The Overlanding Thread

Let's talk about Overlanding stuff. I'll start.

I'm in the process of building my OVL trailer. It should be all set to go by next summer but I hope to have it completed enough by this fall to do some short 2-3 day outings to test-fly what I have, what I still need, and what I really don't need.

To wit:

I bought this trailer back in July off of Facebook Marketplace. There's a dude in Ohio who builds these as a hobby and then sells them. It was exactly what I was looking for; just a basic box on wheels. The guy was anxious to sell it and I paid $3000.

This is what it looked like when I bought it. It did not include the RTT but that was OK because I didn't want it anyway.



Under Ohio law, small home-built trailers do not require a VIN or a title; Virginia (where I live) does. Which meant I could not get tags for the trip home. The seller was kind enough to let me keep his Ohio license plate so I could bring it home. Yeah, technically that is illegal but I figured having some kind of plate was better than no plate because it would lessen the likelihood that I would get pulled over. I made it home OK without incident.

I started the paperwork to get a VIN, title, and tags the day after I got home. It took 3 weeks to make it all happen which is pretty good considering that because of this Covid thing you need an appointment right now to visit the DMV.

Then I did a shout-out on my various truck forums and found a welder not-too-far from me who would take on the job. A week and $900 later I had a lid for the tub, more cargo area on the tongue, and a two-inch receiver on the front to accommodate a Lock 'N' Roll hitch.

It now looked like this:



The downside was that with the new 2" receiver the trailer's light cable was too short. So after I picked it up I took some back roads to a trailer sales place who rigged me up basically an extension cable for a mere $25. They used spare, loose parts they had lying around rather than starting with new parts; that's why it was so cheap.

So then the real building began. The first thing I did was buy a tongue box for the front and a Lock 'N' Roll hitch. I also found locally a nice RTT. It wasn't exactly what I had planned on getting but it set me back only about half of what my desired tent would have cost.



I am working on building a slide-out kitchen system (the trailer has a fold-down tailgate) but I've been delayed because the weather won't cooperate. I wouldn't mind buying a pre-made slide-out kitchen system but they are all way too expensive. I'm also designing (in my head) an electrical system. Rather than buy a whole bunch of individual parts (battery, charge controller, inverter, solar interface, etc.) I've decided I'm going to go with a Jackery 1000 Solar Generator which has all that stuff built in. Jackery also sells some 100W solar panels to complement the Generator Box, but I'm not sure if I will go with those or not. They are not weatherproof and don't lend themselves to permanent installation which means I can't solar charge while I'm driving.

So here it is in its present configuration. Stay tuned.



A cool pic taken when I first got it home; just for showing off.

 

First define “overlanding”. Some think it’s any time you’re off a paved road. Truth is there aren’t many places you can truly be off road anymore. Unless it’s your own land you can’t just go driving on open land. If it’s anything but an off-road vehicle park The agency controlling it usually gives you hell for going off trail.

 

can you explain why the lock n roll is installed backwards? The hitch side goes on the truck. it's upside down also

 

In my book, overlanding is a combination of offroading, camping and long-distance travel.

You've heard of the TransAmerica Trail? That's the sort of thing I'm talking about and it is on my bucket list.

 

Who says?

 

Lock and roll.

 

to make this easier to understandthis image shows the t-atachment on the part that can be welded to the trailer. the T'attachment is meant to be dropped into the hitch.



You have asked quetions in the past and i answered this is just another honest answer from somebody who has been using one for years but you do as you like.

 

I'll be that guy.

The trailer looks too heavy for the truck. If you are going to use that trailer you're going to need to upgrade the rear suspension. The step bars are grabby on the trail. If you consider overlanding to be off road I'd look into sliders or removing the step bars at least. Same goes for the front bumper guard thing. It looks very grabby. It may reduce your approach angle as well, but it will cause a decent amount of damage if you hit a tree. I'd remove it. I'd be curious to know why you need the trailer at all, or what would go in it?

 

OK. I checked the Lock 'n' Roll website and you are correct. But does it really make a difference?

With my configuration, I just back up my truck to the trailer, crank down the trailer jack, and the hooks fall neatly over the T-attachment.

Why is the "correct" way better?

 

The tr

The trailer is only about 600lbs empty. And I have added Firestone air bags to the rear suspension. The max. towing capacity for a 2-gen V6 is 3500 pounds. Even when it is fully equipped it's not even going get close to that.

Why do I need it? Well for one thing I don't want to haul around an RTT everyday on my Daily Driver. And as I said in my OP, I'm building a slide-out kitchen system.

Plus when you are out on an excursion, and you need to go into town to buy groceries or whatever, if you have an RTT on your vehicle, you have to close it all down and put it back up again when you get back. A trailer you can just unhitch.

As for the front brush bar, that was on the truck when I bought it. I do want to get a new bumper with a winch, but that is low on my priority list right now.

 

that is completely backwards. the T is supposed to drop into the hitch the hitch is NOT supposed to drop onto the T. Yuor way the only thing holding the hitch is the safety catches, they are just that safety catches to prevent the T from lifting out of the hitch. As you have it the safety ctches are holding the entire weight of the tongue. I sure as hell don't want to follow you hitched like that

 

OK. What you say makes sense. Thanks for the info, Chris. I'll reconfigure it to the proper way.

 

here are visuals to help

the hitch mounted to the truck the T attahment drops into the hitch. now the hitch supports the weight of the tongue


The safety catches swing over the T in the hitch to simply secure it from lifting out of the hitch

 

Mucho Grassyass.

 

It's upside down because it's backwards. As long as it works, who cares.

But i noticed it too.


I want to know, where did @Salty_Dog get the camo side panels?

 

@Calamity_taco here's a thread for you. you like trailers

 

That is Goat Armor. They just recently came out with sets for the 2-gen DCSB. More 2-gen stuff is on the way, they say.

 

Thanks. I thought it was, but hoping something else. My AC could use some protection

 

yes i do like trailers how did you know lol

 

well since @Casper66 was kind enough to add me here is a pic of my trailer setup so far