[jonno_racing]

Ok i have been thinking about it for some time now and i am starting to put some plans together..
i want to build a camper traler that could be used as a standard run ofthe mill traler when not camping. a few basic ideas that i have so far

6x5ft box traler, light-med construction.. tin sides lined with marine capet
i have been thinking to go with a coil/shock/radus arm/pan style set up with sierra arms/coils posibly.. and obviously suzuki pattern, But if it is proving to be a bit much it will be the standard leaf set up. posibly with sierra rears? not 100% on any of this. would like to see examples if any one has any?

the traler itself will be around 500mm deep, and with have a solid top doubbled up so it can be folded open to a 6x10ft flat soild platform for swags in summer or a dome tent in winted, as i just cant justify a roof top tent to be honest. the rear door of the traler will swing out like a sierra, with fold up benches for cooking.

on the draw bar towards the tub of the traler itself i am thinking a 60ltr ice box? or something along those lines and on the side that he bed dosnt fold out on to i will have one or posibly 2 jerrys.

i have been concidering power with another battery but i realy see little to no point, as without a waco etc there is no need for it???

these are just ideas atm but i am looking to have it built buy March to do a few camping/road trips

amyways id like to hear from every one who has a camper and what they like/dislike?

Phil

[atari4x4]

isn't 6x5 a bit wide for a sierra?

[jonno_racing]

posibly am yet to mesure it to be honest.
it may be around 6x4 or even have the box partaly cover the wheels for extra width.

[Joe]

5x3 is a good size to aim for behind a zook, just remember you want to keep it light so the smaller you build it the lighter it will be and that means you can carry more gear/weight before to goes over the 450kgs weight limit
The next trailer i build will have sierra rear springs and shackels like what Christover did to his

[bazook]

how about going alloy it will drop the weight down heaps also in your pocket too but just a thought

[jdk81]

jonno_racing wrote:

posibly am yet to mesure it to be honest.
it may be around 6x4 or even have the box partaly cover the wheels for extra width.

Aiming for 6x5 with wheels fully covered provides some good space for the effort.
6x4 with wheels covered is a lot of work for little gain.
You will also need to consider wheel size (trying to cover 31x10.5 uses a heap of room and are heavy).
Large tyres wont help your trailer off road, and will add drag.

If boxing the wheels, designing for draw setup from the get go, is probably your best option.

Lugging a battery in the trailer eats into your 450kg.

The placement of axle, drawbar length, and CoG (design and loading) , and if you will run dampers, will be crucial to the dynamic handling. A 450 kg trailer can take control of your vehicle if designed and/or loaded poorly.

Will it be an offroad trailer, or camper trailer. This will determine departure angle, hence axle placement, drawbar length (max trailer length imo 2.99m) and start towards CoG.
The longer the drawbar (pintle to axle), the more dynamically stable (on the highway).

Skid rails and keeping it as light as possible will bridge the boundaries of a light camper trailer and offroad trailer.

Avoid any designs using the sides of the trailer for rigidity, as the sides can easily get damaged in the bush.

thats about it for now,

I have been working on plans for one myself, which have been postponed due to illness and general other crap in my life atm.

[jonno_racing]

i am considering somewhere from stock sierra to a 30" in size.

mine will be a offroad camper traler. but at the same time trying to keep light.

i am thinking the box its self will proberbly be 30x30x2? rhs with 30x30x2 angle for the top rail. again this will proberbly change.

i had a fair hand in building my old mans traler to tow firewood with in the bush and that has a few aspectsi will be useing, along the lines of skid rails, and draw bar lenght etc.

i am aiming for around 250kg-350kg complete.

not 100% on if i want draws etc as it will be used to cary swags in it, so that might make it hard.

Phil

[want33s]

jonno_racing wrote:

i am aiming for around 250kg-350kg complete.

You realise a Sierra can only legally tow 450Kg??????

[jonno_racing]

yep and 350 is lighter than 450?

sorry i should have been clearer.

id like it to be 350 loaded with camping gear. and around 250 not. big ask i know.

[Gonzo]

Hey Jonno Want to buy this one ?

It's cheap..........!!!!!!!

I have been trying to work out what it's worth........

It belongs to my father and he doesn't have a tow bar on his new car asked me if I wanted it .I have no room for it and I also have a ute





Oh and it has 4 Months rego on it

[royce]

250 empty is way too high for a little trailer, sure my plate says its 150

[Chop]

Wheel track is one of the more important thing in my book, try and have one the same width as the tow vehicle it makes it so much better when going through boggy/sandy spots and ruts.
Helps by not having to make its own tracks which means less load on the tow vehicle.

Chop

[jdk81]

royce wrote:

250 empty is way too high for a little trailer, sure my plate says its 150

our medium duty 6x4 is plated at 150kg

jonno_racing wrote:

on the draw bar towards the tub of the traler itself i am thinking a 60ltr ice box?

You need to consider pintle weight, from memory 45kg is the max pintle weight the sierra can have.

Tyres - stock sierra is probably the biggest you want
Theres many options in respect to axles and shocks etc, which allows you to achieve clearance etc, without needing to get bigger wheels.

