Another trailer project, adhd style

[Mischief]

So, the 6x12 that I built up a few years ago is still going strong but it is what it is which is 8ft wide and tall which keeps it out of tight places. Our situation now is little time off so a big trailer built for multi day trips is only sweet part of the time and driving down the road I have way too much time to think about how a smaller trailer would be so much easier on both me and my truck. But being comfy is important so we needed the comforts of the 6x12 in a much smaller package. Set up for 3 day weekends, 1 day out, 1 day play, 1 day back, same width as my taco, and forgetfully easy to pull.
The adhd reference is only to highlight that my plan only comes into existence as I pursue it and many times I need to stop and back up because I've missed the trail. If I wait for a fully functional plan I'll stall in the details and not do it. What I have is sort of a distant vision of what I want to build and it only comes into focus as I get closer, created by my vision but dictated by my mistakes.
This project has been tumbling around for a while since I paid $150 for this little jewel, a 1977 Sears something folding utility trailer. I wanted it for the title but I've since learned that it's pretty easy to title a diy trailer, at least in NM.
Anyway, it's had a few incarnations and is now on to camping. It's been widened to the width of my '04 taco and obviously lengthened.
I'm putting a smittybuilt hard shell tent on a sliding tub lid which should keep the total height below 6'.
That will uncover the 64"x50" tub which becomes the standup/kitchen/bathroom/whatever part. I have a plan for a simple awning covering the hardshell and the tub with sides as needed.
It's been fitted with a 3500# brake axle and tires/wheels that match my truck.
This is it's current state, the tent should be here tomorrow. I'm not ready for it but I found a pretty sweet ebay deal on one so I'm guess I'm
committed.
I've also looked for pics of something like I'm planning but all the tubs seem to have a hinged lid and\or the weight of the rtt is up so high that I thought it would be top heavy, the hardshell is 55" wide so nearly the width of the trailer and 85" long so covers almost the entire length. I'm basically just using the hardshell on a 1"x2"x1/8" square tube frame as the tub lid

 

[billiebob]

not a clue whats happening.... so yes definitely subscribe to watch

 

[Mischief]

not a clue whats happening.... so yes definitely subscribe to watch

Lol, I don't think it's a requirement to know what's happening, if it is then this project is already ********
A few weeks ago the city fathers sent me a couple of strongly worded letters indicating shock and disgust at my "yardkeeping" and since they are the true owners of my property I decided it was better to tidy up than to resist. So I'm collecting up the debris and building one of those $80,000 off grid campers, or, retrofitting an old junk ass trailer with a tent

 

[Mischief]

My "tent" got here, it's kind of a beast. I can't really imagine being comfortable driving with it mounted on a normal roof rack.






I think it will be sweet mounted on this little trailer tho



The rear roller track is bolt on so with it and the lid and the spare tire removed I can use it as a work/utility trailer,
and with a sheet of plywood I can haul 4'x8'



The plan is to use plywood to box things in and maybe a slatted floor, maybe slats from that new pallet I just got?
I know water is going to intrude so I might as well provide for it's exit.
We usually carry bath towels to put down for carpet anyway. The floor is going to sit on those rails so
there will be plenty of air. The rails are 2 1/2" high so I might be able to utilize that space for awning poles.
The spare tire carrier was kind of a pita but I think it came out ok for a retrofit. It needed to not drag and still
stay under the hardshell and also provide the last 18" of the 4x8 platform. If it does drag it will just push the tire up.
At worst deform the straps that hold it up.
And thank milwaukee for power tools, cutting steel is way easier than it used to be.
In case you were wondering,
the side caps/support braces for the spare tire carrier were cut from the old fenders and are sheet metal with a 1/2"
conduit edging which is how I'll prolly do the new fenders

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Mounting a RTT to a small trailer is really the best RTT setup. Since you're fabricating everything yourself, I'd suggest coming up some sort of vertically adjustable rack/mounts to which you can secure a tarp (or other cover) which would then go overtop of the RTT and give you dry entry. Nothing worse than getting out for a midnight pee and dragging in snow/rain.

There was a hardshell RTT under the tarp in this photo, and the tarp was a huge pain to get setup the way it was. A permanent, vertically-adjustable set of mounts would have made life 100x easier.

