SoCal Tear Drop Owners! Post up!

[unusedusername]

Beautiful. I am looking to buy a Krawler this spring but having never bought a trailer, RV or anything of the sort can someone tell me the protocol? Are the prices haggled over like cars?

These are custom built to order, not sold off-the lot like cars. I believe haggling is not appropriate.

Consider that you are hiring a craftsman to built it, by hand, to your specs. A very significant part of the cost is their labor. Haggling is effectively saying "I want you to build me this because you are an expert, but at the same time I feel your time isn't worth what you are asking for it."

 

[MtnToSea]

These are built to order and to each owners needs and wants. The price is what is stated on their website so there is no ambiguity or surprises. Make sure you talk to them well in advance of when you want your Krawler so they can get in on the build schedule. I ordered mine about 3 months ago and the build won't start until April.

 

[cactusjk]

It is a long process, especially as we get back into the season. I would imagine at least 8 month wait times.

 

[Chris Cordes]

Ya no haggling unless you're buying used. You can try, but you probably won't do much except offend the builder.

 

[mvbeggs]

Haggling....

Don't know about other builders, but AT Overland Equipment does not negotiate prices. (I've bought 2 trailers from them.) If you question the value provided by a particular builder, use the competitive marketplace to find the best value for you.

I wouldn't worry much about "offending" the builder, just ask the question if you are not sure. Most builders are "big boys" and understand that those type of questions come with being in the business.

 

[Yulli]

Hey Chris, what's the email at AT? Every time I email them I get no response back. I emailed them at the info addy on their site but haven't heard back. I'm trying to find some spacers that'll work for my tear drop so I can change out my wheels. I'm getting another set of Tacoma wheels soon and wanna get the ball rolling on getting them on the trailer.

 

[Chris Cordes]

Just spoke with them. email clint@adventuretrailers.com and put something with my name in the subject line so it gets read first.

 

[Yulli]

Thanks. I will email again if I don't hear back later today.

When I was in the hunt for a TD I emailed them and tried to start a discussion on what would work best. They replied once asking me what the tow vehicle was, answered, and never heard back. I ended up just calling SoCal and the rest was history, haha.

 

[mvbeggs]

Wheel Adapters

... I'm trying to find some spacers that'll work for my tear drop so I can change out my wheels. I'm getting another set of Tacoma wheels soon and wanna get the ball rolling on getting them on the trailer.

I used adapters purchased from http://www.motorsport-tech.com/wheel_adapters.html to convert my AT Chaser and my AT Teardrop from a Jeep bolt pattern to the Tacoma.

Really convenient, and safer, to be able to change the trailer to run the same wheels and tires as the tow vehicle. It takes about 15 minutes per hub to remove the tire, install or uninstall the adapter, and reinstall the tire.

With over 10,000 miles on the set of adapters purchased, I've had no problems. The adapters are aluminum. I would recommend putting anti-seize on trailer hub studs.

 

[Yulli]

Thanks for the link!

Now I just need to figure out what size/offset and what not that I need.

 

[Yulli]

Did you do a 2 piece adapter? I have an aftermarket wheel on the trailer now with a 4.5" backspacing and it's the JK Bolt pattern. I wanna go from that to the 6 lugs.

 

[mvbeggs]

Wheel Adapter

Did you do a 2 piece adapter? I have an aftermarket wheel on the trailer now with a 4.5" backspacing and it's the JK Bolt pattern. I wanna go from that to the 6 lugs.

Yes, the adapter is a 2 piece unit.

Make sure the adapter that attaches to the trailer hub is thick enough that the trailer hub's studs are recessed below the face of the first part of the adapter. The "part one" of my adapter is 1 1/2" thick. (stud length was 1 3/8")

The second piece of the adapter is 6 x 5.5 lug pattern, with M12x1.5 studs, with a 106 mm hub centric hub.

Hope this helps.

 

[Yulli]

That's a bit confusing for me...I have no idea what will work.

So what is the overall width of the adapter? 1 1/2 inches for the first piece then how much is the 2nd piece? I have no what the backspacing is on the Tacoma wheel. The JK wheel is a 4.5" backspacing.

How are you supposed to know how it will fit and not stick out or stick in too far under the fender?

 

[mvbeggs]

Wheel Adapter

That's a bit confusing for me...I have no idea what will work.

So what is the overall width of the adapter? 1 1/2 inches for the first piece then how much is the 2nd piece? I have no what the backspacing is on the Tacoma wheel. The JK wheel is a 4.5" backspacing.

I believe the overall width of the adapter is 2.5". I'll double check when I'm back home on Sunday.

I too, am not sure what the backspace is on the Tacoma wheel. I know that I did measure it when ordering the adapter. Do you have the Tacoma wheels to measure from? What size tires are you running? That will make a difference also.

How are you supposed to know how it will fit and not stick out or stick in too far under the fender?

Measure twice, cut once. LOL

The key measurements are wheel backspace and offset, tire width, distance from the face of the hub to the back of the wheel well, and the fender width.

If you have those numbers you can calculate the theoretical distance from the face of the hub to the inside and outside of the tire. Then, you can see what that leaves you for adapter thickness- which would move everything outboard.
(IIRC, AT recommends a min 1 1/2" clearance from the inboard side of the tire to trailer. I assume SoCal's suspension setup and clearances would be similar.)

You are definitely limited by the trailer geometry (i.e. axle width). You are also limited on the width of the adapter. You may find those limitations preclude the tire from running inside the fender. To me, the bigger concern is to make sure the tire doesn't rub on the trailer.

Take some measurements then we will have a better idea of what you're dealing with.

 

[mvbeggs]

Wheel Adapter

Just found this here: http://performancelifts.com/wheel-back-space-information.html

2005-2014 Toyota Tacoma 6-Lug Model - 2wd & 4wd
Factory 17x7.50 Wheel Offset = +30.00 mm - Back Space = 5.50" Inches
Factory TRD Sport Alloy 17x7.50 Wheel Offset = +30 mm - Back Space = 5.50" Inches
Factory TRD Off-Road 16x7.00 Wheel Offset = +32 mm - Back Space = 5.25" Inches

What wheels are you running?