My experiment with an RTT trailer

[Dcwn.45]

So, the back story, I have a 2013 Tacoma DCSB with the usual [ OME suspension, ARB front bumper, winch EXPO springs, sliders, blah, blah , yada, yada.
My girl and I [both mid 50's] decided to get a RTT, to make camping more comfortable but still feel like camping and not a motel room [no offense to RV'ers, but I grew up wilderness camping in the BWCA and am a motorcyclist now so I'm used to tents]
We got a Yakima Skyrise 3 and I fabbed a bed mount rack , Perfect!
Not.
She was nervous about climbing in and out and fell out getting up to pee the first night , twisting a knee enough for a couple weeks of pain.
A couple big trips got delayed , and delayed, and delayed.
I was feeling bad and we weren't getting out even for a night at a state park, and we started talking about selling the RTT and going back to a ground tent with a really good mattress.
I didn't think that would cut it for her so I started looking at teardrops and their ruggedized cousins.
That seemed like a very expensive experiment! I wasn't sure it would be the solution, so maybe we would rent something.
She has asked me a couple times if we can set up the RTT on the ground, and I remind her that its waytooheavy.
But, it did make me realize that she likes the tent and mattress, its the height issue.
So, I decided to cobble up a rig using what I already have.



I bought a couple pcs of uni-strut and some bolts and this is what I came up with.
She climbed in and out and hugged me with tears in her eyes and we are going to try it out this weekend!
I'm only in it for $50 besides what I already had [trailer and RTT] so everyone please keep your fingers crossed for me.

 

[BJP]

Good solution.

 

[SubeeBen]

Looks like a good solution & can use trailer set up as a base camp giving you the ability to go explore & come back to a camp all set up. looks good & let us know how it works.

 

[Dcwn.45]

Thanks
I just got a reservation for Saturday night at a state park for a trial run
If this works out then I will think about a smaller dedicated trailer
I have a welder and some fabrication skill so I could build something that is more trail friendly

 

[ArkansasDon]

my wife Sally is in her mid 60's & we love our RTT. My wife had this fear of ladders for along time until I worked with her. Most RTT's have safety straps to hold on to when entering or exiting (ours does), what I did to solve Sally's fear of ladders & fall is to work with her & encourage her that fear will prevent you from success. The hardest part of RTT for her was going out for the late night\early morning tinkle. We practice @ home with our overland trailer & RTT set up (with stabilizing jacks in place) for her to learn how to properly & safely exit the tent w\o fear of falling. With several times doing this on the off time camping Sally became more confident with the ladder & exiting the tent. I still make it a habit for me when those late night\early hour pee's come for me to exit 1st & guide her safely whether if I had to go or not. I exit 1st, turn on the tent rack lights that face outward of the tent opening (that they shine on the ladder rungs & ground). These lights are 12 volt filtered green LED's that enhance your night vision. I done a ton of research on night vision & what lights would be the best choice night vision capabilities. Our eyes are more receptive to green filtered light than other colors, the reason behind this is I read we gain better visual keenness from lower light levels of brightness than when using red, blue, amber lights. Green filtered lights gives you that better three-dimensional images like exiting a RTT & the spacing of the ladder rungs adjunction to the ground.

As you can see by my photo's of our overland trailer being set up the way I did, when I built this trailer & rack I kept in mind my wife's fear of ladders & falling. Whether if you decide to go the route your are, my suggestion is to raise the tent off the gunnel rails of that trailer build a rack that will support your RTT & have her practice as you show her how to properly exit a RTT. It took months for my wife to have 100% confidence her exiting the RTT safely w\o fear in her head, but I always assist her no matter what time of the night it is being the 1st out.

Lastly my experiences with ladders being a ex-painting contractor for 25 yrs proper footing of a ladder is a must, hip's should stay inside the rails of a ladder, footing: the balls of your feet should be on the rungs not your arches of your feet. Your steps should be lead off each rung by the same foot: example, if your 1st step is by the left foot then the left foot should be your lead foot advancing to the next rung. Like I said "fear will keep you from success".

