XVenture Trailers - Schutt Industries General Discussion/Info

[emulous74]

Deleted

 

[TerraCrawler]

Nice trailer! I have the XV-3 Deluxe Plus which I picked up from Schutt in WI. Do you plan to move the Alu-Cab to the XV-2?

 

[TerraCrawler]

@emulous74 Have you noticed your Shadow Awn holding water and sagging? Mine did and I talked to AluCab about it, and they said the strap that attached the Shadow Awn to the AluCab tent needs to be tight. The way Schutt put it together, they may have riveted the fabric too long, so they said I should drill the rivets, tighten it up, and then I'll have more leverage and room to pull the Awning tight, which should eliminate any standing water on the awning. That rivet strap, the one that attaches awning to tent is set/riveted by the installer, not by AluCab.

 

[TerraCrawler]

My friend and I attached the Shadow Awn to the Gen III Tent ourselves, we riveted the strap/buckle on to the bar as instructed with only enough room for the rivet before the buckle, except I didn't cut off the remaining/leftover strap, so that I could use that to swing the awning around and pull it tighter to the tent to feed the strap into the buckle, I have never been able to get it to go flush with the back of the tent. It did hold a lot of water in multiple places during the rains at Expo East, and I had to dump the water multiple times. I know I attach the strap as tight as possible, and looking down at the top of the awning from the tent, you can see it is not a taught awning, I think Alu-Cab has gotten sloppy in their workmanship, as they also don't put the extra fabric for the prop bar anymore.

I wasn't sure if they didn't do the extra fabric because they made the overall canvas stronger or what that was about. It almost seems like if they put a prop bar over the other outrigger, that would make it taught........but there is no hole drilled for it. There is one other adjustment, also with rivets, at the beginning of the shadow awn. But that is riveted at Alu-Cab so should be set correct. Alu-Cab insisted that to get it taught you just have to wrench it tight where it attaches to the tent, and that you won't rip it, it will "give" (slide out of channel a bit, it was designed to do that). I looked at their awnings during Overland Expo, and they were tight and no standing water. Mine pooled water and would sag. I need to figure out how to get my really taught. If you figure out anything post up about it.

 

[Chris Arnesen]

Thanks for starting the thread! The XV-2 is on my short list of trailers to consider to go with my F250, but I haven't heard back from the local dealer Schutt sent my info to yet.

Does Schutt build to order or is it something the dealer receives and they modify/upgrade locally? In particular I really want the powered lift assist for the rack system, but I already have a great RTT and awning (Mt Shasta Extended with Batwing)... Otherwise I think I really want the works!

 

[RyanJ]

Thanks for starting the thread! The XV-2 is on my short list of trailers to consider to go with my F250, but I haven't heard back from the local dealer Schutt sent my info to yet.

Does Schutt build to order or is it something the dealer receives and they modify/upgrade locally? In particular I really want the powered lift assist for the rack system, but I already have a great RTT and awning (Mt Shasta Extended with Batwing)... Otherwise I think I really want the works!

Call 99west directly. They are great to work with and can answer your questions.

 

[Bru_smash]

Looking to purchase an XV3 hopefully next year for my 2-door Jeep. Planning on putting a Roam RTT on top, very excited to start going on some serious adventures soon! Anybody know of a good youtube channel that goes in depth on the XV3? I've always only found bits and pieces, not so much a full review or long term use video.

 

[Road]

I was on the road when this thread started and hadn't seen it since, 'til it resurfaced this morning. Glad to see it, though!

In the two years and two months I've had my XV-2, I've been out pretty much constantly; somewhere over 600 nights. My first adventure with it, right after picking it up, was sixteen weeks long. My most recent long adventure was eight months long and over 17,000 miles. In between has been a ton of week and month long adventures and camping excursions. I've been up to Schutt a couple of times. Amazing operation.

I have a ton of images of my XV-2, in use all over the country, on my instagram feed @roaddude .

I bet I've used an XV series trailer more nights than anyone out here, and know mine inside and out. They're the best, most rugged, dependable, and versatile off-road trailer in existence.

I'm on the coast of Maine right now prepping for another multi-month adventure South of I-10 and into the Borderlands.

 

[Bru_smash]

I haven't seen many in-depth reviews of the XV-2 and XV-3 on youtube. Expedition Overland XO used an XV-3 in their South American series.

Hey that's perfect! Thanks for helping out!

 

[Bru_smash]

I was on the road when this thread started and hadn't seen it since, 'til it resurfaced this morning. Glad to see it, though!

In the two years and two months I've had my XV-2, I've been out pretty much constantly; somewhere over 600 nights. My first adventure with it, right after picking it up, was sixteen weeks long. My most recent long adventure was eight months long and over 17,000 miles. In between has been a ton of week and month long adventures and camping excursions. I've been up to Schutt a couple of times. Amazing operation.

