RubiconGeoff
Adventurer
Thank you, Haficon! :wings:
M116A3 / Lifetime Tent trailer mashup
- Thread starter VikingGinger
- Start date
VikingGinger
New member
Doesn't bother me, good info! :beer:
A friend ordered the axle, don't remeber where from. It came to about 225 IIRC.
I believe I added 4 inches to the width. My tires currently stick out 2-3 inches past the stock fenders. I can get measurements during the day tomorrow.
So you had the tracker before the Jeep. Your pictures are what I showed my wife that convinced her it was a good deal.
I believe I added 4 inches to the width. My tires currently stick out 2-3 inches past the stock fenders. I can get measurements during the day tomorrow.
So you had the tracker before the Jeep. Your pictures are what I showed my wife that convinced her it was a good deal.
RubiconGeoff
Adventurer
That's great! My wife had never camped before we met - she was always a city girl. She's willing to sleep in a tent on trails like the Rubicon, but being able to set up the Lifetime trailer on all but the hardest of trails means she's as comfortable in the backcountry as she is at home. Happy wife = happy life!
calicamper
Expedition Leader
I have that same Life Time trailer. Bought it 3+yrs ago via costco online no joke the pallet was dropped off two business days after I ordered it. Great trailer we really like it. Though the newer version has some aspects about it that I don't like but also has some aspects that are nicer than ours. The newer one has small single sized beds or you need to opt for the shelf that hangs over the floor to make the bed size larger, vs the older trailer gives you two queen sized beds outside of the trailer floor space. The tent on the older rig is far far far heavier with heavy rain fly vs the new one is basically just a 1 season light tent with no rain fly. But the new trailer lets you haul gear on the trailer floor vs ours you haul the gear on the top deck which are the bed frames folded over the top of the tent.
This is fun project to watch thanks for sharing, curious how it ends up. We use our trailer quite a bit for both dump runs the past two years due to various renovations projects on the house and the occasional camping trip hopefully more camping in the future now that the kids are older.
I have a few mods and gear adds I plan on doing to the stock trailer. I have a small huskey locking tongue box I'm going to add though I need to relocate the front compression clips for the deck by pushing them out to the sides in a manner that still allows the utility mode cross bar when the tall sides are up.
I've been trying to figure out a shower vs water hauling option but I just recently stumbled onto the Nemo Helio shower kit which solves the big challenge I had which was how to hang one of those solar bags. So now I'm just snooping for some type of ATV type water bottle / Rack I can attach to the side of the trailer. Also debating about putting some thin metal sheet on the inside of the trailer mesh to reduce the chaffing and wear on the tent bag vs the mesh. Also tempted to pick up the Bunk bed cot system for the kids and see if it will work on one side giving them dedicated bunk space and open up the option for a third sleeper next to the bunk on the tent trailer bed or just give us some room.
We tow the trailer with two different vehicles depending on the situation. If its just the two kids, mom and dad occasional dog we just toss the trailer on the Subaru Outback and go. Plenty of room and towing capacity with the Outback and we run between 21-26mpg in that set up. If we haul along a grand parent or two we take our Sequoia for the butts in seats capacity.
I did upgrade the stock trailer bed padding by adding two queen sized memory foam toppers from Costco the toppers have their own zip in covers. Then we just put a queen sized sheet over it.
VikingGinger
New member
Bumped. I updated post #1 with a few more pictures.
:beer:
:beer:
bonomonster
Adventurer
Oh, that is sweeeeeeeeet
parapyropig
Gorilla Wrangler
Damn - that is freaking clever. Subscribed.
VikingGinger
New member
Work done 12/19 - 20/ 2014
Centered and welded the lifetime box on the frame and removed original tail lights.
Added Fenders/welded front landing leg/wired lights/changed bulbs
Had to go pick up eight new (to me) Jeep/trailer tires and three 8 bolt wheels for the trailer.
Started fitting tubing and added cross bars for extra strength, flat surfaces are expanded metal. Put the original trailer tongue with vin as a cross bar for ID and support.
Relocated the rear landing leg from the drivers side of center to the passenger side of center to offset the front leg being on the drivers side of the frame.
Centered and welded the lifetime box on the frame and removed original tail lights.
Added Fenders/welded front landing leg/wired lights/changed bulbs
Had to go pick up eight new (to me) Jeep/trailer tires and three 8 bolt wheels for the trailer.
Started fitting tubing and added cross bars for extra strength, flat surfaces are expanded metal. Put the original trailer tongue with vin as a cross bar for ID and support.
Relocated the rear landing leg from the drivers side of center to the passenger side of center to offset the front leg being on the drivers side of the frame.
Last edited:
VikingGinger
New member
12/20/2014 Continued
A bumper with receiver built years ago for a YJ fit the trailer perfectly so we mounted it up. Flipped the military trailer lights upside down so they were visible below the new bumper. The LED reverse lights will eventually be use for lighting at camp.
Added another piece of tubing to wrap the front fender to the the frame for additional trailer corner protection.
Completed Fabrication
A bumper with receiver built years ago for a YJ fit the trailer perfectly so we mounted it up. Flipped the military trailer lights upside down so they were visible below the new bumper. The LED reverse lights will eventually be use for lighting at camp.
Added another piece of tubing to wrap the front fender to the the frame for additional trailer corner protection.
Completed Fabrication
Last edited:
VikingGinger
New member
12/21/2014
Had to get some paint on all the bare steel. Metal rusts here in a blink of an eye. Not sure if I'm going to rhino line the whole thing or just get a couple good coats of paint on it. Inner fenders will happen at some point too. Not overly concerned about it right away because there's hardly ever any mud around here.
I have to say, this trailer tows a lot better than the old one. The suspension works very well. The trailer will have 8 bolt wheels and rock rings that match my JK. The plan it to mount a matching spare under the trailer too. The JK and trailer will have Goodyear MTR's.
Had to get some paint on all the bare steel. Metal rusts here in a blink of an eye. Not sure if I'm going to rhino line the whole thing or just get a couple good coats of paint on it. Inner fenders will happen at some point too. Not overly concerned about it right away because there's hardly ever any mud around here.
I have to say, this trailer tows a lot better than the old one. The suspension works very well. The trailer will have 8 bolt wheels and rock rings that match my JK. The plan it to mount a matching spare under the trailer too. The JK and trailer will have Goodyear MTR's.
Last edited:
RubiconGeoff
Adventurer
So cool!
frenchlayer
Observer
Dr dirty does some damn good work
Sent from the ether
Sent from the ether
VikingGinger
New member
Thanks! I agree!
Hell yea! Another awesome project brought to you by Dirty's Garage!