SoCal Tear Drop Owners! Post up!
- Thread starter Yulli
- Start date
Jon did ours as well. We pull it with a JKU. It pulls great, until you hit the steep passes of Colorado, but those drag everything down.
BlackRubiX
Overlander
Hey Hey! Jon is building mine as well! I'm glad to see other's that have used him and Canyon Country. I can't wait to get mine on the road!
Rick Rockey
New member
Now long ago did you schedule your build with Canyon Country? I'm having to wait until Janurary for SoCal to start our build. The waiting game is hard when faced with tent camping all summer. However we did get a bigger tent and a queen size air bed off the ground so I guess we'll just to tuff it out. Don't mean to be a complainer...just excited and find it hard waiting for our 510xs.
Keith Starr
Inmate #2558516
I originally contacted SoCal in early May and they said the first available slot was December but referred me to Jon advising he might have a faster build time, which he did. Nobody likes to wait, myself included. Last time I felt like this was 30 years ago around Christmas! Only real difference is I have some grey hair and there's no wrapping paper.
BlackRubiX
Overlander
Jon sent my PO to So-Cal a few days ago. He is expecting a Late July Finish or Early August. I hope it is completed around that time, I really want to use it this camping season.
Rick Rockey
New member
The wife and I were out on some mild dirt roads today and I was thinking about having the trailer in tow. That's when I started wondering if the the krawler 459 being 6" less in width might be a better fit behind the JKU any comments? I know the wife wants to have the queen size bed but is willing to give it up if it's a real difference in towing and safety. However we don't plan to do any rock crawling or real difficult trails, it's just today we kept encountering jeeps coming from the opposite direction and at times it was very tight getting around each other.
Chris Cordes
Expedition Leader
Hey Ricky I've got some experience with that size.
Personally I love our 510, but it all depends on what you want to use the trailer for. It is WIDE, but in many situations I don't find it the least bit troublesome. When on the road for long periods it has tons of room for myself and my girlfriend and in the case of bad weather our german shepherd as well. There's only one situation where we've been frustrated with it. Very narrow roads that are smooth in the middle but have large rocks just on the outskirts. In this case it can catch the side rocks and bounce.
As far as safety there truly isnt anything to worry about. Larger trailers than these are pulled all over Australia with ease in worse terrains than many things we have. Ive thrown in a few pictures from our last trip and its been through more than that!
Finally, January? Give Voyager Teardrops a call. They just opened and are a So-Cal Dealer. They shouldn't have ANY wait time to begin (at least thats my bet). Tell him Chris sent you
Personally I love our 510, but it all depends on what you want to use the trailer for. It is WIDE, but in many situations I don't find it the least bit troublesome. When on the road for long periods it has tons of room for myself and my girlfriend and in the case of bad weather our german shepherd as well. There's only one situation where we've been frustrated with it. Very narrow roads that are smooth in the middle but have large rocks just on the outskirts. In this case it can catch the side rocks and bounce.
As far as safety there truly isnt anything to worry about. Larger trailers than these are pulled all over Australia with ease in worse terrains than many things we have. Ive thrown in a few pictures from our last trip and its been through more than that!
Finally, January? Give Voyager Teardrops a call. They just opened and are a So-Cal Dealer. They shouldn't have ANY wait time to begin (at least thats my bet). Tell him Chris sent you
Rick Rockey
New member
Thanks Chris, That is very helpful information and the pictures are great!! Is there a reason why you picked the six round roof fan over the larger one? And does it move enough air? Are their any other changes you would make if you were doing your build again? We are trying to get it as close to right as we can since we still have time for changes.
Chris Cordes
Expedition Leader
Good memory Yulli
I did indeed buy it used and NOOOOOO don't use the stupid small fan. Go for the big one. Its the biggest disappointment in my trailer and one which I plan to remedy when I save enough money and courage to cut a hole in the roof.
Hmmm other changes... depends on cash haha. I would recommend buying everything you want initially if you can afford it instead of retrofitting. Nothing is more painful than watching someone cut up your baby. Also its usually more expensive in the long run.
