[tahoa]

Hi, and thank-you for taking the time to read this. I have a 1.3 sierra 1997 soft=top. I am a single dad with a 6 year daughter. A few weekends ago we went camping to Straddie for the first time. We stayed at Cylinder Beach campgrounds. We were lucky as the tides were about 9am for driving along the beach. A lot of people were towing HUGE caravans and camper trailers along the beach to some of the track camping spots. I am a minilmistic camper who doesn't need fridges, generators, 1000kg kitchens, led lighting to welcome A380,s to land on the beach, nor do we need most of BCF or Anaconda to have a quiet camp. What we do need is extra light weight space to allow 20 liters of water, extra gear that would have made us self sufficient for a week. So I am asking if anyone reading this post has ever towed a small trailer with a Sierra across dunes on Moreton, Stradbroke and Fraser Islands.

I can get a trailer made that has the same wheel track as the 4wd that is chassis only (registed) for around 600.00 . All I have to do is plonk a lightweight home made plywood box on top and it by the maths will top out at 165kg. I also like the idea of being able to leave all the camping gear in the trailer when we get home so that if we decide to just get away one weekend its all there bar the last minute stuff.

The Suzuki softop with small fold own plastic table on top had us, 5 person tent and fly, ground and tent tarp, queen inflatable bed, 2 camp chairs, metal fireplace, charcoal and fire starters, cooking gear and plates/bowls etc , 3m windup umbrella, esky x 2, pillows and bedding, solar lights and lighting for around tent, small gas stove, you get it...... Great if you are camping with showers and fresh water.

The ability to put lightweight gear into a trailer while putting heavier gear in the back of the Zook appeals to me.

Any ideas or options welcome. Mike

[MrRocky]

Lower gearing definately

[bumstein]

Just curious (I'm WA so don't know the areas you speak of), have you tried towing a standard trailer on the beach there?

If not, beg/borrow/steal a 4x6ft trailer and try that first. See how it goes, if it does fine load up a little weight in it and try it again.
If it works with a 4x6 and your new trailer follows the same wheel track you'll be miles ahead.

Depending on how boggy it is you may need to do nothing more than let the tyres down to an appropriate pressure!!

If you have to hit the highway for many k's to get there, towing that weight might be ok or might be somewhat arduous..

Report back

[Reubs]

Having done Fraser a few times with 2 adults in a Sierra myself, I know it can be done reasonably without needing a trailer.

I doubt a reliable semi offroad trailer can be built to house all your camping gear for 165kg. 3 standard zook wheels weigh 75kg on their own.

[Marko_SJ]

Probably nothing like down there, but have towed a box trailer along the Dundee beach access all the way to the mouth and back with a Yamaha Grizzly 660.

That's fairly soft sand.

I'd try similar conditions with backup first.... but personally think you'd piss it in with the tires let down.