My Little Trailer Build!

[jcmorgan31]

Spare tire mounted. Had to order a 12" stick of 1/2"-20 threaded rod on Amazon. No one local carries 1/2" - 20 rod around here. 1/2" - 20 allowed me to use a matching lug nut to hold the wheel on.

Also figured out the the propane tank fits perfectly in the triangle left in-between the spare tire and the jack. Now to run some hard piping to get gas to the back of the trailer for the cooking stove and to hook my buddy heater to.

 

[jcmorgan31]

Haven't done much with the trailer for a month or so. I got some things for it for Christmas and pulled it into the shop this past week.

Picked up these sweet latches on Amazon. They have a locking mechanism and are adjustable. Way better than what I had.



Mounted a fire extinguisher in the back near where the cooking is done.



I installed 24 button fasteners around the perimeter of the trailer. I dropped the trailer off at a local Amish tarp maker and he made me a custom tarp to cover the cargo area. No more road grime all over my stuff!

 

[jcmorgan31]

Picked up a diesel heater last week and mounted it. Ran the exhaust through the trailer floor. My little buddy heater worked pretty well but this should eliminate any condensation or deadly toxic fume worries. :) Will be simple to duct the hot air right into our annex through the zippered door that is on the side of the annex toward the trailer.

 

[jcmorgan31]

Did a test fit with all my main stuff. I hinted around for a Blackstone griddle for Christmas. My wife picked up the 22" instead of the 17" (got a heck of a deal on the 22"). I was worried that it all wouldn't fit but it did.

My table is an issue now that I have the tarp. Gonna have to find a table with a folded dimension of 20" or less. May end up going with a fold out frame/roll top table.

The black plastic SKB case in front of the grill is my kitchen box.

 

[jcmorgan31]

Decided I could build my own roof bow system to go under the tarp to keep the rain from puddling. I had some old tent poles, cut them to length and inserted them into some holes I drilled in the RTT tent structure.


I also had to fabricate some blocks to fasten to the ends of the bows because they are round and just wanted to roll over and sag.


After all of that, the bows still weren't secure enough not to roll over to one side or the other. So, other than learning what doesn't work, it was a waste of time. I went to Google looking for ideas for some way to keep the rods upright and came across the roof bows and brackets used to store boats. I removed six little brackets from the trailer when I got it and had no idea what they were for. Turns out they were for roof bows, flat type roof bows. Luckily I hadn't thrown them away.


I found them online and ordered another pair so that I can use 4 roof bows. Fiberglass bows are stupid expensive so my first attempt will be to cut a set out of lumber I have on hand and see how they hold up.

 

[Longshot270]

Here’s another idea if those don’t work, 3/4” metal electrical conduit is what I used for my truck bed cover tarp ribs. It holds a canvas tarp just fine and I’ve thrown light and fluffy fishing and swimming gear on top. Easy to cut, shape and weld.

 

[lhoffm4]

Really Nice Work!

 

[jcmorgan31]

Here’s another idea if those don’t work, 3/4” metal electrical conduit is what I used for my truck bed cover tarp ribs. It holds a canvas tarp just fine and I’ve thrown light and fluffy fishing and swimming gear on top. Easy to cut, shape and weld.

Being round like the tent poles I used, how did you keep them from spinning and flipping over?

 

[Longshot270]

Being round like the tent poles I used, how did you keep them from spinning and flipping over?

I welded them to angle that runs most of the length of my truck bed.
Unfortunately the pictures got so compressed you can’t see anything

Longshot270's build, travel and tinkering thread

I'm starting this thread so I can actually organize the pictures on my phone and find them back later. For starters, I originally had the jeep patriot with custom winch bumper and many other upgrades but after a bunch of coastal trips with the trailer, it just didn't have the power I needed, so...

www.overlandbound.com

 

[jcmorgan31]

I welded them to angle that runs most of the length of my truck bed.

Longshot270's build, travel and tinkering thread

I'm starting this thread so I can actually organize the pictures on my phone and find them back later. For starters, I originally had the jeep patriot with custom winch bumper and many other upgrades but after a bunch of coastal trips with the trailer, it just didn't have the power I needed, so...

www.overlandbound.com

Gotcha. I need these to be easily removable or the doors on my front boxes won't open. I will keep conduit in mind though! Thanks again!

