kitchen trailer with no wheels

[navigator]

I wasn't sure where to put this...
I have an idea......
I like to fish and camp on the beach but the beach that I go to the most doesn't allow trailers.
I don't have the skills to design something like I imagine in google sketch or anything, hopefully you folks can follow my vision.
I had thought about building something like a large cargo box that slides into a 2inch receiver.
It doesn't sit in a cargo rack, it is all one piece.
Instead of coming straight out of the receiver it actually has some rise to it to help with approach angle.
In my vision I can see it having 4 retractable legs so you can easily detach it from the vehicle.
This cargo box would be almost as wide as the vehicle but still see the tail lights.
I can see it having at least one shelf in the middle, possibly two depending on how tall you build it.
In the bottom could be a smaller water tank and propane bottle.
I can see it having two doors on the back. The top door one opens up and the bottom door opens down.
The bottom door would serve as a bench/table/work area, possibly having a coleman stove mounted to it.
The top shelf might have some cookware and other items on it.
Depending on the size of the water tank and the propane bottle it would likely be bulky but not too heavy.
The water could even possibly be gravity flow not requiring any pump.
I would have single cross bar up top that would be in line with the roof rack on my vehicle to help support a canoe.
It could also have some studs/hooks for a tarp to use as an awning.

A modified version might have the hitch mechanism have a swing out like a tire carrier.


Has anyone ever seen anything like this or had any similar thoughts?

My idea behind it again was that you could have many of your camping items self contained but could go places you can't take a trailer.
You could also easily detach it if you like.
If you could keep the weight down you would have a lot of the convenience of a trailer without many of the parts that could possibly fail.

 

[Mark Harley]

You read my mind. I bought an aluminum truck box that is 42" wide with a drop down door.
"bed side version" I am making a 2 " receiver mount "T shaped" that the box will bolt to.
I am making legs that fold down off the bottom " old coleman folding table "
When I remove the box it will be self standing and I can use it on my two trailers and truck.

This is what I am starting with. I have a card board mock up for shelves and dividers in the works.
The green box and its dividers are from member Edward Bernal.

 

[Mark Harley]

http://www.hitchkitchen.com/


http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/14491-Portable-hitch-kitchen

 

[navigator]

Mark, you are close to what I was thinking.
Take 2 of those green boxes and flip the top one upside down.
In the bottom have the stove, water and propane.
Up top put whatever other supplies will fit.
I can't decide though if I would build it tall enough to hold more stuff yet block visibility.
Usually when my SUV is full of camping supplies I can't see out of the rear anyway so I guess it doesn't change anything.
If I could build it large enough to hold the cooking supplies and maybe our tent(which isn't too heavy) and some air mattresses etc, that would make good use of stuff we take all the time. I could even mount some rod holders on the sides.
Here is a really crude paint job of what I'm thinking......

 

[Mark Harley]

I like it!
Start the build!

 

[gordinho80]

Damn, Chris! This is a rather interesting idea! If I wasn't already building a trailer, I'd totally do something like this!

 

[Mark Harley]

Check this site out.

http://www.truckbox.com/customtoolboxes.html

 

[JamesDowning]

I like the concept Chris... but the retractable legs will require some significant fabrication in order to unload the weight from the hitch, and vice versa.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

This is going to affect the handling on a shorter wheelbase vehicle, meaning that the added weight behind the rear wheels will push down while raising the front and decreasing the weight over the front tires, I have been there and it was not very fun. The added weight behind the rear axle will also increase the possibility of getting stuck in the sand because you are increasing weight on the rear tires while decreasing weight over the front tires that will result in less front traction.

 

[navigator]

I thought about that a little bit James. I'm thinking if I do like an inner/outer pipe/tubing type method with some quick pins and a few holes it might work ok.
Push them up to stow/travel and then pull the pin and drop them down to detatch.
I know depending on how heavy the box is I might have to muscle it a little to get the box up to the right height but I think it will be doable if I keep the weight down. I would also have to consider the footprint to make sure it is stable.
In my use I might not remove it except to store it in the garage anyway but if it is light enough to detatch on the beach/trail and still be stable that would be ideal. Something that is deeper but not as tall might be a better option to make it more stable in stand alone mode. It would also allow me to see out the rear glass.

I know the key is to find the right width and height to have something that is stable enough to not tip over and large enough to be functional but yet light enough that I can still move it around and not weigh down the rear too much. It will have to be sturdy yet I can't overbuild it.

 

[tclaremont]

Dont forget about the possibility of adding a front hitch and duplicating the concoction up front, thus balancing out the weight.

 

[gordinho80]

You could do horizontal stabilizer on either end. T it into the front or rear stabilizers and it will widen your front to back stance. Follow?

 

[jim65wagon]

Hey guys, I think it's great that you want to build and are building custom equipment, but I think you should be mentioning the owners of your inspiration pictures. The green trailer you borrowed the photograph of is my friend's. Edward Bernal, I'm unsure who owns the red trailer. Ed put a lot of thought and effort into that design I'm pretty sure they would appreciate a shout out for using their trailer pictures. I think an honorable mention is warranted here.

Beyond that, I have no advice, but I am interested in seeing what you come up with! Keep up the good work!

 

[Falkon]

Interesting.

 

[navigator]

Regarding the front hitch, I actually have one but I think I will save it for a fishing rack instead. I would also be concerned about blocking air flow to my radiator.
Black_ZJ regarding the weight in the rear, I have a Trailblazer, it is already ~5k lbs. I don't think the kitchen will be that much weight and likely not any more weight than I usually carry on my cargo hitch anyway. I usually pack it pretty full with water, firewood, sometimes the cooler depending on how things pack etc. I also doubt the weight would be as big of a burden as dragging a trailer through the sand while on the beach. I would likely move the firewood up to the front rack. It wouldn't stack so high as to block too much air flow.

Regarding giving credit to the owners regarding the pictures, that is a great idea. Ed had a great build. I remember seeing his kitchen before but couldn't recall whose trailer it was. I'm not sure where Mark got the other pictures from......

Mario, I think I am following you about the stabilizers. Instead of mounting the "tool box" directly to the hitch, you want to also tie in two other supports along the ends and tie them into the hitch as well resembling a big "E" maybe more like "-E". That makes sense if you use a tool box. I might look for a tool box to see how that might work. It might actually make it a faster reality. Originally I was thinking about building it from the ground up, like an oversized cargo rack but boxed in. I might never do it honestly but I have thought about it several times and knew the folks here would have some good advice and things to think about.

That is one thing about ideas, if you think about them a great deal and discuss them with others, when opportunity arises you can take advantage and hopefully make fewer costly choices.

I need to get my camping trailer ready first but I already have a couple of cargo hitches. One of the hitches is raised so it would not hinder approach angle too much. If I happen to see the right toolbox on CL, I might have to snag it and use it as a starting point.