Exodus Capax Trailer

Obsessed2findARuggedHybid

Well-known member
I got to thinking (which can be scary) - what separates the Exodus Capax from other modern luxury EV minded trailers is in the definition of thier name Exodus- " the road out" which i interpret as the off road way out 😉

It's not a pavement princess like the others. Just saying..you know
 

Obsessed2findARuggedHybid

Well-known member
That swing away tongue looks pretty beefy. If it has a weak point it is in the pullout pins. That is a highly stressed point and will likely get wallowed out over time from the heavy stress and play in the system. Bolts would be better, but slower to remove. It seems like an unfortunate compromise just to shorten the trailer by a couple of feet. These days, the code for a garage is, I think 19' depth. Barely enough, and many builders build to the minimum spec. Some trucks are longer than that.

I made a mistake on the "six bolt" wheels comment. They are actually 8 bolt. Good. I can't see the swingarms, but I noticed how far forward the shocks are mounted. They have very little advantage, or leverage over the suspension movement, at that location. It looks like the frame is a riveted setup, similar to the Pause and Reboot frames.

Those stabilizers are the same units used as the main tongue jack on the Reboot trailers. They are pretty strong and can be deployed electrically from the control panel. Good, but lots of expense and electrical equipment. With off-grid trailers we have an energy budget. How much power is to be budgeted for lowering the stabilizers at each stop? and why is that better than doing it with a hand crank or battery drill? I don't even use the stabilizers usually, and with more and more automation, comes more and more expense and repairs. I just don't feel the need for the trailer to do everything for me, or pay the price for that complication. It's getting to where trailers are simply luxury apartments on wheels, and any time we can detect a slight issue requiring us to get involved, we demand an upgrade. My Reboot is pretty complicated too, and I am always aware of how that could affect the quality of the trip if things don't work right.

Examples of this are that my water heater cracked and Truma won't sell parts to the end users. The Truma furnace is finicky about elevation and delivery air flow, resulting in shutdowns if everything isn't perfect. One of my stabilizers bent slightly and locked up. The only way I could get it out of the way was to unbolt is from the trailer. If I didn't have tools, it would have been more serious. The TV works with the Reboot onboard hotspot and is so complicated I could not figure out how to get the weather from local programming. The Victron solar controller must be programmed to work with the inverter and other controllers in the system. It is a proprietary program and uses a proprietary plug connection. Only dealers have access and then they can only borrow the equipment to do it. I cannot change out a simple solar controller and expect it to work with the system. There is a relay on the back of the electronics skid, where the controllers and inverter are mounted. These relays can go out and the only way to get to them is disassemble the seat and remove the entire skid while dealing with all the wiring that is crammed in around it. Then everything in the trailer is shut down until that little relay gets fixed. It could have just as easily been mounted on top where it could be reached with no problem. The air suspension works very well, but don't ry to fix a leak or replace a control valve, because all that stuff is above the underbelly aluminum bottom that protects it all from splash and weather. That bottom is siliconed and bolted on. And it appears to be one piece under the entire bottom of the trailer. Very difficult access to the equipment.

Simplicity and serviceability are very important. Trailers require maintenance and they have failures. Wanting more and more complicated systems and automation does and will lead to disappointment. We each need to decide what "camping" means. For me it is freedom, travel, exploration, seeing new things and puttering around on the trailer to dial it in. Campfire time with friends, interacting with the wild burros and horses, photography and learning about the geology of the West. But it is not about getting help to watch TV, or to make the solar work, from professionals. It is not getting stranded with poor equipment or driving a thousand miles home with no air suspension. That is why I like simple mechanical systems that are well proven. The Reboot, for instance is the most complicated trailer I've ever had. It is a wonderful thing, but I always have my fingers crossed that I don't have to fix the suspension or the charging system. I'm at a point where I am not enamored with over the top high tech, or luxurious camping equipment. We need a good towing trailer, well insulated, with good suspension. A good water system, heating system, shower and toilet system. A good solar system and lithium battery bank. I want a large compressor fridge and a propane stove. An outside griddle is a big plus. A few chairs, a fire pit and I'm happy. These allow us to go out and stay out, off grid. Bring on the adverse weather as that's fun. We'll camp eight miles from home or on the other side of the Country.

End of rant.
Obtaining more information from Exodus. I hear you on modern trailers going to far on automation aspects. The Exodus at this point is so much more off road capable then it's competitors like Pebble and Lightship. I know that's not saying much. The whole tow assist power to axles just doesn't seem like a system that would work off road which is why Exodus is not going that route. The extra weight the Exodus has in the suspension and chassis over the others is proof.

Also the actuators are Firgellie Bullet which are top of the line. They also have a support plan if one of them were to fail. Highly unlikely two or more would but also a plan in that senioro.

So far these guys really are building these with the top of the line components to warrant the price.

I will post details on suspension soon.
 

