- Joined
- May 15, 2020
- Messages
- 2,472
- Reaction score
- 4,051
- Points
- 113
- Age
- 69
- Location
- Atlanta
- Vehicle Year
- 1997 1987
- Make / Model
- Ranger XLT x2
- Engine Type
- 4.0 V6
- Engine Size
- 4.0 & 2.9
- Transmission
- Manual
- 2WD / 4WD
- 4WD
- Total Lift
- 97 stock, 3” on 87
- Total Drop
- N/A
- Tire Size
- 235/75-15
- My credo
- Never put off ‘til tomorrow what you can put off indefinitely
A/k/a ‘Raith Party Cart, Rick’s Road ‘Raith, Road ‘Raith Kasket Kitchen, etc.
I know, I know, it’s spelled “wraith.” I’m dropping the W so it will fit in with the whole Rick’s and Ranger everything theme..
Like everybody here (don’t deny it) I always wanted a trailer made out of a casket, just ‘cuz it’s crazy and cool. The original thoughts were just spare room for luggage, tools or a cooler or who knows what. I actually bought a $200 fiberglass casket about 20 years ago, but before I could do anything with it, a guy down the road had to have it much more than I needed it, so I took the profit.
Then I got into Rangers and met you guys.
I like fabbing stuff, and in my retirement, I have the time and I have the funds, although I always do everything super cheap. My vision expanded to making a Casket Trailer that was half cooler and half storage box. After putting together The Road Ranger, I was inspired to make this trailer with a double axle and matching Ranger wheels. Like, always, with the vision only in my head, I added some things to my six or seven time a day craigslist/marketplace sweep. This “shopping” expanded the scope, and has helped me zero in on the design.
THE DESIGN: the concept expanded to having the casket as a cooler and a storage locker, but also adding a gas grill, so you have everything you need to cook out and have a party. The Missing Linc is the obvious tow choice, so the decorative design will follow that.
Since all of this junk is more for show than it is for functionality, I also had the thought of being able to carry the ‘Raith on top of The Road Ranger. For size, before I had the idea of adding the gas grille, the whole thing would’ve fit on the main deck of the step trailer. Even with the grille it would have fit there. Then I lucked up on a little barber chair. With the expanded design, the tongue of the ‘Raith will actually extend over the upper deck of the step trailer. It was the last critical design item.
Here’s The Road Ranger trailer plus or minus:
Here’s how I envision the ‘Raith sitting on top of it:
Both trailers are sitting on 185/65/14 tires and 2,000# axles, 1,250# springs. The step trailer deck is raised up about seven or 8 inches above the spring mounts. I don’t want to do that on the ‘Raith, I want it as low as possible for easy access.
The bottom of the ‘Raith frame would be 15 inches off the ground if I don’t modify the spring hangers or frame. Coincidentally the upper deck of the step trailer is 15 inches higher than the main deck. I’m planning on adding 2 inches to the ride height to allow for motion with the ‘Raith bouncing around on top of the step trailer.
ALL THE BASIC MATERIALS: here’s what I have accumulated so far.
A mechanical contractor who used to work for me does a lot with Aluminum projects. He replaced the 20 foot diameter satellite dishes on top of the Cox broadcasting building here in Atlanta. Part of the frame were 4” x 6” x 22’ long aluminum channel beams, basically two 4” x 1 1/2” channels back to back with a 3” spacers. I got the four of them for a couple hundred bucks. I plan to slice the channels free and use them for the frame, and use the pieces in the middle for brackets or whatever..
I plan on cutting some 4 inch long pieces of the channel, and then splitting them down the middle to make them like an angle iron. I will drill and tap them, and they will be the brackets that hold the length and transverse pieces of channel together. Might sound silly, but I’ll also bond them with gorilla glue. I also have a good assortment of other aluminum angle, smaller channel, tubing, etc. to make the little parts. I bought a bunch of stainless steel bolts at retail, it almost killed me.
I had already accumulated several spare axles and a bunch of springs. I’m going to tandem two 2000 pound axles on 1250 pound springs. I’ll bolt steel hangers that I bought right through the aluminum flange. I’ll probably custom fab the hangers to get that two inches of ride height.
I have also scavenged a whole bunch of 14” bullet hole wheels and also five 14 inch steelies that I have already painted to match The Missing Linc. I’ll use the steelies when I pull it with The Missing Linc, and I’ll use the bullet holes when I pull it with The Road Ranger or Big Red (F250). Think about it, this is going to be a cool contraption, and I am that anal that I would change the wheels. Think of the kind of parties this thing will be in the middle of….
