Rare Coleman Versa Trailer Full Repair
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2022
- Can I make it Road worthy once again? The classic car world loves these, especially the VW guys.
A few of the key tools I used in the video:
Knipex 10" pliers: amzn.to/3e4GClI
Dewalt 20v DIE GRINDER: amzn.to/3Cxu0wx
Milwaukee m12 R-Angle Die grinder: amzn.to/3CAw1IG
Makita 18v Angle Grinder: amzn.to/3EeP50c
RYOBI dual power 18v/120v Soldering station: amzn.to/3yhuCnG
Dielectric GREASE for all electrical connections: amzn.to/3M4EHKt
Miller MIG/TIG/STICK AC/DC machine I use: amzn.to/3rxnkZ4
TRAILER PARTS:
All sizes Tires: amzn.to/3yEjCRF
LIGHTS/wiring: amzn.to/3ygl9gp
Bearings: amzn.to/3CtkV75
After Thoughts about the Video: I thought they all came with the fiberglass or metal dome lid, but I guess it was just an option. You could also get it with wood tall sides that slide into the stake pockets or just plain like in the video. I think this one came with a fiberglass top originally though. These are built comparable to a unibody car and far superior to the Harbor Freight etc mini trailers. Having the front fold down helps immensely in loading and balancing loads.
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sixtyfiveford
sixtyfiveford/ - Навчання та стиль
Tell ya what Moe, your channel here on YT has progressively moved up to my favorite channel. Educational, entertaining, informative, and well produced content. Of course we must acknowledge that Ginger is runner up for the lead roll 😆👌 My dog Marley pays close attention whenever Ginger gets screen time ☺️ Your timing on this video couldn’t be better as I just bought a sweet older utility trailer that I’m going to restore. Great job on the little Coleman 👍👍
Awesome, thank you!
Honestly this guy I would vote for president no joke
I've owned a Versa Trailer for over 10 years. In the past used it for camping and have helped move my son with it. I still have the original plastic bubble (needs some TLC) and the wooden side rails. It's a nice little trailer!
You do really nice work, especially those fenders 👍. Ginger never fails to put a smile on my face 😀.
Hey Thanks.
Ginger rulz!
The exact comment that I was about's to leave! No need to type it out cause you already did, thx!😆
I had one I bought in the 90s for a couple hundred dollars and pulled it from Florida to Ohio then I think I gave it to a friend but it was a great little trailer. Thanks Mo
That's awesome
I always learn something on your videos! I particularly liked the info on the wheel bearings, I think I’ve been over tightening a little. Extra grounds was a nice tip as well. Great job Moe!
Hey thanks
I’m fixing a trailer coupler on an old boat trailer, I learned something today. I was going to cut the coupler off, now I don’t have to. THANK YOU!
I think the latch mechanism was around $15. The entire hitch isn't much more but a lot more work.
Moe, I just picked up a complete 1982 trailer for "free". My neighbor threw it out for bulk pick up. His grandkids knocked a hole in the top cover, not sure how to fix it. It also came with the trailer canvas. Thanks for the upload
Used to tow one of those full of camping gear (500-700 pounds; I took a lot of tools when camping) behind a '64 VW Bug. I totally wore out the joint where the tongue attaches under the trailer. I probably got 30,000 miles out of that little trailer. The funniest thing was watching a guy back this rig onto the Lake Michigan auto ferry. Now this guy backs up 40 or 50 strange (to him) rigs every day at fairly high speeds. He just couldn't keep from jackknifing this short-coupled rig four or five times before he got it loaded onto the ferry. He even put a dent in the back fender, but I never called him out on it because I had put a few dents there the same way myself.
Yea perfect that is just how those fenders looked. and they were brown. the trailer was tan. GREAT JOB...Finally got to watch the rest of the video.
I didnt think you were old enough to know they were like that.
