Go old school on the table supports, "flat bar" style tailgate supports. The ones that hinge in the middle like old Chevy trucks. Never bind and will always fold in for you without having to help them.
On the table you could also just add “stops” on the hinges so it can only rotate to 90 degrees and no further. It may not be stiff enough for what youre wanting but would be incredibly simple to install. Alternatively a less simple but much stronger method would be like cables, but instead use two bars of flat stock as a folding linkage on either side. The two “links” would be bolted together with a sleeve so they can rotate/fold. Itd actuate kind of like the linkage on a folding chair or a step ladder. That would be incredibly strong and fold up flush with the sides of the table.
Cable reel, while cool in the shop, will jam when enough road and trail grime gets into the mechanism. Counterweights and pulleys will rattle unless contained, and eventually the pulleys will grime up too. The flat folding bar tailgate undoubtedly makes the most sense
Build the table stops into the hinges, then reinforce the table so it isn't flimsy. Maybe add a gas spring to each end for holding it against the stops while it is down.
Use 2 pieces of flat metal bar about 1" wide by 1/16" thick and have them hinge in the middle and put a set on either end just like some older truck tailgates did before they all went to cables. Hope this helps.😁👍
I would use sprocket chain for the table, used it in mine and it will tuck nicely behind the expanded metal. They seem to hold up a lot of weight as well.
I was thinking regular chain because gravity but, I think I like your idea better. Also if he attached it inboard a half inch or so, no catching on branches.
For the table, 3 ways. TailGate support cables. Hydraulic support struts ( like for hatches but in reverse.). But my favorite is solid 3/8 bar with pivoting guide nut on bottom. That would force the rod to be vertical when table is closed and strong enough to hold anything.
Do it like a tailgate on a pickup. Two flat bars that fold in the middle. Just like a tailgate it will be strong. You can even make it tabbed like a tailgate where you can remove it if you pull the table off. This will be strong, and avoid using cables. Good luck! love the project.
You could use two metal straps bolted together like the old school tailgate supports. Three bolted pivot points and two equal length straps. Then they would fold with the table and not stick out.
Folding flat bar hinge supports on each side will tuck away nicely. Favorite build on your channel, honestly. Everyman attainable and gets the creativity going.
Nate, your builds inspire me to do stuff myself. Over the years I’ve taught myself to weld and fabricate my own stuff on my pre-runner truck. And now I’m doing bigger and more complex stuff on my truck because of people like you! I love watching all your videos, from fabrication, to all your travels! Keep up the good work!
Great job Nate! Most people think of creativity as something magical. It isn't..it is iterations & evolution of a idea and is refined by many many hours of repetition. Trying new ideas to add to the bag of tricks gets us out of the slump and is a step in the evolution of being a better artist or craftsman.
Really dig the tire carrier and latch! I like the suggestions above of creating an old style tailgate hinge for the table. Simple, easy, and strong! Trailer is coming along great man!
For the retractable cable. Drill a hole into the frame tube. Adda roller at the top as a pivot point , and put a weight/stopper at the end of cable.let it rin up and down the frame, And it's all atomic.
Just found this series recently and binged watched all 7 episodes! The only regret I have is not finding this channel sooner. Great production, reasonable achievability in your builds. Got a sub from me bro keep it up!
Nate, what about a gas struts instead of cables for the table support? You'd need to know what stress they could take in tension but they could be made to tuck in nicely when retracted.
Something so satisfying about the larger scale (possibly over built) "Nate Latch" that makes it even more satisfying to use (I bet). Like a larger scale medieval dead bolt on a an old wood plank door. Well Done!
Thicker, more rigid cable with a stop on the inside end should retract into its own through hole given there’s enough room inside. Maybe strategically inside the frame tubes.
Do cables with d rings on one end. Weld the cable to the table, make an eye ring on the trailer for the d ring to clip onto. When you store it unclip the d ring from the trailer and clip them thru the grate to keep them taught and out of the way
The retractable cable... do it like a sink with the faucet head that retracts. Put a weight on the back side of the cable, when it's not pulled via the table, the weight on the back side pulls it back in. You'll need a grommet or something to allow the cable to free flow, and a cable stop to get the height of the table to be parallel with the ground. Also don't forget, you've got the table at waist height. When you put the tires on the ramp, you're adding 6" putting it closer to chest height.
I've really enjoyed this series. It's been cool watching the trailer come together. One issue that comes to mind is weight. It seems to me that this trailer would really heavy, even unloaded.
Angle the cables in 6”-8” at the top so they’ll automatically tuck when you fold the table. Also could use rope or dyneema instead of cable. Plenty strong and won’t scuff your paint or wrap.
Freaking love your videos man. Just watched this one in the pool tonight lol. As a content creator / off-roader myself I appreciate the time it takes to shoot and edit projects like this. It’s not as easy as it looks! Thanks for the great content and hope to be able to say hey in person someday 👊🏼
Cable running through a tube with a stopper. Add a spring in between the stopper and tube cap. So when the table down, it compressed the spring and when the table back up it decompress the spring and it retract the cable. Also add a pulley for the cable to ride on
Again like the latch you built, you can use an off center pivot. If the hing comes off the "top" of the table, 90 degrees to the flat plane, you can bump stop the back edge of the table to the body of the trailer. Then you can have multiple adjustable bump stops to level it. No cable needed. Early on in this build series my wife and I were hunting for a trailer. We're pulling lots of inspiration from your build series! We are using a Bantam T3C as our base. And keeping it light to be towable by my TJ.
