I have been waiting all week for Sunday as I'd set time aside to finally get a couple of small jobs done on my trailer; That is, mounting a tool box on the draw-bar and getting rid of the existing jockey-wheel, replacing it for a better, swing-up version which I finally bought last week.
The weather was a sunny twenty degrees Celcius, which is about my ideal operating temperature, and I was going to play with some tools, work with my hands and get some stuff done. I was looking forward to it.
[Image removed]
I pulled the trailer out from under my carport where it's stored out of the weather and started gathering the things I'd need: Angle grinder, power drill, drill-bits, ruler, marker pen, spanners (wrenches), hole-punch, black spray paint, steel mallet, nuts and bolts plus the two lengths of metal I'd purchased to do the job.
Because the tool box I'd bought wasn't wide enough to span the gap effectively between the draw bar, I just couldn't find a suitable one to do it, I needed to Dr. Frankenstein something to make it work. I'm no engineer, so for all of those who think you could do it better, go get your own trailer and tools and have at it.
I decided to go with a couple metal straps to support the box. The rear one was essential to allow me to bolt the box to something, the front one was just to level it up. Above you can see the measure-up process and how the two straps look after they have been cut to size. I had to angle-cut them to match the converging back to front angle of the draw-bar.
The cuts were marked then made using an angle grinder which is a very sexy, but dangerous, tool. You can see the cutting disk in the image below which is half covered by a guard. Get an angle grinder wrong and there'll be tears and probably a hospital visit also. This Ryobi tool is powered by 240v mains power rather than cordless...I like the extra power and running time mains power give it and...Well, I don't have a One+ cordless one.
Above my delectable mocha-coloured hand holds the angle grinder and yeah it felt good, the power of lightning and the ability to cut steel held like that...The heady feeling of great power is difficult to control, I'll admit.
Below is right before cut-time and the final cut. I had to do two cuts per piece and the grinder made short work of it. I wanted to get some mid-cut images for you but operating my phone camera and the angle grinder might have ended up badly. So I got to enjoy the sparks all on my own. So pleasing.
Once the metal was cut it was back to the draw-bar to measure up for holes which, quite obviously, is a critical phase. Get the measure wrong and there's problems. Have you ever drilled a hole in metal that is slightly wrong? It's incredibly difficult to rectify that; I've done it, trust me. So, I measured, check-measured and then marked it up.
A trick I learned a long time ago was to put a punch-hole as a guide for the drill bit prior to attempting to drill. It helps stop the drill walking around on the metal (or masonry and wood) allowing for a more precise hole.
You can see the right-side centre image below showing the punch and steel mallet used to make that guide hole - A couple quick hits and it's deep enough to locate the drill bit.
Hammers...Am I right? Come on folks! Who doesn't like wielding a hammer...Good enough for Thor, good enough for the G-dog I guess. And, one thing you may not notice here in the image above is my perfect trigger-discipline, the extended forefinger well off the drills' trigger. That's what over thirty years of being a shooter does...Trigger discipline follows a shooter everywhere.
Drilling the steel wasn't the easiest thing...It's hard you know. I got it done though, and the actual trailer also. I even measured up and got the two larger holes drilled through the tube-frame of the draw-bar so I could mount my new jockey wheel. Getting this done right is important of course. Holes at either side of the tube-frame need to marry up...It would be shoddy to drill on an angle and possibly cause fitment issues when bolting things up.
Here's my trusty Makita 240v doing the heavy lifting. I bought this drill back in 1988 and it's done some work...But keeps rockin', a little like the 51 year old operator.
Up to this point things went well, but it took a turn. Firstly I couldn't find a single plastic glove to wear whilst painting out the metal straps with black spray paint...So I'll have a black hand for a few days I guess.
Whilst waiting for the paint to dry up I thought I'd mount the jockey-wheel which should have been a very simple job. It was, but when mounted the whole thing just didn't work.
When I bought it there was a couple cable-ties holding it all together. It's one of those swing up and down ones that is supposed to stay on the trailer all the time, even throughout the actual towing of it.
The issue is that once those cable-ties were cut there is no way to retain the jockey-wheel to the bracket...It just falls off. You can see it below pre-cable-tie-cut. It's retarded. What's the point of a jockey wheel that doesn't actually attach to the bracket? By this time, considering I had already drilled the trailer, I was working up a pretty good rant.
I ended up calling the place I got it from, got onto the manager and tried to be really pleasant about it all...But I wasn't really happy about how he handled it...Sure, I'll get my $99 back but what if the one I have to buy instead doesn't use those same holes I drilled? More holes? It's a draw-bar y'all, holes weaken it.
