Skersfan's New Shuttle Pod Trailer Build...

[Silver-Bolt]

Bob,
I am late to the party but really like what you have built. Any plans for a 60" wide model? How about a swing gate on the rear for the spare leaving the tongue open for a large store box? Swing the spare 90 degrees, open the galley. Small drop down table on the back of the spare carrier for a prep area. Very interested in purchasing one of your trailers.

 

[Aspen Trails Trailers]

Actually the 60 inch wide model was discussed with Elcipse RV. They wanted one built. I had agreed to do it as they wanted to build the trailer on a mass production front. I was interested to say the least, but after taking a trip to run the Kokopellie trail I realized that it would no longer truly be an off road trailer, as it gets to wide to do many shelf roads, several times I came within fractions of an inch of destroying the top line of the trailer, another ten inches it would have hit and most likey put me over the edge. My idea for this is to be trail worthy for most trails.

We set up a deal with Oztent to provide a tent that would sleep three and do so in just a matter of seconds. It will be attached to driver side, as the production trailers come with two doors. The other side is covered with the Fox Wing awning giving you many square feet of shate and the possiblity of enclosure.

The spare tire on the rear, changes the center of gravity drastically, easily done on the tent trailers because all of the water and the batteries are on the tongue. A very poor idea in my mind, mine are centered over the axle making it very low and close to the ground. But with the new battery I am using, it weighs 159 pounds, I could move it to the front in a box and attach the rear swing out carrier, I had one on my tent trailer that I built. These type of things are possible for sure.

 

[skersfan]

Also on the 60 inch wide model, the trailer gets terribly wide, for it to have the floor space you end up with a tear drop wider than your tow vehicle. I have looked at making it a tight fit for sleeping raising the floor above the wheel wells and having storage below, but then you run into door space problems. I like to set the trailers up with the same size wheels and tires as the tow vehicle, makes more sense for serious off roading it seems to me, my fender wells are 15 inches wide allowing up to a 37 under the trailer, I also allow about four inches for clearance against the trailer and the wheel in case you catch a rock and spin it in side the wheel. I have a section of steel there to stop it from damaging the trailer, most do not do that. I come from the rock crawling side of the sport, not into it to much anymore, but have seen what a 8 by 10 inch rock can do to the side of a trailer.

 

[Kirch]

I am getting to the party late but am glad I showed up! This is a great thread. I am putting a creature comfort trailer together for surfing up in Washington state with the family and friends and this gives me some things to think about. I am glad you took the time to document the build and I hope you sell a ton!

 

[skersfan]

Kirch, there is a current build going on in the Old Sarge Build, it will give you more of a step by step process, have fun that is the most inportant part of building a trailer. Good luck.

 

[Speedypitstop]

Hi I've been reading through your build looks great
Just interested to see if there where any structural problems after tacking it offroad.
I am about to build somthing similar to your camper and I am having trouble deciding on steel , timber, or ,aluminum. I sore you used rhs steel and wanted to hear your thoughts.

Keep up the good work

Andrew

 

[skersfan]

It has done trails that most say they have never seen another trailer on. Aluminum is not the answer for off road trailers I do not think. Will not take the continual twisting and banging, unless it is all aluminunm, meaning lower frane.

I have not had anything break or crack and it has over 15000 miles on it, on some of the toughest trails the western states has to offer. Virtually impossible to turn over.

I am building another one now, you can see quite a bit of the build, more than the first one.

 

[Aspen Trails Trailers]

I am bringing this back to the top as I have a potential customer wanting to look at the original proto type build.

 

[TACO721]

i love this trailer! i really want to build something kinda like this my self.

 

[skersfan]

Taco,

I have given basiclly step by step build, in the Old Sarge Build, it is in this section. I would suggest stick by stick so you get what you want where you want it. Cad will work I am sure, but some things you have to take into consideration how it works with other, IE, location of hot water tank, shower outlet and sink, become quite a cluster. Make the upper frame the way you want it and then fit each piece in till you get it the way you want it, be sure you actually put the item in and check the connections with the hoses or what ever you are working on.

Bob

 

[skersfan]

As of last Monday, we have raised the base price for the Ouary Base Camp to 22,500.00. That is of course fully loaded. Way more work in these than the standard teardrop and we are still far below the competitions top end product with many more options.

 

[Titanpat57]

It's still a bargain Bob, considering you can drag it everywhere/anywhere you want in total and complete comfort.

 

[skersfan]

Value

Pat my guess is that I have twice as much time in building my frame than the others have in building a whole trailer. Plus double to triple the cost. But 17.5 does not pay the bills. I had wanted to keep it there, but I make more working my job partime than building trailers. So to continue the price had to go up. A lot of the initial parts bought a year ago have nearly doubled in cost. And I expect that to continue.

Bob

 

[skersfan]

After completing the Old Sarge trailer, the wife has decided she likes the two door version. So now she wants one with double doors. I have used this trailer for testing and it has passed every single test with flying colors. It has close to 17k on it. Now that is a lot of highway miles to, but has done a lot of trails. I will be taking it to Sedona Fest the 17th thru the 20th, then back to Ouray to pull it over Imogene pass, Engineer pass, Cinamon Pass, California Pass, Yankee basin and Corkscrew. At that time I will put it up for sale. If at that time it is still as perfect as it is now, I will sell it for 13K. I have already started picking up parts for the new so this a definete deal if any one is interested. The new trailers are selling for 22.5.

Absolutel nothing wrong with this trailer, just the wife wanting a new one.

Let me know if anyne is interested.

 

[Aspen Trails Trailers]

Well we have started the new trailer, actually picking up more steel today. This trailer will be available around Christmas for sale. Price will be 13K. Everything works fine, no cracks, no trail damage, it will not include the Fox wing or OzTent.

Bob

www.aspenXtrails.com

Home of the Strongest Off Road
Tear Drop made.