Overland Trailers

[Bubba Tim]

I wrote a couple of articles today for my website. Article one talks about the history of the trailers I have owned along with a brief review of our Off Grid Expedition 2.0 trailer. (We love it by the way)

Our Off Grid Trailer - How We Got Here - Part II in our Series - 4X Overland Adventures

A little back story to how we came to own our Off Grid Expedition 2.0 trailer. When I first started overlanding way back when in 2013 we began with a nice tent. I was convinced I would never need a trailer. We even did the Arizona Backcountry Discovery Route with said

www.4xoverlandadventures.com

Article two is a simple Pros and Cons list of all of the trailers I have owned.

Quick Take: Trailer Style Pros and Cons - 4X Overland Adventures

Here's a quick list of all the trailers we have owned and the pros and cons for each from our current trailer to our first trailer. Off Grid Expedition 2.0 Squaredrop Trailer We love our Off Grid trailer! It is a culmination of years of camping and overlanding to find the perfect trailer for

www.4xoverlandadventures.com

Regardless of whether you purchase an off road trailer or build one I hope you can find my experience helpful.

Thanks, good read...

 

[VORSHEER Trailers]

VORSHEER XOC and XOC-R built with an emphasis for off-road use:

 

[GHCOE]

Here is the latest video showing my foam trailer built on a slightly modified Harbor Freight trailer in action. More adventures in store for the new year so stay tuned.

 

[Battstrax]

I’m building a trailer I’m wondering why don’t they bring the body out over the wheels would give you more room inside is there a reason why they don’t?

 

[Etoimos]

I’m building a trailer I’m wondering why don’t they bring the body out over the wheels would give you more room inside is there a reason why they don’t?

Not sure of all the reasons why, but I would think that would raise your center gravity quite a bit. Not a good thing in an off road trailer. The Black Series trailers do that, but they are much larger trailers and less off road then what we typically talk about on this site.

 

[grubworm]

I’m building a trailer I’m wondering why don’t they bring the body out over the wheels would give you more room inside is there a reason why they don’t?

i was going to build one but ended up buying one...had i built one, i would have done a narrower shell between the wheel wells just for simplicity. i could just make a box and set it on the frame without cutting and sealing around wheel wells. for wheel travel, i have really high fenders on my factory made and that would be some serious wheel wells on the inside...but yeah, you are right about that giving more room even with the large wells inside.

 

[Road]

I’m building a trailer I’m wondering why don’t they bring the body out over the wheels would give you more room inside is there a reason why they don’t?

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If you mean raising the entire body so the floor height is over the wheels, some mfgs do raise the entire body, floor and all to a higher level, though there are, as @Etoimos suggested, complaints about being top heavy.

If you mean extending part of the body out over the wheels as far as the sidewalls, keeping the floor low, some do that, too. My trailer is built that way, though only half way out over the wheels, which then provides a great fender depth on each side for attaching my galley table and setting gear on in camp, etc.

Here's a few images showing what I mean. Hope it helps in your trailer design. Good luck.


Empty cargo bay. I like the wheel well shelf on each side in my trailer. It's where I put all my tent poles, light stand poles, all sorts of long stuff.
Fore and aft of the wheel wells provides a nice compact space for jugs, leveling boards, etc.



Driver's side profile


Fender width from right rear


Galley counter attached. The fender also provides a great spot for the faucet


I use the fender space a bunch on both sides

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Roaddude - On the Road In North America - ROADDUDE

Roaddude - Traveling Photographer/Writer/Artist On the Road In North America. Gear, reviews, people, places, and culture.

roaddude.com

 

[Battstrax]

.

If you mean raising the entire body so the floor height is over the wheels, some mfgs do raise the entire body, floor and all to a higher level, though there are, as @Etoimos suggested, complaints about being top heavy.

If you mean extending part of the body out over the wheels as far as the sidewalls, keeping the floor low, some do that, too. My trailer is built that way, though only half way out over the wheels, which then provides a great fender depth on each side for attaching my galley table and setting gear on in camp, etc.

Here's a few images showing what I mean. Hope it helps in your trailer design. Good luck.

View attachment 135339
Empty cargo bay. I like the wheel well shelf on each side in my trailer. It's where I put all my tent poles, light stand poles, all sorts of long stuff.
Fore and aft of the wheel wells provides a nice compact space for jugs, leveling boards, etc.


