Cool little trail trailer

[Greg]

I saw this trailer earlier this year, thought it was a neat design. This pic was taken in Rabbit Valley, on the start of the Kokopelli trail. I would imagine it's a custom build, with small truck tool boxes mounted back to back. It should probably be pretty light and have some good storage room for all the camping gear on a multiple-day trip using a smaller 4x4.

Here's the pic-

I had a similar idea, but using 2 long truck bed boxes, mounted lengthwise, side to side. My hangup was mounting a RTT to it and still having access to the boxes.

Anyway, I thought this was a cool build and figured it might give someone else some ideas.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

You thinking more along the lines of this?

 

[erocrocks]

thats really cool idea to use the boxes, nice

 

[Greg]

You thinking more along the lines of this?

Exactly, build a strong frame and bolt on 2 sealed, lockable toolboxes. I think something like that would make a great trail trailer, but I'd want to have my RTT mounted on top. Having the doors open upwards will cause problems. That's my big hangup... you could rotate the boxes and have the doors open outwards, but I don't know how secure items in the boxes would stay.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Exactly, build a strong frame and bolt on 2 sealed, lockable toolboxes. I think something like that would make a great trail trailer, but I'd want to have my RTT mounted on top. Having the doors open upwards will cause problems. That's my big hangup... you could rotate the boxes and have the doors open outwards, but I don't know how secure items in the boxes would stay.

I just don't know how much real storage value you would get out of it?

Where I can see something like that really working ideally is for say a 4-seater buggy that is going camping for a weekend up AF Canyon or the Rubicon. Short even trips, even just an overnighter with a big family and a finite amount of space in the rig. Really light and could even be parked upright on the trailer if the rig is towed to the trailhead. I know with my trailer I'm already feeling cramped and wished it were bigger... its a sad state of mentality but when your going for 4+ days you just feel like you need to pack so much? I'm even more guilty in that I often care things most don't care too, ie a Pull-Pall, a welder, lots of water, etc. I guess I figure if your already towing a trailer, you might as well bring whatever you want, an extra hundred or five hundred pounds is pretty moot at that point? I really need to sit down and re-evaluate all my needs, at least for now my current trailer is the limiting factor with how much crap I can drag along with me

 

[Greg]

I just don't know how much real storage value you would get out of it?

Where I can see something like that really working ideally is for say a 4-seater buggy that is going camping for a weekend up AF Canyon or the Rubicon. Short even trips, even just an overnighter with a big family and a finite amount of space in the rig. Really light and could even be parked upright on the trailer if the rig is towed to the trailhead. I know with my trailer I'm already feeling cramped and wished it were bigger... its a sad state of mentality but when your going for 4+ days you just feel like you need to pack so much? I'm even more guilty in that I often care things most don't care too, ie a Pull-Pall, a welder, lots of water, etc. I guess I figure if your already towing a trailer, you might as well bring whatever you want, an extra hundred or five hundred pounds is pretty moot at that point? I really need to sit down and re-evaluate all my needs, at least for now my current trailer is the limiting factor with how much crap I can drag along with me

Yeah, I hear ya. I know our big Landcrusier fills up real quick for a weekend trip for both of us and the dog. From this standpoint it seems like anything that you could get outside of the vehicle and into a trailer would free up lots of room. Ideally I would fab up a 4'x6' trailer that was at least 24" deep. Have dedicated space for a water tank, propane mount, etc. Have the RTT on the trailer, so it was off the roof of the 4x4.

I could see how having a big trailer would create a temptation to bring way more additional stuff than is actually needed. Perhaps keeping it small isn't such a bad idea...

 

[SAMI]

I've been tinkering with ideas for a month or so... What about two of these facing outward on each side of the trailer

Assembled Width (In Inches) : 72 In.
Assembled Depth (In Inches) : 12 In.
Assembled Height (In Inches) : 22.5 In.
Assembled Weight (In LBS) : 56

Then one of these in the middle..

� Height: 6-5/8"
� Length: 48-7/8"
� Width: 24"
� Capacity: Each drawer will support up to 75 pound working load

Then you could have your RTT mounted to some type of frame system without interfering with lids opening... The frame system could utilize pins to lower/raise the RTT depending on what you stow below it.

You could mount your propane on top of the drawers, between the storage lockers.. kind of like small bed area.. You could even make a water tank to mount underneath the sliding drawers so it's out of the way..

 

[notajeep]

Thats a really good idea.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

...

