Casita or Burro trailer build.

[DesertJK]

Hello Everyone,

I need a camper to tow behind our Jeep JK Rubicon Unlimited. The Jeep seems to do ok pulling my 14 foot enclosed trailer that weighs 1300 empty, with 1500 pounds of bikes and gear.

There are some super cool trailers being built on this site that can be pulled anywhere. I have plans for a trailer like that but want it for cargo like fire wood and landscape rocks (aquired with the proper permits of course)
For my long distance travel I want to be able to just hop in the trailer when I stop and make some coffee, or take a nap, or wait out a blizzard. I want a trailer that will make a good mobile ski lodge or base camp.
The Casita and the Burro seem like the best choices for me but I don't know if they will be able to stand the abuse of being pulled over mountain passes with compact snow with chains on, or washboard roads out in the desert. They appear tough enough to gently guide down fire roads, and I have seen pictures of then being pulled over some light obstacles and that is really all the wheel drive cabability I'll really need with it. Anyone ever pull one of these fiberglass eggs on washboard? How did it hold up?

I am also wondering if these types of trailers have a long enough tounge to put a light motorcycle on it? I have several ranging in weight from 150 pounds to 310 pounds. Idealy I would like to be able to carry an external load of about 400 pounds with the trailer. I am considering legthening the tounge and building a deck to carry a motorcycle. I could also add a spray sheild in front of the bike to protect it from gravel and snow. The sheild for a flat snowmobile trailer would even work.
Any ideas before I start shopping for the base of my mobile base camp?

 

[Markgyver]

I have been wondering about this also.

 

[GreenToys]

There are teardrop campers like > http://for-sale.yakaz.com/motorcycle-teardrop-camper (no affiliation) which can haul your bike and anything else, also it can be a camper. Or check out what this guy did with his utility trailer > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASKLopDLo9M
my 2 cents

 

[PNJohns]

Casita off road

I have a Casita that I use for base camp but don't use on very rough roads. The overhead storage cabinets are riveted into the fiberglass shell with aluminum rivets designed to break under the stress of potholes. They shear before any damage is done to the trailer shell. If you spend much time on washboard roads you'll give your rivet gun a good workout. The trailers are made in 13', 16' and 17' sizes and I think you'd need the small one to be happy pulling with a Jeep.

The motocycle on the tongue could give you more tongue weight than you want without a weight distributing hitch (which won't work offroad).

Just an opinion from someone who wishes they worked better off road.

 

[kerry]

Bruce (?) has a Fuso FG with a Casita mounted on it. He might have some insight. I think there's a picture on one of the treads in the Mitsubishi forum.

Here's the thread with the picture:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9299

A truck mounted Casita is probably subject to less abuse.

 

[wesel123]

Ill let you know. Just got a 96 Scamp from a military auction. Trailer is in great shape, and it does not have the bathroom set up to cut the weight and the underside is smooth, no plumbing or anything hangin underneath.

First mods will be suspension, rims and tires.

Im excited...

 

[RedRocker]

I'm kicking around the same thing, just not sure how well my LJ will tote 2K worth of trailer.

http://www.eggcamper.com/

 

[TexGX]

DesertJK,

I also have a Casita that I use when the wife wants to come along. I have always thought that a 13ft could be modified to make a great mild off road trailer. The 13ft has a step up in the back that would give you more DA. If you added shocks and increased the ground clearence a little, you could get away with some mild off-roading. The plumbing below may be a problem. There are some mods that people have done to clean it up under there. My 17ft has done some gravel and dirt roads, but nothing major. They are great little trailers. Let me know if you would like any more detail. There are a few good casita forums as well.

TexGX

 

[DesertJK]

Ultra light trailer guide

http://www.johnweeks.com/random/campers/#COMP

There are a few in here I am looking at. I don't really have the money to buy new, but when it comes to kitchens and bathrooms I am a little affraid of the trailers I see from the mid eighties and ninetys. They are not that much less and I really don't want to deal with nasty tanks and plumbing. Dealing with extending and reinforcing the frame will be enough work, especially if it has much rust.
I think I have gotten a bit spoiled working on nearly new motorcycles for a living.

 

[DesertJK]

This is the one I keep coming back to.

http://www.microlitetrailer.com/

I like the wazzatt. It is a teapdrop pod that can be dropped on any flat surface, and even stand on its own with some jacks. The only things I don't like are cooking outside behind it, and no room to stand up. The thing I like is that I can build a heavy off road flat trailer, and then drop this on when we camp. I could even build a larger trailer that can handle 2 bikes and a 14 foot inflatable boat that is more road oriented, use the trailer to haul a small car when my gear is not on it, and them build a serious off road trailer for local camping in the desert or the Cascades.
This is tempting and the price is not too bad either, they sell it with out the trailer.

 

[RedRocker]

Thanks for those links, pretty cool stuff.

 

[Ace Brown]

I have a Escape 17 (escapetrailers.com) which is made in BC. I had it built with off-roading in mind, 4" lift, 30" tires, no plumbing hanging down. It does pretty well off-road but the Torx-flex axle design does not like really rough trails. Because there are no real shock absorbers it gets pretty bouncy. Escape just recently added a 15 and 13 ft version to their line. If I was to do it again I would order the 13 and try to find another suspension type.

My 17 is very rugged and nothing has come loose yet (unlike the Casita pop rivet problem) and it is very lighweight at 1900# dry although at 3200# ready to roll it is getting up there. I live in mine full-time so I carry a lot more than most regular campers would.

I am actually thinking of selling and going to a A/T Teardrop trailer. :victory:

Ace

 

[RedRocker]

No s on trailer in their link, so are you gonna live full time in a teardrop?

 

[jagular7]

A 13' Casita w/bath came on my local CL (KC).

Casita 13' with Bathroom Very Lightweight to Pull - $5500 (Kansas City)

I don't know how these would configure to be 'offroadable' due to the over the frame design and the outer edges of the camper's wall being lower than the frame.

 

[RedRocker]

A 13' Casita w/bath came on my local CL (KC).

Casita 13' with Bathroom Very Lightweight to Pull - $5500 (Kansas City)
I don't know how these would configure to be 'offroadable' due to the over the frame design and the outer edges of the camper's wall being lower than the frame.

That looks like a deal there.