Trailer construction method

A trailer construction method comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a front wheel drive, uni-body van having two center chassis channel structures each having a tapered channel passageway formed therein and a front door frame;
• b) cutting said front wheel drive uni-body van just behind said front door frame to create a back trailer portion having a forward back trailer portion opening and two front channel openings into said two center chassis channel structures;
• c) providing a trailer conversion kit including a trailer frame member with a trailer ball receiving assembly attached to a forward frame member and two spaced parallel oriented channel insertion members oriented in parallel with said forward frame member, two channel insertion member shims, a trailer closure panel having a bottom center indentation for receiving therein said two spaced parallel oriented channel insertion members, and securing means for securing said trailer frame member to said back trailer portion;
• said two channel insertion member shims having a varying thickness selected to compensate for said tapering of said tapered channel passageway of one of said two center chassis channel structures within which it is to be inserted;
• d) inserting said two spaced parallel oriented channel insertion members of said trailer frame member into said two tapered channel passageways of said two center chassis channel structures such that there is a gap between a bottom insertion member surface of each of said channel insertion members and a tapered interior bottom wall of said center chassis channel structure defining each of said tapered channel passageways;
• e) inserting one of said channel insertion member shims into each of said gaps between said bottom insertion member surface of one of said channel insertion members and said tapered interior bottom wall of one of said center chassis channel structure defining said tapered channel passageway;
• f) securing each of said two spaced parallel oriented channel insertion members of said trailer frame member to a respective one of said two center chassis channel structures using said securing means;
• and
• g) securing said trailer closure panel to said back trailer portion such that said forward back trailer portion opening is sealed and said two spaced parallel oriented channel insertion members of said trailer frame member positioned within said bottom center indentation of said trailer closure panel.

A trailer construction method comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a front wheel drive, uni-body van having two center chassis channel structures each having a tapered channel passageway formed therein and a front door frame;
• b) cutting said front wheel drive uni-body van just behind said front door frame to create a back trailer portion having a forward back trailer portion opening and two front channel openings into said two center chassis channel structures;
• c) providing a trailer conversion kit including a trailer frame member with a trailer ball receiving assembly attached to a forward frame member and two spaced parallel oriented channel insertion members oriented in parallel with said forward frame member, two channel insertion member shims, a trailer closure panel having a bottom center indentation for receiving therein said two spaced parallel oriented channel insertion members, and four securing bolt assembly each including a securing bolt, a lock washer and a lock nut;
• each of said two spaced parallel oriented channel insertion members having two pairs of insertion member securing apertures formed through opposed top and bottom insertion member surfaces;
• each channel insertion member shim including two elongated lengths of square steel tubing secured together and spaced in parallel orientation by a short length of identical square steel tubing secured therebetween toward said rear facing ends of said two elongated lengths of square steel tubing and a forward height adjustment plate secured between forward facing end of said two elongated lengths of square steel tubing;
• said forward height adjustment plate having a thickness selected to compensate for said tapering of said tapered channel passageway of said two center chassis channel structures within which it is to be inserted;
• d) providing four concentrically aligned pairs of trailer frame securing bolt apertures formed through a back trailer portion floor and said two center chassis channel structures;
• e) inserting said two spaced parallel oriented channel insertion members of said trailer frame member into said two tapered channel passageways of said two center chassis channel structures such that there is a gap between a bottom insertion member surface of each of said channel insertion members and a tapered interior bottom wall of said center chassis channel structure defining each of said tapered channel passageways;
• f) inserting one of said channel insertion member shims into each of said gaps between said bottom insertion member surface of one of said channel insertion members and said tapered interior bottom wall of one of said center chassis channel structure defining said tapered channel passageway;
• g) positioning a shaft end of each of said four securing bolts through one of said trailer frame securing bolt apertures drilled through said back trailer portion floor, one of said two pairs of insertion member securing apertures formed through opposed top and bottom insertion member surfaces, between said two elongated lengths of square steel tubing, and through one of said trailer frame securing bolt apertures drilled through said center chassis channel structure;
• h) positioning a lock washer over each shaft end and then threading a lock nut onto each shaft end to secure said back trailer portion and said trailer frame member together;
• and
• i) securing said trailer closure panel to said back trailer portion such that said forward back trailer portion opening is sealed and said two spaced parallel oriented channel insertion members of said trailer frame member positioned within said bottom center indentation of said trailer closure panel.