Morris Mule Trailers

[JEMP1003]

Thank you for the updates on this company and its products. Has anyone noticed the two piece lid as being inconvenient? I could see accessing items inside the trailer during adverse weather less than ideal.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It is a minor inconvenience, by the second day I got used to it. You'll have to think better about how you pack everything as getting any big item from the middle of the trailer will require standing on the tailgate to access it.

I just completed a two week trip to Utah, and can say the mule handled extremely well and I'm very happy with it.

 

[jungblud]

jungblud,

Very nice! They, the company, are excellent when it comes to attempting to accommodate special requests. Like your fenders.

Did you have to cut the ends of the rack off to work with that particular CVT tent? AND, when you get home can you post a pic, or two, of how you attached the can holder/s? Would be greatly appreciated.

Yes, I did cut the ends off the right side for my Mt Rainier CVT tent so it could open. I was in a launch countdown just days prior to our travel date so I was quick with my decisions and didn't hesitate on many options. I grabbed the grinder and went to work.

I'm about to sell the CVT and purchase a Baroud Grand Raid as setting up and breaking down the RTT is a PITA compared to the clamshell style approach which is also more aerodynamic.

I mounted the Front Runner can holders with a vertical piece of ~10" angle iron running straight down from the front 'taillight boxes' Morris added to my trailer. A second piece of flat that was bent on one end mounted to the bottom rear of the holder and I tapped a spot for it to attach to the flat surface of the lower square tubing in that area. I also added a 6" piece of automotive weatherstripping to the front of the fender to avoid any rubbing.



The second piece of flat steel was added to the horizontal surface in this 'frame' and was about 6" long. I bent a 90º angle on the end toward the holder where I drilled another hole for a bolt close to the outside as to not touch the can. I'll take a pic tomorrow and post. Wow this trailer looks a lot dirtier now!

 

[jungblud]

Thank you for the updates on this company and its products. Has anyone noticed the two piece lid as being inconvenient? I could see accessing items inside the trailer during adverse weather less than ideal.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is actually one of my favorite features of the trailer. It stays dry in rain but not dust proof in the desert but nothing can escape that stuff. The lids were one of the main reasons I went with Morris vs others. The single monolithic lid is just not a good design. With a RTT or other gear it creates more problems as the hydraulic assist is never going to match your load. The two lids don't make it 100% easy to get to items in the middle/front but due to the fact there is not a crossbar on the back above the tailgate, you can get to anything from the rear of the trailer quite easily.

For a workbench/bar, the lids cannot be beat. In camp this is a major boon. Where to set stuff that is stable and roomy is no longer a problem.

 

[LostBurro]

Yes, I did cut the ends off the right side for my Mt Rainier CVT tent so it could open. I was in a launch countdown just days prior to our travel date so I was quick with my decisions and didn't hesitate on many options. I grabbed the grinder and went to work.
I'm about to sell the CVT and purchase a Baroud Grand Raid as setting up and breaking down the RTT is a PITA compared to the clamshell style approach which is also more aerodynamic.
I mounted the Front Runner can holders with a vertical piece of ~10" angle iron running straight down from the front 'taillight boxes' Morris added to my trailer. A second piece of flat that was bent on one end mounted to the bottom rear of the holder and I tapped a spot for it to attach to the flat surface of the lower square tubing in that area. I also added a 6" piece of automotive weatherstripping to the front of the fender to avoid any rubbing.
The second piece of flat steel was added to the horizontal surface in this 'frame' and was about 6" long. I bent a 90º angle on the end toward the holder where I drilled another hole for a bolt close to the outside as to not touch the can. I'll take a pic tomorrow and post. Wow this trailer looks a lot dirtier now!

OK. Now the full trailer photo makes sense. Thanks for the photos of the mount!

I hear you on the RTT setup, I've been holding off purchase of any RTT. My neighbor has a friend that's working on a clamshell design RTT. I'm waiting to see what happens with that, and hoping I can get a prototype for cheap. I prefer the hard design also, and since it's just me I don't need 100sq' of tent space.
The Mule Trailers are great as is, but they are also a great platform for personal mods. I'm currently working on a rear mounted spare tire carrier design. I'm trying to combine the features of several mfg's to create something multi-use. (spare carrier, gas grill mount, table, and possibly others)

Looks like the toolbox and fuel can do a good job of protecting the forward surface of the fender. This is what can happen (after a few hundred miles of desert roads) if there isn't any protection.

Well, it appears I can't upload any photos. That's bazaar, it worked before. Oh well.....

 

[screwball48]

Well, it appears I can't upload any photos. That's bazaar, it worked before. Oh well.....

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[LostBurro]

It worked, then it didn't and now it does again. More like The Twilight Zone than Star Trek.

Anyway. This is what can happen to the leading fender surfaces after only a few hundred miles of desert roads. A coating of bed liner, or adhesive film, would probably help. But I'm just going to hit them with some primer. For now.

