Off Road Camp Trailer Build

[tte30m3]

This trailer is everything I've ever wanted. I saw you post you'd do it again - interested in making another for a customer?

I appreciate that.... Honestly, I doubt it. A few people have asked me to do work on their stuff, but unless I get paid at least what I do at my day job, it's not worth it for me to work on extra projects. I work on my own stuff because I enjoy it and I have a hard time paying someone for something I'm capable of, but I've learned when you're doing it for someone else or for $$$, it's not very fun.

 

[honda250xtitan]

it begins to feel like work and less like a hobby where you can unwind and not think about stuff.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Amazing build. That is a masterpiece. I knew with a build and admiration like this, many people would ask you to build one for them at a cost, for sure.

But your response is truly a great one.

I appreciate that.... Honestly, I doubt it. A few people have asked me to do work on their stuff, but unless I get paid at least what I do at my day job, it's not worth it for me to work on extra projects. I work on my own stuff because I enjoy it and I have a hard time paying someone for something I'm capable of, but I've learned when you're doing it for someone else or for $$$, it's not very fun.

Great response. When you are doing something for you, you are usually very meticulous and do not mind any imperfection or anything. You make it to your taste and likeness. Working on it everyday gives you joy and you never get tired as you come up with ideas to make it better and add new things to it. Building it for sale or being paid to get it to what another person wants or likes may not truly come out to be exactly that way even when you are being paid. Customer may end up not being 100% satisfied. Just like any good company never gets a perfect 5/5 review from customers.

it begins to feel like work and less like a hobby where you can unwind and not think about stuff.

Good words. It truly begins to feel like work and truly not as fun.

LOL, but you know what? Some people may be willing to pay for good things. Looking at your trailer and the time you put into it, who knows? Throw out a fair number and someone could take you up on it and he would be happy to have such a trailer as I am guessing it may not be as expensive as what the other big companies charge for theirs.

 

[tte30m3]

Still enjoying the trailer... Death Valley a couple weekends ago:

 

[brrman]

I am going to start my build in the coming weeks, and I gotta say this is the one I will be referring to the most. VERY well done, sir!

 

[ozarque]

It seems like everyone here overbuilds their trailers to the extreme. Why does it need ot be so heavily built? This is a 1.5 ton trailer to carry 1000 lbs of stuff max and the frame could support 3 tons.

 

[RichJacot]

Off-Road is/can be very hard on things and the last thing you want is something to break in the middle of nowhere. Just my two cents. ;-)

 

[billiebob]

I buy my trailers. Loaded I'll be 2000#. The springs are 2000#. And I spec a 3500# axle with 15" rims...
because ........

Off-Road is/can be very hard on things and the last thing you want is something to break in the middle of nowhere.

 

[tte30m3]

It seems like everyone here overbuilds their trailers to the extreme. Why does it need ot be so heavily built? This is a 1.5 ton trailer to carry 1000 lbs of stuff max and the frame could support 3 tons.

That's a very bold statement. Do you have personal or engineering knowledge to verify these are overbuilt for our uses? And if you're 12 hours from home without a welder, and 4 hours to the nearest town, would you rather have something that's built adequately, or would you add about 50 pounds more metal and have it overbuilt?

 

[mobydick 11]

Hi I love your design and build . I have a question ,do you have the weight of the complete set up ? Maybe tong weight as well. more for the towing vehicle that could be used . also do you see a problem with an aluminum trailer designed along you style ? I am up in Canada and they heavily salt are roads in the winter , box tubing up here rusts from the inside out . The best thing about using Heaver steel tubing,as you did .is you can do a much better and stronger weld. (Penetration). Thanks for sharing you build

 

[Brianj5600]

@tte30m3 Did you strip the mill scale before the POR-15? How is the paint and Raptor liner holding up?

 

[mobydick 11]

Hi tte30 ,I hope you will keep updating us on your trailer. at one time i had the drive and skills to do a build like you have ,but at 65 i have become a modifier . as I stated earlier after my last trailer rusted out , I vowed to go aluminum . after looking at 4x6 decided to go 4x8 . most trailers that are 4x6 seem to have a large tong box with tires and tanks upfront .figured why not just go 4x8 and mount everything inside out of site and weather . I have purchased the trailer ,it has a 3500 LB leaf spring set up ,with 15 inch tires . after flipping the axle it gave me a 24 inch frame height .my plan is to add a rack that can carry a canoe and mount my ARB canopy and add a room . the trailer cost 1,850 US dollars and weight is 305 lbs . the only thing I am not sure about is the wood plank floor , for now I am going to put a piece of rubber roofing material over it and then just through bolt my equipment and tie rings on . I am impressed with your skill and experience regarding off road trailers .

 

[billiebob]

That's a very bold statement. Do you have personal or engineering knowledge to verify these are overbuilt for our uses?

Actually, I'd have to agree with the massively overbuilt comment. Most home builds are at least double the weight of a similar manufactured, welded commercial trailer. My trailer, a 5x10 deck, is rated for 3500# but weighs 700#. My other trailer, a 5x10 cargo, same ratings, is 1100# fully enclosed with a full welded tubular frame. Both have thousands of loaded off highway miles on them.

No need to be a engineer if those manufactured trailer follow the home builts without breaking. Just proof of the engineering in the manufactured trailer. I bought because I knew there was no way I could build better. My deck trailer, loaded is on the Mirage Trailers web site... those are 3500# of brick in the trailer.



and today, 1510# fully loaded.

 

[mobydick 11]

Well i would point out that steel is sold by the pound and that is the main driving force behind a manufactured unit . lighter does have its benefits i agree ,but we all have seen lots of manufactured trailers that the metal has cracked around the weld . The OP will never have to be worried about breaking on the trail ,and i think that was his goal.

 

[GeoFelipe]

Hi tt30m3, nice build! congratulations and thanks for sharing your experience. Sorry if I missed, but what are the dimesions of the main box? I am starting my project and taking advice from builds in these posts. thanks!