geoRunner CVT Trailer Build

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geoRunner

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646
Atlanta GA
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I’m pretty far down the road on the build at this point, but wanted to start documenting things and get feedback from folks. I embarked on a Overland trailer build to carry all the required gear for family trips, in particular our 2+ week ‘Go West My So’ trip coming up in a week or so... So the the beginnings, base CVT trailer and all I can say is WOW this thing is built like a tank.. Reallly beefy and impressive out the the Oregon folks!

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geoRunner

Rank III
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

646
Atlanta GA
Member #

14614

Upgrading the interior of the tub to allow for attachment and future water system. Trailer bed will have a full slider system from SlideMaster (if it ever arrives on freight).

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geoRunner

Rank III
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

646
Atlanta GA
Member #

14614

Beginnings of the electrical... everything goes in the tongue box.

-Renogy 100aH LIFEPO4
-Renogy Rover 30 amp
-Renogy DC-DC 20 amp
-Switches, relays and circuit breakers

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All pieces are modular and designed for removal for servicing of electrical system.

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Mock-up of battery box and switch panel... Spoiler alerts there were modifications to the design due to filament issues.

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ArkansasDon

ArkansasDon

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lives in some small town in the Ozarks in Arkansas
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nice trailer. Electrical & solar IMO is a personal preference what one wants & needs are. My 1st trailer build, solar was my main go to for power & charging while camping. Solar I went with all Renogy, (2) 100watt portable suit case panels w\ 5ft. 10awg branch connector pigtail ( so I can run both 100w panels parallel or just one single) depending how much 12v. gear I wanted to operate during the camping trip, 15ft. 10awg cable, Renogy 30 amp Wanderer Charge Controller w\ Battery Temperature Sensor, Battery, VMax Tank 125ah AGM Battery.

My electrical 12v. has (3) 12v. weatherproof outlet sockets, a weatherproof rocker switch that supplies power to 2 LED 12v. filtered green lights mounted on the RTT rack, 4 bank fuse block, (2) bus bars (positive & negative), battery meter w\auto shut off, battery disconnect switch, 10amp NOCO single bank on-board charging system. This has worked very well & efficient. I power Engel 40 qt. fridg\freezer, 12v. Endless Breeze Fan, Zodi Hot Shower System (I converted to 12v.) & charging cell phone & small handheld GPS.
I sold this trailer (RTT Trailer) yesterday. I am currently finishing up another trailer project (last photo) & like the electrical & solar set up (in the tongue box) that I will copy it as the same for my square drop trailer project with the exception of using the Renogy Adventure 30amp Charge Controller & Powermax 12v.\110 converter as the in board charging system .
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geoRunner

Rank III
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

646
Atlanta GA
Member #

14614

A few more updates and pictures from work already completed... Drilling holes in a new trailer is always a ‘great’ idea....

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Seal-It firewall grommet repurposed as a conduit end

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And while we are cutting, can’t forget to poke a hole in the lid of the trailer...

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ScanStrut seal to allow wires to pass to rack for lighting and aux power outlet...

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geoRunner

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Enthusiast III

646
Atlanta GA
Member #

14614

Now to water... I really wanted to maximize my space, so the design elements of the aluminum extrusion was born when I found the FrontRunner Flat water tanks and how I was going to attach them to the sides of the trailer to take up the space between the SlideMaster bedslide and the edge of the tub. They are the only skinny and tall tanks I could find without going custom. In the end there will be two with 21.2 gallons of water onboard, but funds only allowed for one to start.

Of course the best laid plans require some modifications, as the design was done prior to receipt of the tank and the mounting holes weren’t quite what I was expecting... Conical...

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So how to tackle this problem... Amazon search and creativity I suppose. I found some rubber bumpstops that would almost fit...

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And then began cutting them down...

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Passenger side tank mounted...

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Pump system is mounted to a bracket behind the tank...

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Fun fact... Food grade flexible tubing is a pain in the ass to find and source. Amazon was not my friend or at least I wouldn’t chance buying tubing that didn’t have the FDA or NSF food safe text printed on the tube itself. So the wait is on for my tubing to arrive before the trip. Also the spigot location is to come.
 
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geoRunner

Rank III
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Enthusiast III

646
Atlanta GA
Member #

14614

Back to electrical... Battery ‘box’... One reason I chose to go with a Lithium battery was off gassing and the other is getting all 100ah of power without having to have 2 heavy ass lead batteries. So it’s not really a box so much as a frame.