 

[JEMP1003]

It worked, then it didn't and now it does again. More like The Twilight Zone than Star Trek.

Anyway. This is what can happen to the leading fender surfaces after only a few hundred miles of desert roads. A coating of bed liner, or adhesive film, would probably help. But I'm just going to hit them with some primer. For now.

View attachment 290177

I hear you on that my fenders look very similar after a the trip I did to Utah. I'm thinking about re-painting them and using some adhesive film on top. What I may be using bed liner for, is the actual bed itself it got scratched pretty bad on my trip and got traces of paint all over my stuff.
Also, have you had any issues with aluminum residue from the lids? It was all over my stuff?


@jungblud mind sharing more pics of your trailer? I'm also looking into adding a water tank modifying my mule and would like to get some ideas.

 

[LostBurro]

I'm thinking about re-painting them and using some adhesive film on top. What I may be using bed liner for, is the actual bed itself it got scratched pretty bad on my trip and got traces of paint all over my stuff.
Also, have you had any issues with aluminum residue from the lids? It was all over my stuff?

My bed has a few scratches in it, but not too bad. I've owned two pickups w/bed liner (both name brand professionally installed) and I wasn't all that impressed with it so I'm not at that point. Yet.
I did find some pretty bad scratches on the underside of the bed. FedEx shipping from AL to OR wasn't kind to my Mule. There I just sanded/washed/primed. Come to think about it, I haven't checked the underside of my trailer since my trip.

As for aluminum residue: No issues there at all. What kind of residue?

I'm looking at building a rear spare carrier similar to what's on the M.O.A.B. Fort. I like the multi-use idea.
http://moabaz.com/fort/

 

[LostBurro]

@jungblud mind sharing more pics of your trailer? I'm also looking into adding a water tank modifying my mule and would like to get some ideas.

I send the motion.

 

[JEMP1003]

My bed has a few scratches in it, but not too bad. I've owned two pickups w/bed liner (both name brand professionally installed) and I wasn't all that impressed with it so I'm not at that point. Yet.
I did find some pretty bad scratches on the underside of the bed. FedEx shipping from AL to OR wasn't kind to my Mule. There I just sanded/washed/primed. Come to think about it, I haven't checked the underside of my trailer since my trip.

As for aluminum residue: No issues there at all. What kind of residue?

I'm looking at building a rear spare carrier similar to what's on the M.O.A.B. Fort. I like the multi-use idea.
http://moabaz.com/fort/

The aluminum residue was basically aluminum dust (Similar to sanding residue). I gave the lids a thorough clean, maybe it was just stuff from the shop, we'll see how it goes next time.

 

[jungblud]

That is just oxidation. Yes aluminum rusts!

More pics soon.

Hands full in Moab!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[LostBurro]

I send the motion.

Send? S/B "second".

 

[LostBurro]

What the Fudge?!?!?!?
Anybody else see the blatant copy of the Morris Mule that's being mfg'd in Texas? Advertising on Craigslist they even stole photos from the Morris web page! In some of the photos you can even see the "Morris Mule" decal on the tailgate. Copying a design, for personal use, is one thing but to blatantly copy someone else's design and market it as your own is not cool.
I hope Morris sues the crap out of them for this!

http://denver.craigslist.org/sgd/5069827627.html

 

[jungblud]

Here is a photo of the Gerry can mount. Two simple pieces of steel one angle and the other flat and some hardware. These are the front runner can holders that are about $100 each but are tough stuff...powder coated stainless steel. I changed the mounting hardware since the previous picture which was from weeks ago. It is important you use some grade 8 or higher.



Also, I fabbed up a mount for the propane tank (aluminum 11gal). This has been working nicely. The weakest part is the bracket that came with it. I'll be rethinking this mounting in front of tongue box.



Currently in an excellent campsite at Buckeye Reservoir in the Manti-La Sal mountains Southeast of Moab, above Paradox CO. Headed to Grand Junction CO to pick up a new Baroud and sell my CVT Mt. Rainier then on to the Alpine Loop!

 

[LostBurro]

Here is a photo of the Gerry can mount. Two simple pieces of steel one angle and the other flat and some hardware. These are the front runner can holders that are about $100 each but are tough stuff...powder coated stainless steel. I changed the mounting hardware since the previous picture which was from weeks ago. It is important you use some grade 8 or higher.
Also, I fabbed up a mount for the propane tank (aluminum 11gal). This has been working nicely. The weakest part is the bracket that came with it. I'll be rethinking this mounting in front of tongue box.

Thanks! I've got 6 or 7 original "Jerry can" mounts but I couldn't figure a way to mount them that doesn't either hang lower than I want or that the can is too high to open the trailer lid/s fully. I'd love to use some RotopaX, but I'm trying to avoid buying anything that I've already got. In one form or another.
I also have one of the short, fat, (like me) 11# propane tanks that I want to replace with a couple of the 5#ers. They take up less room and are easier to mount.

Thanks for the photos! And have an awesome adventure!