Post pics of production teardops and small hard sided campers - no home builds.

[John E Davies]

I hope we can make this a sticky, to use as a research thread for those who are shopping for a small "sleep inside" hard sided camper.

Please don't post pics of home builds, roof top tents, or tent trailers, unless the tent trailer also has a hard sided sleeping area (eg: Tvan).

A link to the manufacturer's website would be useful if nobody has already posted it. Also indicate if the trailer is available in the USA. You can post images from other sites, but large hi-res pics that you personally took are preferred.

Thanks. JD

From Overland Expo 2012:

Track Trailers Tvan, Australia market only I think. I have been lusting after this one for about ten years.:

I don't have a large pic of the "Assymetric Link" suspension, but I found the following online. This design is used by the Australian military. Unlike a regular trailing arm independent suspension, this one maintains really good tire contact with the ground during turns when the body rolls.

http://tracktrailer.com.au/tvan/

From Overland Expo 2013:

Moby1 XTR, Utah USA. I was told that this trailer has a user added expedition rack and side rock guards. The exposed terminal strip under the center of the frame is also owner applied - all Moby 1 connections are hidden within the battery box.

The front mount looks a little light to me, but it is reinforced. The greasable Heim joint is way cool and uber strong. I would like to see some way for mud and debris to get off the suspension arms - does anyone know if there is a large opening at the rear of that flat plate? I didn't look closely there. There is an adjustable anti-roll bar to reduce the body roll that you can get with an independently suspended trailer. I don't know why the parking brake cable isn't in its bracket....

I would prefer an angled front to those forward mounts (like SoCal Teardops - see pics below) - it would deflect large immovable objects and also provide good protection from grit and water intrusion for those joints..... Plus I would rather have flush grease Zerks, not those vulnerable long ones.

This rig has no water tank - it would go behind the axle, tight up under the floor.

Note that the Heim joints are not positioned correctly - they should be symmetrical and vertical inside their brackets, not twisted. These will quickly wear grooves inside the mounts.

This early trailer has no trim along the edges of the inner wood hatch panel, as do later models.:

My wife Jac (shown above with her CaneMasters fighting cane) and I love the XTR. I especially like the extended frame ("running boards") which reinforces the fenders, so you can climb on them, and for the extra mounting space and splash protection they provide, and for their ability to deflect tree trunks or other low trail obstacles.

http://moby1trailers.com/

Here are a couple of galleries of fully equipped XTRs:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.588517691161142.1073741825.117644758248440&type=1

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.595422267137351.1073741826.117644758248440&type=1

VMI Offroad XTender Compass, Washington USA:

Welded marine grade aluminum:

This one is built with rough pine. Too crude looking IMHO. Plus the hardware is marginal. Other woods are available. It has a very quiet diesel forced air furnace.

They are also developing a flip top model:

Having owned a marine grade aluminum trailer for a decade, I have to say that they keep their looks if not used when there are harsh winter deicing chemicals on the road, but the material does not flex and any un-bushed holes in the alloy can wallow out easily. Fatigue cracking is a possibility if the trailer is used hard. Maintenance is generally easy. You can polish the flat surfaces to a fierce gleam, but the diamond plate areas are sharp and will destroy your rag and fingers. Buyer beware. Aluminum is not for everybody.

This company used to build boats and has now branched off into trailers. I think there will be a steep learning curve at first, but they are worth watching.

http://www.vmioffroad.com/products/xtender-adventure-offroad-trailers.html

MORE TO COME.
John Davies
Spokane WA USA

 

[kingg5]

SWEET!! love the heim joints on that moby!

 

[John E Davies]

From OE 2013.

Adventure Trailers Offroad Teardrop, Colorado USA:

The AT suspension is very impressive. The brackets are stout and the adjusters are cool.

I am assuming that long, unsupported loop of air hose is not found in final production units.

