Car Camping / Trip Reports / Photos / Buildouts / “Overland” / Expedition Rigs Area (homeless?)

sure happy to pass it along

 

So busy weekend working on the camper. I got it rewired for a 7 pin connector so the truck charges the battery, installed a basket on the thule bars, played with the awning (previously posted) and we spent the day organizing gear. It sure has alot of storage for something so small.

 

I love the fact that it has an account unit.

 

Sorry watching shark week on discovery Account unit? you mean AC?

 

I wrote this up for a friend that asked me the same question.

The trailer is GREAT!
I can stuff as much shit into it as I could ever need/want on the trail
extra cooler
extra fuel
extra water
chainsaw
easy-up tent
cooking box with all kinds of shit inside it.
Tent rides up top, and stays out of the wind when on the freeway, so better MPG by a touch.

...that is, until you need to;
turn around on the trail
climb a steep hill with limited traction
add trans cooler to keep temps down on grades
decent a steep hill without trailer brakes
back-up for any distance

We ran the trailer on this last trip, but only used the chainsaw twice, cooking box, and extra cooler as a "deep freeze" for storage of food. All my snack-packs and canned beer was destroyed by the ice blocks slopping around in that fucker! Since our first trip to SoDak, we have been planning on reducing our load/packing list so we can leave the trailer at home. When we do the planned 12-day+ trips (Alaska, Baja, Trans Canada) we will pull the trailer for the extra cargo room, but anything under that length of time we will be running on the truck alone.

Building a roof rack to mount the tent and a storage box. Fridge is mounted, and right 2/3 rear seat will soon be mounted, on a frame that allows the 26gal water bladder to stow on the floorboards and still have a place for the kiddo. Cooking box has been paired down to only the needed items for trail use, extra shit is booted out of the truck. Easy-up, while fantastic on camping in place, the overland style favors such things as a awning. I will see how the easy-up fits on the truck after the rack is done and tent mounted and go from there.

 

Thanks I needed to hear that. We're just still learning here and Im hoping this will work on fire roads and simple trails. I was inspired by a member here who takes their tear drop al over the place. This is kinda one of the reasons why I bought one configured like this. I'm sure there's just some places I can't take it. The hopes are to be able to get it places and use it as a base camp while we trail ride and have fun. It's just the wife and I rt now but with a really bad back, shoulders, and sleep apnea I'm hoping this will be the solution that will allow us to get out and enjoy the overlanding lifestyle. I'm sure there are limitations which we'll have to learn and you've already pointed out some valid concerns information is valuable

 

Turning the trailer around on a tight trail is a PITA. On a couple of occasions, I have had to disconnect the trailer to turn around.

Sometimes, disconnecting can be faster. Of course, when you are on a hill, even a sideways hill, it can get tricky. My trailer brakes have a built-in "parking feature" (parking brake), so when I add locking levers, I will be able to lock one or both wheels. It will make turning around much easier.

And, of course, the extra weight.

But, the ability to park and instantly go to sleep is nice. As is not having to pack up a rained on tent in the morning...

 

And being able to come home and throw a cooler in and some clothes and take off is a plus as well.

 

True. Being almost packed all the time is great.

 

There is no doubt we have alot to learn though

 

Please don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my trailer... to the point where I was recently offered significantly more than I have into her, and I scoffed at the deal.

I do miss driving home from work, opening the garage door, hooking up, and being in the road.

You have to weigh the pros and the cons for yourself.

We ended up buying the Tacoma and subsequently the Habitat because dragging that pesky trailer got butt-puckering too many times. The trails we wanted to hit just didn't lend themselves to dragging the turtle very well.

We had our load-plan worked our for 14days on the trail with only fuel stops as needed for my wife, our 1.5yo (at the time) and myself in the taco with the RTT on a bed rack; all else fit under the taneau cover.

Then we added a new kiddo to the mix, and the Habitat, with all that extra room, became the option. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have just picked up a quigly/sportsmobile/u-joint van and did a camper build.. but oh well. Though I do love my wife's fancy new tent!!

I still dream of building a bruiser teardrop when the boys grow us out of the Habitat or just for shits and giggles.

Back on topic.

I have a retired military trailer, basically a M416, which has had a modular build for use as a overlanding trailer. I have drug it over some rough earth, and she just happily bounces around following where ever we go.

If/when you get a trailer to drag on the trail, make sure you have a nice stout winch and a bunch of rigging.... because you are going to be lugging about 1/4 of your GVW in dead weight behind you.

 

More good information! This is why I'm here. We understand there'll be limitations and we'll have to figure workarounds it's kinda like the truck itself taking on the challenge of doing this with a 4 cyl. loaded with armor. I'm fortunate to have friends with oodles of experience doing this with their custom tear drop @Wild Crow (Check his impressive builds out) but it's also the wilingness of folks like yourself to pass on tips and to let me know this won't always be easy. I'm hoping we did a good job picking the rt camper. It's built sturdy as hell but we may find needed suspension mods later

 

The Magma nesting kit is awesome. That's what we keep in the trailer. Great cookware!

As for the teardrop, we do get it on some decently rough roads once in a while. I try to avoid that though. We'll find a decent campsite in an area and spend a week or so exploring by foot or 4x4. If we come across a better campsite In the meantime, we'll move the teardrop. It's mostly basecamping for us, I really don't enjoy driving all day, camping a night, driving more, camping another night, lather, rinse, repeat. That wears me out!

 

someone looking for a rtt before I have to be super eaf and have two?

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/cvt-mt-shasta-extended-stargazer.502403/

 

what is the new tent? @Arcticelf

EDIT: I am not super eaf anymore

 

getting a hard shell

 

a cap? or a hardshell RTT?

 

rtt. it's just me, myself and I so I don't mind downsizing some

 

looking forward to seeing it. Mine comes next week

 

sweet! I'm looking forward to it and just the ease of setup