Get ahold of Scott Chaney @ Compact Camping Concepts, he can set you up with a No-Weld tent rack set up https://compact-camping-concepts-2.myshopify.com/collections/trailer-racks

 

[VCeXpedition]

That's one thing I really like about my trailer setup is that the climb on the ladder is not too high. I'm not too worried if it was on my vehicle roof for the climb, I didn't want it up there for the weight.

At trailer top level, it just makes it easy to get in/out and also pitch and strike the tent, pull off the cover, all that.





Good solution, more camping is better!

Dan.

 

[Dcwn.45]

my wife Sally is in her mid 60's & we love our RTT. My wife had this fear of ladders for along time until I worked with her. Most RTT's have safety straps to hold on to when entering or exiting (ours does), what I did to solve Sally's fear of ladders & fall is to work with her & encourage her that fear will prevent you from success. The hardest part of RTT for her was going out for the late night\early morning tinkle. We practice @ home with our overland trailer & RTT set up (with stabilizing jacks in place) for her to learn how to properly & safely exit the tent w\o fear of falling. With several times doing this on the off time camping Sally became more confident with the ladder & exiting the tent. I still make it a habit for me when those late night\early hour pee's come for me to exit 1st & guide her safely whether if I had to go or not. I exit 1st, turn on the tent rack lights that face outward of the tent opening (that they shine on the ladder rungs & ground). These lights are 12 volt filtered green LED's that enhance your night vision. I done a ton of research on night vision & what lights would be the best choice night vision capabilities. Our eyes are more receptive to green filtered light than other colors, the reason behind this is I read we gain better visual keenness from lower light levels of brightness than when using red, blue, amber lights. Green filtered lights gives you that better three-dimensional images like exiting a RTT & the spacing of the ladder rungs adjunction to the ground.

As you can see by my photo's of our overland trailer being set up the way I did, when I built this trailer & rack I kept in mind my wife's fear of ladders & falling. Whether if you decide to go the route your are, my suggestion is to raise the tent off the gunnel rails of that trailer build a rack that will support your RTT & have her practice as you show her how to properly exit a RTT. It took months for my wife to have 100% confidence her exiting the RTT safely w\o fear in her head, but I always assist her no matter what time of the night it is being the 1st out.

Lastly my experiences with ladders being a ex-painting contractor for 25 yrs proper footing of a ladder is a must, hip's should stay inside the rails of a ladder, footing: the balls of your feet should be on the rungs not your arches of your feet. Your steps should be lead off each rung by the same foot: example, if your 1st step is by the left foot then the left foot should be your lead foot advancing to the next rung. Like I said "fear will keep you from success".

Get ahold of Scott Chaney @ Compact Camping Concepts, he can set you up with a No-Weld tent rack set up https://compact-camping-concepts-2.myshopify.com/collections/trailer-racks

View attachment 58625 View attachment 58626 View attachment 58627

Thanks for your input but the solutions are not the same for everyone
I’m a finish carpenter of 30+ years and have installed Miles of crown molding so I know a bit about ladders
The height is too much for her and she has some health issues and whatever I can do to make it fun to camp more I’m going to do!
If it means a lower tent height, so be it
I don’t understand why you would suggest that I raise the tent
I see lots of small trailers with RTTs mounted low

 

[Dcwn.45]

Well, it was a huge success! Kelly loved the RTT at the lower height.
I also like being able to use the truck without taking down most of the camp.
So I’m pretty sure that I’m going to start building a trailer this winter.

 

[VCeXpedition]

Did you find that the step ladder is better than the tent ladder?

I guess it depends on which way you prefer to face when entering and exiting the trailer.
If it would help my wife feel more comfortable getting in and out, I would gladly haul along a step ladder, I'll have to give that a shot (at home!).

...and yeah, exploring in the truck without taking all the kit!? That's the real trailer advantage. Build away!



Dan.

 

[Dcwn.45]

At the height of the RTT now, the regular ladder is useless for entry and egress, it’s for support only. It’s fully collapsed and all the steps are together.
The big benefit for Kelly is the when exiting, she can reach the top of the stepladder to steady herself so she doesn’t feel like she will fall out.
She has a health issue and is on some meds that can make her unsteady at times, so this is a big deal for us.
I’m going to buy an aluminum step ladder and cut off the step side and make an appropriate length ladder that replaces the collapsing one that is there now.
Entry will be MUCH better and I can still put the free standing step ladder there for her to steady herself when exiting.
I’m super excited that this worked out so well, she wanted to stay another night and wants to go camping again soon, farther away and for longer than 1 night!

