Morgs' Offroad Trailer/Camper Build

[outnabout]

hi, would second gojeep's comment about the drawbar going all the way through. especially if you're heading to the cape.
with the roof topper opening over the front, the drawbar will be in the way of the ladder. are you intending to climb in over the back or over the front? are you getting rid of the ladder? if so, are you stabilising it over the drawbar? don't forget to have some wind down legs on your trailer in case it's not hooked up to your car, you don't want it to tilt over the back when you climb in. any particular reason to have it open over the front? how are you mounting the tent? is there a lid on the trailer and the tent sits on the lid or is the tent the lid? if you position it flush onto the lid, it will be fiddly to open/close the travel cover. just a few things to think about for your project...

[Morgs]

Originally Posted by outnabout

hi, would second gojeep's comment about the drawbar going all the way through. especially if you're heading to the cape.
with the roof topper opening over the front, the drawbar will be in the way of the ladder. are you intending to climb in over the back or over the front? are you getting rid of the ladder? if so, are you stabilising it over the drawbar? don't forget to have some wind down legs on your trailer in case it's not hooked up to your car, you don't want it to tilt over the back when you climb in. any particular reason to have it open over the front? how are you mounting the tent? is there a lid on the trailer and the tent sits on the lid or is the tent the lid? if you position it flush onto the lid, it will be fiddly to open/close the travel cover. just a few things to think about for your project...

Outnabout - Entrance to the tent will be over the back of the trailer, the tent will open forward over the trailer. I will bin the ladder. I don't intend to use trailer legs as the car will be hooked to the trailer when using the tent at night time. The tent on the top of the trailer will be the lid save for the front rectangular space. That will have its own removable aluminum lid that will probably double as part of the bench space for the tailgate kitchen. The lid will have hinges similar to the TJ for quick removal when tent is setup. Rubber seal will be glued/riverted to the lid. The lid will close down on part of an extended cross member supporting the tent. There won't be any interference with opening closing.

Sorry alot of the above is in my head. Will be picking up the steel this Friday to start the fab. Draw bar will remain as designed. If it cracks I will cut it and drop it under the chassis of the box. I recently fabbed up a dumbell weight rack. Will have to take a photo later. The weight rack holds half a tonne with the same steel and the angle is impressive. Even with myself jumping on it it does not budge. I know vibrations, corrugations etc but the total weight being exerted on the two bends (reinforced)will be a whole lot less then a couple of tonnes of dynamic force.

[Macca2801]

Im with the rest Morgs, not trying to dissapoint you hack on your build (which looks well planned out!!) but the amount of documented drawbar breaks are phenomenal!!

The standard for off-road drawbars is as the others have described, the dynamic flexing at your attaching point would snap the drawbar in a very short amount of time, especially the places Jeepers drive!!

I would also guess the additional weight in extending the drawbar and then not requiring the additional braces and gussets in your plan wouold offset each other!!

Like the drawbar on JeepJules trailer...you should be pulling from the springs.


Apart from that, looks great and cant wait to see the progress!!

Matt.

[markg]

morgs Iv made three trailers to the same design as yours
the 1st one was a box trailer with camper bolted to the top ,60l water
swing out kitchen 2 gas bottles 2 20l fuel cantainers,
about 650kg all up and that was dry
All i did with the draw bar was get same flat bar 100mm x 10mm X 600mm long , bent and welded to the inside of the draw bar
crossed the simpsons desert from east to west , all of the golf with on problems

The 2nd trailer I made a kimberly kamper copy same draw bar

The 3rd is a work trailer same draw bar

[Macca2801]

Originally Posted by markg

All i did with the draw bar was get same flat bar 100mm x 10mm X 600mm

Holy smoke...that plating would weigh twice as much as the additional drawbar box length if Morgs was going to attach at the springs??

Wasnt he trying to reduce weight by attaching there in the first place?
Matt

[jeepnjules]

Originally Posted by markg

morgs Iv made three trailers to the same design as yours
the 1st one was a box trailer with camper bolted to the top ,60l water
swing out kitchen 2 gas bottles 2 20l fuel cantainers,
about 650kg all up and that was dry
All i did with the draw bar was get same flat bar 100mm x 10mm X 600mm long , bent and welded to the inside of the draw bar
crossed the simpsons desert from east to west , all of the golf with on problems

The 2nd trailer I made a kimberly kamper copy same draw bar

The 3rd is a work trailer same draw bar

Not an ideal way to do drawbar, best going underneath trailer frame, and like gojeep said do not weld along the top of where drawbar and trailer frame meet, if welded it will eventually crack, you probably got away with your method just being a baisc 6x4 and camping gear, not alot of weight ,but in my case i know my trailer is registered for 3500kg , but there has been occasions where all up it weighed 4000kg and i am not sure relying on weld and just plates as per your method would be strong enough ,have seen a few trailers bend at that point . just my 2cents worth

[outnabout]

i'll leave it to the others to convince you of a different drawbar design

i would however rethink having the tent opening over the front in light of the following:

- you lose potential storage space on top of your lid (or you'd have to remove stored items whenever opening the tent)

- in any other position (opening over side or rear), you'll create protected space underneath the open tent to put your camp chairs, tables... and protect them from rain

- the tent usually sits on two aluminium rails



which elevates the the tent a bit; if you design the tent to be the lid of your trailer, you probably won't be using the rails; without the elevation, running the zip around the tent cover will be fiddly.

- the travel cover usually hangs down as in this picture



now with your tent opening over the front, it means the cover will be stuck between your lid and the opened up tent (preventing the tent from opening completely, especially since you don't have the elevation of the rails; you could remove the cover every time you use it but that's just unnecessary work;

- the ladder is also used as a lever to open and close the tent; so in your case you'll have to come up with a different way

i imagine you want the tent over the front because of the swing out kitchen; why not open the tent over the side instead? you can still use your swing out kitchen, don't lose potential storage space and if you don't like using a ladder, climb in on the other side of the trailer.