Investigating moving from ATC/FWC to travel trailer....

[Vic Harder]

I had a few mishaps (aka concussions) on this trip to the Yukon, and may need to get a different camping rig. I dislike the idea of driving a big top-heavy hard sided camper. Alaskans don't have enough storage. Travel trailers that are designed for rough roads (almost all Australian designed) are very expensive. Fiberglass trailers like the Oliver, Bigfoot and Escape all use Timbren or other rubber torsion axles that are great for highway travel, but would have issues on potholed/gravel/washboard/frost heaved roads.

I've looked at Morryde and other suspension "upgrades" but they are not easily (nobody has done it that I can find) retrofitted onto one of these f'glass trailers. When I ask questions, I get steered to the Expedition Forum, and over there they think I am an idiot for wanting to go off pavement in a travel trailer. Sigh. This REALLY is the nicest forum on the internet, so I am asking here.

Thanks for your patience and advice.

 

[rjap]

More info needed. What are your mishaps and what is their root cause?

 

[Vic Harder]

Biggest one was when unloading the canoe from the top, gust of wind caught the front and the back end swung around and smashed my head into the camper. And I have fallen off the steps more than once, and the top is getting too damn heavy (wait... my arms/back are getting weaker) to lift the roof several times a day. I no longer want to bend over to get into the camper (waaay to many scars on my head to show for this issue - even with some padding on the door frame) either.

 

[rubberlegs]

Are you looking for a larger rig that can handle rough roads?

 

[Taku]

Kinda looks like how much do you want to spend?

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

I had a few mishaps (aka concussions) on this trip to the Yukon, and may need to get a different camping rig. I dislike the idea of driving a big top-heavy hard sided camper. Alaskans don't have enough storage. Travel trailers that are designed for rough roads (almost all Australian designed) are very expensive. Fiberglass trailers like the Oliver, Bigfoot and Escape all use Timbren or other rubber torsion axles that are great for highway travel, but would have issues on potholed/gravel/washboard/frost heaved roads.

I've looked at Morryde and other suspension "upgrades" but they are not easily (nobody has done it that I can find) retrofitted onto one of these f'glass trailers. When I ask questions, I get steered to the Expedition Forum, and over there they think I am an idiot for wanting to go off pavement in a travel trailer. Sigh. This REALLY is the nicest forum on the internet, so I am asking here.

Thanks for your patience and advice.

Vic, I’m sorry to learn about your head injuries, that doesn’t sound like any fun while traveling (or any time).

Oliver, unless they have changed in the past year, doesn’t use a torsion axle. Our LE 2 uses Dexter axles, with the Equalizer type spring suspension. About two years ago, they did change to the never lube bearings, so the frequent bearing pack exercise is a thing of the past. I don’t have info on the life span of the new bearing packs.

 

[kmcintyre]

I had a few mishaps (aka concussions) on this trip to the Yukon, and may need to get a different camping rig. I dislike the idea of driving a big top-heavy hard sided camper. Alaskans don't have enough storage. Travel trailers that are designed for rough roads (almost all Australian designed) are very expensive. Fiberglass trailers like the Oliver, Bigfoot and Escape all use Timbren or other rubber torsion axles that are great for highway travel, but would have issues on potholed/gravel/washboard/frost heaved roads.

I've looked at Morryde and other suspension "upgrades" but they are not easily (nobody has done it that I can find) retrofitted onto one of these f'glass trailers. When I ask questions, I get steered to the Expedition Forum, and over there they think I am an idiot for wanting to go off pavement in a travel trailer. Sigh. This REALLY is the nicest forum on the internet, so I am asking here.

Thanks for your patience and advice.

Wow, Vic... that's not good but understandable. I don't have specific reommendations and space, ease, etc. are always an issue. Those tear drop trailers might work but pretty small. If you want to take gear, I've seen some with kayaks on the top of them. Good luck w/ the search.

 

[AWG_Pics]

Can you move your gear to a sturdy trailer and haul your canoe and rooftop other stuff that way? That may buy you some time to consider and look for other options. I am sure you have the speaker stand solution to raising the camper top. Don't know what the good solution is for banging your head going into the camper. We always approach our door from a steep angle. Feet on the ground to the door is not more than 18 inches, even with the swing hitch attached. No head bumps for either of us.

Good luck with the transition.

 

[CPT Davenport]

Vic, super sorry to hear of your injury! Glad you came out ok on that one.

One option (unless you are only interested in hard sided rigs) is the ole classic pop up tent trailer. We ran ours for several years and drug her through some pretty rough situations. I did an axle flip and added beefier springs and tires. Tons of space in those things! Plus with a shell on our truck we had more storage than we needed. Just a thought.