Hey Thanks. Most originally has a flat plate/apron over the face of the fender but I think that looks off so I didn't make that part.
after many years of doing bearing races the way you did. I caved and bought the bearing race tool from harbor freight. glad I did now saves a lot of time and insures the race is all the way in the hole.
heck yea couldnt imagine not having one ten times faster
A few months ago I was researching trailer stuff and came across a comment you left on a fellow youtuber's video about the axle bearings...and allowing some clearance for expansion. I recently bought a used trailer, and tried to locate the comment without success. I was going to ask you to do a few videos on trailer axles, but looks like you read my mind.
You always graciously inspire.
Thank you for showing style and effort are a blast.
Seems like a simple conduit of sorts underneath would serve well to protect those wires.
What you had to say about the tightness on the spindle nut mirrors what an old veteran mechanic told me decades ago.
Nice work, always like your videos.
(The dog cracks me up every time!)
Neighbor gave me a trailer, very similar to yours, it was made from a bed frame, it works
We pull our little trailer behind the car a lot, so handy ! Great video ! 👍🙂
Man MOE.....I would love to have one of those again. We used one of those to haul up to 3 motorcycles pulling behind our old VW bus to go out riding. It took some serious abuse and we loved it....
That's awesome
Gordon here ,
Another video that was a real awesome little video to watch. I like the one of the tome-stone welder. You make them so well put that it makes me want to run out do more things but I already working to get ready for winter here in Canada . So keep up the good work. will wait 4 anther one soon I hope.
Yeah, it feels like winter's knocking at our door here pretty quick.
It reminds me of a small fold out camper we had, I thought your lights looked too big but then it looks ok with the fenders on. Nice job
I thought the same thing.
Great video. I too have proven the Timken bearing "axial setting versus life" chart to be very accurate. Life curve is very steep as you move into preload and nice a relatively gradual on the endplay side. I like to measure my hub Temps with an IR thermometer after about 30-50 miles at highway speed. I get nervous if hub temp is warmer than tire temp. I try to run 3-5 thou endplay so the seals work better and keep the grease from slinging too much as I also run bearing buddies to help keep water out on my boat trailers. I have also learned that genuine name brand bearings last longer than cheap no-name. Haven't measured, but experience indicates the cheap rollers and races are not hardened enough.
It's become such an ingrained habit of mine to put my hands on every single bearing hub every-time I take the trailers out.
I love the four wheeler I have a 1974 commuter three-wheeler got to love those old cool machines
Dude. Digging the long form nuts and bolts video man. Keep these up.
Hey thanks
AWSOME job as always my friend!!!
That auction haul is going to be quite a supply of video material well done.
I have used mulberry for hammer and tool handles for years. It's tough, dries hard and is free, being as it is the weed of trees. A big plus when a new handle costs as much or more than a new hammer. Everyone of my trailers have 14 ga, three wire orange extension cords for the tail light wiring for the reasons you mentioned. When they inevitably get damaged, I toss them in a box to use for rewiring trailers. I just ground out the lights to the frame, and run a ground wire from the trailer frame to the plug. The conductors in the cord run positive to the tail lights, turn signals and brake lights.
That's awesome. I've used mulberry before and it's hard.
Most impressive skill exhibited in today's video: Backing that little VERY short trailer up into that parking space.....I said to myself, "Now he's just showing off".....Mad skill on everything....I love the true practical knowledge this guy has....Knowledge that is gained only one way - By doing!!! Also love the Escort....I'm a Mazda guy and the Escort is mostly Mazda...And of course who could not love the sidekick....or maybe "Boss" would be more accurate, Ginger!!!!
Hey thanks. I did intentionally position the taillights high and at the corners so backing was easier.
Great job on those fenders. Better than factory.
Nice work, the cute little trailer looks like new.Well done!
Thank you very much!
Nice job and trailer. I have an old Alstate trailer box that was mounted on a goofy set up for pulling behind a lawn mower. I have been watching for a small trailer frame to mount the box on. Looks like I will have to build one myself.
I've owned a few Allstate trailers over the years. They go for a pretty penny all fixed up.
Love these resto- projects with welding old stuff and Ginger. Shes so freaking cute!
