Offroad Trailers

[downtowncb]

I was wondering if anyone has built their own offroad trailers. I don't have any pictures of ours at the moment, but my dad brother and I built a pretty cool little one; now I want to build one of my own. I really like the Adventure Trailers but they are waay too much money. I think I could build something cooler for a lot less money.

[BigDaveZJ]

I've got a rought design of one that I want to do. Was going to start on it over the winter, but the transmission in my truck blew up so that took precedent. Gonna do some trips next summer and see if I still think there's a need for it. Lemme see if I can find the pics . . .

[BigDaveZJ]

I'm still debating on the spare. Really don't like it on top. I'm hoping I can score a cheap TJ rear bumper with tire carrier when the time comes. The trailer axle will have matching bolt patterns, wheels/tires as well.

[94GCbombhunter]

I like the idea of an adventure trailer, my only issue in wheeling a trailer was the added break-over angle on approaches and decents. What i did for my last weekend camping trip was use my hitch rack. It's built with a swivel so it "bends" when i go up or down a steep incline.

Another thing with trailers, is i'd have to figure out what to put in it. which means buying more gear.

[Cody]

Dave, figure out a way to put a 33x9.5 spare under the trailer deck. Thats what I've seen done and, just like your jeep, keeping the trailer's cog low is key.

I have an m416 trailer that I bought. I've only used it a couple of times and had planned on springing it over and doing some other things to it, but now I think I'll sell it. I don't have the time or money right now to invest in it, and I've become pretty crafty at fitting gear into my jeep for a full week in the backcountry--even without a rack.

If you do build one, use a trailer axle as opposed to some leftover junk axle. Much lighter, and they are not that expensive. Can be had in any bolt pattern. For suspension, either use some long leaf springs or a trailing arm/air bag setup. The trailing arm/air bag is bitchin (like on the AT's) but if done correctly the long leafs are pretty stable at high speeds and work pretty well.

[Ken L]

Also a pintle hitch and lunette eye give you more up and down and side to side movement at the hitch than a conventional trailer hitch and ball.

From research I have found that keeping the track with the same as the Jeep makes it easier to haul around on the trail.

I'm using Wrangler leaf springs for mine. I'm collecting parts and I plan to start building it this winter.

Lots of trailer building ideas here. http://forum.ih8mud.com/trailer-tech/

[BigDaveZJ]

Ken,
I was planning on using the coupler that Adventure Trailers sells with their units on the trail, and also having a regular ball style that I could use too on the road. I think the AT coupler is called the Lock N Roll or something like that.

[Cody]

For a grand cherokee a lock n roll hitch

http://www.locknroll.com/

would be preferable to a pintle/lunette. the rattling around of the pintle/lunette would travel right up the unibody and I'm sure it would sound like your rig is falling apart.

[Ken L]

I know the pintle/lunette is gonig to rattle. The lock n roll might be worth looking in to. The pintle set up will get the job done though and might end up being less $$.

[Cody]

oh, it would certainly be cheaper and would deffinately get the job done, but if you're anything like me and you're on a long range high mileage trip on dirt, the constant banging and rattling would drive me nucking futs.

[Ken L]

oh, it would certainly be cheaper and would deffinately get the job done, but if you're anything like me and you're on a long range high mileage trip on dirt, the constant banging and rattling would drive me nucking futs.

I know what you mean.

My previous Jeep was a soft top CJ7 with Swampers. No radio could be heard in it when traveling. It had more squeaks and rattles than anything. The Grand is noise free in comparison, so a little rattling and banging won't be so bad.

My design for the hitch and the trailer is going to have the trailer portion removable so that I could tow it on the road or on gravel roads with a conventional hitch and ball. Easy enough to switch over for 2-track and trails.

[Cody]

Ya, a little is ok, but none is better.

In a CJ, or toyota etc, you have the body somewhat isolated from the frame with rubber or poly bushings that will absorb some of that vibration. Not so much in the unibody rigs.

I just know that after 8 hours of banging around in the dirt, I would gladly pay the extra $100 to go from a pintle lunette to a lock and roll just to make my head stop hurting.

The other advantage is that the lock n roll is pretty rare to find, so someone trying to gank your trailer would have a pretty hard time hitching up to it.

[BigDaveZJ]

Stupid economy and people not buying appliances so I can pay off my transmission and move on to my trailer project.

http://denver.craigslist.org/for/923620306.html

[Cody]

Thats an M416 just like mine. I'll sell you mine for $700 One less appliace to sell.

[BigDaveZJ]

Shit I wish I made $150 every time I sold an appliance!

[ZigsRig]

To help motivate you selling more

a custom built M-416

Link: http://www.expeditionportal.com/foru...ad.php?t=16632

[Cody]

thats a little longer than I would want, and having the tent up that high would result in the trailer being upside down the way I drive. Clean looking build though.

[AgitatedPancake]

get one of those awesome one-link suspension joints, the ones that are basically big hitch balls, that would be pimp for a trailer, unlimited mobility.

[BigDaveZJ]

To help motivate you selling more

Hey, you live in Denver, if you wanna help, come buy something!!

[Mtn WJ]

These trailers remind me of some of the Scout Troop Quartermaster trailers in the 70 and 80s. Before you could buy inexpensive enclosed trailers the troops would build their own and they would look similar to the ones you pay a lot of money for now.

Before I bought my camper to lift and modify I was going to build one in the theme of the old Scout trailers. I was going to put a fold out top too with a store purchased tent on top. It was going to be based on the heavy duty (if there is such a thing) Harbor Freight trailer. The main reason I changed my mind is that I have 3 kids and it was going to get almost as big as a small pop up with no where near the room. I will definately be limited on the places I could pull the pop up vs where I could pull my Quartermaster trailer. However I like the base camping method we tried last year. We still plan to camp out of the Jeep and have been doing that way for 7 years. The Jeep gets loaded down pretty heavily but it is no more limited off road that way than it would be pulling a trailer. The trailer would be great for setting up camp and having all the supplies etc in easy reach.

Keep the ideas coming.

[downtowncb]

[QUOTE=ZigsRig;221938]To help motivate you selling more

a custom built M-416

Link: http://www.expeditionportal.com/foru...ad.php?t=16632

Thats a beautifully crafted trailer but like Cody said, a little too long, I could see that dragging coming over crests. Thats right along the lines of what I envision building myself ... eventually.

[Tanto]

I know the pintle/lunette is gonig to rattle. The lock n roll might be worth looking in to. The pintle set up will get the job done though and might end up being less $$.

The pintle is not set up to allow the trailer to roll over without the Jeep the way the Lock-n-Roll is designed to operate.

[Matt]

Here's a nice little M416 for sale on CO4x4.

http://www.colorado4x4.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=139031

[OverlandXJ]

I sold a 51 M100 military trailer as i couldnt bring myself to modify such a clean original. So i started looking for something to use as a camp trailer and picked this up last summer.

It's not much to look at now, but i see great promise in it. It's a stepside so it has no inner fenderwells, a tailgate and slightly larger box than an M416.

I'll pull those fenders off and make a set of fenders similar to a 416, rework the tongue some and figure a way to make a lid that i can attach my RTT to. Will also order up a trailer axle for it as well.





Heres a shot of what convinced me to drag it home, a trailing arm and coil suspension. If this "works" for me the way i hope it'll probably see airbags in the future.

[MoonyJohn]

I remember seeing a wrangler that had a trailer that was the end half of another wrangler that matched everything he had on his trailer. He had boggers, black soft 8s, painted same color, hi lift on the back, spare.. it was ridiculous. Ill see if I can find it