Nate, Re: retractable cables… ever consider looking at a vehicle seatbelt B pillar bracket? They retract, but pull nylon strapping back? Possible to convert?? Ps- LOVE this trailer build!
@@DirtLifestyle I would say yes. The struts will press downward to hold the table down and also act as a stability point. When finish with table lift up and either a hitch pin or a (similar) way to lock in closed position
@@DirtLifestyle I guess they might be prone to waring out faster without a cable as the actual support. I might just go with tailgate cables. they are quite, short and easy to come by. Or the old style 2 bar tailgate supports.
Remember the old windows with the ropes and weights. Hook a cable with a cylinder weight and when you lift the table the weight pulls the cable into the pocket. When you lower the table the weight comes up and hits the wall, the cable suspends the table.
Awesome work. 2 questions: with all this steel, what does this thing weigh, and do you have plans to paint this to keep it from becoming a giant rust box?
You could always use the old school cable door closer... a weight on one end, inside a pipe, cable goes up out the top, over a pulley then to the table. Weight is a cable stop to hold the table, and when you fold the table up, the weight pulls the cable down into the tube.
budget friendly...drill hole in the side and run cable through, add weighted stop on end of cable so it just drops back inside when table goes up. easy to trail fix too!
A cable and inside is retracted by bungee cords. but the cable has a stop at the end of the table and the other end mounts to the trailer when in use... so the bungee cord stretches across the front of the table, maybe inside a tube.
Design stop points in the hinges themselves, add an outer lip that stops at a through bolt on each hinge. No cables or flat bars in the way at the end of the table and it will keep it super rigid.
For your retractable cable, just keep it simple. It can be exactly like I built the door closer for my shop bathroom. Mount a pulley, a small dog runner type pulley would work just fine, inside the camper and put a weight on it. Maybe drop the weight inside a tube so it isn't swinging around. Simple is good.
What about running the cable through the trailer side into a tube, with a weight on the end. When you pick the table up, the weight will pull the cable into the trailer and out the way, and then when you pull it down, the weight will prevent the cable from pulling through the trailer side. You should be able to fab this up real easy. loving the build Nate, as always, quality vid!
A cable through a spring inside of a tube. As the table is folded down it pulls the cable compressing the spring. As you fold the table up the spring retracts the cable into the tubing to keep mud and dirt off of the cable and spring. The tubing could be mounted to the top of the trailer under your Roof tent.
Use two pieces of flat bar. They will fold into a V when the table is closed and sit straight when the table is down. Put one on each side and the bump stop and you'll have a table you could sit on. It won't stick out to grab branches. Just a simple thing you can do with the scrap you have laying around.
I like the table idea. I think the latches will get caught in branches or what ever it bumps into before a cable would as the latches stick out more than cables would. Love how your build is coming out.
So if for fun you want to do some thing a little less obvious... Wire Cables, disappearing through rounded steel grommets under the top edge of the trailer. Inside, pass through a tap washer, then a penny washer and crimp into loops. Attach strong shock cord to the loops, then to eyebolts on the far side. [1] The penny washer arrests the table at horizontal, [2] the tap washer cushions it, [3] the shock cord slows the progress toward the end, assists lifting the table and is strong enough to stay horizontal and out of the way when returned to rest. Waterproof the grommets by adding larger diameter 'eyebrows' cut on a downward slope from steel tube. If more deflection is necessary, run the shock cord from front to rear so there is more material [one for each cable].
Retractable cable idea. Use the design of a kitchen sink faucet that retracts. Those use a weight on the hose below the sink. You could put a weight on the cable where is secures in the interior of the trailer. The weight will pull the cable back inside by gravity as you store the table and latch it.
Hey there, For the table, put a stop on the bracket that attaches to the pivot points. This will act like a kick stand and rest on the wall of the trailer box just under the pivot. Cool project!
For the fold down door you could use gas struts like the ones that are used for car hoods and hatches. It would support table in the down position and hold it tight against the trailer when up to prevent rattling.
For the table, integrate/fab a stop point in the bushing/hinge that will stop it from swinging past the level that you want. That way you won't need any cables or support underneath. It will just float
To support your table, use two pieces of metal that have a hinge in the middle. That way when you drop the table down it will be extremely sturdy and when you lift it up, it will just hinge in the middle and be solid on the inside of the table instead of a cable that will hang out the sides.
Nate.....For the table support, what about a hole in the side to pass a cable like you had mentioned? Then on the inside, crimp a loop and tie a loop of 1/4 inch bungee cord to it stretched across the interior roof to retract the cable as you lift the table. The crimped loop would also serve as the stop that holds up the table. I came up with this idea on my own trailer build and it works GREAT! Super clean and easy to service, too.
Tie a elastic cord between the wires. When the table is down slide it to the top. When you want to close it slide it down to the middle of the wire. As you close it the tension will pull the wires in.
Really impressed with the fabrication of that latch and the tire carrier. Your ability to visualize an idea is next level. You could easy add a pin to that latch if it bumps open but that thing is a freaking tank!
