Off-Road Camper Trailer Project

[sootygu]

I am 1/3 of the way through making a trailer similar to a Kimberly. Before starting I did a bit of research and picked up a few different ideas from several makes. It pays to do this for everyone has different ideas and some will suit your needs better than others.

Alko suspension IMO is not worth it, I have seen it in the bush and all it does is bounch, if you use leaf and plan on doing some outback it would pay to use shockers with them. I have made independant coil suspension from scratch and beleive this is the best of the 3 options.

Frame work is also important, make sure you dont go to light and dont put to much weight on the draw bar, try to put the water tank and spare wheel behind the axle to compensate some of the weight on the front, especially if you have a storage box on the front.

Good Luck.

[dieseldude]

SootyGU

Can you please post some pictures of your trailer that you're making? What steps have you taken so far and where is it up to now?

Cheers

[dieseldude]

JustCruizin'

Mate, I got the guards from active fabrication that I used on my motor bike trailer. They are good to deal with so I'll be dealing with them when I need components for this one.

The only problem I had was that it was black metal so needed to be kept under cover or primed straight away to stop it from rusting...... Not a real big problem though.......

Care to shoot some pictures of what yours looks like?

Cheers

[just cruizin']

Dieseldude,

I was going to take some photos last night but forgot, if I remember tonight I'll give it a go.

[GQ Toy]

Just upgraded my camper recently to a Camprite, independant suspension (built well) is the way to go. Mine has twin King springs and rancho shocks and after 400km of very rough tracks was extremely impressed.

As has been mentioned previously balance the trailer, not too much weight up front. I run 33's on trailer - spare is up front, balanced by water tanks in the back.

If you are going to use leaf springs use the longest possible. ie hilux/falcon and use a shock. Mate changed his from 9 leaf trailer springs (it used to pogo everywhere) to hilux springs and shocks and it travels very well.

I can charge my electrical system from the car or use solar panels if I am stopped for several days. Fridge sits in the cab of the nissan at the moment, only electrics I use are water pump and lights ( may put in second fridge though)

If at all possible (not sure about legalities) try and leave the gas hooked up to the stove all the time. Can be a PITA to connect for a quick stop and the oily gas residues collect fine dust that blocks jets.

In construction try and keep weight down. I built an off road flat top trailer to find I could carry 300kg without brakes , not well thought out.

Cheers
Brad

[dieseldude]

GQ Toy

Are the Camprite trailers the ones that are like a box and both sides and top fold out sideways?

THey look pretty good.

I'll take a look on Google and see what I can find about them.

Cheers.

Anthony

[GQ Toy]

Yep, sides fold out and the bed slides forward over the drawbar. Kitchen is on the tailgate. Everything is off the ground. Initially a bit concerned about storage but there is heaps of room.
Fairly heavy compared to my last trailer, it weighs in at 780kg plus whatever I chuck in it, last one was 730kg with all my stuff.

Quite expensive $23k plus - took 2 years to decide we wanted it, but now very happy with it.

[sootygu]

SootyGU

Can you please post some pictures of your trailer that you're making? What steps have you taken so far and where is it up to now?

Cheers

Will take some tonight and post tomorrow.

[dieseldude]

Cheers.

All the photos make it all that much easier to see how it's all built.

I mean, the internal areas etc.....

I've been looking at Kimberly Kampers briefly and I see there is no reason why you couldn't replicate one of those. The fold up Gull wing doors on the draw bar are a really good idea for the kitchen. Plus, you have a solid floor to walk on if it rains......

All good things to consider.

Cheers

[G_loomis]

I have been in the canvas trade for 10yrs now, and been making camper trailer tops for about 3yrs. I have seen many designs...some that work and some that just dont!

I wont mention the company name as I do not wish to start a fueding battle between manufacturers as that already exsists amongst them.

I would avoid the rear fold out option if you want a soft floor...the hard floor design suits a rear fold though. Another thing to watch out for is the weight of canvas used in the tops. Some companys use the lighter 8-10 ounce canvas on the walls and 12 ounce on the roof section. I use 15 ounce all round!!!

Anyway, if you want to know more of the trade trics to watch out for PM me and I will be happy to help. Or call on 0411556836.

Once the trailer has been finished I could make a top to suit exactly what you want/need without compromise on your part!

Leigh

[sootygu]

Here a couple of shots of the work in progress (very slow progress). Once the frame work is finished it should get easier (i hope). The suspension has taken the longest to do , it takes some time to get the angles right. To date it has only cost around $600 and this includes the electric brakes.

G_loomis
In which state are you located.







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[dieseldude]

That's awesome!

So what type of trailer is it going to be?

Keep up the work with the pictures, I'm eager to see how it turns out.

With the independent suspension, what coils did you use? Also, what did you use for bushes?

If I go the independent suspension I'm thinking of running standard Toyota 40 series bushes inside some tube. With bolts through these they should be good enough I guess.

The stub axles are easy enough to get hold of and then can just be welded onto the swing arms.

When I did my motorbike trailer, I used SuperCheap hubs for about $30 each. I'm not real sure whether they sell ones with brake disks on them so I'll more than likely have to talk to a trailer mob to source some. Active Fabrications at Beenleigh perhaps.

What size wall RHS are you all using for yours? Is 3mm enought? I'm thinking about using 150 x 75 x 3mm for the draw bar and more than likely for the whole chassis.

Cheers

[sootygu]

Trailer will be similar to a campomatic/kimberly. Springs are Lovells and the same as those used on the Kimberlys.

Bushes are the same set up as you said, i used 60 series bushes which can be bought anywhere and machined up steel sleeves with high tensile bolts.