View attachment 135340
Driver's side profile

View attachment 135342
Fender width from right rear

View attachment 135347
Galley counter attached. The fender also provides a great spot for the faucet

View attachment 135348
I use the fender space a bunch on both sides

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Roaddude - On the Road In North America - ROADDUDE

Roaddude - Traveling Photographer/Writer/Artist On the Road In North America. Gear, reviews, people, places, and culture.

roaddude.com

Yes I mean extending the body over the wheels 99% of the trailers you see are just a box with wide fenders seemed like a lot of wasted space

 

[M Rose]

Yes I mean extending the body over the wheels 99% of the trailers you see are just a box with wide fenders seemed like a lot of wasted space

You have to compromise wasted space with safety. I would take safety over the extra foot of room

 

[Battstrax]

You have to compromise wasted space with safety. I would take safety over the extra foot of room

How does making it wider make it unsafe the trailer is no higher then if you had fenders? the tube is just the fenders.

 

[M Rose]

How does making it wider make it unsafe the trailer is no higher the if you had fenders the tube is just the fenders?

To clear the tire, you have to raise the body of the trailer, raising the body raises the center of gravity. If you just extend the body out and add wheel wells, you aren’t really adding usable interior space.

 

[Battstrax]

To clear the tire, you have to raise the body of the trailer, raising the body raises the center of gravity. If you just extend the body out and add wheel wells, you aren’t really adding usable interior space.

I thank you for your opinion but I’d have to disagree any extra space you can get in the dry is space to but something battery , hi-lift Jack would fit nicely Over the fender on the inside and be out of the elements and many other things

 

[M Rose]

I thank you for your opinion but I’d have to disagree any extra space you can get in the dry is space to but something battery , hi-lift Jack would fit nicely Over the fender on the inside and be out of the elements and many other things

Battery box built into the tongue and farm jack can go with the spare tire... I see you’re in Tennessee, we are talking two completely different kinds of terrain. Out here we have steep rocky narrow trails where we have to worry about being top heavy.

 

[Battstrax]

Battery box built into the tongue and farm jack can go with the spare tire... I see you’re in Tennessee, we are talking two completely different kinds of terrain. Out here we have steep rocky narrow trails where we have to worry about being top heavy.

That where you’re wrong you must have never been to Tennessee we don’t run spare tires your lucky if we run 4 tires and you assuming I was running a tongue I was just going to pull it by a chain cutdown on the weight that way

 

[Mudraider]

That where you’re wrong you must have never been to Tennessee we don’t run spare tires your lucky if we run 4 tires and you assuming I was running a tongue I was just going to pull it by a chain cutdown on the weight that way

His reply was awfully West Coast of him. Obviously geography of the United States wasn't his strong suit.

 

[PCO6]

I’m building a trailer I’m wondering why don’t they bring the body out over the wheels would give you more room inside is there a reason why they don’t?

What type of trailer do you plan to build (expedition, tear drop, etc.) and to you have specific or even general needs for the interior width. Do you plan to sleep in it for example?

 

[Billiebob]

I’m building a trailer I’m wondering why don’t they bring the body out over the wheels would give you more room inside is there a reason why they don’t?

simplicity, center of gravity, stability, ruggedness, no need for that extra space.
I've considered moving the wheel in, partial under the walls with flares like my TJ runs but I'd never go wider than 5' for a trailer body.

 

[PCO6]

simplicity, center of gravity, stability, ruggedness, no need for that extra space.
I've considered moving the wheel in, partial under the walls with flares like my TJ runs but I'd never go wider than 5' for a trailer body.

It's also good to have access to some items without having to get into the box. Propane, water, gas, etc. and things you might need on the road like first aid, recovery, lantern, etc. come to mind.

A 5' wide trailer body is good and provides ample space for to 2 to sleep in. My tear drop is 58" on the outside with a 54" wide mattress on the inside. Smaller than at home but fine on the road.

 

[M Rose]

That where you’re wrong you must have never been to Tennessee we don’t run spare tires your lucky if we run 4 tires and you assuming I was running a tongue I was just going to pull it by a chain cutdown on the weight that way

Ohh, so you guys are still using horse drawn carriages and sleighs? In that case disregard what I said, and make the sled as wide and tall as you want.

 

[Gmanpaint]

To each their own. What works well for one, doesn't for another. The fun part in this hobby, is we get to do it how we want, and/or change it as we go.

My reason for having the box between the wheels, is for protection on the trails. It helps with Off camber rocking into objects and for brush rubs.

I made my full length fenders out of thick wall DOM tube, to act as sliders, and protect the body. Made external storage boxes to use the space above them, and a place to store propane tanks. So it's not a total loss of space this way. I can also stand on them when unpack/packing the RTT.