It's just frustrating and especially so considering the manager went and got one off the shelf and agrees with me that it's retarded...But still handled it poorly. Typical for these days I guess; No customer service. I'll front-up tomorrow to sort it out and will keep my cool of course...Right now I'm just really annoyed.
So, it was back to the box which I ended up bolting in and completing. It came out ok. I mean, I'll not be seeking a patent on my method and looking for an industrial space to begin production...But it'll work for what I need. I used galvanised nuts and bolts so they will withstand the weather and during the week I'll apply some water-proofing foam inside the lid to add a little better water-resistance.
Below is the finished product with some of my ratchet straps and tie-down paraphernalia in there. I'll end up with a few tools in there also, a couple pairs of work-gloves, a box knife and so on. If you're wondering, those orange plastic things are load corners used to protect the load when ratcheting the straps up tight.
I had hoped to demonstrate my new swing-up jockey wheel but that'll have to wait. I'm glad I got the box on though, that was the main thing as I've got a jockey-wheel on it, a shit one, but it's there.
So that was Sunday...A little frustrating to be honest, but it is what it is. I mean I could have worse problems right? I got to play with some tools and achieved about fifty percent of what I wanted to. I'll deal with the jockey-wheel thing tomorrow and the worst-case scenario is I'll have a mate weld a plate over that section where those holes are, if they're not required for the next jockey-wheel fit...When I get one.
I hope y'all have a great Sunday. Most of you are just waking up to Sunday morning so I hope you have some bacon and eggs planned after your shower, a coffee or two and then something that makes your heart sing on the agenda.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
Discord: galenkp#9209
A few tracks that were playing over my day:
Meant to be
Highway don't care
Waiting for superman
Take on me
My immortal
If I was a motivational meme I'd be all like, "Only good things can follow a man who takes pride in his trailer."
Haha! So they say mate. I need a motivational meme right now...That jockey-wheel dude I had on the phone...What an ass-hat. Still, I got my tool box done so I should count myself lucky. The day could have been worse. The shenanigans will continue tomorrow when I front up and speak with him personally...I mean what the fuck, I just want a goddamned jockey-wheel.
Just go full Karen on his ass.
Lol...Yeah, I'd like to...I'm 51 now don't you know...I have to be more mature. Try anyway.
Chill is a good way to be.
I get fired up, but not about jockey-wheels. Chill seems better though.
Non Motivational Meme
Just an ahh shit sunday...
My last Sunday, a week back I found zero compression on #3 cylinder in the 07 Mustang rebuild project.
Major motivational malfunction, motor replacing event.
Not a good Sunday for me at all. But You got 50% good this Sunday. Now git up here and help me swap this motor out.
This is the Cobra block I am buying...
src
Hmm, and engine swap out...I'd be happy to help...You supplying the food and beverages?
Wish I could supply the round trip ticket also.
Would be a blast.
I will try to document as much as I can and post some about it.
Hell-raising comes to mind if the G-dog and Krazzy were in the same vicinity.
😇
Well sir, that's a nice looking toolbox install. I'm sure the jockey wheel would have been but... That kind of stuff just makes me crazy. I mean bat shit, tip over shelves type crazy.
I like your grinder. I have a Makita that I like just fine but I sure do like the look of your Ryobi...
Being the lazy bastard that I am I think I'd have welded the straps (after carefully making them square and plumb) and THEN cut them. May or may not have welded the ends after. Grind them flat, paint them, mount the box. In fact, I'd root around in my pile of 'better used' stuff and probably could have found the strap material.
My Sunday (Sam being gone) includes some dead ants that haven't gotten the memo yet, another spraying of the incredibly invasive Salt Cedar in the back yard and probably just not much else. Oh, wait. I may move a motorcycle onto the lift as I've got parts to install this week.
I built my own trailer from scratch - I couldn't find one on the market that suited my needs - and it's mostly welded. Part of it is bolted together only because I was getting impatient. I recently had to replace the wooden deck, and in the near future, I think I'm going to de-construct the sides and re-construct them properly.
I've built a couple of 'pickup bed' trailers using the running gear and suspension so I didn't have to do that sort of work, but have never even tried a from scratch trailer. Good on you!
I purpose built a trailer (for a sprayer) when I was a young man. I used the front axle from an F1 Ford for it. I've often regretted that I plundered a great pickup in that way :)
I'm one of those weirdos who doesn't know how to weld. I mean, I've done it, but only under supervision and I don't have my own welding gear. So...It is what it is. The box will stay in place and will do the job. I would have preferred welding them though.