Chains, gas struts, or two pieces of flat steel stock with a tab welded to the side that acts as a stop that fold down and hold the table in place where you want it. Just some rough ideas good luck with it. Trailer looks awesome!
Two pieces of strap steel on each side hinged in the middle. When you fold up the table they nest together. When it closes have a bump on the trailer and table that sandwich’s the two straps and keeps them from rattling.
Use the old school pickup truck bed hangers. Just two pieces of flat stock hinged in the middle with a bolt. No loops to get hung up and no need to tuck them in. They are self folding and will tuck away inside the table edge when folded.
Run a piece of tube across the top with a pull-cord spring on one end, attach the cable to the tube and the table and put a little hook latch on the fender, whether the tables up or down it would always be tight and stable
Lift gate assist for a landscape trailer is a $200.00 option, a boat winch like they use for commercial/ competition grilling to raise the grates, I would mount the drum inside and have a flush socket port, any 1/2" drive tool will crank the spool. the overhead garage door set up. All of these options will have to be adapted to the space available. You could do the whole thing with a few pulleys and ropes . Tailgate wire ropes, with a spring holding tension on slack or stowed rope between the trailer and table top.
Garage door spring/torsion wound cable system to hold and lower the cable. Would mount in the top of the inside of the trailer and could limit the length to fit your need. Also would wind the cable back up when stowed.
Simple hole through top of trailer with cable attached to corner of shelf and stop on cable on inside of trailer. Attach a piece of bungy cord to stop inside trailer to opposite side inside trailer. With shell up tension bungy cord to just hold cable tight. As you drop table bungy will streatch allowing cable to pull through hole until stop on cable hits home.
If you don't use one of the great alternative hinge suggestions, search for 'retractable tool lanyard' they make them in different sizes and come in synthetic and metal cable. They would work great once cut to propper length. I would add a small brush or wiper on the opening at the trailer to keep dust/dirt/debris on the retractable cable from getting back into the mechanism. Love this build! Keep it coming
Table support- two pieces of 1" flat stock attached together with a pivot point at the end so it unfolds like a scissor. placed at both ends of the table.
I can think of a few options for a self-tucking cable system: 1. You can still do a steel cable support, but build a vertical weight inside of the trailer caged in a track with a spring attached to the bottom to help pull the cable back in when it is closed. 2. Same as #1 but instead do a horizontal track on the roof of the trailer, you could use just a spring to pull the cable back in, or a gas strut to push. 3. Or you can build a drum for the cables with a bearing in the center and get a couple of 12v DC motors to turn the drums in/out to raise/lower the table electronically.
Use a couple of 3/4 x 0.125" flatbar pieces with a "rivet" or elevator bolt in the center pivot. Land Cruisers use that style for the rear tailgate. Super durable and it goes where you want it to when the table is up.
Use rubber coated chain instead of cable for the table. Another thought, use some angle iron to make additional supports at the end and in the middle of the table. Attach them so that they are perpendicular to the side of your trailer when you fold the table down. Either adjust them so that they contact the side of the trail to hold the table up when you weld them on or put an adjustable bump stop on the trailer end of the supports so you can fin tune them to be perpendicular when the table is folded down.
I second the old tailgate set up. But if that doesn't do it for you. Spring loaded cables ran inside, with a stop nut sealing/sitting on the surface, inside to set travel. Constant rate springs (perhaps in tube's for protection) are cheap and relabel. Use grommets on the cable ends at the shelf. They can seal the holes while it's up.
you could take a cable and run it through a hole inside the trailer and put a weight on the end of the cable so it pulls the excess cable back in the trailer but you might want to put the weight in a piece of DOM so it slide up and down and it doesn't flap around in the trailer kind of like the old windows with the counter weights in them so they go up easier
Couple options for your table support you could either repurpose a couple of old retractable seat belts removing the seatbelt material and add cable to it or use a spring setup like on a roll-up shop door
I work on airplanes and a lot of their engine cowls use stowable rods to support them when facilitating maintenance. Kind of like a metal hood prop instead of struts on older cars. It’s lightweight and super simple.
Drill hole at the ends of the tables at the top put a cable through on a roller with a weight system that pulls the cable back in when you lift the table Simple and easy and you can put a little Box around the cable so it doesn't get tangled up on anything inside the trailer
Rigid flat bar with a single hole mount at the top and a hollow center groove in which a solid pin on the table end could travel up/down the length. At full hang the table would have some rigidity (sans cable). When stowing, the pin would travel up the channel to the point of then letting the bar drop straight up and down via gravity and be mostly held in place organically by the traveling pin when the table is latched.
I like what David Klug suggested with the heavy folding strap. But... I have a couple of ideas too. 1 - the strap could be hinged steel. 2 - for a retracting cable add a tube mounted vertical inside, run the cable across a smooth rounded surface from the table corners and then back down the tube. Then add a weight to the cable inside the tube. When pulled the cable weight become the bump stop. Might even be able to use a bike chain...
To get a retractable cable strong enough, it would wind up being pretty heavy. I like the sprocket chain idea, as well as the simple tailgate style. If you wanted to complicate things, you could make some fold out legs that could be adjusted for height, similar to a swing away trailer jack. Then you could have that table be extremely sturdy...Or another option would be foling supports that pin into the bottom edge of the trailer. That way you have no obstructions on the table top.