 

[Porkchopexpress]

You

At the height of the RTT now, the regular ladder is useless for entry and egress, it’s for support only. It’s fully collapsed and all the steps are together.
The big benefit for Kelly is the when exiting, she can reach the top of the stepladder to steady herself so she doesn’t feel like she will fall out.
She has a health issue and is on some meds that can make her unsteady at times, so this is a big deal for us.
I’m going to buy an aluminum step ladder and cut off the step side and make an appropriate length ladder that replaces the collapsing one that is there now.
Entry will be MUCH better and I can still put the free standing step ladder there for her to steady herself when exiting.
I’m super excited that this worked out so well, she wanted to stay another night and wants to go camping again soon, farther away and for longer than 1 night!

You can find sturdy kitchen style step ladders at Home Depot that are relatively short with a platform on top. The one in the picture is 19” high at the platform.

 

[Dcwn.45]

I just bought one very similar!

 

[Mark D]

View attachment 59087 Well, it was a huge success! Kelly loved the RTT at the lower height.
I also like being able to use the truck without taking down most of the camp.
So I’m pretty sure that I’m going to start building a trailer this winter.

When you build your trailer consider swing axles. I used them on mine and the trailer does not limit our off road travel. Last summer we did 9 days in Utah including the Lockhart Basin Trail. I also built a gimbal hitch to eliminate any binding when we travel through ruts.

Sent from my iPad using OB Talk

 

[Dcwn.45]

Looks great
Thanks for the ideas

 

[Phessor]

I like my setup, but it is TALL! It works great for me and my kids with or without the annex. But I worry about falling out of it myself sometimes.

 

[Dcwn.45]

When you build your trailer consider swing axles. I used them on mine and the trailer does not limit our off road travel. Last summer we did 9 days in Utah including the Lockhart Basin Trail. I also built a gimbal hitch to eliminate any binding when we travel through ruts.

Sent from my iPad using OB Talk

I’d love to see more details about the hitch

 

[Mark D]

I’d love to see more details about the hitch

Gosh, the hitch was something I threw together in my shop using scrap metal. I can take some detailed photos with measurements if it will help you. I have a Bridgeport mill but it could have easily been made with a drill press. It provides almost unlimited travel in all directions. I used 3/4” grade 8 bolts with nylon nuts. I have seen a few the commercially available hitch that have obvious design flaws. Mine is almost silent, something to consider when you are headed down a rough road.


Sent from my iPhone using OB Talk

 

[Mark D]

Gosh, the hitch was something I threw together in my shop using scrap metal. I can take some detailed photos with measurements if it will help you. I have a Bridgeport mill but it could have easily been made with a drill press. It provides almost unlimited travel in all directions. I used 3/4” grade 8 bolts with nylon nuts. I have seen a few the commercially available hitch that have obvious design flaws. Mine is almost silent, something to consider when you are headed down a rough road.


Sent from my iPhone using OB Talk

“A”-is the bolt that holds the rear section of the hitch “B” inside the front main tube of the trailer frame.
“C”-is the bolt that holds the U-shaped piece to that inner piece. It provides the roll needed when the trailer and vehicle travel over different planes. This bolt is NOT tight. It was torqued down and then backed off just enough to allow stiff rotation. There is a roll pin installed by drilling a hole through that inner piece and through the bolt. This keeps the bolt from moving.
“D”-this bolt provides the rotation which is needed when vehicle goes up or down.
“E”-is the bolt that allows cornering.
“F”-is the piece that slides into the vehicle’s receiver.



Sent from my iPhone using OB Talk

 

[Dcwn.45]

Thanks for the details
I’ve decided to get a small trailer from Lowes and build off of that
I don’t have time to start from scratch and I can modify it as needed

 

[Dcwn.45]

So I bought the lowes ((carry all) trailer ,
Flipped the axle and installed a jack
Does anyone have a source for wheels with more offset? ( need them to stick out away from the frame)
I want to put 15” rims and tires on before I install the rtt and modify the ladder
I’ll update pics tonight