[jonno_racing]

Gonzo that is a nice looking light starter for what i want but proberbly out of my starting price atm, let me know via pm.

in reguards to ice box on the draw bar, could this be offsetted buy jerrys at the back? and a central to the box axel?

i actualy had a mate call me to say he knows some one who has a small metal fraim traler for sale very cheep. so going to have a look today, as much as i want to start from scrach it would posibly be easyer to tare down a pre made job and change it to suit.

[royce]

your better to make so light bulky stuff goes towards the front, heavy stuff over the axle, things that are impssible to break from movement at teh back

[christover1]

found these sits useful when making mine.

http://www.angib.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/t ... tear81.htm

http://www.angib.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/t ... tear84.htm

[jonno_racing]

Thanks Chris wow thats some reading!


apparently my understanding of "metal fraim" and the owner of the traler i looked at today is VERY diffrent lol... so still looking!

[christover1]

jonno_racing wrote:

Thanks Chris wow thats some reading!


apparently my understanding of "metal fraim" and the owner of the traler i looked at today is VERY diffrent lol... so still looking!

Starting with a stock trailer and modifying it was my first idea, too.
Be cheaper and easier, much better all round.
But after looking at loads of trailers that were either completely stuffed,
or with owners that thought they were made of gold and silver,
I decided to build my own.
I still think I should have waited for a good trailer to build on,
but then again, it is enjoyable to use something you made yourself.
I hope trailers round your way are better than round here.

[jonno_racing]

Far from it! i have been looking for about 6 months and sceen proberbly 3 for sale! rare!! i do like the look of the little one gonzo posted above! i think he is in adelade? lucky for me i have a mate comeing thoug that way soon

i would like to build one as i love building things but i dont have a HUGE amout of space atm! and i have to loan a fair bit of gear!

Phil

ooh i am posting your dvd in the morning enjoy the wheeling we enjoy!!

[christover1]

Cool thanks.
DVD will inspire me to finish my Vit mods.

I understand space limitations.
I have tiny weeny garage.
I actually started my trailer build in the lounge room,
uptil it got too big

Being tool limited, it is better to start with a good trailer as a base.
I had to beg and borrow to get jobs done.
Way too hard and slow.
Keep it simple, much more fun

[christover1]

[NotNormal]

I know you guys are interested in building your own. But this is what I am getting.

Daxara Camper Trailers

The main reason is I have a Jimny and the max unbraked load is 350kg. I am getting the braked version of their trailer.

When seen in the flesh, they are very well made and far better than anything available locally.

I wanted to be able to use the trailer for normal duties too, so I like the flexibility this offers.

It should show up in about 3 weeks, if your interested I will post some sort of review.

Cheers

[christover1]

NotNormal wrote:

I know you guys are interested in building your own. But this is what I am getting.

Daxara Camper Trailers

The main reason is I have a Jimny and the max unbraked load is 350kg. I am getting the braked version of their trailer.

When seen in the flesh, they are very well made and far better than anything available locally.

I wanted to be able to use the trailer for normal duties too, so I like the flexibility this offers.


It should show up in about 3 weeks, if your interested I will post some sort of review.

Cheers

very nice.
I'd certainly like to see a topic on it

[Joe]

NotNormal wrote:

I know you guys are interested in building your own. But this is what I am getting.

Daxara Camper Trailers

The main reason is I have a Jimny and the max unbraked load is 350kg. I am getting the braked version of their trailer.

When seen in the flesh, they are very well made and far better than anything available locally.

I wanted to be able to use the trailer for normal duties too, so I like the flexibility this offers.

It should show up in about 3 weeks, if your interested I will post some sort of review.

Cheers

There is a place up the road from me that sells these and they are just bolted together
I wasn't really impressed with the build quality

[NotNormal]

I think I know the place you are referring to, and I think they are a different beast. I may be wrong. But you are correct in that these are bolted together.

This guy is in Canning Vale and is the importer for Aus. Not to be confused with those things put out by Aunger.

I saw plenty of these when I was in Italy in August and they take quite a hammering over there. Some of those mountain trails are something I remember going along an old Roman road - my teeth ache from the memory.

But these are not off roaders. I am just planning on going to the die-hardy ranges out near Bullfinch. They will be fine for that.

Time will tell

[Joe]

The ones in the link are the same as the ones i seen up the road
I didn't look at the tents so i can't comment on them and if the trailer will only be used onroad id say it would be fine just keep an eye on all the bolts to make sure it dosen't fall apart while ya driving along

[NotNormal]

You bet I will

They aren't cheap...

Actually I saw on LandLine (ABC tv) today that there has been quite a bit of rain in the bush out past Kal and further in the interior and they mentioned the wildlife in summer would boom, sounds like a good excuse to go further afield What the heck, I'm game!

[Joe]

Sounds like a fun trip your planning on doing you best be takin lots of pics

[nato78]

I'm planning my trailer at the moment. If you are putting a box/esky on the draw bar you might want to consider this. I will be sticking a flatter box, with a drop down door on the side, under my main storage box and running a roller system in it for a slide out kitchen. Shouldn't raise my main box too much and frees up a heap of space in the back of the trailer that would have been taken up by a swing out kitchen.