Note: AT cabins are built by SoCal Teardrops and then mounted on AT independent suspension frames for completion.

http://www.adventuretrailers.com/teardrop.html

SoCal Teardops, California USA:

A very nice design - the front angle on the mount will slide over any large rocks.

A very cool, but heavy, swing-out sink/ Spare tire mount:

They have impressive build quality.

http://www.socalteardrops.com/page.php?p=34

MORE TO COME

John Davies
Spokane WA USA

 

[John E Davies]

gtrail offroad teardrop, company location unknown.

That sure was blindingly polished. I am not sure if the sides are stainless or buffed out aluminum. Can someone give me a link so I can add it here?

That is all the commercial teardrop trailer pics I have. Please post yours!

John Davies
Spokane WA USA

 

[ksj]

Thanks for all of the pictures John. Very helpful.

 

[Yulli]

Great write up.

I'm saving up for a Moby1 this coming summer. I already priced out what I want, but I'm gonna revise it and figure out what my "needs" and "wants" are.

 

[dozer2]

It is worth a mention that on the Moby1, those suspension brackets are 24" up in the air. If you are going over a 24-28" obstacle or encountering that kind of break over angle you are going to have other problems to worry about rather than just the bracket snagging! No we did not do that wiring either, not cool but we had to deal with it. We will correct it for him. The brake cable had originally been in that conduit bracket which will quickly rub a hole so we moved it but left the bracket in place. Only so much you can do prepping for a show.

For a view of our current build quality see our facebook page!

 

[dwh]

 

[John E Davies]

It is worth a mention that on the Moby1, those suspension brackets are 24" up in the air. If you are going over a 24-28" obstacle or encountering that kind of break over angle you are going to have other problems to worry about rather than just the bracket snagging! No we did not do that wiring either, not cool but we had to deal with it. We will correct it for him. The brake cable had originally been in that conduit bracket which will quickly rub a hole so we moved it but left the bracket in place. Only so much you can do prepping for a show.

For a view of our current build quality see our facebook page!

Ashley:

Can you comment on gravel/ water protection for your independent suspension Heim joints? I would be very uncomfortable with just letting gritty road spray shoot at high velocity onto those bearings. I have had the same issues with motorcycles that have the swing arm linkage bearings exposed to road spray from the front tire. It quickly destroys them.

How about an 8 inch strip of rubber across the front of the forward brackets, suspended below the frame? It would also serve as a rock guard to stop the sandblast effect on the arms that is visible in this pic:

Do the A arms drain completely? Any worry about trapped stones or mud on top?

Can you please post a pic or two of your frame before the cabin gets mounted?

Thanks for your comments. And thanks again for your help at Overland Expo.

John Davies
Spokane WA USA

 

[dozer2]

Can't tell you about water drainage, I don't put plates on my trailers. This was done by the customer/friend, he actually built it based on our design. As for the joints, they are actually not heims, but similar they are built for off-road rigs, rock crawlers and race trucks and others. They are completely greasable and rebuild-able whereas Heims are not. As with any trailer you are going to have gravel spray, no way around it. The best thing to do is install mud flaps on you tow vehicle to mitigate the effects. In the future we will use materials to assist in fighting effects of gravel. Sorry I won't post pictures of frames in progress, only completed frames or nearly complete projects.

The spotting you see is actually oil from my cummins leaking, not bad just enough over the few hundred miles getting there to get it all dirty. This frame was also only painted by the customer not powder coated yet, he wants to modify it some first.

Also those clips pictured in the post by dwh don't stand a chance against the force exerted by the brake cables. They move and flex under the amount of tension required to hold the park brake, and it just busts those clips loose and twists them like a pretzel! Those are good for wiring however.