I have a ton of images of my XV-2, in use all over the country, on my instagram feed @roaddude .

I bet I've used an XV series trailer more nights than anyone out here, and know mine inside and out. They're the best, most rugged, dependable, and versatile off-road trailer in existence.

I'm on the coast of Maine right now prepping for another multi-month adventure South of I-10 and into the Borderlands.

Those are some serious miles! Exactly what I needed to read. Really excited to get one... It's basically set in stone at this point just need to save the extra cash. Thanks for your input! Also looked you up on Instagram as @Bru_smash.

 

[Road]

I got mine directly from Schutt as it was a 4 year old demo. I know Schutt does build to order, but there dealers also build on to models they already have in stock, it's very hard to get support directly from Schutt in my experience, so I think going through a supportive dealer is probably a smarter move.

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I've had terrific experience, personally, dealing with Schutt with support issues and answers to questions about my XV-2. I had an extensive, exhaustive, list of questions before I got mine and received all the info needed to move forward with confidence, and still feel fully supported now that I've had it for a couple years.

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Thanks for starting the thread! The XV-2 is on my short list of trailers to consider to go with my F250, but I haven't heard back from the local dealer Schutt sent my info to yet.

Does Schutt build to order or is it something the dealer receives and they modify/upgrade locally? In particular I really want the powered lift assist for the rack system, but I already have a great RTT and awning (Mt Shasta Extended with Batwing)... Otherwise I think I really want the works!

.

You can check their Compare Models page as far as Base Package and what options can be added. If you want any of the options Schutt provides like the water system, propane system, galley table system, spare tire carrier, power system, any dealer you deal with will be getting all or most of them from Schutt or have them installed by Schutt before they take delivery. Other options like the lighting, rooftop tent, awning, etc can be dealer specific.

But for the 'built-in' type options like plumbing lines, propane lines, etc they are Schutt options. The power system for the rack (elevating rack comes with but is not powered) is best from Schutt and specifically designed to mount on their trailer to support that rack.

To be honest, though, having an electric powered rack is potentially problematic. It was brought up that if one of the four powered lift mechanisms has a problem, you're stuck with the rack in the up or down position. That's not good, especially if stuck in the up position. You do not want to travel with the rack up. Having four electrical motors is four more things that can go wrong on the trail, really.

I seriously considered the electric assist, and decided to stay with the gas strut system, which makes it very easy to lift and lower the rack and RTT. Each strut has a 75# lift, and there is one at each rack support. That's three hundred pounds of lift. If your rack load is at or very near 300lbs--which mine is with RTT and Bundutec 360 awning--you can lift and lower the rack at each end with one hand. If a gas strut goes bad, it is far easier, as well as far less expensive, to replace on the trail or make do with something until you can replace it. You'd still be able to lift and lower the rack.

If you have other questions on the XVenture trailers that you think I can answer, I'm happy to, though you're best asking questions from Schutt. They may take a bit sometimes to get back to you, as they do a lot of trade shows and spend time driving and fronting the booths. In my experience, though, I've always found the answer I need.

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[Road]

Those are some serious miles! Exactly what I needed to read. Really excited to get one... It's basically set in stone at this point just need to save the extra cash. Thanks for your input! Also looked you up on Instagram as @Bru_smash.

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Glad you found it helpful.

Road

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

 

[Wallygator]

Any issues with theft leaving the trailers out in unestablished areas?

 

[Road]

I noticed that my older posts here had broken links to the pictures I posted, so I updated the links and they should all show up now. Noticed also that I haven't updated with some of the changes I made, so even those these pics are older below, might help some folks out.

I purchased some ZR2 rims and got spacers to mount them to the VX-2. Really like the idea of having the same rims and tires that are on the truck as I can swoop out back and forth as needed and means I have 2 spares when pulling the trailer.

Also I purchased a cheap 4 foot wide awning that I mount to the bars of my bed rack to the trailer, this gives cover to the tongue box and the truck bed.



I have since traded my "standard" ZR2 for a Bison ZR2 and moved up to 33" tires and AEV Crestone wheels on the truck, but left the 31" tires and "standard" ZR2 wheels on the XV-2. At least they are the same bolt pattern and can still swoop out between the 2 in an emergency.



I also removed the stove top that came with the XV-2 and just bought a large poly heat resistant cutting board to cover the hole and place my oven/stove on it.





Here's the iKamper X-Cover on the X-V2, because of the way the X-Cover flips over, I can't center the tent on the 80/20 rack on the trailer.

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Cool! Glad to see the images get updated. All I could see here were very foggy images with the photobucket, or whatever it was, logo over them.

