partially made:



For the hinge, I used 1/4" plate and heavy wall tubing. Here's the pieces of the hinge after cutting, before welding:




To weld the hinge, I put a couple pieces of paper between the pieces of tubing, and put a snug fitting bolt through them and snugged it up with a nut. That got the 3 pieces for each side well aligned, with just a few thousanths of clearance between the pieces of tubing (so it would open when done).

Here's the hinge part way through welding it, after it was all tacked together, then unclamped and disassembled:



Then after the hinge is fully made. There is a bolt on one side, with a nylock nut on it. The other side is a utility pin from a tractor supply type of store:


A couple pics of the hinge after welding it to the toungue:


And the finished trailer:

 

I love it!
Have welder will make do!