I’m sure everybody knows the best time to buy a used casket is in the weeks right after Halloween, so I went hunting. I lucked out big time.
A bottling company up in South Carolina bought a top-of-the-line casket 15 years ago, took it to a professional commercial kitchen fabricator, gutted it, and installed an insulated galvanized tub with a drain. They even insulated the lid. They spent something like 12 or $13,000 on this thing. The very well-known parent company based in Atlanta got wind of it this year, and didn’t say no, they said hell no get rid of it. I picked it up for $350.
Before I was convinced on adding the gas grill, while I was still conceptualizing and shopping craigslist, I ran up on a $2500 Jenn Air gas grill for $80. It is the Rolls-Royce of gas grills, and one of the older ones that’s built like a brick outhouse, not the new flimsy ones. I have to get a new grill and a couple burners, otherwise it’s ready to go. It also came with several propane tanks, two of them still with propane.
A light touch with a Brillo pad, and this thing will shine like new!
I also have a fetish for diamond plate, and it’s one of the things I’m always scanning for on craigslist. Over the last few years, I picked up four or five pick up truck bed boxes, and I picked up a trailer tongue box. I cut up the boxes for the diamond plate. I have one now with a full lid that I will remove and split down the center and make the fenders over the dual axle tires. I’m hoping to put the tongue box in the tongue of this trailer, but I think I will have to section it vertically.
When you do socially important projects like this, sometimes the Lord is just looking out for you. When I was scanning Craigslist, I found a FREE little BARBER CHAIR. It’s like brand new except the vinyl is split. I had been racking my brain how I was going to complete such an important project without the appropriate size barber chair.
I’m planning on modifying the arms with drink holders, some kind of diamond tuck and flames upholstery, and a control panel for the various electronics that will be included in the project. That’s still a little fuzzy in my head.
THE PLAN: I’m just finishing up on some improvements I made to The Road Ranger and trailer. I needed a piece of the 4 inch channel for that, so I started working with those beams. All the aluminum can be worked with woodworking tools if you’re careful, and I already learned a lot just cutting out a 5 foot piece.
The channels for the frame will sit with the open side out. That is so when I put my marker lights and whatever in that channel, it won’t get knocked off by accident. That also leaves me the flat surface on the inside side to bolt to the crossmembers. I plan on using the four-inch channel for them as well.
I’m going to start with the main rails several feet longer than I need. I’ll use my drops to make the angle brackets. I’m going to start from the rear, and the first crossmember will also have the open side facing backwards for protected tail lights. There will be a crossmember at each of the spring mounting points.
Instead of sitting the gas grill on top of the deck, it will extend down below the deck. I don’t want it rising up too far over the casket. I may section the vertical part that holds the propane bottles. So there will be an aluminum crosspiece in the front and in the back of the gas grill to hold it firmly in place, and conceal the propane bottles.
The barber chair will be sitting approximately where the main rails taper in to form the tongue. My plan is to notch the 4 inch channels down to the web, a notch about an inch wide. I will install a crossmember right at the beginning of that notch. I also have a bunch of three-quarter inch threaded rods in the shed of miracles. I’m going to temporarily or permanently put one in across the main frame, to hold the sides square while I bend in the two pieces for the tongue, with the bend being at the notch. If I can’t bend them by hand, I will use the same threaded rod at a couple points in front of the angle spot, and just crank them together.
My plan is to bend those two pieces in where the angle exactly matches the angles of the tongue box I have. I have a very heavy piece of folded steel that I will bolt to the ends of the channel that will hold the lunette riser and the lunette ring.
There are a lot of smaller details like the tongue jack that I haven’t figured out yet, that will make sense when I get there. I do plan on installing a removable or fold up little tiny axle to hold a couple of small bicycle tires, for the purpose of pulling the ‘Raith up onto the step trailer.
On the tail, I plan to make a short extension to hold the spare tire like a continental kit on an old Lincoln.
I already cut a few pieces of the aluminum while I was working on the step trailer. I also started to disassemble the casket. I have to take the tank out to access how ever the handles are attached. Then I’ll paint the box, I may or may not paint the handles, and then reassemble it. I plan on installing two watertight baffles in the tank so I can use 1/3, 2/3, or the whole thing to hold ice and drinks.
I also need to flip it over before I paint it, to make sure the bottom is sealed up and sound.
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