eatSleepWoof's '18 FSR trailer (1 Viewer)

[eatSleepWoof]

A few days ago (after wrapping up a camping trip) I picked up this 2018 Free Sprit Recreation "Overlander" trailer and the FSR M60 RTT, mounted to tall Yakima risers and round crossbars.

The trip home took about 7 hours over highways of mixed pavement quality. Trailer towed great, even over rough roads (bumps/cracks/potholes/etc.) at 120kph. I had it up to 150kph for a few passes without issue.

A unique feature of this trailer is the removable tow bar (two pins holding it in place). This can be convenient for long-term storage. The seller included a longer tow bar (seen on the roof of my LX), and I've read about other people extending the tow bars, too.

The trailer itself is assembled with bolts/nuts, and generous amounts of silicone between panels. Definitely not the strongest construction method out there, but I actually like this approach, as it will allow me to disassemble and repair/replace anything I may want to.

There are four stabilizers (one in each corner) which require a 3/4" socket to use. The rear two are pointed outwards, while the front two are pointed forward. The forward-facing stabilizers are not a great design, as they will be hard to reach should you install a trailer tongue box, or something similar.

There are three doors of identical size: 17 9/16" tall, 22 1/16" wide. Enough of an opening for me to get my RTIC 65 cooler through, and I think I'll be able to make a custom slide for it to fit through the door, too. There is probably 3" of vertical room between the floor of the trailer and the bottom of the opening/door - that's a bummer, as it's a lot of wasted space. If the doors were taller, there would be a lot more options for getting larger coolers/fridges in there.

There are gaskets on all doors, and stainless hardware, with locking t-latches.

Last night I installed the longer tow bar, which is about 25" longer than stock. I also thoroughly cleaned the trailer inside & out, and removed the previous owner's stickers. I also removed the existing propane tank/holder, and installed the one I had, which is roughly twice the size.

I already ordered an electric trailer brake kit, along with 7-way wiring, which I will install in the next few weeks.

Other plans include:
- lowering of the tent on new cross bars for a lower centre of gravity and easier reach to the tent; as of yet I'm unsure about the exact height at which I want it to sit
- installing my FrontRunner camp table on the bottom of the new cross bars (will sit between the trailer and the RTT)
- installing reverse lights (once 7-way wiring is in place)
- installing redarc trailer controller on the LX (ordered)
- installing electric brakes
- installing a flat panel on the tongue which will be used for additional storage
- finding a matching wheel/tire for a spare, mounting it on the tongue
- installing my old trasharoo on the rear door
- relocating license plate & light
- possibly installing a trailer tongue box
- installing my existing water tank, hooking up water pump, etc.
- installing a battery somewhere
- building a slide for the cooler, to be accessible from the side door(s)
- considering adding a rear hitch for recovery purposes
- somehow adding my propane-powered shower/water heater
- considering adding a diesel heater, piping it to the tent
- adding additional interior tie-down points, for securing jerry cans and other things that should not be bouncing around
- adding exterior tie-down points (useful for random things in camp)

It'll be a busy summer...

 

[80t0ylc]

Interesting! .....I've always been curious about the Timbren axeless suspension system since I heard of it. I hope you post your progress. FSR looks like it has good potential.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Fed the RTT some red bull and it grew wings.

2x4s on the sides, 2x8 in the middle, 6" structural lag bolts into three trusses, heavy duty rings, a shackle, a pulley, a few ratcheting straps and a 500lb Warn drill winch. Boom.

Also note the new propane tank has been mounted!

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Got a platform built to my spec. Made from 1/4" aluminium. I lined it up, drilled mounting holes and bolted it in through the original holes in the front wall. Since taking the photo I've also drilled a hole through the tongue, and will bolt that together tomorrow (don't have a bolt long enough).

I then secured a spare tire, leaving enough room on the passenger side for other storage. I think it'll be a good spot for a propane water heater in some kind of enclosure.

The tongue box will be secured tomorrow, too. And I plan to run another ratchet strap across the wheel, although I haven't decided how just yet. Mulling over options.