That is a slick looking setup Jason, other than I'm a huge fan of the beam tongue for jacking purposes. These are actually some of the most functional trailers I've seen as far as storage: http://www.outlandertrailers.com/

I guess the needs of each user will dictate the type and of course size of storage they need... but for me, I need less small spaces (like drawers and cabinets) and more big volume areas. The biggest space killers are camp chairs, tables, sleeping bags, pull-pals, fuel and water tanks. None of which would fit into any of that pre-defined storage. Make sense?

So I load up my FJ40 with just the freezer fridge in the back if we are taking the dog. Everything else besides small gear, maybe a recovery bag, etc needs to go in the trailer. 4 Scepter cans, a cooler of dry food, 2 sleeping bags, 2 gear bags, 2 camp chairs and maybe some firewood. The small stuff is negligible really.

Its funny I was just talking to Brad L about his trailer yesterday, he built a killer setup, 100% from scratch to tow behind his Jeep. Its big yet nimble. With a family of 4 he mentioned that they too were still stuffing things back in the Jeep that they couldn't fit in the trailer lol. I guess the moral of the story is that you'll always have 10% more gear than you have room for. When I was dating my now wife ~10 years ago I had an 87' Samurai. We were heading up camping that weekend (AF Canyon). Amazingly we had Ramirez, my wife and myself... plus all our camping gear and food in the Samurai and I don't really remember being all that cramped. Now my wife is lucky to have a place for her feet, meanwhile the dog has an entire back seat

 

[SAMI]

You've certainly adapted/molded your storage/trailer style into several large military boxes, so the setup above wouldn't quite work for your style. I thought about that as I was sketching it.

Like anything else, it'd be a matter of starting to build what you think you want, then refine and change as you realize what you actually need.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

You've certainly adapted/molded your storage/trailer style into several large military boxes, so the setup above wouldn't quite work for your style. I thought about that as I was sketching it.

Actually the big boxes don't even get used that much in my trailer, mostly in my Tacoma on or in the back of the 40 on rollin solo trips. Normally I use a rack cargo bag inside of the trailer just to keep things dry and dust free. But think about your bin sizes, it would be a pretty tight squeeze to fit things like sleeping bags, clothes and camp chairs in drawers or cabinets... if you could do it though, it would be super clean and organized. However the day I get Candace to pack a bag that fits into a 12" deep space

The thing I like most about the Outlander style trailers versus a traditional box/bed & lid is the ability to load 100% of your goods while the tent is deployed. I can technically open and close my trailer with the tent open, its less than ideal but I do it often. It couldn't be done with a person inside though. I actually bought a big Delta drawer much like the one you have pictured above, thought I could incorporate it on my trailer or Tacoma. If anyone has a use for it I would gladly pass it on for what I paid for it. I want to say I paid $100 for it, I'd sell it for $50 actually. It just a single drawer, maybe 14" wide, 10" tall and 5' long?

Come to think of it, somehow integrating one of these tanks into your build would be cool. Then again I've strayed from the complicity of having on-board fuel and would much more prefer on-board water instead (still have a poly tank for my trailer lol)

 

[mbryson]

Here's Ian's build. I like quite a few aspects of his.

http://www.redjeepclub.com/tech/offroadtrailer/offroadtrailer.php

 

[SAMI]

Ah you're right Kurt. I guess it's been awhile since I've been on a trip when you had the trailer in tow... Woulda been Blue Notch I bet...

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Ah you're right Kurt. I guess it's been awhile since I've been on a trip when you had the trailer in tow... Wouldn't been Blue Notch I bet...

Which is almost embarrassing to think that I was rolling solo and still drug the trailer down just to bring 4-5 days worth of gear LOL. But if you need it I have it, from spare shafts to the pie iron. To those that do a similar trip, with a family and all the gear they need to have an enjoyable weekend, I envy you... ie the Passey's, whom absolutely stunned me at each stop of the Relic Run. 2 adults, 2 children and the dog in a single 4x4 and I'll tell you what I never once heard them complaining about the size

I should add that part of my original discussion on a trailer was just to have a 'ready to go' setup ready to bail in a moments notice or more realistically an hours notice for a weekend camping trip. Now I built the frame in 00' and towed it home from the old shop in 01', however I didn't really 'build' it for offroad and my uses for a couple years. I started a big thread here on RME about the build and I have to realize my needs have really changed over the years too. Wife's haul far more gear than a girlfriend, even if its the same person , dogs need room to sit, room to sleep and have their own bag of crap that comes on a trip, and my gear, tool and spare setup has grown substantially in size, bordering overkill and compulsive by my own admission.