Ur right, those are sweet lil trailers but very difficult to find so i made my own with the wider wheels and tires. Tows better behind my mazda 3 than my ol 97 f350
Totally right about purple over tightening bearings/wheel hubs
That's a cool lil trailer. Good on ya for fixing that one!
Get some of that rubber stall matting from Tractor Supply for the deck of the trailer.Prevent damage and reduce noise
My father taught me about bearings a long time ago.. From replacing the races (with a brass drift) and slapping the bearing in a wad of grease in my palm until packed to DO NOT EVER TIGHTEN the damn nut along with an explanation of how tapered roller bearings "self adjust" when they wear... A few months back I replaced the wheel bearings on a "08 Chevy.. Very different.. I had to buy the entire hub assembly with "sealed for life" bearings..
I suggest getting color-matching paint for touch-ups.
Also, look for NOS parts and at other VersaTrailers for reference to restoring it back to original-condition.
Hey that's a neat trailer, you did a great job. And Ginger's no dummy either not wanting to get in there while you tow her 😄.
Once I found a box of large heavy duty plastic bags on the side of the road. They lasted a long time. And another time found a large roll of 2" wide electrical tape. I still have a little bit left on the roll. Those were two of my best side of the road finds.
That's awesome. Yeah my wife called me and said she hit a chunk of wire that fell off of guys truck. I then asked if she grabbed it and she said yes. Great wife that brings you home roadside gems.
So many things in one video.
Good job.
Thanks
Nice Job Moe . Well Done Job and It Should Last A Long Time ! Thanks For Tips Along the Way .
Thanks Wayne. Thanks for watching.
Old school bearing repair. Just the way I was taught. Neat little trailer. Ginger didn't trust that trailer ride but, had a blast on the 4-wheeler. Shhh...!
Yeah, Ginger won't ride in trailers but anything else is game. Maybe if I put an engine on the trailer......
I see you have a new animated horn for the 4-wheeler. 🤤 Ginger's bark would be a good deer deterrent to broadcast from a speaker, so you have to get a recording that you can play on dark backroads you may have to travel on. I haven't ever seen one of those trailers but The tilt feature alone would be good for offloading rock, dirt, or compost.
Nice job, I’ve refurbished a old trailer (danish made) from the 80’s converted from wood to alloy body.. greetings to Ginger 🐶
Thanks 👍
I can totally see this trailer being behind the VW Diesel Truck and looking like a match made in Detroit (or Germany or, well...lol, where ever the Coleman was made. Excellent work but even better are the tips you give us all along the journey. As always, great to see and hear from you my Friend! Cheers Moe! Zip~
Hey thanks. I need to make a hitch for the VW as it has nothing.
Yes. In the 1970s my parents bought a used Coleman tent/camper trailer, gutted the tent out of it and the remaining trailer looked very similar to the one you restored. And they pulled it with their 1975 VW Rabbit, whick is a MK 1 chassis, just like the VW Rabbit pick up. They drove it acceoss country, did great. They bought a trailer hitch made specifically for the VW Rabbit; the brackets mounted to the bottom of the spare tire well and rear bumper. I think they purchased it from the VW dealer, so the proper hitch is out there, if you can locate one.
Nice little trailer. Should be pretty handy..
Nice job! I like the way you painted in the neat slot repair to match and made the mudguards look period. Somebody else might have painted the whole trailer and spolied the look of it.
Hey thanks.
I'm picking up a 4x4 cnc plasma table here next week or so. This would be a great little trailer to take instead of my 20ft car hauler
So cool!
So much you can do with those great score !
Nice work dude!
thumbs up for the proper use of dialectic grease. I dont usually use it on soldered joints though. never had them fail. So many people use it to get a better connection....It doesn't do that!. it lubes and resists electrical connection. perfect for not wanting to transfer electricity to something else. For use around the outer edge of a electrical connector to prevent water from getting in there. or spark plug wire so you can remove the boot from an old plug. if you want a better connection home depot has electrical contact cleaner. and electrical contact lubricant. which improves electrical contacts and resists corrosion.
