New Thule Trailer (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter VA Runner
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@noelskii you’ll need to fab your own rack. Here is mine starting here: New Thule Trailer - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/new-thule-trailer.152609/post-11470990
Is yours strong enough to hold a RTT? I’ve seen a lot of people here mount their racks on the cover. Is that plastic cover strong enough to hold all the weight?
Our trailer tracked fantastically for our 2000 mile trek looping from OkC ->Santa Fe -> Moab UT -> Estes Park CO -> Colorado Springs and home the south route by the Caupulin Volcano, NM. I-70 eastbound was particularly rough through the hour before and after Vail CO. Those interstate road conditions were the second worse I've seen anywhere, only behind Shreveport LA. They rattled the Jeep so hard it tripped the traction control, squirrelled the rear end fishy like washboard, scared the dickens out of the wife who wasn't doing well with the altitude, but the trailer and my hokey spare mount all stayed in line and behaved themselves.
Moab was my favorite:
Particularly Canyonlnads:
Moab was my favorite:
Particularly Canyonlnads:
@noelskii absolutely as there is a steel frame that rack is tied to on the underside of the lid. you will need to tie the frame together at all 4 corners like I did. See all my old posts in this thread .
Great to hear the trailer performed perfectly on its maiden voyage. Looked like a great time!
We are now aimed at further modding our trailer to suit our needs. We definitely need it to be deeper as we had ours literally stuffed and a couple items got worn through by the roof support channel.
I’d love to buy a parts trailer off someone for the box to do the double stack I’ve seen others with in earlier posts. Otherwise I used to work for a Sheetmetal contractor who I might be able to cajole into fabricating something of my own design
I’m also studying the racks y’all have shared. We’re thinking RTT or kayaks (if they’re not too long).
I’ll surely share whatever we come up with.
I’d love to buy a parts trailer off someone for the box to do the double stack I’ve seen others with in earlier posts. Otherwise I used to work for a Sheetmetal contractor who I might be able to cajole into fabricating something of my own design
I’m also studying the racks y’all have shared. We’re thinking RTT or kayaks (if they’re not too long).
I’ll surely share whatever we come up with.
Those corners bases don't have metal frame under them so you will be tying into plastic ABS only and that won't support much weight and will likely stress the ABS to the point of where it'll crack. I looked into the rack design very extensively so I suggest just implementing it as I've done.
Done! Just ordered what you listed- had to order the 5 hole tee joining plates and the economy ss t-nuts from ebay since they were out of stock and backordered on their site.
JUST realized i don't current have crossbars to attach to the uprights...
Be sure to note the following entries in this thread:
#190 - shows how I tied the lid frame together from the top
#216 - shows how I tried the lid frame together from the sides as well. Also shows the M8 Bumax SS bolts I used to tied the long runner for the rack to the side of the lid.
#229 - shows the 60" crossbar I used
#239 - shows the lid gas struts you'll want to word to be able to lift the lid with weight added to it.
Thank you!
the M8 Bumax SS Bolts are what you used all around for the 73" extrusions?
I have to double check my RTT to see if the clamps can go around that 1x3 crossbars you used...
Yes, three on each side and from the picture below I merely enlarged the 3 existing M5 to M8...you can just make out the three cap nuts in this photo:
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also be aware that my trailer is the larger 1700 Thule Adventure (vs your 1500) so that 73" is likely shorter on yours. Also the 60" cross bars will likely be shorter as well. You can cut the extrusions with a miter saw with a nice blade. I have this blade on my 12" miter: Amazon product ASIN B00008WQ39
Thule's aero cross bars will fit on nicely as well:
I have a couple of spare Thule crossbars laying around somewhere. Hoping one set will fit- I know they’re mostly T-slots so I’m not too worried about that part..
I did 52” extrusions for the sides and the same 18” for the uprights...
Did you end up adding more bolts to the 73” extrusions on the sides? Also, did you use loctite?
Thanks!
Noel
No need for loctite as the extrusions in combination with the slot nuts work like a lock washer. I only used 3 M8 bolts on each side to attach the 73” to the lid as stated previously.
Hey folks,
I am a new thule 1700 owner as of this morning. I've been trying to get a trailer for the last month for an upcoming 4 month road trip from New Jersey, to the west coast. I didn't realize the trailer market was in the state it was until too late - with new trailers commanding 6+ months waiting and dealers not even knowing when or what is being shipped to them. In either case, I needed just a little more space outside of my truck bed and found this trailer on facebook over the weekend. Having missed out on several trailers already, I definitely overpaid, but only had 4 weeks left to find something. The trailer is in 'ok' shape given its 15 years old - maybe entering 'survivor' status after our trip
The lid has had a few repairs, which seem to be holding. No visible rust and the floor seems to be in good shape. The electricals are a little shady - I had to unplug and re-plug in some of the lights to get them going, and one of the yellow side lights isn't working (hopefully just a bulb). The wires are also dangling down at the back, so I'll fix that up. I am not very mechanically minded, just hoping it will last the duration of our trip. I estimate we will do around 5,000-6,000 miles in the end (its a 1-way trip). The tires look a little tired - I saw that they are a difficult size to find, is that true? or will I be OK going down to the local tire store? - I also wouldn't mind picking up a spare - any leads on where I could get an appropriately sized rim?
Any tips would be appreciated - thanks for keeping this thread going!
I am a new thule 1700 owner as of this morning. I've been trying to get a trailer for the last month for an upcoming 4 month road trip from New Jersey, to the west coast. I didn't realize the trailer market was in the state it was until too late - with new trailers commanding 6+ months waiting and dealers not even knowing when or what is being shipped to them. In either case, I needed just a little more space outside of my truck bed and found this trailer on facebook over the weekend. Having missed out on several trailers already, I definitely overpaid, but only had 4 weeks left to find something. The trailer is in 'ok' shape given its 15 years old - maybe entering 'survivor' status after our trip
The lid has had a few repairs, which seem to be holding. No visible rust and the floor seems to be in good shape. The electricals are a little shady - I had to unplug and re-plug in some of the lights to get them going, and one of the yellow side lights isn't working (hopefully just a bulb). The wires are also dangling down at the back, so I'll fix that up. I am not very mechanically minded, just hoping it will last the duration of our trip. I estimate we will do around 5,000-6,000 miles in the end (its a 1-way trip). The tires look a little tired - I saw that they are a difficult size to find, is that true? or will I be OK going down to the local tire store? - I also wouldn't mind picking up a spare - any leads on where I could get an appropriately sized rim?
Any tips would be appreciated - thanks for keeping this thread going!