Having the same rims and tires on the trailer as the tow vehicle is something I've wanted to do from the start. It's just smart to do and provides redundancy, but was hoping to change the wheels on my van first, so waited.

I opted for the galley table without the stove cutout, because of other users and reviewers commenting that without a solid windscreen, it was not as efficient to use. It's a bulky table for some, but I absolutely love it. Provides a nice long, very solid, counter for cooking, camp chores, and as a workbench. I'm looking at fabricating something, probably one-piece, to utilize the fender holes on the side in the same manner.

How do you like the 80/20 rack overall? I have the Pioneer platform rack and to be honest, it's overkill if you're going to cover 95% of it with a tent. I'm thinking of getting the 80/20 for the trailer and putting the Pioneer rack on the van, where the planks and slots will see much more use for securing cases and gear.

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[Road]

Any issues with theft leaving the trailers out in unestablished areas?

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I've had my trailer all over the country in big cities, remote back country sites, organized campgrounds and wild ranch land almost constantly for over two years and haven't had any problems.

It would be difficult for someone to just tow it off, especially if it is set up already with awning out and tent up, etc. It has a hitch, too, that would make it difficult, if not impossible, for a truck with a ball hitch to hook on to. They'd have to use the tow chains only to get it away, then would have to rig up something if they expected to get very far.

I've left my camp set up and unattended all up and down the Mexican border in Texas, in the swamps of southern Louisiana, in the mountains of east Tennessee and the forests of New England and haven't had anything go missing yet. I tidy up camp before going anywhere and don't leave a ton of little stuff or tools out.

I've left the van and trailer unattended while hooked up in big cities and small towns, and left the trailer unattended by itself but not set up, just ready to go, in both urban and rural environments and not had a problem.

Doesn't mean it won't happen, and I bet there's a lot more chance something will go missing in an urban environment than back country just by sheer number of people around making the potential much higher.

When I picked up my canoe, which is considered sort of collectable by canoe makers, I asked if they had many stories of canoes being messed with or stolen when strapped to a vehicle. The guy looked at me, and then my rig, and said "Well, not really. Besides, looks like you own guns."

I think a lot of it is how inviting you are or not in how you travel, keep your rig, and present yourself. I don't keep a lot of overland bling on the outside of my van or trailer, which seems to be a big tip off to would be thieves that there's gear, potentially expensive gear, around.

I also keep a low profile in general and like that a lot of people, including local LEO, have asked if I am official in some capacity, or am part of a university research team or other professional organization. If looking official helps deter wannabe bad guys, I'm all for it.



Road

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

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[Road]

I hear ya, as mine was a demo, I didn't really have the option to replace anything, just add to. They were offering it with an older ARB RTT on it, and I asked for a discount without the tent, which they gave. As I'm usually solo in my trips, I had them add the struts to assist in lifting the platform. Makes it possible for me to lift or pull a corner at a time. The only problem is the original holes in the bars that raise and lower are not inline with the struts, so I can't bring it down any further than you see in the pics, which means with an RTT on top, it won't fit in my garage. The bars are stainless steel and very difficult to drill into, a friend drilled a new/lower hole in one bar, but it was far from clean. Basically I'm going to have undue the brackets holding the 80/20 platform on and remove the 4 bars to drill them with a drill press to get clean holes. One of my brackets broke in Montana and Schutt sent me out 4 new brackets, no charge.

As for the table, I agree that it's space is great to have that much room to truly prepare food or to work off of. In the future I think I'm going to have someone fabricate a knew lighter galley table that can folded up and attached under the 80/20 platform. I was thinking and wanted the Rhino Platform, but now living with the 80/20 for over a year, I can't complain and it has a lot more benefits than the Rhino platform. I have a Rhino platform/backbone system over my cab and with the exception of looks, here's what I think the 80/20 platform/rack is better. More parts (bars, mounting screws/bolts, etc.) are available directly from 80/20 and they are much cheaper than anything Rhino sells. It's also easier to add or remove items from the 80/20 in that you don't have to use Rhino Accessories, which can get expensive. Don't get me wrong, Rhino products are high quality and worth the money. The fact the 80/20 bars allow items to be attached/connected to all four sides of the bar means I can attach many more things in many different ways that are more straight forward than trying to add a non-Rhino product to a Rhino Platform. An example is I attached a Quick-Pitch shower enclosure (aluminum box) to the 80/20. I used Leitner tent brackets as I could mount them on top of the 80/20 and they bent over the sides to attach the Quick Pitch leaving it room on the side of the bar to open. I actually had one of the brackets fail on a trip, so now I'm using Leitner awning brackets upside down attached to the inside of the 80/20 bar, so the brackets go under that bar. I wouldn't have as many options with the Rhino platform and would most likely have to wait for them to make a specific bracket. I always assumed the Rhino Platform would be more robust, but the 80/20 has taken everything I've thrown at it terms of weight and typical abuse and it has held up to everything. So I no longer see a need to replace it with Rhino Platform for anything other than aesthetics .

