expedition mini trailer version 2.0

[slickrock]

Heading out for a week long fishing trip and lots of exploring in the sierra nevada mountains next week. Trailer is running on 37" SSR Swampers, exact width of my Cruiser, has a 5 gallons of water, 10 gallons of gas, propane for the lights and stove, table, all my heavy gear sits in the main box, clothes, bags, and food fit in the two roof top carriers. It also has a tarp that rolls out for keeping the sun or the rain out of the cooking area. Cooler goes on my tire carrier rack. I am at the point where I like to have a very comfortable camp set up with tent heater, plush cot (takes up lots of room), and misc amenities that I did without in my late teens to late twenties.

Version 3.0 will have an internal 15 gallon water tank with pump for sink and shower and the awning will be made out of an oiled cloth tarp. Will also have a 12 volt battery mounted in a large ammo can in front of the spare tire for running the water pump and short term 12v light. It is balanced really well. I can easily push it around and lift the tongue with one hand fully loaded.

I still have room on top of the cruiser for additional gear if I will have additional people. As you see it, it is just for me and the dog. I don't like to have anything in the cruiser while driving. It takes me a bit getting up steep hills but hay, it’s about the drive, not getting there in a hurry.

 

[VanGo]

Fishing trip sounds great! Complete rigs is awesome! Have fun!

 

[OlympiaFJ60]

Nice little tag-a-long. Looks like you have the wheel base setup to track really well. What are you using for the propane bottle holder? Any concerns with being top heavy on off camber trails or cornering on the hwy?

 

[titanpat57]

Really came a long ways from what you started with, great work and enjoy the trip!!

Pat

 

[slickrock]

I had it on some decent angles this last week and nver worried about flipping. We were forced to leave early due to major thunder and light show storms. I was in meadow fishing and a lightening bolt hit less then 50 yards from me. Time to get out of that.

As for the trailer, all the weight is down below. If I can't lift and put the top carrier on by myself it is too heavy. Mostly it stores the dry food and pillows or other light stuff. Since the wheel base is so wide, it is very stable.

For the propane bottle, I used two "O" bolts and ratchet straps. Very secure.

Only thing is, I think I am going to ditch the pentle hook. It is murder on logging roads banging around. I rather go with a ball hitch so it doesn't sound like I am hitting my bumper with a sledge hammer every time I hit a decent rut. I will loose some articulation, but if I am at that point, I need to consider the angle I am on and since this is for degraded fire or logging roads, not the Rubicon, I think it would be a better option. Plus I can tow it behind my FJ Cruiser then.

I was also coming down some steep mountiain roads and one time I could feel the trailer getting dragged around a 90 degree turn and it never got to a point where a wheel lifted, let alone cause concern for flipping.

Nice little tag-a-long. Looks like you have the wheel base setup to track really well. What are you using for the propane bottle holder? Any concerns with being top heavy on off camber trails or cornering on the hwy?

 

[Deneway]

Is the pintle correctly sized for the trailer's "loop"? I don't get any of that banging and crashing you complain about.

 

[slickrock]

Both are standard size, but since I have my trailer weighted with 20 to 30 percent of the weight on the tongue, when I hit really really ruff roads, it bangs around. Some of those sierra roads started out as logging roads and have gone down hill from there. Very rough with lots of holes. It casues the trailer to go up while the cruiser is going down and bang.

I have to set it up to run a ball with my FJ Cruiser anyway, so I am going to make a removable tongue for the trailer and a regular 2" hitch for the 40. I will be able to use either one depending on the situation.

That will be a project for the winter as I will not be using the trailer for a while. The next trip I am going on is to difficult to pull a trailer so I will have to laod up the rig and roof rack.

When I get started, I will post pics.

 

[elmo4vt]

Have you thought about using something other than a ball hitch? I've been using a "Lock-n-Roll" for about 4 years now and have only good things to say.

Don

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[slickrock]

That is a good option but WOW on the price. For around 40 bucks and some steel, I can have both pintle and ball hitch. SHold take me more than two hours to set something up. I still need to put shocks on and the trailer has to double for Home Depot hauling, but for my purposes, it holds everything I can ever need and come accross in the back woords. It sin't as pretty as some of the prefabbed outback trailers, but hey, it doesn't need to be for my purposes. One nice thing is I can swap out the tires between my 40 and the trailer so if I want to run 37s on the tow rig and 35s on the trailer, I can.