Cargo Trailer?

[LT Traveler]

I need some advice from the collective. Are we going to be miserable towing a gear trailer around? We have a Nissan Titan extended cab and a Hawk. There's only two of us and a 40lbs dog but we roll HEAVY everywhere we go. We can't seem to avoid it, it's just the way it is. We're mountain bikers, rock climbers, skiers, hikers, etc and often times plan on hiking, climbing and biking all in the same trip. We boulder so most of the time we have two HUGE climbing pads with us that ride inside the camper. We are constantly moving gear around in and out back and forth. It's a huge PITA and frustrates the hell out of me. Bikes are mounted on a hitch rack that swings away which is nice but they get dirty, are visible and relatively easy for theft and once again we need to always be moving them to get in and out of the camper.

We are typically not camp ground campers, although we do a fare share of it because of logistics. Boondock options aren't always available. We like exploring. We realize the trailer will limit where we can go to a certain extent and exploring double track dead end Forest Service roads might need to be planned/scoped or altogether avoided at times.

Thinking something pretty small but large enough to have two properly secured mountain bikes, bouldering pads, back packs etc. Something like a 4x6 Wells Cargo Mini-wagon.

So the question is....is this the answer to all our problems or are we going to be miserable lugging a trailer around for many of our trips? Thanks all and I look forward to your experiences and wisdom.

 

[DesertDave]

Since you do those activities now without a trailer, you always have the option of not taking the trailer on future trips if it is going to be a PITA.

If you basecamp and drive to an activity from camp, and can leave the trailer behind, and then the trailer makes more sense. If you need to drive to the activity location with the trailer, it will probably limit you. At least in my case, I ended up selling the camper and getting a FWC that could carry my gear (kayaks) without needing a trailer. In the first six months of owning the FWC, I camped with kayaks more times than I did in the seven years of owning the previous camper and dragging a trailer.

I think a trailer gives you some additional flexibility that you don't have now, but the expense of purchase, maintenance. storage etc. will need to be offset against that extra flexibility for you to decide if it works for you.

 

[takesiteasy]

I've been having this same discussion in my head. I saw this on craigslist http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/csw/sgd/4788720279.html and thought it might be the ticket. Allows carrying more gear to the basecamp and allows exploring with the truck without taking all the gear along. But I'm not sure it really solves anything. Seems like you would still be loading and unloading- just the trailer instead of the truck. Anyway the trailer looks neat. They make a version with full size wheels and higher clearance.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Until I spent my outdoor fund on a replacement boat trailer, I was thinking seriously of buying a Ruger trailer. http://www.rugertrailers.com

My sense is that in addition to being rugged, they are also small enough to be horsed around by two people if you find yourself in a tight spot. It's still on my toy list. Lots of build options.

 

[Espresso]

I can relate. The gear shuffle can be maddening. I have a small open trailer, but I prefer an enclosed trailer to keep expensive items like mt. bikes out of sight. My brother-in-law has a small cargo trailer with shelves for his gear. It is very organized and works well. But it can impose limits on spontaneous adventure; standard cargo trailers aren't made to take a beating.

 

[idahoron]

When I use my camper I almost always have either my ATV or my boat. I have one trailer that I can do both with. The things I do are not the same as you and most people don't have the same interests. That being said I have dragged that trailer 40,000 miles now and the only thing I would change is I might be talked into a enclosed trailer instead of the flat bead. I did replace the wheel bearings this fall to be ready for fishing next spring.

 

[Beach]

To each their own, but I got a truck camper so I would be free of a trailer. When I get into tight places or a narrow dead end trail, I'm so glad there isn't a trailer on the hitch. I've done the unhitch, spin it manually and re hitch with my boat and it's not fun. I would look at a roof rack system and/or a swing out tailgate rack. I fabricated a rack to put my bikes on the front brush guard, they still get dirty(mostly bugs if night driving), but they are still cleaner than using the rear rack setup. If you go the trailer route, think ground clearance and H.D. running gear, high float tires if your in the sand alot.

