Small Utility Camping Trailer?

[TonyB66]

At a very minimum check the wheel bearings, maybe jack it up and do the wiggle and spin test. Check lights function driving, blinkers and brake lights, and I’d look for any serious rust or signs of the trailer being bent or axle being bent.


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Good stuff. When I go to check one out, I'll bring a jack and tape measure too...

If there is a recommended suspension, curious to hear thoughts. Have heard good things about Torsion axles for independent suspension, as an example...

 

[Dezerts10]

Good stuff. When I go to check one out, I'll bring a jack and tape measure too...

If there is a recommended suspension, curious to hear thoughts. Have heard good things about Torsion axles for independent suspension, as an example...

we went solid axle because the thought on the adventure trailer was the trailer will pivot over the rough terrain on the couple and ball in a triangle type manner. thus the extra expense of the torsion hubs / suspension set up wasn't that big an advantage we thought because they wouldn't really act as independent suspension. Although it would give more ground clearance.

Pros and cons to both set ups.

Our trailer is a utility trailer we also use to haul material and stuff so the axle and leaf springs were just easier and more heavy duty.

 

[yella]

I was using a hitch rack and car camping in my 4Runner when I would go trail riding. It got kind of cramped with my gear, so I bought a new 6x12 enclosed v-nose trailer for $2,900. I sleep on a full sized cot and have a portable toilet. I unload the bike and lock it up and have plenty of room inside!

how do you find towing the enclosed trailer with the bike and gear? I was looking at an enclosed trailer but wasn't sure how the 4R would do towing it.

 

[Benski]

It tows fine. I forget I'm pulling it with only the bike and gear inside. I pulled a fully loaded 6x12 enclosed trailer from Maryland to Utah and back. I had some steep hills and wind to contend to. That took some work with a 5 speed manual and sometimes it was slow going.

 

[carp73]

Following. I've been looking for the exact same thing lately (although on a very tight budget for one at the moment). I mainly just want something I can keep all my camping gear in so I can hook up and go quickly (work schedule is not very predictable so it would be great to be able to just get out and camp at a moments notice if I have a free weekend). I think I would want something more off road capable since I do dispersed camping a lot. Would need to be able to at least make it up some of the tougher forest service roads around here in CO. An off road tear drop type would be ideal I think but curious to see what others have done

 

[TonyB66]

Found a 4x6 utility trailer about 20 minutes south of me. Has a 2,000 lb rated axle though. True that one can swap-in a 3,500 pretty easily and cheaply?

 

[phattyduck]

Found a 4x6 utility trailer about 20 minutes south of me. Has a 2,000 lb rated axle though. True that one can swap-in a 3,500 pretty easily and cheaply?

Unless you are hauling rocks, you won't get 2000lbs in a 4'x6' trailer... a 2k axle is fine. If you want to lift it or get hubs with matching lug pattern to the truck, etc. then it might only be available with a beefier axle...

-Charlie

 

[TonyB66]

Unless you are hauling rocks, you won't get 2000lbs in a 4'x6' trailer... a 2k axle is fine. If you want to lift it or get hubs with matching lug pattern to the truck, etc. then it might only be available with a beefier axle...

-Charlie

Thanks for chiming-in Charlie.

Have hauled lots of rocks for landscaping before, so that's possible. More recently I installed an in-ground basketball system for the kids. Huge hole I dug! Took 26 bags of concrete. I just see the 2k figure getting taxed at times I suppose.

Even off-roading with less, the dynamic load might be too much, I would think for a 2k axle. After reading some forum discussions on the topic, I walked way thinking that 3,500 is the way to go.

Looks like those axles can be had for like 100 to 150 dollars...

 

[Dezerts10]

Thanks for chiming-in Charlie.



Have hauled lots of rocks for landscaping before, so that's possible. More recently I installed an in-ground basketball system for the kids. Huge hole I dug! Took 26 bags of concrete. I just see the 2k figure getting taxed at times I suppose.



Even off-roading with less, the dynamic load might be too much, I would think for a 2k axle. After reading some forum discussions on the topic, I walked way thinking that 3,500 is the way to go.



Looks like those axles can be had for like 100 to 150 dollars...

Redneck trailer supply, tractor supply company or etrailer.com are all places I’ve seen easy bolt it stuff.

Axle and leaf springs would need to be replaced I’d think not just the axle. But then I’d think about the actual trailer frame since it’s going to basically be doubling capacity.


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[way out west]

You don't want to use the older m101 trailers.
Towed them in the Army. Had one for several years. They are heavy as hell. The floor is 1/4" steel.
If you can find a 1/4 ton jeep trailer (getting pricey) that would work better.

