[jimnynutter]

Hey guys,
In the planning stage now for designing and building an Offroad camper trailer to be towed Behind my Vitara

Requirements:
Zook stud pattern with 15x7 dynamic wheels and federal couragia mud tyres to match the zook.
Rooftop tent on the trailer(eBay special)
Offroad hitch
Swing up bed base for easier access into the trailer on gas struts
Long draw bar for easier reversing and better stability.
Sprung over leaf springs for ground clearance.
Questions:
What size axle and bearings?
Should I put electric brakes on it?
Also, I want a full length 1piece chassis,
What should I use to be the RHS to come to a triangular point at the tip of the drawbar for the hitch, but keep a square frame for the body to mount to? I'm thinking an oxy torch? I can rent one or borrow it from work, but how do I go about getting the RHS to stay in one spot while I bend it for the frame?


what size RHS do you think I should use? 50x50x2? Or 40x40x 2mm or 3mm?
I'm hoping this thing can weigh heaps less than 400kg.
It just has to hold the tent and a couple of jerries of water and some gear so not much.

Cheers

Mike

[christover1]

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=8052

There's a lot of knowledgeable people, including experts and builders in that thread.
Everything you add adds weight, everything you add like brakes depends on weight you want to carry.
Everything is a balance or compromise.

Mine weighs 260kg empty.
I don't need brakes on trailer with my 4 wheel discs,
but think I would if I had drums or swb braking system.

[atari4x4]

these will come in handy when building from scratch.

originally posted by zukenutter & christover

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

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

http://www.support.transport.qld.gov.au ... 970_es.pdf

[jimnynutter]

Cheers guys, not long now,

I just need to sort my winch, recovery points Holefully in the next two weeks and fix my cracked exhaust, and then full speed ahead with the trailer.

[jimnynutter]

Alright, gathered so far
So I'll leave out electric brakes to save weight, fit some alloys for weight saving,
30x9.5 federal couragia muddies, yes the zook has 31x10.5x 15 but ill replace them when it's time with a 30x9.5 to get back power and economy somewhat.
eBay special roof top tent.
Two price a frame chassis like this, with extra bracing to a degree.

[rick1970]

My lightish camper has electric brakes fitted, last owner towed it behind his Bon Trike. I tow it behind my Range Rover and even tho its brakes are quite good, I find them very worthwhile.

How much weight do you think it would add to the trailer?

[ozhummer]

How funny - I am starting an exact project ! - to pull behind my Vit too, although I have gone away from 15x7 Dynamics ( I have 15 x 7's on my vit running 235 75's) - I will be putting 15 x 6's on with a holden / ford stud patern. - I want to keep the same wheelbase as the Vit and like you I''m making it to fit a rooftop tent. I will have the tent elevated to roof height and will have a pull out kitchen. I'm also designing independant suspension but I dont think I will put brakes on as it will be light (I'm making it out of aluminium). Happy to share designs etc ...

[shep]

Skinny tyres tow better then fat tyres. I am very happy with my 700/15 truck tyres on vit stock rims. They are close to a 30" tyre. Not cheap but will prob never wear out.

[zukenutter]

^ x2 on the skinny tyres, less drag.

[christover1]

Yep, I gone skinnier, too

[atari4x4]

skinny tyres & odd rims are ghey, matching rims & tyres FTW.

ozhummer wrote:

I will have the tent elevated to roof height.

i'd lean away from the elevated tent idea, will have heaps more wind drag than running wide tyres unless you're going to enclose it even then it's going to suck.

[ozhummer]

It's going to be v.slippery !

[atari4x4]

you going to make an aero package for it, front splitter & a big GT wing?

Joe went from this:


to this, due to it being a massive air brake:


speak to any truckie about the benefits about tarping up a load to reduce drag.

[alexxx]

Air horn gesture

[missmyljdaze]

atari4x4 wrote:

speak to any truckie about the benefits about tarping up a load to reduce drag.

same drivers same truck.

last time I did a comparison, 6 tonnes of bulky pallets, tarped, from Perth to uranium mine near Katherine, 3.9K's per litre.

similar weight load, no tarps, near enough to 6 tonnes of acid to Tanami desert with gawdawfull road after we left Alice springs, 4 .1 K's per litre.

stuff messing about with tarps [unless customer dictates] too much hassle and messing about.
besides........boss pays the fuel bill- not me. [boss hates tarps too]

stephen

[atari4x4]

2 different loads so it's not really a fair comparison & it's not the weight but the shape of the load.

eg: drilling rig on the back of a low loader was a pig of a thing to tow, lots of crap to to catch the wind. return trip drilling rig reversed on & tarped up to the cab including the mast so it was a bit more aero dynamic & the difference was amazing.

[missmyljdaze]

yeah- planning the load can make a fair difference, low and smooth is best, high and lumpy crook.

[atari4x4]

like a roof top tent up on stilts

[jimnynutter]

I'm with Gus,
Matching wheels and tyres

[303zuke]

Yeah, but towing it around with the tent already set up will always cause drag!