 

[ntsqd]

I would look at some of the off-pavement oriented trailer forums. Expi and IH8Mud in particular. I don't think that a typical Wells Cargo or similar is going to stand up to the use for very long. If you are handy that way you can build the trailer and get exactly what you want/need from it.

Typical trailer springs are short and very stiff. This is partly done so that they don't need to include shock absorbers and also so that ride height doesn't change much from unloaded to loaded. Off-pavement such springs beat up both the trailer and it's contents. Do Not use these! Adventure Trailers would have you believe that the Dexter Torflex axles are also not a good choice. My experience is that with shocks added they are a good option, and the U.S. Military seems to think so too.
When one of the rock crawler crowd builds a trailer they tend to apply the same design approach as they did to their rig. The problem with that is that trailers do not articulate, they'll rotate about the coupler first. Hence a trailer only needs enough suspension travel to deal with one-tire bumps in the fully loaded condition. A super softly sprung, long travel, supple trailer suspension is a dangerous thing at speed.

Most any of the "Expedition" type trailer mfg's can build you what you want if building one yourself isn't an option. The depth of your pockets is probably the only limitation there. Can also try to find one of the ex-military trailers, but do educate yourself on what is what. An ex US M-101 (of any variation) is nothing even close to being similar to an ex Canadian M-101.

Almost automatically a trailer with off-pavement tires on it will have more clearance than it's tow rig. Don't get too hung up on the idea that the truck and trailer should have the same bolt pattern and the same size tire. There is an upper limit to what a trailer tire size should be. In my mind that is about 31-10.50R15 It is rare that a trailer needs a tire bigger than that. If you can get them to match that is great, but the idea of only one spare is folly.

Ball couplers should be confined to on-pavement use only. They really aren't suited to off-pavement travel. It is easy to exceed their angular limits and then at best they bend. The Lock-n-Roll and Max Coupler hitches are purpose built "Expedition"/off-pavement trailer couplers. After campaigning for years against them I've concluded that the best is the pintle & lunette. I've yet to experience much noise from mine. Key is that they be size matched. A 3" ID lunette is going to bang on a pintle designed for a 2.5" lunette.

 

[winks]

I pull a generic 8 ft. trailer loaded with two dirt bikes, 3 coolers, gas cans and all the firewood I can cram on it. Having the heavy/dirty stuff outside the camper is a good thing. Mine has a ball coupler and I worry about it a lot when traversing desert washes. So far it has worked out ok, and yeah, floatation tires would be nice. It hates the deep soft sand.

 

[Freebird]

Depends on a whole host of things. One of which might be trailer speed limits.
In the state of CA the trailer speed limit is 55 mph. What does your near states to you, which you will be traveling in, do?

BTW - In CA a very firm 55 if you have outa state tags. Even if your the slowest of many trailers on their freeway, if your speeding, they will pick out of state money and inability to fight the ticket in court from a distance pretty consistently. When in Rome.... Does not work there.
Voice of experience. Several times. Slow learner. :-(
(Just so you know)

 

[LuckyDan]

Yup the "haul it all" and storage in general is IMO one of the biggest drawbacks to the FWC's. I pull a trailer or a boat frequently and one of the big reasons I have my FWC. I will say though the trailer is typically pulled when the trip is a focused one, ie I know where I'm going and what I'm doing. I tend not to take it on an exploritory mission as I don't know if having it will lead to being a hinderance nor am I inclined to drop it somewhere unfamilear.

Looking at your gear list and excepting the bikes I'd guess for a couple of people most of it would fit in a couple rocket boxes or simular car top carriers on the roof, maybe the bikes too. The roof lifter thingys would fix the lifting issue. If the trailer is where you end up a 4x6ft. as you mentioned really isn't that much of a trailer to pull. I know expedition trailers are all the rage, with me included, but if you are talking bad road vs truly off road something commercial with a bit of work can serve you well.

