Ultimate Bug Out (towed) Vehicle?

[ZombieSoldier01]

that works too. i have contemplated that exact configuration you posted. but i have a ford f250, and i was thinking of building a frame, and getting another f250 bed and put it on the frame, put a cap/topper/canopy/shell/ whatever you call them in your neck of the woods and put an rtt on top of that.

[........]

I WANT!

I've never liked tow behinds.
I've never liked soft sides.
but...
I WANT!!

[SeerSavant]

Still haven't found the design that I want...


BUT....


The Sawtooth XL is the closest, I've reread the build threads on Expedition Portal and Teardrops/Tiny Travel forums.. And I think this is as close to what I wanna build as Ive found as yet...









Some differences I would like to explore; A roof rack for storage or rooftop tent for guests... Running boards in front of the fenders, enclosed saddlebag type boxes behind the fenders for storage/battery/fuel cans/etc...

Now all I need is a buncha money...


But I think a well and truly have the bug now... It will be built...

[Tater Raider]

*snip* Some differences I would like to explore; A roof rack for storage or rooftop tent for guests... Running boards in front of the fenders, enclosed saddlebag type boxes behind the fenders for storage/battery/fuel cans/etc... *snip*

How about a rooftop tent and something like this for storage:


Tongue storage will help with trailer balance, biasing more weight towards the front and allowing you to center the trailer axle in the middle of the cargo/rv area for increased mobility off-road. If you look closely you can see a gap between the Jerry cans up front. A propane tank is hidden in there but easily accessible for use and refilling.


The things hanging off the side there are called RotoPax and are available in all sorts of color codes (Gasoline, Diesel, Fuel/Oil Mix, etc.), for wet or dry goods (FAK, 72 hour kit, etc.), and in a variety of sizes. Also note the receiver hitch in the bumper - perfect for hanging a bike rack/cargo rack off of.

Just to give you some more ideas of how it can be done.

Also, Adventure Trailers has an excellent write-up talking about the different types of suspension for off-road trailers. I lean towards the trailing arm with air bag myself, but it is expensive and requires an air compressor or access to an air hose (and who wants to go searching for an air hose to manually fill up the air bags when you are trying to get the hell out of Dodge?).

[eugene]

Simple, build something a little bigger... I wish I could find it, but I remember watching one guy's youtube video, where he had a teardrop built on a 5 X 10 trailer, but the front was rounded over, and had a small couch that actually converted into 5 foot long bunk beds for the guy's kids...


That's part of the appeal of building your own, you can make it fit your needs...

I even had a design that was just tall enough to stand up in (~6' inside) but in the end having the truck camper has some advantages. One is a trailer has to be licensed and registered which is a small fee but another wait in line hassle. I don't have to pay anything for the truck camper.


I looked into the truck bed trailer idea, but its very heavy, so what I ended up doing was copying the shape of my truck. if you open your door and lay a piece of 1x board against it you can draw the body line.

[ZombieSoldier01]

check these two sites out for some ideas

http://www.mikenchell.com/forums/


and


http://www.forum.teardrops.net/simpleforum_pro.cgi

[JoeTosco]

Interesting concept of this rotopax, you can put 2 together like lego.

[JoeTosco]

This truck-bed trailer stuff has reminded me of a car I have seen in an beetle encounter a couple of years ago just like this:

[........]

So I've been in full research mode,

Why not a standard pull behind camper? In your initial post you talk about rough weather but these options posted all have the kitchen and the storage outside. An old school camper has everything inside, plus full kitchen, and would cost you less to buy than to build.



Half way between your proposal and mine.



^^ Other ideas from another site's thread: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/t ... ind-camper

[JoeTosco]

I guess the problem is that standard trailers can't go where small ones go.

I mean moderate off road.

[TacAir]

Here is a fellow that took a popup camper and mated it to a trailer frame, one step up from a pickup bed camper combo and with less weight.

[Tater Raider]

^^ Other ideas from another site's thread: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/t ... ind-camper

How difficult (related: expensive) would it be to import that to the US from the Land of Aus?

Here is a fellow that took a popup camper and mated it to a trailer frame, one step up from a pickup bed camper combo and with less weight.

That is a brilliant bit of engineering, though I personally don't like the overhang up front.

[ZombieSoldier01]

I also could deal without the overhang, but it is actually an awesome idea. think of how many of these are out there, it would be a great cheaper camping trailer. i wonder if the harbor freight trailer would support this. under the sides where the body would normally meet a pickup bed is an area to make cabinets for whatever you would need.

[congochris]

I also could deal without the overhang, but it is actually an awesome idea. think of how many of these are out there, it would be a great cheaper camping trailer. i wonder if the harbor freight trailer would support this. under the sides where the body would normally meet a pickup bed is an area to make cabinets for whatever you would need.