Obsessed2findARuggedHybid

Well-known member
That swing away tongue looks pretty beefy. If it has a weak point it is in the pullout pins. That is a highly stressed point and will likely get wallowed out over time from the heavy stress and play in the system. Bolts would be better, but slower to remove. It seems like an unfortunate compromise just to shorten the trailer by a couple of feet. These days, the code for a garage is, I think 19' depth. Barely enough, and many builders build to the minimum spec. Some trucks are longer than that.

I made a mistake on the "six bolt" wheels comment. They are actually 8 bolt. Good. I can't see the swingarms, but I noticed how far forward the shocks are mounted. They have very little advantage, or leverage over the suspension movement, at that location. It looks like the frame is a riveted setup, similar to the Pause and Reboot frames.

Those stabilizers are the same units used as the main tongue jack on the Reboot trailers. They are pretty strong and can be deployed electrically from the control panel. Good, but lots of expense and electrical equipment. With off-grid trailers we have an energy budget. How much power is to be budgeted for lowering the stabilizers at each stop? and why is that better than doing it with a hand crank or battery drill? I don't even use the stabilizers usually, and with more and more automation, comes more and more expense and repairs. I just don't feel the need for the trailer to do everything for me, or pay the price for that complication. It's getting to where trailers are simply luxury apartments on wheels, and any time we can detect a slight issue requiring us to get involved, we demand an upgrade. My Reboot is pretty complicated too, and I am always aware of how that could affect the quality of the trip if things don't work right.

Examples of this are that my water heater cracked and Truma won't sell parts to the end users. The Truma furnace is finicky about elevation and delivery air flow, resulting in shutdowns if everything isn't perfect. One of my stabilizers bent slightly and locked up. The only way I could get it out of the way was to unbolt is from the trailer. If I didn't have tools, it would have been more serious. The TV works with the Reboot onboard hotspot and is so complicated I could not figure out how to get the weather from local programming. The Victron solar controller must be programmed to work with the inverter and other controllers in the system. It is a proprietary program and uses a proprietary plug connection. Only dealers have access and then they can only borrow the equipment to do it. I cannot change out a simple solar controller and expect it to work with the system. There is a relay on the back of the electronics skid, where the controllers and inverter are mounted. These relays can go out and the only way to get to them is disassemble the seat and remove the entire skid while dealing with all the wiring that is crammed in around it. Then everything in the trailer is shut down until that little relay gets fixed. It could have just as easily been mounted on top where it could be reached with no problem. The air suspension works very well, but don't ry to fix a leak or replace a control valve, because all that stuff is above the underbelly aluminum bottom that protects it all from splash and weather. That bottom is siliconed and bolted on. And it appears to be one piece under the entire bottom of the trailer. Very difficult access to the equipment.

Simplicity and serviceability are very important. Trailers require maintenance and they have failures. Wanting more and more complicated systems and automation does and will lead to disappointment. We each need to decide what "camping" means. For me it is freedom, travel, exploration, seeing new things and puttering around on the trailer to dial it in. Campfire time with friends, interacting with the wild burros and horses, photography and learning about the geology of the West. But it is not about getting help to watch TV, or to make the solar work, from professionals. It is not getting stranded with poor equipment or driving a thousand miles home with no air suspension. That is why I like simple mechanical systems that are well proven. The Reboot, for instance is the most complicated trailer I've ever had. It is a wonderful thing, but I always have my fingers crossed that I don't have to fix the suspension or the charging system. I'm at a point where I am not enamored with over the top high tech, or luxurious camping equipment. We need a good towing trailer, well insulated, with good suspension. A good water system, heating system, shower and toilet system. A good solar system and lithium battery bank. I want a large compressor fridge and a propane stove. An outside griddle is a big plus. A few chairs, a fire pit and I'm happy. These allow us to go out and stay out, off grid. Bring on the adverse weather as that's fun. We'll camp eight miles from home or on the other side of the Country.

End of rant.
Raspy trying to figure out why this trailer at 6,500 ish dry has a 800 lb tongue weight. It is a two wheeler on a 17-18 foot box. Could axel (if it had and axel) placement have something to do with that? Please see another pic of suspension.
 