Good luck with your decision

 

[Kolockum]

The biggest thing will be visibility of the trailer if you have to back up or just to check on the load while driving. I haul snowmobile trailer behind my truck all winter. Last year I towed a single sled trailer that was 4'X6' and I could not see the trailer in my mirrors unless I was about to jack knife. This winter I have a 7'x8' trailer that I can see it out of mirrors which makes it easy to back.

 

[d tree's]

I like them eventually I will pick one up.

Here is one in Reno

http://www.reno4x4.com/forum/showthread.php/70121-New-and-improved-Sierra-4x4-trailers

 

[LT Traveler]

Hey guys thanks for your patience, I haven't been on here in a while. I read through all the posts and have come to the decision not to get a trailer. In the end I think it would solve some of my headaches and add some new ones I've yet to experience. I have though about removing the rear seat from the truck and storing all climbing pads there. I appreciate your thought and insights.

Safe travels!

 

[craig333]

More than once I've had to unhook, turn around then recover the trailer (or Jeep). So exploring new territory, no. Know where you're going? Sure.

 

[100acrehuphalump]

I pulled my M416 around the country last year and my truck didn't even know it was there. I averaged approx 15-16 per gallon. Backing up was easy because I could see my bike on the back plus the RTT rack. For a while I traveled with the kayaks lodged between the RTT and the lid of the trailer to help with aerodynamics. It hauls lots of gear, is rugged and seriously ish secure. I'm investing in a FWC Hawk but my issue is weight. My payload capacity is only 1,870. So with a full load, 36 gallon gas tank, winch, Hawk etc. I think I'm seriously over weight. That being said, I wish I had enough to buy a reliable larger truck or I need bite the bullet and cut the RTT and rack system off of the trailer, mount the boat on the lid and pull it around the country again.

 

[Bwht4x4]

I tow my Pace 12 foot utility trailer with my camper on my truck each time I go hunting. It works great and it's amazing how much stuff you can get in there. Plus the security of the enclosed trailer is nice.

I don't think it's a big deal towing the trailer, but the one thing to be aware of is the width of the trailer. The narrower the trailer the harder it is to see when backing up because of the camper. So, wider is better.

I use my buddies 6 foot by 10 foot utility trailer all the time and without the camper on I cannot see it out of my mirrors when backing up. So, I put PVC risers on it so it sticks above the tailgate.

 

[John D]

LT Traveler No question about it, ntsqd has the trailer business figured out. He is telling you how the cow eats the cabbage and he would like my trailer.

My trailer axle is a piece of 3 inch steel shaft tubing with 3/8 inch wall thickness. The spring blocks are mounted under the axle to give a drop of 3 1/2 inches from center, then welded in place. To correct any distortion from the welding, the tubing was mounted in a lath and the inside of the ends were turned by a precision machinist to match spindles that were also precision turned to a press fit. The tubing was tinned inside, and the spindle mounting surfaces were tinned too. The axle was heated and the spindles were chilled, then placed inside the axles and sweated together with heat and solder ... not welded! The spindles were checked on the lath with a dial indicator to be sure they are parallel. Placing the springs below the axle allows the springs to run in the designed elliptical shape.

This larger diameter axle tubing is very stiff for the max load of this trailer, 1100 lbs. This means the axle does not distort under load. Another cause of bouncing is single leaf springs. Have a spring shop build a quality set of multi-leaf long soft semi elliptic springs. The multi-leaf springs act as shock absorbers due to the friction between the leaves. My springs are each 50 inches long with eight leaves. They have nice hand made spring hangers with grease fittings. There is no side to side slack. A trailer that runs smoothly does not jerk the tow vehicle.

I am using the details of my trailer to illustrate what it takes to make a good trailer axle. I want to emphasize high quality running gear. Don't skimp on the quality of your axle, springs, spring shackles, hubs, bearings, hitch, safety chain, lights, etc. A good trailer is like gold.