This is the axle donor. Apparently, everything after '97 is coil-sprung/IRS.

This one had the same axle, but others of the same year range have a smaller lug pattern, so pay close attention. Later ones have coils &/or IRS.

I chose this donor because the brackets are designed to mount to a nearly-flat surface. Only the rear bracket mounts to a slightly higher (but parallel) pad. Note that the "rail" in the body is inset from the spring pads, allowing tire clearance there. I ended up using wheel spacers.

I chose to abandon the panhard bar.

This cost less than $100, which is less than a cheap trailer axle alone. This one includes brakes, springs, bolts, hubs, shocks...

Just measurements taken during the planning stage.

Just measurements taken during the planning stage.

I chose this axle for its deep drop. The lack of ground clearance doesn't matter since the cross tube is so robust. I also have the option of surge brakes, and a single or dual handbrakes.

The shocks hang slightly lower than the drums, which is perfect - they're expendable, so they'll protect the drums if I lose a wheel.

This axle has the common 5-on-4.5" lug circle, but the larger 2.8" hub stickout, so rims should be easy to find, and cheap. It would also be easy to find adapters so I could run rims with the same pattern as my truck.

Just measurements taken during the planning stage.

Just measurements taken during the planning stage.

While checking the fit without the brackets, I found the front bolts seized in their bushings. This ball joint press made short work of removing them.

An air impact is the WRONG tool to drive any press, but I had it on the lowest setting, with only ~50psi, and I didn't let it get up to full speed or even a full squeeze on the trigger.

See the NEXT few pics...

While checking the fit without the brackets, I found the front bolts seized in the bushings. This ball joint press made short work of removing them, but it took an air hammer drift to push the bolts all the way through.

An air impact is the WRONG tool to drive any press, but I had it on the lowest setting, with only ~50psi, and I didn't let it get up to full speed or even a full squeeze on the trigger.

See the NEXT pic...

Small wonder they were seized - I doubt any amount of hammering would have removed them. Certainly not without any damage, as this technique did. After a little wire brushing, thread dressing, & anti-sieze, they went back in perfectly.

Just checking - nothing is drilled or bolted yet.

Just checking - nothing is drilled or bolted yet.

Just checking - nothing is drilled or bolted yet.

Just checking - nothing is drilled or bolted yet.

Just checking - nothing is drilled or bolted yet.

Eventually, I settled on this orientation: the front brackets bolted to the web of the I-beam, and the rear shackles bolted thru the flanges - no rear brackets. This results in the spring being in almost the same position relative to the beam as it was to the van's structure, so the shocks should work perfectly, and bumpstops will be easy.

I'll probably reinforce the holes thru the flanges, but this is good enough to get it rolling.

The gap is almost exactly 3/4", so I'll use plywood for the deck.

To prep it for welding, the frame is strapped together.

A carbide-tipped rip blade works surprisingly well on Aluminum. Even thick stuff.

The floor joists are a snug fit.

I've tacked the tongue together, and it's pinned to the leaf spring brackets so the deck can tilt.

The tongue is long enough that the frame clears a fullsize truck bumper, and the jack is back enough to clear a fullsize tailgate.

The single L e-brake cable has been swapped for a 2-piece R so they match. I'll cut the tubular guides so they're ~45° instead of 90, and then bolt them to tabs on the tongue. I haven't decided on the brake handle yet.

27.5" should be just enough room between the front 2 floor joists for a hidden spare tire.

I borrowed a Lincoln wire-feed and burned the tongue together. It's certainly not professional-quality welding, but I'm not putting bulldozers on this trailer, and it will be redundantly attached while towing.

I finally came up with an idea for the the e-brake cable brackets that eliminates one set of tubes, and doesn't need any extra bolts or welding to the trailer.

The cable easily clears the tire, and will have even more room after I add the 2" wheel spacers.

There's a tab behind the spring backet that prevents it from rotating on the single bolt.

The tongue tilts on the front spring brackets. The center of the deck is very slightly forward of the axle so it always has a tendency to fall forward onto the tongue.

The tongue tilts on the front spring brackets. The center of the deck is very slightly forward of the axle so it always has a tendency to fall forward onto the tongue.

The tongue tilts on the front spring brackets. The center of the deck is very slightly forward of the axle so it always has a tendency to fall forward onto the tongue.

This is the first time I've actually fitted everything at once. The shock mounts will have to move down.

The slot on the other side was too high - the bolt hit the frame. So I swapped the tubes & cut the slots at the bottoms.

The ammo can will hold straps, spare lug nuts, tire chocks (etc.), and the lug wrench stows neatly beside it. Everything will be hidden & secured by the locking pin in the tilt catch.

2-inch spacers are just what it needed to clear the frame.

These spacers came from eBay. They're not listed for a '97 Caravan because the lug threads are different. But they work fine with the Caravan lug nuts holding the spacers to the hubs, and the spacer lug nuts holding the wheels on the spacers.

I finally found some junkyard lift struts that would fit & work to hold the deck tilted, and installed them.

I finally found some junkyard lift struts that would fit & work, and installed them. To keep them from hanging too low, I had to use 3. They're just strong enough to hold the empty trailer tilted.

I finally found some junkyard lift struts that would fit & work to hold the deck tilted, and installed them. To keep them from hanging too low, I had to use 3. But they don't interfere with accessing the spare tray.

The little angle iron at the split transfers some of the pulling load directly from the tongue tube to the deck frame.

To keep the pin from ever going missing, I cabled it to the trailer.

Cables on the front of the spare tray will keep it from sagging, or the spare from sliding too far forward, and they fall out of the way when the trailer is tilted.

In addition to locking the tilt, the pin also locks the ammo can, the spare, & the lug wrench. It also transfers some of the pulling load from the tongue tube directly to the deck frame.

These little covers should be enough to keep me legal, and they're just strong enough for me to sit on, though I don't plan to ever put any weight on them.

These little wheel covers should be enough to keep me legal, and they're just strong enough for me to sit on, though I don't plan to ever put any weight on them.

The fiberglass reflective whips make the trailer visible behind most trucks. Without them, it disappears even behind my Bronco.

The stake pockets are spaced the same, so these rails fit in any position.

The fiberglass reflective whips make the trailer visible behind most trucks. Without them, it disappears even behind my Bronco.

I still haven't figured out the e-brake handle.