"TrailTop" modular trailer topper building components
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
Jeff - you're awesome with your creativity and design. Really liking the "Safari" M1101 edition - definitely my "dream boat".
I am also hooked on this one below
I would be keen to learn about your plans for producing and putting to market these Jeff. I would be interested in buying from you.
keep up the great work and inspiring others.
I am also hooked on this one below
I would be keen to learn about your plans for producing and putting to market these Jeff. I would be interested in buying from you.
keep up the great work and inspiring others.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Aw shucks, thanks!
.Stay tuned, I plan to assemble everything on the trailer tomorrow.
I don't sell anything, I just design things that I think will be cool and useful and build prototypes. Mostly the prototypes are for my own use; occasionally I'll mold some parts for friends. Sometimes I license my designs to companies that will bring them to market and several companies/people have contacted me so far expressing interest in marketing the TrailTop system but nothing resulted from those conversations.
I've kept all the molds for the components, so if something ever does come up I can make more parts or license the system to a company for production.
screwball48
Explorer
Nicely done as always. This is a very nice and affordable alternative to purchasing and outfitting a standard utility trailer. I also see the potential of utilizing these components on an M1101 series trailer. One of the drawbacks to that generation of surplus trailer is the lack of a readily available “cover” for that platform.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
utherjorge
Observer
This is amazing. I would like it (I would hope for it? What's the best way to beg? ) to be something that would be available later this year when I have a chance, but I'll post and beg later, watching with awe until that time. Great work.
) to be something that would be available later this year when I have a chance, but I'll post and beg later, watching with awe until that time. Great work.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
This is amazing. I would like it (I would hope for it? What's the best way to beg?
Thank you very much.
I haven't added it up, but I think I've got less than $400 in the sides and the lid, including the windows, hatches and hardware.
Thanks!
Very cold here too! I need to connect up the gas struts for the lid but since they're very strong and hard to compress manually it's easiest to tilt the lid up and then connect them. This is as far as I can raise the lid in my low garage, not high enough for the struts at full extension. Unfortunately it's about zero degrees outside so I don't think I'll roll the trailer out to connect them today.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Since the Trail Kitchen is taller than the Jeep tailgate, I added a door on the front to raise the height of the tailgate opening. It's on lift-off hinges so it can be moved out of the way. Plenty of room now to install the trail kitchen:
This is the photo-edit I did earlier in the project showing what the Trail Kitchen and front pantry will look like:
This is the photo-edit I did earlier in the project showing what the Trail Kitchen and front pantry will look like:
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I'm hoping it gets at least 15 degrees warmer this afternoon so I can roll the trailer out of the garage, tilt the lid all the way up and snap the canvas in place. Since I won't be camping in this thing until the summer at least, there's no point in punishing myself by working outside when it's 11 degrees.
In the meantime, I installed mini-blinds on the side windows. When I'm using the trailer for cargo, it'll help keep curious people from seeing what's inside. When in use as a camper, it'll provide some privacy for the occupants.
To keep the blinds under control, I make some holders for the bottom rail with snaps.
Blind down and snapped in place:
Unsnapped and open:
The blinds were the correct width but over five feet long so I had to shorten them over 3 feet to make them the right length. Haven't shortened the adjusting "wand" yet (that's what it's called in the instructions), but probably will shorten that to 6" or so.
In the meantime, I installed mini-blinds on the side windows. When I'm using the trailer for cargo, it'll help keep curious people from seeing what's inside. When in use as a camper, it'll provide some privacy for the occupants.
To keep the blinds under control, I make some holders for the bottom rail with snaps.
Blind down and snapped in place:
Unsnapped and open:
The blinds were the correct width but over five feet long so I had to shorten them over 3 feet to make them the right length. Haven't shortened the adjusting "wand" yet (that's what it's called in the instructions), but probably will shorten that to 6" or so.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Today is the first day it's really been above 20 degrees so it's finally warm enough to roll the trailer out of the garage to hook up the gas struts and snap the canvas in place.
Since I installed all the hardware a week ago, connecting the struts took about 30 seconds, and the canvas just snaps into place on the lid so installation didn't take long. This shot shows the headroom that's available when the top is up, I'm 6'6"...
Canvas in place (I haven't had this canvas up in a long time so it's a little wrinkled):
BTW it's hooked to the Jeep because the trailer doesn't have stabilizer jacks yet. Haven't needed them so far because I've never used this trailer as a camper. On Wednesday I'll be in Elkhart, Indiana, where there are some very good RV surplus shops, so I'll get some jacks while I'm there.
Since I installed all the hardware a week ago, connecting the struts took about 30 seconds, and the canvas just snaps into place on the lid so installation didn't take long. This shot shows the headroom that's available when the top is up, I'm 6'6"...
Canvas in place (I haven't had this canvas up in a long time so it's a little wrinkled):
BTW it's hooked to the Jeep because the trailer doesn't have stabilizer jacks yet. Haven't needed them so far because I've never used this trailer as a camper. On Wednesday I'll be in Elkhart, Indiana, where there are some very good RV surplus shops, so I'll get some jacks while I'm there.