 

[ntsqd]

I learned the hard way that when the tire's contact point(s) and the strap anchor points are at the same level that you just about can't stop it from rocking. I'd suggest a small cradle for the tire to sit in that moves the contact points up 4"-5" inches. Even with the cradle this tire rocked because the anchor points and the tire contact points all aligned.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

I learned the hard way that when the tire's contact point(s) and the strap anchor points are at the same level that you just about can't stop it from rocking. I'd suggest a small cradle for the tire to sit in that moves the contact points up 4"-5" inches. Even with the cradle this tire rocked because the anchor points and the tire contact points all aligned.

Thanks for the tip! Wouldn't have thought of that.

I'm going to look into ways of raising the tire. Or perhaps I can find a motorcycle wheel chock that would add some more stability.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Tried raising the tire on a pair of wheel chocks and it didn't make any difference for stability. Went with the original idea of an additional ratchet strap. Solid as a rock now.

Also mounted tongue box and one bottom support.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Both bottom supports are in (these are stainless). These added a bit of rigidity to the platform. Not a ton - c-channel or boxed would have been beefier - but it's better than nothing.

 

[ntsqd]

You would pick-up a lot of stiffness if you made a web that filled in the gap between the strap and the plate, and those were attached to both. As it is now the flat strap has no resistance to buckling. With a web attached to both it can't buckle, which turns it into a varying height C or I "beam".

 

[eatSleepWoof]

You would pick-up a lot of stiffness if you made a web that filled in the gap between the strap and the plate, and those were attached to both. As it is now the flat strap has no resistance to buckling. With a web attached to both it can't buckle, which turns it into a varying height C or I "beam".

Can you share any photos/examples of what a "web" would be? My imagination is failing me.

I could potentially run a long bolt through the platform and support, (in a few spots) where the two are not in direct contact, and secure each piece to the bolt with a pair of nuts. But that wouldn't be interconnected between the two supports, unless I also found a way to get a c-channel in there.

//edit: forgot that I'm talking about stainless here. I hate working with this stuff - really not equipped for it - so drilling holes through this material is pretty much "out" unless there's a very strong need for it. //

At this point I'm really not concerned about the stiffness of this platform, but fairly-easy improvements can't hurt, so I'm definitely open to getting them on the list of things to do!

 

[ntsqd]

Imagine creating either of these using your top plate for the top flange and your bottom strap for the bottom flange. They taper in height so the value for W or D gets smaller the further out from the tongue tube.
Said differently; you're simply filling in the triangular gap between the plate and the strap with a piece of sheet metal. They don't need to be seam-welded, can be skip welded, but it should be in the form of weld an inch, skip an inch, repeat. If they are to be bolted then the sheet metal needs to have full length flanges to bolt thru.

Stainless is easier than most people make it. Turn the drill slow and keep it loaded/buried in the work. Use a dedicated cutting fluid that will keep the work cool.

The problem is that people are afraid of it so they tend to go light on the drilling force and they almost always turn the bit too fast. Stainless work hardens at the drop of a hat, and it will drop that hat if you let it. The absolute very worst thing that you can do with SS is to let a cutting tool smear against it without actually cutting. One revolution of the drill bit like that will work harden that surface and you'll have the devil's own time getting thru that.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Now I understand. Thank you!

Yes, the mistakes you described (of working with stainless) are exactly the ones I've made before. Once it hardens, it becomes seven levels of hell to go through it.

I did recently get a drill press, so that makes life a LOT easier, but this is a cheap one, with the slowest drilling speed being around 600 RPM, which I fear is still too fast for stainless.

I think I'll leave the bottom supports as they are for now, and will keep an eye on things. I've been meaning to find an excuse to get a welder (and take some welding lessons), so maybe I'll make that happen on the future and I-beam it as you described. Although the top platform is aluminum, and I'm fairly sure that can't be welded to stainless, so I'll have to bolt at least part of the structure. In any case, a task for a (hopefully) distant day.

Next in priority is making a sliding platform for the cooler, followed by installing brakes and re-wiring.

 

[ntsqd]

If you took some SS sheet metal and bent a flange along one edge you could then cut the opposite edge on a taper to match the straps angle relative to the AL plate. Weld it to the strap and bolt it to the plate.

OR, bend the first flange, then bend a second flange at that angle and bolt it to both the strap and the plate. Then you could use AL so long as it is not 6061 T6 as that won't bend tightly w/o cracking. I'd use 5056 if you can find it.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Wrapped up the cooler tray today. There was a lot of drilling.

