What did you do with your trailer this weekend? (1 Viewer)

[cmck]

Love you set up! I have been dreaming about adventure trailers, but I'm 6'4" so it seems like a tough balance between getting the RTT/awning up high enough to make for usable space underneath while also not sacrificing the low profile while on the road. Can you tell me a little more about your lift set up? It looks ideal. Is this assisted at all with gas struts, etc? Thanks!

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/the-4x6-expo-trailer-build.1049799/reply?quote=11907681

The 4x6 expo trailer build.

I have been lurking and drawing plans for a lot of months now. Late last night I jumped in and ordered the Timbren 2000k suspension and 6x5.5 hubs. Today, I started the full size 2x4 based wood mock up. The plan is to fine tune the tounge length and throw the axles on for some testing...

forum.ih8mud.com

The build thread is a good place to start. I think the principle is good however the precision of the lift build was, ah poor. I am to blame, but I did it in 2 days and the went on a trip. In general retaining the wires in the lower pulleys is the issue. They jump the pulley and can jam the lowering action. The strength of the design is that you can lower to travel and raise it to camp using a ratchet. This allows the annex room to be used fo weather or cold conditions.

I have several improvements on the drawing board for version 2.

 

[aljollano]

My family of 4 set up.

A.J

 

[samtoddlee]

Picked up one of these from back East a month or two back and just got it shipped to me. Man they are cool.
The trailer arrived safe and sound yesterday. It was dirtier and a little rougher (not too much -- I think we are spoiled out here in AZ) than I'd though. Need to replace the weather stripping around the bottom of the fiberglass lid and new rivets etc. Figuring Ace or Home Depot. Also putting some tie down points inside. On the good side, the tires are brand spanking new 31s. Still have the nubs and the red line across the tread. New shocks for the lid. I couldn't believe how big this thing is inside both the cargo area and the tent when it's open. Needs a new trailer light wiring kit I think so I just picked one up from Harbor Freight. Interestingly, it has two rows of tail lights rather than one. Now I'll start shopping for a spare that'll fit that bolt pattern I think it's 5x4.5. It's the original wheels I think.

 

[ntsqd]

Congrats!!

Looks like yours also has doubled rear bumpers.

I used tail light boxes from AWDirect as they fit in the stock location almost but not quite perfectly. I put LED type sealed, rubber mounted lights in both the tail light and the side marker light locations..

Looking like I may be taking ours out for the first time in a while supporting a friend racing in the Parker 425.

 

[spressomon]

Yesterday was 'chop the ball hitch off the Escape 15A' in prep for an extended tongue and Max Coupler.

 

[ntsqd]

Belatedly posting this, on my way home from the Parker 425 a couple weekends ago:

 

[Suprasoup]

Contemplating how much life doesn't suck while relaxing in the Zombie Trailer. Eureka CO.

 

[KYNate]

I was reunited with mine in Africa this past weekend. Ready for 3 weeks in the Bush!

 

[spressomon]

Yesterday was 'chop the ball hitch off the Escape 15A' in prep for an extended tongue and Max Coupler.

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Got the tongue lengthing & Max Coupler project done along with installaion of an Espar S2 D2L diesel heater and a couple large drawer builds for interior empty space fill. Drove to the coast today and trailer pulled perfectly. And its nice to have heat!

 

[spressomon]

Using it this week...pavement pounding on the Central Cali Coast

 

[samtoddlee]

Some wet muddy camping and VenturCraft shakedown cruise near Mayer AZ at a buddy's hunting camp. also first try with new Gazelle tent. the Gazelle kept us lots dryer, completely dry in fact, but hey it's not a 1995 model.