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Now the components... Some assembly required...

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It’s coming together...

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The switch panel had to be moved out away from the DC-DC charger due to clearance issues versus my original mock up and plan, but nothing too major in the way of complication.

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The side of the battery ‘box’ and 2 of the 3 charging sources will be behind a perforated aluminum panel to allow protection and air flow. I will also still vent the box at some point for cooling purposes only, ,but not before the westward trip, just not enough time.
 
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geoRunner

Rank III
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

646
Atlanta GA
Member #

14614

So where to place the spigot... Luckily I had inspiration from a fellow Overlander. I visited with him and almost bought his trailer but timing didn’t fit but I did use his build as some inspiration... The spigot will be mounted ahead of the wheel wells and exposed, so I needed a bracket to protect against road debris and trail damage.

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Beginning design...

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On to fabrication... In flops (apologies to OSHA in advance).

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And now we are all caught up with the story... I will mount the spigot tonight and start working thru the punch list with 7 days and a wake up before departure. I will post more updates as I can along with a completed photo set and action shots as we go along and learn about where my design needs to be adjusted. I hope you guys will give feedback so I can learn from your experiences.
 
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geoRunner

Rank III
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

646
Atlanta GA
Member #

14614

jeepers29 said:
Awesome job. Looking forward to some pics in the wild. Do you plan on having a fridge in the trailer?
Click to expand...
@jeepers29 Yes, my Dometic CFX50W will be mounted on the bedslide in the tub of the trailer. The bedslide arrived today and I was able to get it bolted down and I started test fitting gear, etc to find its final mounting location. I will get some more build pics up, as well as a few after it has ventured into the wild.
 
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geoRunner

Rank III
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

646
Atlanta GA
Member #

14614

So long overdue update... Trailer made its maiden voyage of 6,738 miles at the end of May beginning of June thru the reaches of the Western US (Badlands, Blackhills, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon)... Quite the shake down cruise. Also just returned from a couple of weekend trips in the southeast. Tows wonderful, follows the truck wherever I go off-road without a whimper or whine. Loving the investment and the freedom it gives me and the family to get out and explore. A few upgrades left for organization, ease of use on setup, etc to go, but overall couldn’t be happier. A few pics of the ’finished’ product and action shots.

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TacomaSparky

TacomaSparky

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Contributor I

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Richmond Virginia
First Name
Daniel
Last Name
Madren
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geoRunner said:
Now to water... I really wanted to maximize my space, so the design elements of the aluminum extrusion was born when I found the FrontRunner Flat water tanks and how I was going to attach them to the sides of the trailer to take up the space between the SlideMaster bedslide and the edge of the tub. They are the only skinny and tall tanks I could find without going custom. In the end there will be two with 21.2 gallons of water onboard, but funds only allowed for one to start.

Of course the best laid plans require some modifications, as the design was done prior to receipt of the tank and the mounting holes weren’t quite what I was expecting... Conical...

View attachment 98366

So how to tackle this problem... Amazon search and creativity I suppose. I found some rubber bumpstops that would almost fit...

View attachment 98367

And then began cutting them down...

View attachment 98368

Passenger side tank mounted...

View attachment 98369

Pump system is mounted to a bracket behind the tank...

View attachment 98370

Fun fact... Food grade flexible tubing is a pain in the ass to find and source. Amazon was not my friend or at least I wouldn’t chance buying tubing that didn’t have the FDA or NSF food safe text printed on the tube itself. So the wait is on for my tubing to arrive before the trip. Also the spigot location is to come.
Click to expand...
Do you have a link to the tanks you used?
 
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geoRunner

Rank III
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

646
Atlanta GA
Member #

14614

TacomaSparky said:
Why did you use a dc-dc battery charger?
Click to expand...
Here is the tank I used....

www.frontrunneroutfitters.com

Upright Water Tank / Flat - by Front Runner

A 40l (10.6gal) water tank that is perfect for showers, drinking, and cooking. This slim upright water tank fits inconspicuously behind the rear seat of your vehicle.
www.frontrunneroutfitters.com www.frontrunneroutfitters.com

On DC-DC charger, 1) I needed a way to charge a different size and type of battery (100ah LiFePro) 2) I wanted a clean way to charge the trailer as we drove from point to point 3) leave it plugged in when we arrived into camp without having to think about unplugging it or turning off the lead to the trailer from the truck
 
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