Make sure you get the pneumatic front wheel. Its expensive but the medical bills from putting out your back pulling will be more i promise
Get a solar system of some sort. It doesnt need to be theirs (I use two goal zero boulder 30s and their solar charger) but if you plan to stop for more than one night youll want it
Fridge and slide go without saying. Once again expensive but worth it.
Youll want the fuel cans. I havent had to use mine yet but I was darn close one time when I had long stretches of deep sand. If I hadn't had the extra 5 gallons I would have been REALLY nervous.
Skip their awning and go with an ARB. I used an Eezi Awn bag awning and for an awning I loved it, but if your wife is like my girlfriend youll want more camp and change space. We just picked up an arb awning with floored room. Dog will sleep in there, it gives us a changing and relaxtion space with privacy out of the sun or rain or snow/ it keeps bugs out. Other major bonus? Cold weather camping becomes easily doable. Combine with this http://www.amazon.com/Camco-58031-Campfire-Portable-Propane/dp/B000O51VJ0 inside the room and you have a fully heated space with heat flowing into the trailer as well. Turn it off at night and enjoy the warmth the trailer maintains.
Im sure there is more but I cant think of it all at the moment
I did indeed buy it used and NOOOOOO don't use the stupid small fan. Go for the big one. Its the biggest disappointment in my trailer and one which I plan to remedy when I save enough money and courage to cut a hole in the roof.
Hmmm other changes... depends on cash haha. I would recommend buying everything you want initially if you can afford it instead of retrofitting. Nothing is more painful than watching someone cut up your baby. Also its usually more expensive in the long run.
Make sure you get the pneumatic front wheel. Its expensive but the medical bills from putting out your back pulling will be more i promise
Get a solar system of some sort. It doesnt need to be theirs (I use two goal zero boulder 30s and their solar charger) but if you plan to stop for more than one night youll want it
Fridge and slide go without saying. Once again expensive but worth it.
Youll want the fuel cans. I havent had to use mine yet but I was darn close one time when I had long stretches of deep sand. If I hadn't had the extra 5 gallons I would have been REALLY nervous.
Skip their awning and go with an ARB. I used an Eezi Awn bag awning and for an awning I loved it, but if your wife is like my girlfriend youll want more camp and change space. We just picked up an arb awning with floored room. Dog will sleep in there, it gives us a changing and relaxtion space with privacy out of the sun or rain or snow/ it keeps bugs out. Other major bonus? Cold weather camping becomes easily doable. Combine with this http://www.amazon.com/Camco-58031-Campfire-Portable-Propane/dp/B000O51VJ0 inside the room and you have a fully heated space with heat flowing into the trailer as well. Turn it off at night and enjoy the warmth the trailer maintains.
Im sure there is more but I cant think of it all at the moment
Yulli
Yulli the Yeti
I have the big fan. I'm glad I went with that just so I can get better air flow when needed.
I already had an ARB fridge so I just added the slide to my trailer.
I put an ARB awning on mine and I have the room as well. I won't be camping with the room when I go to the NW Overland Rally since it'll just be me. I just got one of those propane fire pits too. I got the one from Lowe's since I had a gift card to there. It got just as good reviews so I'll be good to go.
I'd like to get one of those Honda generators eventually.
I already had an ARB fridge so I just added the slide to my trailer.
I put an ARB awning on mine and I have the room as well. I won't be camping with the room when I go to the NW Overland Rally since it'll just be me. I just got one of those propane fire pits too. I got the one from Lowe's since I had a gift card to there. It got just as good reviews so I'll be good to go.
I'd like to get one of those Honda generators eventually.
Keith Starr
Inmate #2558516
Curious why you say skip the Scipio awning? Obviously it is more expensive, I just don't have any experience with either. If the ARB is used should it be the 2000 (78"x98") or the 2500 (98"x98")? Not sure if the 2500 fits.
http://store.arbusa.com/AWNINGS-AND-ACCESSORIES-C54.aspx