Chassis is 3mm which is on the heavier side but when looking around the larger trailers all used this size. On the rear tube i have used 100x100 and have made hinged end caps, this will store all the poles for the annexe.

Probably wont be doing to much on it for a while so there will be nothing to report. But will pm you once (if) things getting moving again.

[defender kev]

Here's a pic of the trailer i am buiding at the moment,not sure if it will become a camper as its only a 6x4 but the next one will be a little bigger.

[dieseldude]

Defender Kev,

I like how you used plate to make the guards stronger and as such, could be used for gas bottles and jerry cans.

Looks the goods.

There's no reason why that couldn't be made into a camper........ Unless it'll be too short and the matress hangs out all the sides too far.

I like it but.

Looks very sturdy!

Keep it up!

[dieseldude]

I just came across this.

It couldn't get much easier to copy than this!

http://www.campomatic.com.au/construction.html

[gu4800]

Get down to the RNA this week - camping show is on. They have just about all campers there- Kimberely, Tvan, Camp-o-matic, various soft floor models, etc, etc,

You will get some ideas from different makes, and you can see them all in one place at one time. Well worth the $10.

[Bazz107]

What are the advantages / disadvantages of having duel wheels on an off-road camper.

[bogged]

mate of mine has built 3. hes nearly completed the 3rd one.

he went and hired 2 different brand camper trailers for a weekend each,

Then found what he liked out of each ones features , took both home measured everything up, and made his own, one for his boss and his boss brother (payment for usin factory, materials etc) with all the good ideas he got from them both..

[dieseldude]

Hiring one and measuring it.

That's a good idea.

If i haven't started one or bought one by the time Mud Bulls & Music comes around, I'm just going to hire one and take the missus up there with me and camp in it.

I'm sure we'll get some good ideas from that.

G_Loomis

Mate, where are you located? If in Brisbane then I'm more than happy to discuss the canvass work with you. I'd rather help out someone off here than approach some random.

Cheers...

[bogged]

Hiring one and measuring it.

That's a good idea.

If i haven't started one or bought one by the time Mud Bulls & Music comes around, I'm just going to hire one and take the missus up there with me and camp in it.

I'm sure we'll get some good ideas from that....

you can also see things like you dont want the kitchen there, or the bed on that side, or this or that...
once you have made it your fucked!

[dieseldude]

To anyone with experience in this department............ Would it be better to have the canvass windows fold down when they are unzipped or have them so that when they're unzipped, you have to roll them up?

I guess if they folded down when unzipped you'd have to be careful when it rains. If they're the ones that have to be rolled up it probably wouldn't matter too much leaving them unzipped and just hanging because you could still get ventilation and if it rained, inside wouldn't get too wet.

Hmmmmm

[turps]

Windows

I thought if they are on the outside they need to be rolled up. But if on the inside then they can be rolled down.

As if they where on the outside rolled down the water would pool and then flow inside before it can be closed. Even when they are closed water already on it would be forced inside.
Where as with them rolled down from the inside, when closed the pooled water would be forced out.

[r0ck_m0nkey]

To anyone with experience in this department............ Would it be better to have the canvass windows fold down when they are unzipped or have them so that when they're unzipped, you have to roll them up?

I guess if they folded down when unzipped you'd have to be careful when it rains. If they're the ones that have to be rolled up it probably wouldn't matter too much leaving them unzipped and just hanging because you could still get ventilation and if it rained, inside wouldn't get too wet.

Hmmmmm

Make them roll up for pretty much the reasons you stated and on the outside. You also want the seam across the top to be underneath the layer it is stitched to. Rain comes from above, you want it to have a free flow over the top and no spots for it to pool up from flaps or seams. If it can settle in even the smallest of spots, leaks will start.

[dieseldude]

Cheers for the replies on the windows! They're excellent points.

Any photos of set ups that people have?

There must be some camp photos lying around everyones house if you have a camper of sorts?

Cheers

[stickbender]

thanks mate but that is not the one i was looking for

[bru21]

a tip.

ford axles are stronger than holden ones, both come in the 6 stud pattern just the bearings are bigger in the centre meaning the axle is stronger.

i made mine 2.6m high and it is permantly up. it is a wind sock and i knew it would be but if i had to so much as pop the top up i would have just swagged it instead and never used it as i hate setting up that much. my absolute pet hate of setting up camp stuff, came after last m, b, and m i now know tents suck mine died in the storm and i thought fark it and made a titan on wheels.

in inc a full size shower inside fully clad, a q/s bed and seating for 8 at beer / dinner time

one day soon (when the truck is done) i will finish it till then it will stay out the front pissing off my mum

[chook05]

Swing out sideways in a camper trailer is a pain in the backside.
This means that if 2 people are sleeping on the bed. You will have to climb over your partner if you are on the inside.

Fold out length wise you get out of the bottom of the bed. way more practical.

"You have to climb over your partner" I thought that was the best feature of my camper . " while were like this honey"

[AJ]

I've been building one in my (limited) spare time over the last few months.
2000 wide x 2400 long body.
Hardtop, flips over to side. One single and one queen size mattress on the hardtop side and 2 singles (L-shape) in the camper itself. Using the wheel arch as a step up onto the queen/single beds.
Solid axle, mechanical disc brakes and eye to eye leaf springs.
Dual rear swingaway wheel carriers
Full kitchen on swingout tailgate
Treg coupling

Still need to add a few brackets and things before it goes to the painters (and a BIG Campomatic style box on the drawbar)

After painting it will be clad in Alum Chequerplate, fitted out and then off to the canvas people for them to do their thing.

I'll post some updates in a month or so when I do some more work on it

[dieseldude]

That's pretty sweet!

Want to elaborate on how long that has taken and costs invloved in getting it that far?

What other plans do you have for it? Jerry can holders etc......