Check out [MENTION=67615]Dirtco[/MENTION] 's trailer thread

I have an 1960s M101A1 trailer, axle swap, modern wheels, spring under to lower it, now about #1000 lbs. I only use it at a utility trailer but could easily set it up for camping/gear hauling. Tows very well with the 4runner
[MENTION=175921]TonyB66[/MENTION] , if you look for a military trailer, the older Jeep style M100 / M416 is a good size, but are expensive to start with, and way more when you add in a rack/RTT , lid, matching wheels/tires

EXPO has a trailer sections with dozens of build threads

 

[TonyB66]

I have an 1960s M101A1 trailer, axle swap, modern wheels, spring under to lower it, now about #1000 lbs. I only use it at a utility trailer but could easily set it up for camping/gear hauling. Tows very well with the 4runner

[MENTION=175921]TonyB66[/MENTION] , if you look for a military trailer, the older Jeep style M100 / M416 is a good size, but are expensive to start with, and way more when you add in a rack/RTT , lid, matching wheels/tires

EXPO has a trailer sections with dozens of build threads

Thanks for the input. Looks like the M100 weighs 565 pounds empty. Not all that bad actually. A good size too, about 4x6 feet.

Thanks again.

 

[Mark_BC]

I recall that [MENTION=147235]Renegade_Medic[/MENTION] made one. Check out his build thread.

Found it:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...-blown-budget-camping-rig-10.html#post2800769

Also:

http://morrismule.com/

 

[Renegade_Medic]

I recall that [MENTION=147235]Renegade_Medic[/MENTION] made one. Check out his build thread.

Found it:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...-blown-budget-camping-rig-10.html#post2800769

Also:

HOME

Yeah, I'll probably have some changes to the trailer coming up at some point, making a new axle for bigger tires, and making the rear drop down instead of the top opening and bringing the tent down a bit, to keep the overall height the same.

Oh and the Morris Mules are legit. My parents have one and it's nice. Only real negative I see is that it isnt very water resistant, so keep that in mind. Otherwise, its solid. I made some hooks for theirs that attach up top to support a shower bag or can be used to stretch a clothes line between.

 

[TonyB66]

Yeah, I'll probably have some changes to the trailer coming up at some point, making a new axle for bigger tires, and making the rear drop down instead of the top opening and bringing the tent down a bit, to keep the overall height the same.

Oh and the Morris Mules are legit. My parents have one and it's nice. Only real negative I see is that it isnt very water resistant, so keep that in mind. Otherwise, its solid. I made some hooks for theirs that attach up top to support a shower bag or can be used to stretch a clothes line between.

Thanks for chiming-in R_M.

Would you mind elaborating on the Morris Mule not being very water resistant?

Mark_BC, thanks for the links. I was not aware of Morris Mule...

 

[TRD 4RNR]

1946 Civilian Converto Trailer

Just about the same width as the 4Runner and tracks straight down the road.

 

[TonyB66]

Well, I got a trailer tonight.

Too dark to take any photos at this time, but I'll do so soon...

It's small, light, and built quite well, I feel. The seller, a retired naval aviator (A-6 pilot), made it quite a few years ago. The main parts of the frame are 2 and 3" square steel, with 1" square side walls. Decking, floor and walls, are 3/16" aluminum. The interior is 5' wide, by 6' long. The axle and leaf springs are rated at 3,500 lbs. He did a lot of off-roading with it in the Sierras with his Jeep, which he no longer has. With a couple trucks, and none of his kids wanting the trailer, he decided to sell it...

It has been sitting-out in the sun, doesn't show all that well and has some minor surface rust. One wheel bearing might need to be addressed as I sense a slight wobble. He was asking $1k. Got it for a few hundred less...

Never bought a trailer before. DMV-wise in CA, what do I need to do? Oh, it has a "permanent" plate or PTI (permanent trailer identification), if that makes any difference...

 

[theriddler]

i'm kinda partial to this one myself...haha this guy has to be from Indiana

Looking forward to those trailer pics, it sounds like you got a heck of a deal...a wheel bearing on a trailer is easy enough to replace. Actually, you may replace them both so you know it's done for a good while...if one is bad the other is probably not far behind

 

[formulate]

Interested to see pics of the new trailer. I've spent a lot of time in looking for a trailer over the past 6-8 months. Came really close to picking up a M416-based trailer with enclosed box, slide-out drawer/tray and trailer-top tent.

As @way_out_west mentioned, look on ExPo. Both in the trailer discussion forum as well as the trailer for-sale section. Lots of good info and ideas. Trailer weight is one of my biggest concerns, especially considering how I struggle up some of the hills in the Sierras as it is.

 

[Heyduke]

Just curious about tire choices, some of these trailers don't weigh 1000lbs, but they have big knobby mud tires. Is these some benefit to knobbies? Seems like a tall skinny tire would be "better", if only lighter.

 

[theriddler]

Just curious about tire choices, some of these trailers don't weigh 1000lbs, but they have big knobby mud tires. Is these some benefit to knobbies? Seems like a tall skinny tire would be "better", if only lighter.

skinny tire is better for highway use and hard packed road use, Ive found them to sink like a rock when it gets soft or muddy though....i had to completely unload my trailer more than once to get unstuck with my skinny tires. Yeah it sucked