The biggest thing it does is prevent galvanic corrosion/ oxidation from tracking down the wires. I come across copper wire where the entire length inside the jacketing is oxidized. I think this can be prevented with dielectric at both ends.
I have this exact one sitting near my shop. Waiting to see if i ever need to use it.
Thank you for that tightening info!
Hey AMY! Always great to get a comment from you.
100% agree with small car with trailer. I have a Prius C and pull a 4x8 trailer.
That's awesome
Dude you got a virtual old world hardware store…got everything
That 4 wheeler is a classic.
A trick I learned is cut a slice through the old bearing race before using it to drive the new race makes it look more like a circlip if that makes sense means it doesn’t get jammed in there and you can pull it back out by hand
True
Cool vid lots of good info
I was given a free trailer, most likely a Harbor Freight single axle trailer 5 years ago. It was tilted up on it side so one of the side was seized up. Somehow I ended up getting it unseized. I didn't even have a way to get it towed home so I had to wait on a friend. I think I ended up selling it for $200 with no title, also had to rework the light wiring but that was that. Couldn't find a vin number on it anywhere but the paint was crusty as well.
Yea... Puddin's fab shop has the Towrolla utility vehicle. He uses the hell outta that thing.
Great job
Nice work.
You sir are destined for farm/ranch life. Imagine all that land out there, calling your name, waiting to have loads of crap put on it to store your treasures. 😁
I had a friend awhile back clue me in to Spoby connectors (kind of a modern copy of the WWII flux in a tube doohickey), and while I like the idea, they're finicky to get just right on little, tiny wires without torching the shielding. I'd imagine they'd be great on house-size stuff where getting a soldering iron into little nooks is a pain.
Yeah, I need just a little bit more space.
I always solder the ground to the frame, on the tow vehicle and the trailer at each light. Regular plumbing flux and a butane torch works really well on the steel sheet metal, just grind down to bare steel in a nickel sized spot and wet in the solder. You can either drill and mount right to the solder since it won't rust or go ahead and solder in a wire. Once you do this you won't have trouble with your lights working for years...unless the cheap plugs corrode away
Plumbing flux is way too acidic to use on automotive grade copper wiring. Just use a crimp on ring terminal and a good set of crimpers
Any sort of crimp on terminals, even ring terminals will fail in short time on a trailer. I always coil the wire itself to make its own ring terminal and solder it. I refuse to use crimp on terminals unless they're being used internally in a vehicle out of the weather. As far as soldering wire directly to the trailer, that's a great idea and I have done that in the past and honestly it kind of forgotten about it. I take the wire from the trailer connector all the way back to the tail lights and from there I connect it to the frame if I have marker lights. However, most the time if I have marker lights, I run their own ground directly to the trailer connector wire as well. So virtually nothing is grounded to the frame as is always the source of failure.
Plumbing flux/ acid flux isn't as bad as people make it out to be. They categorize two different types of fluxes: acid flux is referred to as clean away flux and versus no clean flux (rosin, organic etc). So simply using water and wiping away the flux after you solder it has no negative effects. You'll find using rosin flux on even mildly oxidized copper won't work and you need to use acid flux to get good penetration/bond. Simply wash it away with water, carb cleaner, brake clean, rubbing alcohol and you're good to go.
I use this same trailer behind a four wheeler all the time
Nice job. Small trailers are super useful. Can throw a Pond Prowler boat on it and go fishing 🙂
I read a lot of people complaining about the grease in the Harbor Freight trailer hubs leading to bearing failures, but I think they were tightening the nut too tight. I feel compelled to go check mine after watching just to make sure mine are loose enough.
I was just working on a small HF trailer yesterday and the grease is pretty low quality in them. However, one side was tightened good and the other was too tight. So it's a good thing to check.
@@sixtyfiveford I checked mine, re-tightened and then backed them out like you showed. They seem to be good.
Good idea having the front wall fold down too, tho the side walls require a little more reinforcement.
They're a little wobbly with the back and front open at the same time, but if one tailgate is closed they are pretty strong.
great project
Hey Thanks.
