Alaskan camper mounted on a trailer

[omaha_rick]

let me start by saying that i am never really satisfied. while i love my 1960- something alaskan, i would love more the ability to disconnect it and go sightseeing, or back to town for something i forgot at the store. so i had yet another 'great idea'... what if i mounted my 10' non-cabover alaskan camper to a trailer?

pros:
-it would be even lower profile
-i could put a topper shell onto my truck and gain a nearly endless amount of storage
-have the ability to disconnect and take the truck where ever
-wouldn't have a camper living in my truck all the time
-i work at a trailer repair shop, so the platform would cost a minimal amout of money
-be able to add storage to the sides of the camper where the truck bed used to be

cons:
- i cant really think of any, so this is where you guys chime in...

-rick

 

[Hilldweller]

You just described the reasoning behind me having a trailer rather than a 4WheelCamper right now.

I think it would be pretty cool. You could customize the living heck out of it with storage boxes, outdoor kitchen, etc.
Sounds fun.

 

[java]

exactly why my trailer has standard pickup bed dimensions. i want a FWC to stick in it for winter camping/ski bumming.

only downside i see is that a larger trailer is a bit of a PITA to get down tighter trails.

 

[pods8]

One downside on a trailer is if you need to turn around in the middle of a trail/road. There have been numerous times I've had to do that with my truck FWC that would have been a big headache with a trailer.

Lots of other positives to a trailer though as well. Just depends on your usage.

 

[18seeds]

 

[Tennmogger]

Rick, I think that's a great idea considering your usage. I also have a 10' Alaskan NCO but mine is mounted on our truck. This way when we head out on longer trips the mileage isn't hurt by the extra drag of the trailer, and we can go where we want to without the hassle of a trailer.

In our case the truck will go anywhere with the camper that it can go without, within reason. OTOH, as you said, being able to leave the trailer/camper behind in a campsite and go wheeling would be a significant improvement. Many times we have wished we could do that. Let me elaborate: many times I would dearly love to leave the wife behind in the trailer !!:wings:

Bob

 

[omaha_rick]

of coarse i hadnt though of mounting it backwards... the trailer tounge would make a nice entry step...

the only real problem im having (which isnt really a problem) is how to design the trailer so that the rig as a whole looks nice, maybe even factory.

 

[omaha_rick]

here is what i have come up with, thanks to google sketch:

 

[BillTex]

Leave the jacks on...then you could use it on the trailer or put it back on the truck, based on your itinerary...the best of both worlds!

 

[Herbie]

One question: Are you doing entirely dispersed camping, or do you occasionally stay in established camp grounds?

If you ever stay in SP/NP type campgrounds, the trailer can be a bummer, just because it limits you to using certain spots. One of the things I love about my pop-top van is that I can take any last-minute "tent only" sites that pop up without regard for how much space the "driveway" offers. With a trailer... notsumuch.

 

[dzzz]

I think you would have road damage with the door facing forward

 

[lowenbrau]

The Previous owner of mine hauled it all over the back country behind his mud bogger.

 

[omaha_rick]

i do plan on the camper being 'removable' from the trailer, put since i dont have any jacks i will mostly live on the trailer. after some thought, i also think that mounting the camper with the door facing forward would not be best. as for the type of camping... i'm aiming for dispersed camping, but im sure i will end up in established campgrounds, but most of the ones around me have ample parking for much larger rigs than mine.

 

[JoeGo]

I know this is an old thread and I debated on whether to start a new one or not. But I'm planning the same thing with my 10 NCO Alaskan. Can someone help me with details on building lockers around the camper so it would be flush with the outside edge of a trailer? Thanks.

 

[keane]

I unfortunately dont have any pictures of it right now. But one of the guys I camp and wheel with regularly had a non cab over Alaskan that he would mount to his trailer for trips where we would be base camping. It worked quite well off road on the trailer. But he did have it so he could remove it from the trailer and put it back on the truck for trip where we were constantly moving. There are pros and cons to both setups. But being able to choose which set up to use before going out was nice.