Built a frame for it using 80/20 material that I had on hand. The frame added a lot of stiffness, and gave me some flexibility for tie-down spots and such.

All bolts are recessed into the tray's bottom, so they won't interfere with anything. The outer edges of the tray will slide between skateboard bearings (also have them on hand)... once I build the frame.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Received FrontRunner cross bars and had custom brackets made to lift and secure them. Made from 10 gauge stainless.

The tent sits great, but there's a bit of sway from side to side. I'm wondering if I should have had these brackets gusseted.

I may still get a shop to weld a piece of flat stock, running entire vertical height, to essentially turn it into C channel.

I'm a bit concerned that without gussets, with time and washboard, the brackets will weaken and break. Any thoughts on this?

 

[ntsqd]

My first thot on seeing them is that it would likely do that. Not sure what you have planned for above the top of the trailer and under the tent, but a diagonal running top of one side to the bottom of the other will be the most robust solution. If you have a way to tension it this could be a cable or wire. A turnbuckle would work too. Some strap might work, but the fit would need to be tight, no slop allowed.

Boxing in the sides of the very shallow 'C' of the brackets will help, but by itself probably won't be enough.

Diagonals that bolt to the holes in the brackets and clamp to the underside slot in the Frontrunner bars are another way to tackle this. The lower the set of holes used, for a 45° angled gusset, the more effective they'll be. These should be tubular of some type, not flat strap.

 

[80t0ylc]

.........The tent sits great, but there's a bit of sway from side to side. I'm wondering if I should have had these brackets gusseted.

I may still get a shop to weld a piece of flat stock, running entire vertical height, to essentially turn it into C channel.

I'm a bit concerned that without gussets, with time and washboard, the brackets will weaken and break. Any thoughts on this?

Yeah, the sway would concern me too - especially if you can get movement pushing on it, just sitting in your garage. Looking at your pics, I think your instincts are valid.

My first thot on seeing them is that it would likely do that. Not sure what you have planned for above the top of the trailer and under the tent, but a diagonal running top of one side to the bottom of the other will be the most robust solution. If you have a way to tension it this could be a cable or wire. A turnbuckle would work too. Some strap might work, but the fit would need to be tight, no slop allowed.

Boxing in the sides of the very shallow 'C' of the brackets will help, but by itself probably won't be enough.

Diagonals that bolt to the holes in the brackets and clamp to the underside slot in the Frontrunner bars are another way to tackle this. The lower the set of holes used, for a 45° angled gusset, the more effective they'll be. These should be tubular of some type, not flat strap.

I agree with this.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Thanks, guys. Will start playing around with possible solutions.

Back when I had the Tacoma I had a nearly identical set of 10 gauge stainless brackets made for the hardshell RTT I had over my tonneau. I had six brackets, they were about half the height, and the were slightly angled inwards (towards each other), instead of straight up like this set. There was zero flex/sway with that setup. I should have had these angled, too - might have made all the difference.

I was/am hoping to use the space under the tent for something like a cargo basket, for carrying things like firewood, maxtrax, etc. The holes in the brackets are intended to be used for small items like quick fists (shovel), possible light pods, etc. I'd like to retain the most possible room there.

Diagonal steel cable and turnbuckle to tension it is probably the simplest (and cheapest) solution.

I also do have a fair bit of remaining 80/20 (1" square extrusions) that I could use to bolt the bottom of the FrontRunner track to the lower set of holes. Will see how feasible this is.

 

[ntsqd]

Something like these?

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Something like these?

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

Yes, exactly that.

It's a bit tough for me to cut the mitred angles. I did a lot of that recently, and find that my mitresaw's blade tends to leave a cut that's not perfectly straight (using a roughly 90-tooth wood blade). So the angles tend to be a little bit "off," and it's not a perfectly flat match between the surfaces of the materials being joined.

I can drill a 45-degree M6 hole and bolt one end to the vertical just fine, but bolting the other end to the bottom of the FrontRunner track will be more of a challenge. The FR track takes an M8 bolt, and if I drill an M8 hole through the centre of this piece, it'll take away too much material. I think I'd have to make an aluminum plate which will bolt to the 80/20 material, and then bolt that plate to the FR track.