For the table you could attach a piece of bungy cord to the cable. .connect it to the far corner. Add a stop to the end of the cable to make an end position when the table is in use. When table in stowed away the bungy wil pull the cable in? You will need to add a lock to keep the table in the open possition. Just an idea.
You could take some inspiration from a kitchen sink. They have a counterweight that pulls the spray head back into the faucet when you release it. Simple counterweight inside the trailer would retract your cables when the table went up.
Tap some 1/4”-20 holes in 2-3 places and use some cheap compact photo/video monopods. Adjustable if ground is off kilter, small and removable (won’t accidentally leave them on ). If it breaks you can replace easily. And with the 1/4”-20 you have more places to mount cameras for making us more rad videos.
I like the flat bar suggestion that others have recommended Another thought, if you think the wind protection would be beneficial, what about fold out “wings” like you’d see on a Coleman stove? Two functions, one part?
The Flat bar tailgate supports are a good idea to me. I didn't know chevy did that but Ford has been for years early 60's I think. If you want a cable still you can put a boss with a raids in the hole on the side of the trailer, build a correct length cable with a stop on the inside end and put a coil spring connected to the left side of the cox to pull the cable back into the inside when you raise the table.
Create a kick stand on either end of the table that fold out and down to support the table from underneath. But fold in when table is up. Then there's no cables in the way. Or just weld multiple stops below the table that are rigid, but doesn't stick out pat the table when its folded up.
For the table support cables make them removable. Weld bolt heads with enough bolt shank left to fit the cable size you use and a length of cable with eye loops on each end to hold the table level. Use the KISS method and don't over complicate it with a retractor that can get fouled up with trail dust and dirt and not function when you need them.
Use cables to prop it up, with the back end of the cable INSIDE the trailer. Have the stop on the inside so that it can't over extend but the stop would be weighted so when you lift the cable, it automatically pulls into the trailer. Could use springs to do the same, to keep it up top, maybe with a pulley on the corners to the springs mount inside the trailer on the roof.
The way I would do the table; is 1/4 flat bar on each end of the table with a loose pivot at the edge of the table. Lift the table up and put the flat bar into a slot on the side of the trailer. Done, lift the table and the legs fall back next to the table. Only makes your table 1/2" wider.
retractable cable system: long tube that goes perpendicular to the table with a ferrule on the end; when collapsed, the cable sits inside the tube (no loop), when extended- the ferrule holds against the end of the square tube. benefit being, no loops, and you use the internal volume of the trailer box. should tuck itself neatly in that top square tube
A light spring mounted inside that pulls the cable as you raise the table. A simple stop on the cable would hold it in position. As long as the table weighs more than the springs can pull. Almost like assisted lift.
You could use a steel strap with a hinge bolt in the middle as a hanger for your fold-down bench. It would hold itself in place once folded up. Nothing to go wrong - and cheap.
I would put 2 small arms (made of square tubbing ) between the table brackets that fold outwards. And when using the table, just fold the arms outwards and let the table rest on them. This way you have no cables and it will be stable because of the 2 arms. It is different from what everyone else is using, and I think it would integrate nicely with your build.
You could weld small diameter pipe inside front and back and spring load the cable inside the tube and create a stop on both cables/pipes that stops the table at desired level. Wouldn't take up any room inside the box and of course a roller for each right at the inlet to insure no cable wear.
Put a bumpstop each in front of and behind the fender. You really don't want anything above the table surface to catch pots or drinks as you turn around. You also don't want to listen to the squeaks and deal with scratches.
Get some short gas shocks for the table, you can get a light weight one so you arnt fighting it too much when you close it. But extended all the way it will be solid. When it's closed there's no loop to grab things
Go old school on the table supports, "flat bar" style tailgate supports. The ones that hinge in the middle like old Chevy trucks. Never bind and will always fold in for you without having to help them.
This is my idea as well
My thoughts exactly, definitely this
This!
Ditto. No snagging branches, no annoying rattling sound. Low profile, pure and simple.
Exactly my thought also. Can be mounted slightly inboard of the table edges so hidden when closed
On the table you could also just add “stops” on the hinges so it can only rotate to 90 degrees and no further. It may not be stiff enough for what youre wanting but would be incredibly simple to install.
Alternatively a less simple but much stronger method would be like cables, but instead use two bars of flat stock as a folding linkage on either side. The two “links” would be bolted together with a sleeve so they can rotate/fold. Itd actuate kind of like the linkage on a folding chair or a step ladder. That would be incredibly strong and fold up flush with the sides of the table.
EXACTLY what i was thinking...
Exactly my thoughts
I think a third hinge in the center and some hinge stops would be your simplest and most effective way of supporting and maintaining rigidity.
Why not use two gas struts on the ends of the table like the ones you would find on a truck lid or rear hatch
Install a strut on each end . Added rigidity and looks amazing
Cable reel, while cool in the shop, will jam when enough road and trail grime gets into the mechanism. Counterweights and pulleys will rattle unless contained, and eventually the pulleys will grime up too.
The flat folding bar tailgate undoubtedly makes the most sense
Build the table stops into the hinges, then reinforce the table so it isn't flimsy. Maybe add a gas spring to each end for holding it against the stops while it is down.
I didn't consider this. A bumpstop under each hinge and one on the fender? Is that what you are thinking?
