- Location
- Chester, Arkansas 72934 United States
I purchased this Helder Packmule trailer in February 1989 (I still have the certificate of origin) to increase family trip hauling capacity behind my Jeep when we were living in north Texas. In 1998 we moved to the Ozark Mountains in northwest Arkansas and I modified the trailer to easily convert it between that trip hauling usage – or to it being a canoe and kayak trailer for trips to our local scenic Mulberry and Buffalo Rivers.
It has now aged about 35 years, and so have I. Our kids are long gone out of the house, I have retired from the University of Arkansas so I am no longer leading student trips to the rivers, and my 2008 four door Wrangler with its big roof rack hauls the two boats for my wife and me just fine.
It is time for this trailer to find a new home that will appreciate it for what it is.
Here is a quick history the trailer:
1989 – Arrived with Helder primer coat. Professionally painted with automotive paint to match my Jeep.
1998 – Moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas
2000 – Modified to haul 2 canoes (top rack) and 2 large and 4 small kayaks (mid and bottom racks)
2003 – Low quote repaint to forest green (bad decision – poor job and used John Deere green)
2012 – Two new 225/75R15 10 ply steel radial tires and wheel bearing servicing (3rd time)
2017 – One new 225/75R15 steel radial tire and wheel added as spare tire
2017 – Wheel bearing rebuild both tires
Here is what was modified to convert it to a canoe/kayak trailer:
+ Original tongue cut at back of Cartwright Hitch and a long 1.5” solid bar welded into hitch
+ 1.5” bar slides inside original tongue and secured with two bolts to create either a 85” or 40” (original length) tongue
+ Two sway control arms added from original tongue to front corners of body frame
+ Back of lid cut off and reattached with piano hinge to allow back gate opening without lifting lid
+ Custom boat rack build to slide into original top rails for easy mount and dismount
+ Spare tire and side mount added since wheel lug pattern did not match 2008 Wrangler
With the lid raised (or back edge hinged up) the back gate slides off the hinge pins. Add four threaded pipes of your preferred length threaded into the welded pipe thread sockets and you have a camp table.
The spare tire has never been on the ground, and total milage on the tires on the ground is estimated to be around 7500 miles on trips to our local rivers (the tread depth on all three tires seems to be about 7 mm). The spare tire mount was modified to extend it past the edge of the lid so it would not interfere with the lid opening.
You can see from the pictures that it is time for the trailer to have a complete paint and wiring overhaul. The original primer layer is intact except for rock dings, the automotive paint layer I put on is largely intact, but the green paint was a disaster and is peeling. There is occasional surface corrosion, with the worst being in the interior corners at the front of the body where water leaked in and was allowed to sit (see all the pictures).
But it is still the basic “tough as nails trailer” that Helder was famous for creating (and yes, a couple of folks have danced together on the top lid of the trailer without damage to them or the trailer). If you are looking for one of these as the base for your own DIY project, then it may be just what you are in the market to find.
I have no idea what the true value of this unique trailer might be (and it is always in the eye of the beholder anyway), but by what I have seen of comparable trailers I will not accept offers of under $3000. So make me an offer that I can’t refuse and it can be yours in time to be fixed up to meet your needs for the fall off road season.
It will be your responsibility to arrange to pick it up in Chester, Arkansas after payment is made.
You can contact me through this forum, or you can PM me through Facebook (I tried a couple of searches and using “Vickers Arkansas” seemed to find me OK). I will be glad to answer any questions you might have and send you as many photos on details of the trailer.
It has now aged about 35 years, and so have I. Our kids are long gone out of the house, I have retired from the University of Arkansas so I am no longer leading student trips to the rivers, and my 2008 four door Wrangler with its big roof rack hauls the two boats for my wife and me just fine.
It is time for this trailer to find a new home that will appreciate it for what it is.
Here is a quick history the trailer:
1989 – Arrived with Helder primer coat. Professionally painted with automotive paint to match my Jeep.
1998 – Moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas
2000 – Modified to haul 2 canoes (top rack) and 2 large and 4 small kayaks (mid and bottom racks)
2003 – Low quote repaint to forest green (bad decision – poor job and used John Deere green)
2012 – Two new 225/75R15 10 ply steel radial tires and wheel bearing servicing (3rd time)
2017 – One new 225/75R15 steel radial tire and wheel added as spare tire
2017 – Wheel bearing rebuild both tires
Here is what was modified to convert it to a canoe/kayak trailer:
+ Original tongue cut at back of Cartwright Hitch and a long 1.5” solid bar welded into hitch
+ 1.5” bar slides inside original tongue and secured with two bolts to create either a 85” or 40” (original length) tongue
+ Two sway control arms added from original tongue to front corners of body frame
+ Back of lid cut off and reattached with piano hinge to allow back gate opening without lifting lid
+ Custom boat rack build to slide into original top rails for easy mount and dismount
+ Spare tire and side mount added since wheel lug pattern did not match 2008 Wrangler
With the lid raised (or back edge hinged up) the back gate slides off the hinge pins. Add four threaded pipes of your preferred length threaded into the welded pipe thread sockets and you have a camp table.
The spare tire has never been on the ground, and total milage on the tires on the ground is estimated to be around 7500 miles on trips to our local rivers (the tread depth on all three tires seems to be about 7 mm). The spare tire mount was modified to extend it past the edge of the lid so it would not interfere with the lid opening.
You can see from the pictures that it is time for the trailer to have a complete paint and wiring overhaul. The original primer layer is intact except for rock dings, the automotive paint layer I put on is largely intact, but the green paint was a disaster and is peeling. There is occasional surface corrosion, with the worst being in the interior corners at the front of the body where water leaked in and was allowed to sit (see all the pictures).
But it is still the basic “tough as nails trailer” that Helder was famous for creating (and yes, a couple of folks have danced together on the top lid of the trailer without damage to them or the trailer). If you are looking for one of these as the base for your own DIY project, then it may be just what you are in the market to find.
I have no idea what the true value of this unique trailer might be (and it is always in the eye of the beholder anyway), but by what I have seen of comparable trailers I will not accept offers of under $3000. So make me an offer that I can’t refuse and it can be yours in time to be fixed up to meet your needs for the fall off road season.
It will be your responsibility to arrange to pick it up in Chester, Arkansas after payment is made.
You can contact me through this forum, or you can PM me through Facebook (I tried a couple of searches and using “Vickers Arkansas” seemed to find me OK). I will be glad to answer any questions you might have and send you as many photos on details of the trailer.