I picked up one of these Coleman trailers 16 years ago, complete. Has just been sitting out back because I have two other full size trailers. Wonder how much it would sell for in good shape everything working?
Like that tilt feature You could make a tent for the trailer and pull the trailer with the 4 x4 out in the woods when you go camping
Absolutely
I have an original Versa Trailer purchased from Montgomery Ward Catalog. The tail lights were obnoxiously mounted on an Isosceles shaped frame which protruded such that they were a constant source of impact. Your fabricated fenders are substantially more solid that the originals which has a valence which encumbers wheel R&R. That drop down tongue needed to monitored and greased periodically to prevent seizing. Overall, yours appears in quite good condition and not to have had much road use.
Yeah I noticed looking at photos that the fenders had coverings. To me that looks not quite right so I left them off and decided not to fabricate that part.
Im coming to your place if a mad max scenario ever happens.
Hey, for your soldering - get some Solderlene flux! It's not an acid flux and works much better than rosin flux alone. Just apply to (clean/bright) wires to be soldered, then you can simply melt a blob of solder onto the soldering iron tip (not condoned in solder school😦) and apply to the wiring. Isopropyl alcohol cleanup, shrink sleve, DONE!
I'll have to give a bottle a try. I have probably 10 different fluxes and generally go for a Kester Organic flux for electronics, if it's clean copper. However that is not always the case and I have to use Acid flux to cut through the oxidation. Acid flux just requires water, alcohol or similar cleanup. I think in the video I was using a 40+ year old dried up flux roll of solder.
Cool trailer! Lol, it's got my name on the side 👍
I guess it was the dealership this was bought at. It's a great looking decal.
Nice work, would like to see you wears some safety glasses when using grinder though!
Cheers
I think I had a mini heart attack watching you use spray paint inside your garage right next to open toolbox drawers. I would be worried about getting over spray on everything.
Good idea scoring the sheet metal to bend it easier by hand. I had to do that years ago with some 14ga steel wall panels. The engineers made them about 2 inches too wide. Rather than send them back to the shop to be remade, I cut them down to size with a Metabo and scored the new brake line and broke the new flange with a pair of tongs.
These are great little trailers. Great job
MM77 Approved 👍🏼👍🏼
Ginger steals the show every time. You did pretty good too.
Good fix on a Good product, Ginger with her Wilson brand pacifier and YAAY Snapper mowers! GBWYall!
That's one of the last Snapper mowers made(2001) and the neighbor just gave it to me. It is burning some oil but they are built like tanks.
@@sixtyfiveford I've owned 4 so far and ALL would make bulldozers ashamed of themselves. I had one that had a 5-horse Briggs aluminum deck and a 3 1/2 horse that had a REVERSE on it and now have an 85 model with a 4-horse briggs and a Ninja non-mulcher with a Kawasaki from a dead Deere mower. They are unbeatable and the drives are simple and tough. They were too tough for this throw away ags. BLESSINGS 2 yall!
@@sixtyfiveford And I run Delo 15/40 because it is such a good oil. If it'll stand a diesel it'll sure stand a Briggs and Brian Bloc bcbloc02 says that it and Deere oil are the only two with a flat tappet additive.
Ginger the Wonder Dog. Learned some things about wheel bearings. Better check my trailer. When the wheels are equipped with greas zerks...how often should they be greased, and how much?
The grease is generally good for in excess of 10,000miles but not if it is overheated from ever tightened axle nuts. Trailer hubs are the same thing you would find on an older two wheel drive truck that goes 50,000+ before needing regrease. Most trailers sit forever and mileage isn't really a thing. My main trailer was last greased probably 8 years ago and gets used 10times a year(200-400miles/yr). Everytime I stop I check hub temps to make sure they're cold. However the Grease-able hub where the zerk is fixed to the axle shaft is effortless to do and I would likely do it once every other year or so. You could honestly just regrease everytime you changed tires.
So many great ideas! Maybe now I create b a l l s enough to rebuild a similar junk, requested by some relatives. 😁
You're the man.