Ah yes, that jockey-wheel. I'll have to deal with it today. Not looking forward to it to be honest.
Nice post @galenkp ; glad you persevered and kept your cool in the hardware shop. Looks like you did a pretty good job, well done.
Thank you for sharing
Hey there, yeah I was on the phone with the guy, I'll be heading to the shop tomorrow. I'll keep my cool though, no point getting riled up there, it'll achieve nothing. I was pretty annoyed today though...Then I had a buttered hot-cross bun and I mellowed. :)
Thanks for commenting.
A pleasure @galenkp ,Nothing like a bit of sweetness to calm the nerves.
Have a great day.
Glad you got the tool box on and hope you find a suitable jockey wheel. I have a Ryobi cordless grinder and it works as well as a 240v one. Just gotta change batteries if doing a big job.
Yeah, a good place to keep all the straps. It's been a long time coming, years really...Lazy bastard huh?
That looks great!
Would look nicer filled with some ice and a couple of beers inside but probably the ice would not last long with the heat 😃
Lol...Yeah, the ice wouldn't last long...But then, would the beers?
Wow, you defo got some work done! Thanks for using the Build-it community by the way, your content really stands out, which is awesome and I Hope more will follow as I'm doing the curation for Build-it and it's awesome to see new content creators finding the community! Have a good Sunday :)
You're welcome, I try to spread my posts around relevant communities. Happy to use this one. :)
Apparently you've had an entertaining day @galenkp, the work was excellent, I'm sorry you couldn't finish 100%, but those things happen, the bad thing is that you have to wait until tomorrow to finish it, and the wait can be frustrating
enjoy the rest of Sunday very much
Currently loving it, read this while sanding a floor... With a finishing sander... Cause i can't get paper for the big boys this week, and a week is too far away. Thanks for the tool porn!
Hmm...That's a small sander for a big floor. Still, I've done this very job back in the day when I couldn't afford a larger sander and it'll get done. Little by little.
Got 2 bigger industrial sanders, just no paper left and because of the size can't get any for a week... Bloody covid. Don't have a week to wait lol gotta get the room done.
Besides its small but it chugs along, love my German tools 😂
Those Germans know how to build things...There's no doubt about it.
Nice little project. I am not very good at knowing when the weekend is these days.
Lol...Every day is a weekend mate...I hunger for such a state of being!
Do you haul heavy?
2 holes may not be an issue. Just an eye sore.
Welding heat also weakens metal. My money is on at least on of the holes being used on a better jockey stand. And maybe a bolt in the empty hole?
No not too heavy really, just household stuff. The trailer isn't a heavy-duty one so I htink those holes won't matter too much if I don't end up picking them up for the jockey-wheel. If I don't I'll throw some bolts in there to make it look like it's meant to be there. As you say. I'll ty and utilise on for the new wheel. I'm more annoyed at myself for not checking the wheel out first, making sure it was going to work before I drilled holes. Idiot moment.
No not Idiot at all. I would have done the same. I am still baffled by the zip ties and how it was not hinged somehow with hardware/bolt/lever type action.
The zip-tie was to hold the wheel to the bracket on the shelf...No hardware to hold it to the bracket once on the trailer? It's fucking weird.
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STOPTo support your work, I also upvoted your post!
Look at you go big fella. Awesome stuff.
When you're done I got a whole house that needs building. No stress only a couple of slabs job. Should be done in a Jiffy.
Payment in slabs.
#aussie
😉
I counter your VB (can't drink it) with a...
Or a...
You win, those two beers are my favourite. But I made the novice mistake of googling "beer south Australians drink" and VB came up as the most popular.
I have to admit, you didn't strike me as a VB drinker.
!BEER
I see the hand modelling side hustle is proving fruitful - despite the spray paint.
Nice tracks.
My hand-modelling side-gig is gaining momentum. 🖐️
❤️🎶
Ah I have heard about Makita being a good brand. This is confirmed now.
Customer service... Not a forte for a lot of businesses. But you did do a great job with it nevertheless.
P. S. Take on me, what a gem, it reminds me of my teen years, I loved the song
Makita make great power tools and whilst I prefer the cordless these days I go back to the 240v powered stuff a lot, for the heavy-duty jobs.
Take on me - Good song huh? I loved that video as a kid.
It resisted the test of time, that's the most important thing.
As a kid I remember watching the video a lot on VH1, that music channel.
I remember VH1...Lol Old-school!
Remember another famous song played back then starting with..... I WANT MY MTV.... Tananananan.... nananna nannaa....😍😍😍😂
Lol. I remember that one.