My Camping Trailer - Dial up warning :)

**SNAFU** · 17th October 2010, 06:55 PM

With four girls (3-15) and the wife, a camp trailer was never going to cut the mustard. Not enough room for gear. My original plan was to use a trayback tray. I had the tray and was in the process of putting the parts together, when this showed up in the paper for less than i could aquire the parts. It had the landcruiser 5 stud hubs, brakes and 2t running gear already. Most importantly it was licenced, meaning no run around for me.
Problems?
*Crappy placement of the wheels (bastard to tow) and under-rated drawbar (2mm, patio tube?). Both these are welded directly to the tray rails, not good. The plan is cut these off and mount to a proper chasis. With better placement. Chasis will be 50x50x3 SHS and the drawbar will be 100x150x3 RHS
*It also has slipper springs (which i don't like) but will stay due to funds at the moment. Will be replaced at a later time.
*The axle was too wide, but to get the width i needed ment a custom unit. I ended up getting the axle shortened and the stub returned buy a mate whose a machinest. Now identical track to the cruiser
*Had 205/16 swapped to 235/85. To match the cruiser.
*Std 50mm hitch. Swap to Trigg.
Will also be adding water tanks under the chasis. Will be carring about 250L under the trailer with a 40L header tank mounted inside the unit. The header unit will feed the kitchen.This will make water control easier.
Any coments and quieries welcome.
Cheers, Paul

As it arrived home

Dodgy drawbar and spring

Tyre swap

New hitch

Setting up cut down axle

Drawing of chasis

**mick A S** · 17th October 2010, 07:48 PM

you are going to end up with a top camping trailer there

I took the canopy off mine this weekend took four of us

**SNAFU** · 17th October 2010, 10:38 PM

I do have a question though. Spring over or spring under? Does it matter? I'm leaning spring under, contrary to the picture. The spring keepers aren't welded yet. This will give me more room between the tray and chasis. I'm thinking of trying to get the water storage in this gap.

Cheers, Paul

**mick A S** · 18th October 2010, 07:56 AM

I put spring under on mine & mounted the coupling on the bottom of draw bar it give me a level chassi for the height off tow hitch on truck i think you should do some mesurements & then you will have the answer

**Yonnee** · 18th October 2010, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by SNAFU

I do have a question though. Spring over or spring under? Does it matter? I'm leaning spring under, contrary to the picture. The spring keepers aren't welded yet. This will give me more room between the tray and chasis. I'm thinking of trying to get the water storage in this gap.

Cheers, Paul

From the look of the first pictures, you wouldn't have the room for placing the axle on top of the springs. I roughly calculate around 140mm drop by the trailer, and with suspension travel still required, you'd needed at least a 200mm gap to make it work, which it doesn't look like it had.

Oh, and some bugger has stolen half your fence palings!!!

**SNAFU** · 18th October 2010, 09:23 PM

Thanks for the replies. Might wait till I've built the chasis and do some measurements. I will have to space the tray from the chasis anyway, I just thought I'd space it further if I went spring under. Giving me more room to put water tanks/storage?

Palings not stolen. Owners a tight ####

(my old man) and built it this way, cheaper.

**Yonnee** · 20th October 2010, 04:55 PM

Neither here nor there how you set the springs up, the limiting factor is the tyre diameter is a fixed dimension, and you need at least 3 inches clearance from the top of tyres to the tray. In this case, where the springs are located is irrelevant, other than if you run them under the axle, your spring hangers are going to need to be spaced a fair way off the chassis.

**rsser** · 20th October 2010, 05:28 PM

290l is a lot of water.

It'll just encourage the girls to wash ;-}

**Groggy** · 20th October 2010, 05:31 PM

That looks a little like Douglas track on the floor - is it?

**SNAFU** · 21st October 2010, 11:28 PM

Did a bit of measuring tonight, trying to work out if i can fit water between the tray and the chasis. And keep it sring over. Looks like I've got about 150mm to work with, see pic. Now to find tanks to fit.

**SNAFU** · 21st October 2010, 11:35 PM

Originally Posted by rsser

290l is a lot of water.

It'll just encourage the girls to wash ;-}

SHMBO only requirement was water. She had thoughts of 400+L.

Not happening. Probally drop this down and just not mention it

**SNAFU** · 21st October 2010, 11:42 PM

Originally Posted by Groggy

That looks a little like Douglas track on the floor - is it?

Not sure on track. Was looking at removing it. Going to put a pantry/kitchen down the left side and put draws on the other side, with tubs or simlar above.

**mick A S** · 26th October 2010, 05:39 PM

did you know a litre off water is 1 kg 400lt = 400Kg

**jatt** · 26th October 2010, 07:40 PM

Not happening. Probally drop this down and just not mention it

usually put in a single 60 litre tank on camper trailers, dont think I would go any more than 2 of them. Recon the rectangular ones are the go, its easier than those rounded things to make up support straps for.

**SNAFU** · 26th October 2010, 08:49 PM

On the water issue. I want to self-suficant for 6 nights/7 days. I cant always be garenteed water where i camp. If i went for the standard 120L in 2 tanks, it works out 2.85L each. 120L divide by 6 (us) divide by 7 (days) = 2.85Leach. I drink more than this on my own in one day. If I work on 5L each per day, I need 210L, so 250-300L gives me some fudge room.

I know what water weighs. Hence the 2t running gear.

Paul

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