24:00 city of Taylorsville 6200s Bangerter 🤣 i drive through that intersection 6 days a week 🤫
I HAVE THE SAME ONE WHERE DID YOU GET ALL THEN PARTS TIRE SPECS AND BEARINGS.. HELP.. ❤
Nice refurbish job Moe.
I've rebuilt a few small trailers over the years, too. I really like the double ground wire trick on those marker lights. Grounding always seems to be the downfall of trailer wiring.
I have to wonder if those tires would have become the same size once installed and brought up to full pressure? But once mounted, you couldn't return them if they were still mismatched.
I thought the same thing but I squished them both flat/sideways to simulate tire pressure and one was definitely smaller. You could tell they were cast in different molds from the inside.
You definitely have the trailer lights on hand 😂
I was just in the market for mini trailers in the Salt Lake City area, I think I saw this on KSL? ☺️
I bought this one a few months ago from an estate auction. They do pop up from time to time on KSL.
Cool fix Man. Sweet lil trailer. Do you have a vid someplace about putting a hitch on a car? I can't remember one and I've followed you for years.
I never did do a video. It might have been as far back as 2005 that I did it.
Awesome! Lol. Thanks for sharing.
Wires should be in-line when twisting together , eliminates a big bulge in the heat shrink , also allowing for smaller heat shrink tubing
Only if you care about looks of something no one else will see.
Fantastic job as usual. I’d be interested in your honest opinion on a welder set up for the average joe. A man who will only weld once a year if that. Something reasonably priced that can sit on the shelf of a homeowner until that day it’s needed. A welder he can not only learn on but just keep right on using for the rest of his life within reason. I wanted to add the said homeowner has no idea what he is going to weld, he can’t answer that question until it’s broken 😂
A 120 AC powered Lincoln wire welder using flux core.
You can't go wrong with a used Lincoln Weld Pak Wire feed welder. No gas required, no 220v required and super easy to learn to weld with. Watch classified and you can find them for under $100 from time to time but average sub $200. You can pick up new wire feed welders like the Harbor Freight ones but they are very crude and make learning to weld more difficult. The Lincolns are bullet proof and can sit on the shelf for years and still work great.
Nice little trailer and you used the stick welder.
I figured it needed some use.
He seems to be using the welder he recently fixed up also.
If you run a weld bead all the way around the inside of the old bearing race it will shrink enough that it won’t get stuck when you use it to install the new race
That would be a waste of time considering he has a lathe... but it's the thought that counts. 👍🏻👨🏻🔧🇺🇸
- Max Giganteum
Gotta love Ginger !
Gotta love Tater-Tot.
Really nice little trailer wonder what they are worth
You skipped over the hardest part...how did you find the angles to make your pie cuts exact on those fenders?? Super impressed with your work man!! -fellow utahn (northern, up by lagoon!), and tinkerer!
They just happened to be exact 45° angles. So I just sharpied them on and eyeballed the cut.
That's awesome to see other Utahns watching my videos.
Fenders look factory! I'm sure that would have ended up at a scrap yard if you hadn't saved it. Great job.
Thanks
Can you even buy a trailer like that anymore? I like the U-Haul clam ones but I understand you can't buy them.
I also always heard to use extension cords and not solid core as the vibration will break the wires.
Good stuff!
You really can't buy anything like this anymore. I think that's mainly due to the fact that car manufacturers no longer "recommend" towing with any cars anymore. They call it "The great US anti-towing car conspiracy" . Essentially, the same cars that are listed to tow 2,000 lb in Europe when sold in the US say not recommended for towing. It's thought to be 100% to drive the sales of the higher profit margin pickup trucks SUVs. So a trailer this small kind of looks silly behind a full size truck when you can tow so much bigger.
I have one of those trailers and noticed something odd about the leaf springs on it ,there are no shackles on them . that makes the springs kind of useless as there is no room to expand them it makes for a rough ride ,did you notice that?
They're slipper springs. The front is connected to the frame and the back is just captured and allowed to move forward/backwards in a pocket. This is pretty common on trailers