Schutt also threw in a hard cover folding tonneau cover as that's what they advertised with my demo unit and it had the old school vinyl roll up tonneau, but I haven't bothered to install the folder hard tonneau because of laziness and that the rolling tonneau is so easy to roll and access the water fill-up and to get the gallery table out. The hard tonneau would be better because I could put weight on it and carry more stuff between the tent and the trailer, but once I can lower my platform more, than I have to worry about not being able to open the hard folding tonneau if it's to low.

The main thing I really want to do is to be able to charge the batteries in the trailer while I'm driving. I'm sure I can do it rather inexpensively running a DC/DC charger and Isolater , but I'd also like to do a dual battery system in my truck, so want something that can charge both that battery and the two batteries in the trailer and Redarc's BMS would probably work the best, but doing it right would be another 2K easily and just don't want to spend that right now.

80/20: Good info on the 80/20. Thanks. As I wrote, I'm looking into getting the 80/20, or making an 80/20 rack myself, for the trailer and putting the Rhino platform rack on the van. I agree, far more mounting options.

COVER: I have the Titanium hard rolling cover and sold the hard folding cover that came with mine to another XV-2 owner. The hard rolling cover is great, supports anything I want to pack on it, gets used constantly and hasn't given me any problem at all. Looks like a regular pleather tonneau cover but would be tough as nails to cut. You can see it rolled up in the image below. I love it. I keep my folding table where you see it in the image below, too, instead of all the way against the front inside. Too cumbersome to get in and out from there by oneself.

When I had the hard folding cover on my trailer, I don't recall having any problem using it when the rack was in the lower position. The rack, by the way, should be lifted whole end, not just corner at a time, if that's what you meant. If you got a new set of Rhino brackets, there may have been a set of installation instructions that also explains best procedure for raising and lowering.

BATTERIES: My deep cycles (two Odyssey batteries) in the nose box of my XV-2 get a charge while driving through the 7 point hitch wiring. Yours might, too. In fact, it's become more efficient to run a 12v extension from the 12v socket in the nose box to my ARB 50 fridge--which I keep in the van--while driving. I actually keep it plugged into the trailer when in camp, too, as I usually back the van up to the awning in line with my galley setup.

I have no battery isolator between van and trailer, and just unplug the 7 way when I want them separated so the trailer doesn't keep pulling power for the trailer batteries, such as when parked overnight somewhere without unhooking the trailer.

On the flip side of that, when I'm pulling in a bunch of power to my trailer batts with my solar panels, I keep the van and trailer 7way power hooked together with a 7' extension when pulled away a bit from the trailer. That allows my trailer batteries to backfeed to the van batteries to keep them topped off, such as if I've been using the 12v in the van for working on my laptop, charging devices, lighting etc. No deep cycle setup yet in the van, just the two HD cranking batteries for diesel.

I've found having a good 12v digital battery monitor to be super handy. I use the Innova 3721 Battery and Charging System Monitor, which reads to two decimal points instead of one like most. I'm all the time plugging it into a 12v socket in the trailer and comparing it to what the solar charge controller says, or plugging it into my van's dash outlet to check the voltage of my cranking batts.

Cool to commiserate with another XV-2 owner.

 

[Jrodrigues1278]

Great thread!

 

[Jrodrigues1278]

After doing a search for Xventure on the forum is see a lot of guys have sold them. Wondering from the guys that have them or have had them; what are the pros/cons?

If you sold it, was it the trailer or did it just not suit your needs anymore?

What is your favorite feature?

I am asking because I see a lot of potential in this trailer, and may change my plans and go with a trailer, the XV2 in particular.

 

[TerraCrawler]

After doing a search for Xventure on the forum is see a lot of guys have sold them. Wondering from the guys that have them or have had them; what are the pros/cons?

If you sold it, was it the trailer or did it just not suit your needs anymore?

What is your favorite feature?

I am asking because I see a lot of potential in this trailer, and may change my plans and go with a trailer, the XV2 in particular.

I have mine for sale right now (at an amazing deal I may add). My life had just changed is all. I had taken some time and traveled the country, not completely like I wanted to because I had some family that had developed some health issues, so I had to cut it short. The trailer I had no issues with, it was perfect.

 

[Jrodrigues1278]

@TerraCrawler thats a great looking trailer. I unfortunately am not ready to buy quite yet. I am sorry to hear about the family health issues, I know all to well what that is like. My wife has stage 4 colon cancer which spread to her liver. We have been in the fight for 4 years now.

I regress, I am looking at the XV2 which I believe now is available with the XV3 galley system. What are your pros / cons on your trailer?