Raspy

Active member
Raspy trying to figure out why this trailer at 6,500 ish dry has a 800 lb tongue weight. It is a two wheeler on a 17-18 foot box. Could axel (if it had and axel) placement have something to do with that? Please see another pic of suspension.
Yes, The axle appears to be set rather far back from the hitch. This gives trailers a higher percentage of the overall weight. It also tends to give good stability, provided the tow vehicle is not overloaded. But this one seems to have the wheels set a bit farther toward the rear than usual. It looks like, based on the weight and overall dimensions, that it would be better with tandem axles. 6,500 lbs dry, likely means nearly 8,000 loaded with all gear, water and propane. That's 4,000 lbs per axle, minus 1/2 the tongue weight, which is near the limit for even load range E tires of similar size. And it means heavy duty wheels. Maybe the interior layout has dictated the wheel well position. Or it might be that the water tank is behind the axle. I am just guessing here. Tandem axle trailers have some real advantages over single axles when towing. First, they are inherently more stable since they want to go straight. Second, there is less weight per tire. Third, the breakover and departure angles are better for off-road use, because you have a set of tires closer to the front and a set closer to the back of the trailer. Forth, changing tires is easier because you can simply run one tire up onto a rock, to change the other one. fifth, it seems with most tandem axle trailers, you can run with three wheels to get home if you have to, after a bearing failure or a second flat tire, where you have no remaining spare. I suppose too that a tandem would have less tongue weight because the front set is holding up weight closer to the hitch, than with a single axle. Tandems have four brakes holding back instead or two. Four wheels will float over soft surfaces and sink less than single wheels. Finally, tandem axles get over potholes and other irregularities better than singles do, as they are sharing the load. This causes less shock to be sent to the trailer body.
 

Obsessed2findARuggedHybid

Well-known member
Yes, The axle appears to be set rather far back from the hitch. This gives trailers a higher percentage of the overall weight. It also tends to give good stability, provided the tow vehicle is not overloaded. But this one seems to have the wheels set a bit farther toward the rear than usual. It looks like, based on the weight and overall dimensions, that it would be better with tandem axles. 6,500 lbs dry, likely means nearly 8,000 loaded with all gear, water and propane. That's 4,000 lbs per axle, minus 1/2 the tongue weight, which is near the limit for even load range E tires of similar size. And it means heavy duty wheels. Maybe the interior layout has dictated the wheel well position. Or it might be that the water tank is behind the axle. I am just guessing here. Tandem axle trailers have some real advantages over single axles when towing. First, they are inherently more stable since they want to go straight. Second, there is less weight per tire. Third, the breakover and departure angles are better for off-road use, because you have a set of tires closer to the front and a set closer to the back of the trailer. Forth, changing tires is easier because you can simply run one tire up onto a rock, to change the other one. fifth, it seems with most tandem axle trailers, you can run with three wheels to get home if you have to, after a bearing failure or a second flat tire, where you have no remaining spare. I suppose too that a tandem would have less tongue weight because the front set is holding up weight closer to the hitch, than with a single axle. Tandems have four brakes holding back instead or two. Four wheels will float over soft surfaces and sink less than single wheels. Finally, tandem axles get over potholes and other irregularities better than singles do, as they are sharing the load. This causes less shock to be sent to the trailer body.
Thanks for this. Yes the gvwr is 7,700 pounds. My research is that most off-road trailers that have 16-18 boxes are tandem wheeled trailers. With this suspension it would just make it way to heavy for my liking. Liklely add anther 700+ pounds. Trying to talk Exodus into going on a diet not getting up to 7,500 pounds dry.
 

Raspy

Active member
Thanks for this. Yes the gvwr is 7,700 pounds. My research is that most off-road trailers that have 16-18 boxes are tandem wheeled trailers. With this suspension it would just make it way to heavy for my liking. Liklely add anther 700+ pounds. Trying to talk Exodus into going on a diet not getting up to 7,500 pounds dry.
Sorry, typo. Second sentence should read: "This gives the trailer's hitch a higher percentage of the overall weight." In other words, moving the wheels aft increases the tongue weight. That doesn't make it unstable, it just makes the truck carry more. Moving the wheels too far forward is what makes them unstable. I forgot, what is your tow vehicle?
 

Obsessed2findARuggedHybid

Well-known member
Sorry, typo. Second sentence should read: "This gives the trailer's hitch a higher percentage of the overall weight." In other words, moving the wheels aft increases the tongue weight. That doesn't make it unstable, it just makes the truck carry more. Moving the wheels too far forward is what makes them unstable. I forgot, what is your tow vehicle?
Right now Lexus GX 460 but I have a Scout Terra EV on order. It has a proposed 10,000 pound towing capacity and 2,000 pound payload. Also considering a Chevy Silverado EV Trailboss with same specs.
 

DFNDER

Active member
Word is the Scout with the Harvester generator will only tie 5,000 lbs and have lower payload. The BEV may only be 7,000 pounds, but that’s less clear. Hot topic of discussion on the Scout forums.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Obsessed2findARuggedHybid

Well-known member
Word is the Scout with the Harvester generator will only tie 5,000 lbs and have lower payload. The BEV may only be 7,000 pounds, but that’s less clear. Hot topic of discussion on the Scout forums.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The BEV (total EV) has always been projected at 10,000 for Terra pickup and 7,000 for the Traveler suv.

The Harvester gas powered generator option has folks with ev range anxiety all excited and confused about what it can do. Then Scout dropped the bomb that both models of Harvester generator may only have 5,000 towing capacity. My guess it will rise to 5k for suv and 7k for pickup.

I am all in on total EV Terra. My prediction is It will have 400+ range (200+ towing) good enough for me.
 
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