 

[harrydunn]

We've always camped with our 80 or our 100 but get tired of having to pack up the RTT and annex every time we want to go explore in the vehicle. Enter my 2017 Big Tex utility trailer. I built a 12-gauge RTT Trailer Tower (RTTTT???) for it. The upper perimiter frame is what we've used for the top of our Cruisers so I just added legs to it. The double corner braces are double-gusseted and very strong. For highway travel, the RTT will be attached to the middle cross bars to keep it out of the wind and for more rigidity. When we get to where we want to set up, simply move it to the top rack. Initial tests on the highway have gone great. Very sturdy. I'll submit some more photos once it is deployed at our first campsite of the spring with it. I'm going to construct a lockable storage box underneath it as well that will be accessible from the annex. The 2nd and 3rd photos are the tower without additional bracing or the annex installed yet. Just a mock-up.

 

[Suprasoup]

Spent the last four days at Ski Santa Fe shredding the gnarl and slaying the pow. With only the single panel up top(damn thief that stole my second panel!) and very little sun the batteries dropped lower than I've ever had them. But the Zombie Trailer performed admirably. Cooked all my meals on the induction cooktop and had cold beers in the refrigerator.

I can't stress how nice it is to have 110v to run the boot driers. Dry boots are key to multi day outings in the mountains.

 

[Jason YY]

Found a replacement for my current trailer, this one will be around for a few months. My replacement needs a couple thousand dollars in parts to be usable
Rusty gold

100.00 bucks in sandblasting, going to disassemble prior no point in sandblasting anymore than necessary

 

[Jason YY]

Look at the rigging for the springs, some parts will be reused.
Not the front axle converted for trailer use or the wood frame

ANY ONE ID THIS?

 

[Gretsch]

Finally added a front tire carrier and gas can carrier to my '46 Bantam T3-C. Had the tire mounted to the tongue flat before but always wanted a proper tire carrier so I could make space for an eventual battery system to go on the tongue. Made it out of some big box super strut steel. Clamps to the tongue so I don't have to drill holes in it. Added a utility light I have had sitting on my bench for years. Once I get my battery setup going I'll hook it up. Still need to paint the steel but just trying to initially get it set and figured out. Very stout.

 

[LC4LIFE]

550 miles exploring southwestern Colorado with my son. About 200 on dirt. All kinds of conditions, rain, hail, rocks, mud. The last photo simply doesn't do the mud pit justice. I made it about 2/3 the way of the hole and up the side, but once the trailers weight met gravity, the rig didn't like that. Both rear 35's basically sunk into the mud, rear bumper under the mud and the tongue of the trailer under the mud. No pics being stuck, we were just focused on a clean recovery. Luckily, I have learned to be prepared, so out came the winch and 5min later, we were were out of the mud and parked where the pic was taken. Some clown in a JK tried the left line, making new trail which I really don't like, he failed and turned around, but not until after seeing my sucessful navigation through the mud with my trailer. I can only assume I created a bit of Land Cruiser envy that day.

 

[Heckraiser]

Took the A-liner up for an overnighter in an area that is essentially just dirt roads, but changed our minds and went to an off-road trail I know of in a different county to get away from the smoke. I remember the trail being quite tame and figured the unmodified A-liner would make it OK. I figured wrong lol.

A couple things going on. My hitch is at "lifted 80 on 35s" height and the A-liner sits much lower. Thus the whole back end angles down towards the ground. Driving over a few drainage berms I didn't really think anything of, put the hitch high up in the air and really drove the back end of the trailer into the ground. Bent up the rear bumper pretty good (it was already a little broken from our trip to Yellowstone last year where the spare tire carrier nearly jettisoned itself on the highway), and also pretzeled both leveling jacks pretty good.

We have another trip planned in a few weeks, so I need to get the jacks sorted out. But I think I'll build a beefier bumper with some pipe-mount jacks that I can throw in the toolbox when not in use. It also desperately needs a lift. That might come later. Our upcoming trip will be a highway trip.

 

[KYNate]

Took the Sears trailer to the Rockies! Yakima rack did NOT stand up to the rough terrain. Planning on a tube rack in the near future. Along with custom canopy from Swiss Tops for security and added storage.

 

[1911garand]

Locked and loaded for another long weekend.