Another option is an ALiner. My buddy has one and loves it. It is hard sided, insulated and he often camps in the snow.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Can you move your gear to a sturdy trailer and haul your canoe and rooftop other stuff that way? That may buy you some time to consider and look for other options. I am sure you have the speaker stand solution to raising the camper top. Don't know what the good solution is for banging your head going into the camper. We always approach our door from a steep angle. Feet on the ground to the door is not more than 18 inches, even with the swing hitch attached. No head bumps for either of us.

Good luck with the transition.

 

[Vic Harder]

Are you looking for a larger rig that can handle rough roads?

Yes… among other things..

 

[Vic Harder]

Thanks for the kind words and suggestions. I did see some Oliver II’s up in the Yukon and one on the Dempster. Looked to be doing ok. I also saw a few Black Series trailers. One on a rough stretch of the Dempster and he was flying… i was impressed. But reviews online for BS are worrying. And yes, it does seem like a question on $$. My wife likes the Escape 5.0TA, but I haven’t been convinced that the Escape Torflex suspension can handle rougher stuff. To be clear, I am not talking about 4x4 rock crawling. Just forest service or old logging roads (they do get rough when not maintained) and being able to still drive at a decent speed and not be terrified of ripping off an axle or having the cupboards and appliances land on the floor. I can recall one passing maneuver i did where there was a caution sign we saw too late… I’m pretty sure a trailer without the fancy stability system that MDC uses (love the xt19HTR) would have rolled. Yes, I need to slow down - that’s not a technical issue though.

 

[PaulT]

Vic,
Take a look at these. You can build for what you need to do.

SPACE Trailers

SPACE™ Trailers

spacetrailers.com

 

[Vic Harder]

I’ve also considered a trailer for the canoe but it does not resolve the head banging on the door issue. To be fair, I probably only whack my head one time in 100, but when in active use, that can be a few times a month. Not good.

We do have a speaker lift… have yet to use it. My wife helps with lifting the top when the canoe is up there. I was thinking of rebuilding the camper this winter to add linear lifters like an Alaskan has. But that’s a lot of work if I’m selling it soon.

 

[Vic Harder]

Looked at the a-liner’s Paul, thanks for pointing me that way. No canoe or anything can be put on top… Gee, i feel a bit like Goldilocks, nothing is quite right yet.

 

[Vic Harder]

Vic, I’m sorry to learn about your head injuries, that doesn’t sound like any fun while traveling (or any time).

Oliver, unless they have changed in the past year, doesn’t use a torsion axle. Our LE 2 uses Dexter axles, with the Equalizer type spring suspension. About two years ago, they did change to the never lube bearings, so the frequent bearing pack exercise is a thing of the past. I don’t have info on the life span of the new bearing packs.

And would you drag your Oli over rough roads? Those axles are more easily modified/improved, and I have heard of at least one person toying with the idea of mounting a full independent suspension under one. Pretty rare beasts up here in Canada… but I will check them out again.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

The trailer is capable of rough roads, I however don’t want to pull anything on rough roads.

I recommend you join the Oliver forum and ask the question. There are threads on the topic.

BTW, Oliver are not light trailers. Wet weight on ours is around 7500 pounds

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Vic sorry to hear about your mishaps.The concussions sure don't sound good.
I gave up carrying my canoe many years ago.Not so much the trouble
getting it down off the roof,just that we didn't use it much.It spent a lot
of miles just riding along. Although we always had a great time when we used it.
As for the lifting the roof I don't have any trouble there,I have several years on you
but still can push it up.The lifters are a great help.
Good luck in your search. At our ages we have to make the wise choices.
Frank

 

[Vic Harder]

Thanks Frank. The first mishap on this trip as when actually carrying the canoe. Stepped on a slippery rock with my left foot, which then shot across my body and kicked out my right foot... I went down hard on my left side with the canoe still on my neck. Ouch. Left hand may have cushioned the fall as it was hurt/bruised. I consider myself to be in pretty good shape, and I'm sure having lots of dense muscle helps with falls. The DENSE brain maybe not so much...

 

[Vic Harder]

The trailer is capable of rough roads, I however don’t want to pull anything on rough roads.

I recommend you join the Oliver forum and ask the question. There are threads on the topic.

BTW, Oliver are not light trailers. Wet weight on ours is around 7500 pounds

I am impressed with my second go around looking at these. The dexter axle is well done, if not extreme off road capable. How is the storage, both internal and external... for say a 2-4 month road trip?