Here we GO!
After nearly 9 months of planning, designing and gathering parts, I am ready to start my scratch built, homemade trailer for expedition/camping style travel. I have been greatly inspired by this site and ExPo to make this thing. Special thanks to Exiled, MikeS, Brownbear, Wesintl, and AxleIke for helping me out this far.
My Goal:
To create a small capable trailer that will be able to chase my fj40 over trails rated up to 3.5, and allow my wife and I to enjoy some of the modern conveniences of a small pop up trailer. We want to see all that Colorado, and Utah have to offer, and the rear end of a fj40 just doesn’t lend to multi-day camping/wheeling trips.
My Design Criteria:
Strength to match the fj40 without killing our lightweight approach.
Simple, in both operation and design.
FJ40 Cruiser track width.
3500# axle.
Matching wheels and tires to tow vehicle. (35” MTR’s)
6x5.5”hubs
Roof Top Tent.
On board Air (CO2).
On board 12v Power.
On board LPG.
On board Water.
On board shower and sink.
On board kitchen.
Multi-hitch options, pintle and ball hitch.
Must be smurf blue with a white top.
Building verses Buying:
After months of research, advice and searching, I decided to scratch build my trailer for a several reasons:
1. Most of the trailers I looked at needed heavy modifications to get them to do what I am wanting from a trailer. Take the m101 trailers from Canada. They are SWEET little trailers with a proven track record, and are nearly bomb proof. However, by the time I add a lid, extend the tongue, swap the hubs, buy new wheels, and install a tailgate, I could be well on my way to building one. Not to mention the time smoothing dents or repairing rust. I am NOT saying this is a bad way to go, but after comparing the cost of tracking one of these trailers down, adding shipping to my house, repairing, and modifying it, I can easily build my own. There isn’t that much to one of these little trailers.
2. Cost, I will come out ahead of buying a professionally built unit like the Adventure Trailer (though they are one of the finest trailers I have ever seen). All said and done, I should come in right around the cost of a modified m101 or m416.
3. I love to build things! This project will be as much about the journey as the end product. I work with people for a living and to be able to work with my hands is a MUST in my free time. It will take longer and most likely cost a bit more than expected but in the end I will love building this thing from scratch.
4. I can do it right… MY WAY
, and only do it once, instead of modifying over and over as things go along…yeah right, is anything every really finished?
My Design:
I picked up one of those Mombassa Tents when they were going like hotcakes last fall. That inspired me to look into a trailer, have always wanted one, but the RTT got the ball rolling.
I am planning on a main cargo box and a two drawer sliding system with a lid on top. One drawer will be a slide out kitchen and storage, while the other side will be gear storage. The RTT will go on top of the lid, really nothing new to the trailer world, but hey, if it ain’t broke… I will have a tailgate and under bed storage for hard spares (axles and such) that don’t need to be accessed often.
The chassis will be a simple ladder frame made from 2x3x.120” tubing. I will have a 3x3x.25” tube as the main drawbar, with a 2.5x2.5x.5” tube that can adjust its overall length and connect to the hitch.
Doodles are worth 999 words so here are a few, the first pic shows the (rough) final frame design. The second pic is of the drawer concept and what the trailer should resemble when finished.
After nearly 9 months of planning, designing and gathering parts, I am ready to start my scratch built, homemade trailer for expedition/camping style travel. I have been greatly inspired by this site and ExPo to make this thing. Special thanks to Exiled, MikeS, Brownbear, Wesintl, and AxleIke for helping me out this far.
My Goal:
To create a small capable trailer that will be able to chase my fj40 over trails rated up to 3.5, and allow my wife and I to enjoy some of the modern conveniences of a small pop up trailer. We want to see all that Colorado, and Utah have to offer, and the rear end of a fj40 just doesn’t lend to multi-day camping/wheeling trips.
My Design Criteria:
Strength to match the fj40 without killing our lightweight approach.
Simple, in both operation and design.
FJ40 Cruiser track width.
3500# axle.
Matching wheels and tires to tow vehicle. (35” MTR’s)
6x5.5”hubs
Roof Top Tent.
On board Air (CO2).
On board 12v Power.
On board LPG.
On board Water.
On board shower and sink.
On board kitchen.
Multi-hitch options, pintle and ball hitch.
Must be smurf blue with a white top.
Building verses Buying:
After months of research, advice and searching, I decided to scratch build my trailer for a several reasons:
1. Most of the trailers I looked at needed heavy modifications to get them to do what I am wanting from a trailer. Take the m101 trailers from Canada. They are SWEET little trailers with a proven track record, and are nearly bomb proof. However, by the time I add a lid, extend the tongue, swap the hubs, buy new wheels, and install a tailgate, I could be well on my way to building one. Not to mention the time smoothing dents or repairing rust. I am NOT saying this is a bad way to go, but after comparing the cost of tracking one of these trailers down, adding shipping to my house, repairing, and modifying it, I can easily build my own. There isn’t that much to one of these little trailers.
2. Cost, I will come out ahead of buying a professionally built unit like the Adventure Trailer (though they are one of the finest trailers I have ever seen). All said and done, I should come in right around the cost of a modified m101 or m416.
3. I love to build things! This project will be as much about the journey as the end product. I work with people for a living and to be able to work with my hands is a MUST in my free time. It will take longer and most likely cost a bit more than expected but in the end I will love building this thing from scratch.
4. I can do it right… MY WAY
, and only do it once, instead of modifying over and over as things go along…yeah right, is anything every really finished?My Design:
I picked up one of those Mombassa Tents when they were going like hotcakes last fall. That inspired me to look into a trailer, have always wanted one, but the RTT got the ball rolling.
I am planning on a main cargo box and a two drawer sliding system with a lid on top. One drawer will be a slide out kitchen and storage, while the other side will be gear storage. The RTT will go on top of the lid, really nothing new to the trailer world, but hey, if it ain’t broke… I will have a tailgate and under bed storage for hard spares (axles and such) that don’t need to be accessed often.
The chassis will be a simple ladder frame made from 2x3x.120” tubing. I will have a 3x3x.25” tube as the main drawbar, with a 2.5x2.5x.5” tube that can adjust its overall length and connect to the hitch.
Doodles are worth 999 words so here are a few, the first pic shows the (rough) final frame design. The second pic is of the drawer concept and what the trailer should resemble when finished.
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