Bought a 36' 5th wheel for 400$, pretty big DIY project

I was wondering why everything was looking so typical to me, then I notice you're from Duluth. I'm guessing "da range", those guys are pretty handy and very inventive.

Only thing to think about is the weight. You're adding much more than it was. The axles and tires may not be up to the load depending on how close it was when it rolled off the line in the beginning. Spend a little time doing the math before sinking a ton of money into more heavy materials.