@@DirtLifestyle maybe even a flat piece at the bottom of each hinge that just stops the travel at a certain point.
@@DirtLifestyle yes, but wasn't thinking bumpstop on the fender....maybe that is a game time decision.
@@ShaneConanttheoriginal yes, hard stops built into hinges.
This was going to be my suggestion as well. It's a super simple solution. Hell, they even make something like this for the doors in your house.
Use 2 pieces of flat metal bar about 1" wide by 1/16" thick and have them hinge in the middle and put a set on either end just like some older truck tailgates did before they all went to cables. Hope this helps.😁👍
That is what I was thinking would work as well. Simple.
I would use sprocket chain for the table, used it in mine and it will tuck nicely behind the expanded metal. They seem to hold up a lot of weight as well.
I was thinking regular chain because gravity but, I think I like your idea better. Also if he attached it inboard a half inch or so, no catching on branches.
Same thought, very strong and won’t move out of plane.
Ray R
Dang great idea using roller chain, and could be adjustable for being on angle.
For the table, 3 ways. TailGate support cables. Hydraulic support struts ( like for hatches but in reverse.). But my favorite is solid 3/8 bar with pivoting guide nut on bottom. That would force the rod to be vertical when table is closed and strong enough to hold anything.
Instead of a cable how about a 2 piece hinged arm like on the lid of a camp stove. Super strong and will tuck away
I think this is definitely simple and a good suggestion 👍
Yep same think i was thinking
@@DirtLifestyle even easier would be to weld a stop on the bottom of the hinge so when it's at 90 it touches the side of the trailer body
Do it like a tailgate on a pickup. Two flat bars that fold in the middle. Just like a tailgate it will be strong. You can even make it tabbed like a tailgate where you can remove it if you pull the table off. This will be strong, and avoid using cables. Good luck! love the project.
You could use two metal straps bolted together like the old school tailgate supports. Three bolted pivot points and two equal length straps. Then they would fold with the table and not stick out.
This is exactly what I was thinking too.
@@arrondentinger2086 Ditto.
same as i was thinking - also easy to fabricate
Best way to do it! I was thinking the same!
Exactly!
Folding flat bar hinge supports on each side will tuck away nicely. Favorite build on your channel, honestly. Everyman attainable and gets the creativity going.
Nate, your builds inspire me to do stuff myself. Over the years I’ve taught myself to weld and fabricate my own stuff on my pre-runner truck. And now I’m doing bigger and more complex stuff on my truck because of people like you! I love watching all your videos, from fabrication, to all your travels! Keep up the good work!
Great job Nate! Most people think of creativity as something magical. It isn't..it is iterations & evolution of a idea and is refined by many many hours of repetition. Trying new ideas to add to the bag of tricks gets us out of the slump and is a step in the evolution of being a better artist or craftsman.
Really dig the tire carrier and latch! I like the suggestions above of creating an old style tailgate hinge for the table. Simple, easy, and strong! Trailer is coming along great man!
For the retractable cable. Drill a hole into the frame tube. Adda roller at the top as a pivot point , and put a weight/stopper at the end of cable.let it rin up and down the frame, And it's all atomic.
Just found this series recently and binged watched all 7 episodes! The only regret I have is not finding this channel sooner. Great production, reasonable achievability in your builds. Got a sub from me bro keep it up!
Look at the trailer gate assist system tractor supply sales. U could fab one in the style
Nate, what about a gas struts instead of cables for the table support? You'd need to know what stress they could take in tension but they could be made to tuck in nicely when retracted.
I had the same thought
Something so satisfying about the larger scale (possibly over built) "Nate Latch" that makes it even more satisfying to use (I bet). Like a larger scale medieval dead bolt on a an old wood plank door. Well Done!
Thicker, more rigid cable with a stop on the inside end should retract into its own through hole given there’s enough room inside. Maybe strategically inside the frame tubes.
That stop should have some weight to it to support the retraction.
Do cables with d rings on one end. Weld the cable to the table, make an eye ring on the trailer for the d ring to clip onto. When you store it unclip the d ring from the trailer and clip them thru the grate to keep them taught and out of the way
Man this things is beastie mode :D Loving it mate
Thanks! I can't wait to get it on the trail!
The retractable cable... do it like a sink with the faucet head that retracts. Put a weight on the back side of the cable, when it's not pulled via the table, the weight on the back side pulls it back in. You'll need a grommet or something to allow the cable to free flow, and a cable stop to get the height of the table to be parallel with the ground. Also don't forget, you've got the table at waist height. When you put the tires on the ramp, you're adding 6" putting it closer to chest height.
I've really enjoyed this series. It's been cool watching the trailer come together. One issue that comes to mind is weight. It seems to me that this trailer would really heavy, even unloaded.
Angle the cables in 6”-8” at the top so they’ll automatically tuck when you fold the table. Also could use rope or dyneema instead of cable. Plenty strong and won’t scuff your paint or wrap.
Freaking love your videos man. Just watched this one in the pool tonight lol. As a content creator / off-roader myself I appreciate the time it takes to shoot and edit projects like this. It’s not as easy as it looks! Thanks for the great content and hope to be able to say hey in person someday 👊🏼
Cable running through a tube with a stopper. Add a spring in between the stopper and tube cap. So when the table down, it compressed the spring and when the table back up it decompress the spring and it retract the cable. Also add a pulley for the cable to ride on
Hood struts might be an interesting possibility for holding your table up, don't know how well they would last
I was thinking this in the opposite direction, like the soft open tailgate struts.