 

[Longshot270]

See if you can find a picture of the kodiac truck bed tent. Their poles are removable and pre bent to keep them from twisting. They use a swivel peg on the truck bed side like a tent pole. Something like that might also be adaptable for your trailer

 

[jcmorgan31]

See if you can find a picture of the kodiac truck bed tent. Their poles are removable and pre bent to keep them from twisting. They use a swivel peg on the truck bed side like a tent pole. Something like that might also be adaptable for your trailer

Just looked at the installation guide. It looks like the poles slide through a sleeve in the canvas top. I wouldn't have that to help keep the poles upright. I'll keep that in mind though if the flat bows don't do the trick. Thanks for the idea!

 

[Longshot270]

Just looked at the installation guide. It looks like the poles slide through a sleeve in the canvas top. I wouldn't have that to help keep the poles upright. I'll keep that in mind though if the flat bows don't do the trick. Thanks for the idea!

Only the outside ones, the internal ones have 5 Velcro loops that hold the tent to the canvas. You could get around this by just using a round rope ratchet strap with a loop tied in wherever needed. I’ve rigged awnings by folding the loop over a pole/pipe/branch and around each side of the main line. Slide a stick through the ears and it’ll prevent the loop from coming undone. For a more secure method, make the loop large enough to wrap around the bar on each side of the main line before putting the stick through.

 

[Longshot270]

Also, forgot to mention that I did something similar to yours for a farm trailer net a long time ago using the rope, bows and welded the bows to angle slides. IIRC, we attached the rope to the front of the trailer and welded a chain link to one of the doors. The rope and net was permanently tied to the bows though. When the trailer door was closed, the bows slid until the rope was tight and the ratchet hooked into the chain link. For access, the strap was unhooked and the bows slid forward. The net was very light so the idea might not work for yours. It looked like a gravel/aggregate trailer when set up

 

[jcmorgan31]

Getting ready to take the trailer on our first camping trip of the year out to the MOORE convention in Springfield, MO. That will give me 7 hours on the interstate to decide if it pulls good or not! LOL.

Have made a few additions since my last post.

Installed a 35 gallon water tank and plumbed in a fill port and a couple of spigots. I have it run through a 12v RV water pump. We bought an on-demand water heater/shower as well and are waiting on a pelican type case to mount it permanently somewhere on the trailer. I'll get some better pictures of everything this weekend.



Fabricated a mount for a diesel container.

 

[KonzaLander]

Getting ready to take the trailer on our first camping trip of the year out to the MOORE convention in Springfield, MO. That will give me 7 hours on the interstate to decide if it pulls good or not! LOL.

Have made a few additions since my last post.

Installed a 35 gallon water tank and plumbed in a fill port and a couple of spigots. I have it run through a 12v RV water pump. We bought an on-demand water heater/shower as well and are waiting on a pelican type case to mount it permanently somewhere on the trailer. I'll get some better pictures of everything this weekend.

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Fabricated a mount for a diesel container.


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If I spot your trailer at MOORE I will be sure to check it out. I'll have my 'yeller' trailer there too. What is your plan for camping while at MOORE?

 

[jcmorgan31]

If I spot your trailer at MOORE I will be sure to check it out. I'll have my 'yeller' trailer there too. What is your plan for camping while at MOORE?

We actually have a primitive site reserved at the Southern Missouri Off-Road Ranch. We are driving over tomorrow and leaving Sunday.

 

[KonzaLander]

We actually have a primitive site reserved at the Southern Missouri Off-Road Ranch. We are driving over tomorrow and leaving Sunday.

Ah dang, looks like I'll miss the trailer. I'll be at MOORE on Saturday for as long as I can stand the crowd.

 

[jcmorgan31]

Ah dang, looks like I'll miss the trailer. I'll be at MOORE on Saturday for as long as I can stand the crowd.

We are going on Friday in the hopes of missing the crowd! LOL