 

[Mischief]

Mounting a RTT to a small trailer is really the best RTT setup. Since you're fabricating everything yourself, I'd suggest coming up some sort of vertically adjustable rack/mounts to which you can secure a tarp (or other cover) which would then go overtop of the RTT and give you dry entry. Nothing worse than getting out for a midnight pee and dragging in snow/rain.

There was a hardshell RTT under the tarp in this photo, and the tarp was a huge pain to get setup the way it was. A permanent, vertically-adjustable set of mounts would have made life 100x easier.

Yeah, that's in the plan. Since the hardshell is going to slide to the left it will expose the interior of the "tub" which will be the kitchen/standup space so I'm thinking a canopy of some sort covering it all.
I got the sliding frame roughed in

 

[jwiereng]

Lol, I don't think it's a requirement to know what's happening, if it is then this project is already ********
A few weeks ago the city fathers sent me a couple of strongly worded letters indicating shock and disgust at my "yardkeeping" and since they are the true owners of my property I decided it was better to tidy up than to resist. So I'm collecting up the debris and building one of those $80,000 off grid campers, or, retrofitting an old junk ass trailer with a tent

View attachment 754498

Do you live on city property? Interesting contrast to many builds here, lots of folks have nice big empty shops to build cool campers

 

[Mischief]

Do you live on city property? Interesting contrast to many builds here, lots of folks have nice big empty shops to build cool campers

Thx for the comment

We all live on city property, stop paying your property taxes (rent) and see how long before you're evicted.
Planning and zoning departments (gentrification police) are in every locale so in many cases building
something outside is restricted in one way or another up to and including prohibited outside storage.
To be honest, this is all pretty bougie anyway, and some get carried away with conspicuous consumption,
but, lacking inside space, many people are simply shut out of the process for lack of a place to do it.
I'm priveleged enough to have a space that is not visible from the street or adjacent property. I still try to be
careful about how much noise I make and when I make it.

To be fair tho, there are some other kinda sketchy home builds in the build thread, lol
After all, the adventure only begins when the plan turns to shite

I have a little more framing to complete and some scars yet to pretty up but it's back to road legal.
The sliding tray on top ended up 74" long and the hardshell is 85" so there will be some overhang over the spare tire

 

[Mischief]

Sliding tent trolley deployed



The supports are pinned on, pull the pin and they are removed. They can travel right in there btwn the spare tire and
the back of the box.







You've prolly been wondering about access to the tub, the front passenger side is really the only place. I'm going to cut
out the top angle for a step thru and these are the first two steps






I have to say that I'm extremely pleased how with the supports worked out. I knew there was a way but exactly how to support the tray and the tent and us had eluded me until only this morning. The pin to hold it on and the triangulation to hold it steady is really better
than anything I had envisioned

 

[Mischief]

So, it's been a minute but I've been busy
Propane tank mounts are done
hardshell is mounted
telescoping tent poles are in the making











so many details

 

[Mischief]

A few more pix

 

[simple]

Thanks for sharing. Keep it coming!

 

[Mischief]

I got the third canopy support roughed in, the other ones fold into the tub but this one is removeable in three pieces and mounts on the outside of the trolley. I was going to make a canopy out of one of those recycled billboard tarps but didn't want it to be black inside so it din't soak up any lighting so I spent $500 on a custom cover from a local awning company. Whew, I hope it's worth it, we'll see next week



I also got to work on the stabilizer jacks, there will be one on each left hand corner of the trailer and one by the entry steps
None of them can just pivot like on a hitch so I also had to decide on a mounting method and location for traveling. I'm thinking I might lengthen the feet bc they need to be at near full extension the way they are and also maybe some sort of claw foot so I can set them
down on a rock or piece of firewood instead of carrying so many wood blocks. I mean, wood blocks are satisfying to carry around and useful for many things but too many is too many and they need a place to be stored away also
I also cut off the handle and welded a 14mm hex nut on the crank shaft to raise and lower, now it will work with any tool, including a cordless impact driver







I

 

[Ozarker]

Great seeing some ingenuity at work, it should work well.

Like your security screen for the windows as well!

 

[Mischief]

Positive audience participation is always welcome

I tidied up the hitch today, mounted the jacks,











ready for the beach



I think all the welding is done, ready for plywood