Again like the latch you built, you can use an off center pivot. If the hing comes off the "top" of the table, 90 degrees to the flat plane, you can bump stop the back edge of the table to the body of the trailer. Then you can have multiple adjustable bump stops to level it. No cable needed.
Early on in this build series my wife and I were hunting for a trailer. We're pulling lots of inspiration from your build series! We are using a Bantam T3C as our base. And keeping it light to be towable by my TJ.
Nate,
Re: retractable cables… ever consider looking at a vehicle seatbelt B pillar bracket? They retract, but pull nylon strapping back? Possible to convert??
Ps- LOVE this trailer build!
How about a liftgate strut to support the table?
Same idea I was just about to mention.
Are you thinking I mount them so the table is hanging on the struts?
@@DirtLifestyle I would say yes. The struts will press downward to hold the table down and also act as a stability point. When finish with table lift up and either a hitch pin or a (similar) way to lock in closed position
@@DirtLifestyle I guess they might be prone to waring out faster without a cable as the actual support. I might just go with tailgate cables. they are quite, short and easy to come by. Or the old style 2 bar tailgate supports.
Remember the old windows with the ropes and weights. Hook a cable with a cylinder weight and when you lift the table the weight pulls the cable into the pocket. When you lower the table the weight comes up and hits the wall, the cable suspends the table.
Awesome work. 2 questions: with all this steel, what does this thing weigh, and do you have plans to paint this to keep it from becoming a giant rust box?
You could always use the old school cable door closer... a weight on one end, inside a pipe, cable goes up out the top, over a pulley then to the table. Weight is a cable stop to hold the table, and when you fold the table up, the weight pulls the cable down into the tube.
budget friendly...drill hole in the side and run cable through, add weighted stop on end of cable so it just drops back inside when table goes up. easy to trail fix too!
A cable and inside is retracted by bungee cords. but the cable has a stop at the end of the table and the other end mounts to the trailer when in use... so the bungee cord stretches across the front of the table, maybe inside a tube.
Design stop points in the hinges themselves, add an outer lip that stops at a through bolt on each hinge. No cables or flat bars in the way at the end of the table and it will keep it super rigid.
For your retractable cable, just keep it simple. It can be exactly like I built the door closer for my shop bathroom. Mount a pulley, a small dog runner type pulley would work just fine, inside the camper and put a weight on it. Maybe drop the weight inside a tube so it isn't swinging around. Simple is good.
What about running the cable through the trailer side into a tube, with a weight on the end. When you pick the table up, the weight will pull the cable into the trailer and out the way, and then when you pull it down, the weight will prevent the cable from pulling through the trailer side. You should be able to fab this up real easy.
loving the build Nate, as always, quality vid!
A cable through a spring inside of a tube. As the table is folded down it pulls the cable compressing the spring. As you fold the table up the spring retracts the cable into the tubing to keep mud and dirt off of the cable and spring. The tubing could be mounted to the top of the trailer under your Roof tent.
Use two pieces of flat bar. They will fold into a V when the table is closed and sit straight when the table is down. Put one on each side and the bump stop and you'll have a table you could sit on. It won't stick out to grab branches. Just a simple thing you can do with the scrap you have laying around.
I like the table idea. I think the latches will get caught in branches or what ever it bumps into before a cable would as the latches stick out more than cables would. Love how your build is coming out.
So if for fun you want to do some thing a little less obvious... Wire Cables, disappearing through rounded steel grommets under the top edge of the trailer. Inside, pass through a tap washer, then a penny washer and crimp into loops. Attach strong shock cord to the loops, then to eyebolts on the far side. [1] The penny washer arrests the table at horizontal, [2] the tap washer cushions it, [3] the shock cord slows the progress toward the end, assists lifting the table and is strong enough to stay horizontal and out of the way when returned to rest. Waterproof the grommets by adding larger diameter 'eyebrows' cut on a downward slope from steel tube. If more deflection is necessary, run the shock cord from front to rear so there is more material [one for each cable].
Retractable cable idea. Use the design of a kitchen sink faucet that retracts. Those use a weight on the hose below the sink. You could put a weight on the cable where is secures in the interior of the trailer. The weight will pull the cable back inside by gravity as you store the table and latch it.
Add the stops into the hinges. A small bumpstop that contacts the side of the trailer when the table is at the right height.
Hey there, For the table, put a stop on the bracket that attaches to the pivot points. This will act like a kick stand and rest on the wall of the trailer box just under the pivot. Cool project!
Folk’s ability to just BUILD stuff will never cease to blow my mind. I wish I had a garage!
I’m a firm believer that you can literally build anything. Good job
For the fold down door you could use gas struts like the ones that are used for car hoods and hatches. It would support table in the down position and hold it tight against the trailer when up to prevent rattling.
For the table, integrate/fab a stop point in the bushing/hinge that will stop it from swinging past the level that you want. That way you won't need any cables or support underneath. It will just float
To support your table, use two pieces of metal that have a hinge in the middle. That way when you drop the table down it will be extremely sturdy and when you lift it up, it will just hinge in the middle and be solid on the inside of the table instead of a cable that will hang out the sides.
