Tonto - Off Road Trailer Build

[RocknLJ]

After years of building Jeeps, aggressive wheeling, and continuous parts upgrades (see also breakage), I decided to change my latitude a bit and try the overlanding route. As an avid camper and off road enthusiast, expedition style adventures seem to be a perfect fit. The following pages document my expedition trailer build and off road adventures.

Once I decided on the type of trailer that worked best for my needs, I searched online and found this 2016 Trailgater off road trailer from Bear Trailersports out of Chatsworth, Ca. It is equipped with a 2500 lb torsion axle, recessed LED tail lights, tail gate, 33" BFG KO2s, and is fully welded and powder coated. This thing tows like a dream behind my '05 Wrangler Rubicon and is designed for forestry and fire department service, so it is built tough. I figure it will make a great base for an expedition trailer.

Here are a few pics from the day of purchase.

 

[RocknLJ]

My first upgrade was to replace the 2" receiver with a Lock N Roll off road hitch, and to name the trailer. I have a bad habit of naming my vehicles, so I figured Tonto seemed appropriate since my Wrangler is Kemo (Kemosabe).

I also added a tool box to the front to store gear, but that was short lived. The trailer box is over 4.5 x 6.5 feet, and holds a ton of gear. Here is a shot of its first outing on a Boy Scout trip last March. Those rain clouds in the background will play an important part in Tonto's early modifications.

The scout trip took us up Mt Piute in the rain, which quickly turned to snow. Every ounce of mud and dirt kicked up by my tires ended up in the trailer, and I had a fun 10 hour cleanup after the trip.

 

[RocknLJ]

After reworking the 7-pin wiring for my Jeep and trailer, my next mod was a cheap battery box from Harbor Freight and a custom RTT rack that I designed with a welder from a local shop. I wasn't sure which RTT I wanted, as there were a few choices and a wide range of prices. I was torn between the Tepui and ARB tents, but I had the rack built before purchasing the RTT anyway. Here's a shot of the rack clamped to the trailer the day I picked it up.

 

[RocknLJ]

While at the 2016 Easter Jeep Safari at Moab, I ran into Adam Toleman and his Tepui display. Adam offered a decent discount and the tents seemed to be perfect for my needs. I ordered it as soon as I got home from that trip and the Ruggedized Tepui Autanna arrived on my doorstep a few weeks later. It mounted perfectly to the rack and the RTT mounting system offers a few good options in case I want to change it up, or put the RTT on m Jeep.

I sized the rack to ensure the trailer and RTT fits in the garage, but offers me as much head room as possible. I have about 4" to spare before it hits the garage door, so I'm good with the height. I figure I can always park the trailer on leveling blocks to raise it up another two inches once I get to the camp site, so the annex will fit perfectly.

 

[RocknLJ]

One of the other mods I did was to add mounts for propane, fuel, or whatever on the sides of the trailer. I bought some plate steel and modified some other steel I had for the mounts. I cut, welded, and mounted the brackets with about every tool I own. They turned out pretty good but I am still searching for an affordable fuel or water can mount for the passenger side.

This is an early shot of the rear brackets that I built. I ended up cutting the deadly corners off at 45 degrees and plan to keep them open for use as steps. It's useful to stand on when setting up or tearing down the tent.

One option was to mount ammo cans, but I decided against that.

 

[RocknLJ]

Thinking back to the mud issue, I decided to design a top cover that would double as a work space/kitchen, as well as providing the ability to lock down my gear. I bought some 3/4" square tubes and fired up the crappy Harbor Freight welder.

Here's a shot of the basic framework that mounts to the top of the trailer. I designed it for easy removal if needed.

Tabs welded on the frame allow me to bolt plywood to the top. I plan on swapping out the plywood for poly or other durable material.

I like options, so I wanted the middle section securely bolted to the frame, and each side and end able to extend outward.

Here's a shot with a few coats of paint and my Beaver shovel resting on the top. I'll get to that later.

 

[RocknLJ]

A few weeks later, and I added tie downs and a few ammo cans for gear. Although I didn't describe it, I build a removable box for the front section that holds fuel and water cans, a cooler, and a removable work table.

Sides fold out and are held in place by para cord. One day I'll build a more secure support system.

I made the front hatch hinged to allow access to gear. I plan on adding a 21 gallon water tank and figure it would be handy to gain access to the water pump. This is locked down when not needed.

The rear also can be locked down to secure the tail gate.

 

[Whito123]

Awesome!

 

[RocknLJ]

While building the top, I started ordering and receiving parts for the battery box. I got the idea from a post on this forum, and pretty much copied what worked. I pulled my Optima Yellow Top from my Wrangler for the main power source, and added a charging line from the 7-pin connector, as well as shore power input, 12 VDC power adapters, battery charger, LEDs, and other items. Here's a list so far:

Optima Yellow Top battery and Ruff Stuff battery box
Astra Depot Triple Function USB/12V charger
NOCO 13A 125V AC port plug
120 VAC plug and weather proof cover
Blue Sea 5025 6-blade fuse block
Marinco 701 battery disco switch
Cobra 800 Watt power inverter
Power strip
Optima battery charger
Hopkins towed vehicle batter tender
SPST Toggle switches (for LEDs)
Battery vent

Since I changed out my front bumper and winch on my Wrangler to a JCR Offroad bumper and Warn Zeon S10 Premium winch setup, I relocated the existing round LEDs to the trailer. These are mounted on brackets and can swivel left/right and are located front and rear of the passenger side. I'm using Cree rectangular LEDs on the kitchen side.

I mounted the Beaver shovel to the top deck with a set of Quick Fist clamps I got from Amazon. These are good, but the shovel will likely walk if I left it unattended.

I also added stainless steel tops to each of the fold out tables for easy cleanup when cooking or prepping meals. These are screwed down at the corners, but I'll use a glue to secure them fully. I also built a front rack for my smaller action packer that is very useful to hold snacks or gear when inside the tent. Also, I welded up a tab to a front bar that serves as a lock for the fuel and water cans. I had some unused tow chains and a combo lock that works perfectly.

 

[RocknLJ]

I bought the trailer February 2016 and have built it for the past 5 months in preparation for my trip to Moab in September. I have a few shakedown trips planned and will likely continue adding parts and features until, and after, that trip. I would appreciate your input and suggestions.

 

[lilgription]

Nice work. I built a trailer similar to yours but haven't ( expeditioned ) it out yet

 

[PCO6]

Lots of smart ideas there. Good work!