 

[John E Davies]

Can't tell you, I don't put plates on my trailers, this was done by the customer/friend, he actually built it to my design. As for the joints, they are actually not heims. They are built for off-road rigs, rock crawlers and race trucks and others. They are completely greasable and rebuild-able whereas Heims are not. As with any trailer you are going to have gravel spray, no way around it. The best thing to do is install mud flaps on you tow vehicle to mitigate the effects. In the future we will use materials to assist in fighting corrosion. Sorry I won't post pictures of frames in progress, only completed frames or nearly complete projects.

The spotting you see is actually oil from my cummins leaking, not bad just enough over the few hundred miles getting there to get it all dirty. This frame was also only painted by the customer not powder coated yet, he wants to modify it some first.

Thanks for the comments. I guess we can expect some confusion when your display rig is not "as delivered from the factory", but instead has been modified rather heavily by the owner. I hope you will take an entirely stock, production version of the XTR to OE next year. Displaying this trailer is probably not the best idea IMHO.

If you won't post pics of your frame, and you don't take a stock framed trailer to the shows ..... I think you are expecting a lot of faith from prospective customers. We really need to know what we are getting for a rather large cash investment.

Do you plan on attending any of the regional overland rallies - such as the upcoming Washington Overland Rally? If so, will you have a _production_ model on display?

Thanks.

John Davies
Spokane WA USA

 

[Honu]

I would include Brads Kimberly and I know one other expo member has one now

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/61679-Birth-of-My-Kimberley-Karavan?

And Dendys Conqueror commander
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/16068-My-New-Conqueror-and-Rig!?p=938375#post938375

 

[dozer2]

Sometimes as a small company you just have to take what you've got on hand, just the way it goes. At least we made it with a trailer. As I said, this is similar to what we build but not "heavily modified".

 

[Honu]

As someone who has owned a kinda rare trailer in the US a conqueror conquest that 5 were brought in all the same which is rare ! but every one had unique mods once bought buy the owner !

I think every trailer has mods some heavy some light ! Like every truck has mods we drive
I would bet not one truck or trailer at expo was identical to another !

And at expo even a small company having a client bring a trailer to show as a sample from or for that company I would say most all of us would understand some owners do things unique and its a clients trailer !

If AT customizes a chaser to have Certain lug pattern I understand I can have the company make mine with toyota or make mine unique no confusion ?

These trailers are not a mass produced item and all are unique for the most part and for me it seems there is no real stock trailers ? Base models sure but again all are unique IMHO and each owner tends to tweak them more

As a joke If you want a off the shelf STOCK models head over to camper world or camping expo and look at pop ups not expo build trailers


Being on the hunt for a trailer again I will talk to the company get toyota hubs and a lid combo I want
And the moment I get it do a few unique mods

Thanks for the comments. I guess we can expect some confusion when your display rig is not "as delivered from the factory", but instead has been modified rather heavily by the owner. I hope you will take an entirely stock, production version of the XTR to OE next year. Displaying this trailer is probably not the best idea IMHO.

If you won't post pics of your frame, and you don't take a stock framed trailer to the shows ..... I think you are expecting a lot of faith from prospective customers. We really need to know what we are getting for a rather large cash investment.

Do you plan on attending any of the regional overland rallies - such as the upcoming Washington Overland Rally? If so, will you have a _production_ model on display?

Thanks.

John Davies
Spokane WA USA

 

[skersfan]

I have not posted pictures of my trailers, as I do not consider them production, but are not what I would call home built either. So rather than take band width, look at the Kelly Tear Drop build. I have no fears or concerns with showing what I build, you can see every single step from a pile of steel to finished product. I build a very small number, I guess two a year. Have no desires to build more. So you can put it into what ever slot you feel it should be John.

But I will tell you the first trailer is owned by a gentlemen from Australia, a roaming off road reporter. He did say that my trailer was a "bloody ripper", he spent a little over two hours looking at it, taking pictures of it. Was literally astonished at the tongue weight, and his comments were, the best off road trailer he had ever seen. I took that as a huge compliment. But after looking at some of the Kimberly Karavans, I must say I am impressed with them.