Nate.....For the table support, what about a hole in the side to pass a cable like you had mentioned? Then on the inside, crimp a loop and tie a loop of 1/4 inch bungee cord to it stretched across the interior roof to retract the cable as you lift the table. The crimped loop would also serve as the stop that holds up the table. I came up with this idea on my own trailer build and it works GREAT! Super clean and easy to service, too.
Tie a elastic cord between the wires. When the table is down slide it to the top. When you want to close it slide it down to the middle of the wire. As you close it the tension will pull the wires in.
Really impressed with the fabrication of that latch and the tire carrier. Your ability to visualize an idea is next level.
You could easy add a pin to that latch if it bumps open but that thing is a freaking tank!
Chains, gas struts, or two pieces of flat steel stock with a tab welded to the side that acts as a stop that fold down and hold the table in place where you want it. Just some rough ideas good luck with it. Trailer looks awesome!
Two pieces of strap steel on each side hinged in the middle. When you fold up the table they nest together. When it closes have a bump on the trailer and table that sandwich’s the two straps and keeps them from rattling.
Use the old school pickup truck bed hangers. Just two pieces of flat stock hinged in the middle with a bolt. No loops to get hung up and no need to tuck them in. They are self folding and will tuck away inside the table edge when folded.
Run a piece of tube across the top with a pull-cord spring on one end, attach the cable to the tube and the table and put a little hook latch on the fender, whether the tables up or down it would always be tight and stable
Lift gate assist for a landscape trailer is a $200.00 option, a boat winch like they use for commercial/ competition grilling to raise the grates, I would mount the drum inside and have a flush socket port, any 1/2" drive tool will crank the spool. the overhead garage door set up. All of these options will have to be adapted to the space available. You could do the whole thing with a few pulleys and ropes . Tailgate wire ropes, with a spring holding tension on slack or stowed rope between the trailer and table top.
Garage door spring/torsion wound cable system to hold and lower the cable. Would mount in the top of the inside of the trailer and could limit the length to fit your need. Also would wind the cable back up when stowed.
Simple hole through top of trailer with cable attached to corner of shelf and stop on cable on inside of trailer. Attach a piece of bungy cord to stop inside trailer to opposite side inside trailer. With shell up tension bungy cord to just hold cable tight. As you drop table bungy will streatch allowing cable to pull through hole until stop on cable hits home.
If you don't use one of the great alternative hinge suggestions, search for 'retractable tool lanyard' they make them in different sizes and come in synthetic and metal cable. They would work great once cut to propper length. I would add a small brush or wiper on the opening at the trailer to keep dust/dirt/debris on the retractable cable from getting back into the mechanism.
Love this build! Keep it coming
Table support- two pieces of 1" flat stock attached together with a pivot point at the end so it unfolds like a scissor. placed at both ends of the table.
I can think of a few options for a self-tucking cable system:
1. You can still do a steel cable support, but build a vertical weight inside of the trailer caged in a track with a spring attached to the bottom to help pull the cable back in when it is closed.
2. Same as #1 but instead do a horizontal track on the roof of the trailer, you could use just a spring to pull the cable back in, or a gas strut to push.
3. Or you can build a drum for the cables with a bearing in the center and get a couple of 12v DC motors to turn the drums in/out to raise/lower the table electronically.
Use a couple of 3/4 x 0.125" flatbar pieces with a "rivet" or elevator bolt in the center pivot. Land Cruisers use that style for the rear tailgate. Super durable and it goes where you want it to when the table is up.
seat belt retractor ticks the boxes, remove the belt attach wire, adjust so it reaches its run out, job done. cheap, and easy to get hold of
Use rubber coated chain instead of cable for the table. Another thought, use some angle iron to make additional supports at the end and in the middle of the table. Attach them so that they are perpendicular to the side of your trailer when you fold the table down. Either adjust them so that they contact the side of the trail to hold the table up when you weld them on or put an adjustable bump stop on the trailer end of the supports so you can fin tune them to be perpendicular when the table is folded down.
I second the old tailgate set up. But if that doesn't do it for you. Spring loaded cables ran inside, with a stop nut sealing/sitting on the surface, inside to set travel. Constant rate springs (perhaps in tube's for protection) are cheap and relabel. Use grommets on the cable ends at the shelf. They can seal the holes while it's up.
you could take a cable and run it through a hole inside the trailer and put a weight on the end of the cable so it pulls the excess cable back in the trailer but you might want to put the weight in a piece of DOM so it slide up and down and it doesn't flap around in the trailer kind of like the old windows with the counter weights in them so they go up easier
Couple options for your table support you could either repurpose a couple of old retractable seat belts removing the seatbelt material and add cable to it or use a spring setup like on a roll-up shop door
I work on airplanes and a lot of their engine cowls use stowable rods to support them when facilitating maintenance. Kind of like a metal hood prop instead of struts on older cars. It’s lightweight and super simple.
Drill hole at the ends of the tables at the top put a cable through on a roller with a weight system that pulls the cable back in when you lift the table Simple and easy and you can put a little Box around the cable so it doesn't get tangled up on anything inside the trailer
Rigid flat bar with a single hole mount at the top and a hollow center groove in which a solid pin on the table end could travel up/down the length.
At full hang the table would have some rigidity (sans cable). When stowing, the pin would travel up the channel to the point of then letting the bar drop straight up and down via gravity and be mostly held in place organically by the traveling pin when the table is latched.
I would suggest lynch pins. incorporated in the hinges as a stop. You could also use the same pins to hold the table up when folded away.
I like what David Klug suggested with the heavy folding strap. But... I have a couple of ideas too. 1 - the strap could be hinged steel. 2 - for a retracting cable add a tube mounted vertical inside, run the cable across a smooth rounded surface from the table corners and then back down the tube. Then add a weight to the cable inside the tube. When pulled the cable weight become the bump stop. Might even be able to use a bike chain...
To get a retractable cable strong enough, it would wind up being pretty heavy. I like the sprocket chain idea, as well as the simple tailgate style. If you wanted to complicate things, you could make some fold out legs that could be adjusted for height, similar to a swing away trailer jack. Then you could have that table be extremely sturdy...Or another option would be foling supports that pin into the bottom edge of the trailer. That way you have no obstructions on the table top.
For the table you could attach a piece of bungy cord to the cable.
.connect it to the far corner. Add a stop to the end of the cable to make an end position when the table is in use.
When table in stowed away the bungy wil pull the cable in?
You will need to add a lock to keep the table in the open possition.
Just an idea.
You could take some inspiration from a kitchen sink. They have a counterweight that pulls the spray head back into the faucet when you release it. Simple counterweight inside the trailer would retract your cables when the table went up.
Love this build! Simple slide rail that disappears into the body of the trailer and pulls out to support the ends of the table.
Tap some 1/4”-20 holes in 2-3 places and use some cheap compact photo/video monopods. Adjustable if ground is off kilter, small and removable (won’t accidentally leave them on ). If it breaks you can replace easily. And with the 1/4”-20 you have more places to mount cameras for making us more rad videos.
I like the flat bar suggestion that others have recommended
Another thought, if you think the wind protection would be beneficial, what about fold out “wings” like you’d see on a Coleman stove? Two functions, one part?
The Flat bar tailgate supports are a good idea to me. I didn't know chevy did that but Ford has been for years early 60's I think. If you want a cable still you can put a boss with a raids in the hole on the side of the trailer, build a correct length cable with a stop on the inside end and put a coil spring connected to the left side of the cox to pull the cable back into the inside when you raise the table.
Create a kick stand on either end of the table that fold out and down to support the table from underneath. But fold in when table is up. Then there's no cables in the way. Or just weld multiple stops below the table that are rigid, but doesn't stick out pat the table when its folded up.
For the table support cables make them removable. Weld bolt heads with enough bolt shank left to fit the cable size you use and a length of cable with eye loops on each end to hold the table level. Use the KISS method and don't over complicate it with a retractor that can get fouled up with trail dust and dirt and not function when you need them.
Use cables to prop it up, with the back end of the cable INSIDE the trailer. Have the stop on the inside so that it can't over extend but the stop would be weighted so when you lift the cable, it automatically pulls into the trailer. Could use springs to do the same, to keep it up top, maybe with a pulley on the corners to the springs mount inside the trailer on the roof.
You could add a light spring to the cables, like a screen door, to control them when the table is stowed away.
The way I would do the table; is 1/4 flat bar on each end of the table with a loose pivot at the edge of the table. Lift the table up and put the flat bar into a slot on the side of the trailer. Done, lift the table and the legs fall back next to the table. Only makes your table 1/2" wider.
retractable cable system: long tube that goes perpendicular to the table with a ferrule on the end; when collapsed, the cable sits inside the tube (no loop), when extended- the ferrule holds against the end of the square tube. benefit being, no loops, and you use the internal volume of the trailer box. should tuck itself neatly in that top square tube
A light spring mounted inside that pulls the cable as you raise the table. A simple stop on the cable would hold it in position. As long as the table weighs more than the springs can pull. Almost like assisted lift.
Weld a tab across the hinges
Then drill a hole, tap or weld a nut to it then put a bolt as an adjustable stop. Sleek and simple and out of the way.
You could use a steel strap with a hinge bolt in the middle as a hanger for your fold-down bench. It would hold itself in place once folded up. Nothing to go wrong - and cheap.
I would put 2 small arms (made of square tubbing ) between the table brackets that fold outwards. And when using the table, just fold the arms outwards and let the table rest on them. This way you have no cables and it will be stable because of the 2 arms. It is different from what everyone else is using, and I think it would integrate nicely with your build.
Small bungees to pull the cables inwards. Weld small tabs inboard for the bungees to hook onto.
Folding hinge out of flat stock will do the trick, It’s looking great!
For the side table.
Maybe use some hood struts to push it out and hold it up.
Or build a stop in the hinge.
Or both!
tailgate hinge, simple, reliable, always tucked in.
You could weld small diameter pipe inside front and back and spring load the cable inside the tube and create a stop on both cables/pipes that stops the table at desired level. Wouldn't take up any room inside the box and of course a roller for each right at the inlet to insure no cable wear.
Put a bumpstop each in front of and behind the fender. You really don't want anything above the table surface to catch pots or drinks as you turn around. You also don't want to listen to the squeaks and deal with scratches.
Get some short gas shocks for the table, you can get a light weight one so you arnt fighting it too much when you close it. But extended all the way it will be solid. When it's closed there's no loop to grab things