Or just buy one of these, Use the box to build a custom camper to put on your trailer and part the rest out/sell the chassis cab for a profit. Or at least to defray the costs. You would need a 14' trailer though.

I suppose you could do something truly weird and convert that truck to an off-roader and keep the box on it. But that would undoubtedly be way more complicated and expensive. Also less room for the family in the cab.

[cygor98]

The uhaul idea is neat but for sleeper trailers i think custom is the way to go. Learning to weld isnt that hard and its a very good skill to have. also you make it specifically for your needs. For an offroad trailer i think its a better route to go for sure.

[Tater Raider]

I can't speak for others, but I will say what the appeal of BOV trailers is to me.

I live alone so only need one automobile. I considered a pickup so let's say I went that route instead of a Wrangler. I'd still want an off-road trailer because:

• It takes more time to remove/install a camper box than it does to drop/hook-up a trailer.
• With a camper in the box I lose considerable cargo area and with cargo in the box I can't put in the camper.
• I drop the trailer to set up a base camp and run to the store for something I forgot (or, in case of bug-out, leave it to scout) instead of dragging the entire camp with me.
• In some places, and I currently live in one, you can legally tow two trailers adding more versatility if you have a camp trailer and a cargo/boat/bicycle/ATV/etc. trailer.
• A truck and trailer can cost the same as a truck and camper.
• If you have a passenger and need to go someplace to pick up gear and another place to pick up someone you can go to where the gear is and drop the trailer and passenger then go pick up the other person while the passenger loads the trailer, saving time.

I ended up going with the Wrangler and that really narrows things down to an off road trailer for me, but I'm more than okay with that. I wanted a Jeep since before the YJ came out and when I saw one with an Army surplus Jeep trailer I wanted one of them to go with it - well before I became aware of all the benefits and shortcomings of each. I've made the decision to go with an off road cargo trailer instead of camper because it better suits my personal situation, but it is still a ways down the road.

In fairness, the drawbacks to a camper trailer include:

• You have to title and license a trailer.
• There is a slight increase in maintenance costs.
• I cannot understate this: backing up a trailer can be tricky and the shorter the trailer the trickier it is.

[minor rant-ish]
The last thing I want to ask, politely and not at all condescending (which it might sound like) is that we please keep this thread on topic and limit our discussion to towed BOV's, particularly camper style trailers. They aren't for everyone, but they are the topic.
[/minor rant-ish]

As far as store-bought v. custom, if it is already out there and just the way you like it then there's nothing wrong with spending the money to get an off-the-shelf camper trailer, but we are a peculiar lot in that we are preparing for Z-Day, have specific needs we want to fix ourselves, and would rather get our hands dirty than get something that will get us by.

I still think that a teardrop trailer on an off road trailer suspension would be the bee's knees.

[Rugger]

Damn you guys. Just when I start getting to the point where I have myself squared away with preps and I'm almost to a good stopping point, you throw this at me. We need to start putting disclaimers in the titles, like a dollar sign or something.

[ZombieSoldier01]

i have been thinking about this....

i can get enclosed cargo trailers fairly cheap. beef up the frame a little swap the suspension out with ones from a cherokee or something, then design the inside the way i want and put a roof top tent on top of it.. done deal

[Tater Raider]

Damn you guys. Just when I start getting to the point where I have myself squared away with preps and I'm almost to a good stopping point, you throw this at me. We need to start putting disclaimers in the titles, like a dollar sign or something.

When you start thinking you have your preps squared away it's time to see what's missing, because something always is.


Greggk, why not build a plywood shell on a trailer frame?

[JoeTosco]

Ok now this video confused me, if this guy can do this with a big trailer behind him, a teardrop can get anywhere.

http://youtu.be/wk6KJXeOM0k

[cygor98]

Ok now this video confused me, if this guy can do this with a big trailer behind him, a teardrop can get anywhere.

http://youtu.be/wk6KJXeOM0k

i dont think that is a normal trailer, lol.

However you are right if you had the lightness of a teardrop it wouldnt hamper you much offroad.

[eugene]

http://home.comcast.net/~bdosborn/Boxcar/Boxcar.html

[CiggsWar]

We bought a apache hard top tent trailer that was converted to fixed boxed frame, only cost us $400 bucks. never been camping with it tho, my friend uses to get away from the kids sitting in the driveway when she needs her space, which never seems to work lol. Other than that we party in it, crash in it. It's not very aerodynamic but counts when it come to having to bug out. With a old tent trailer hard top there is a lot of functional material there already just a matter of re-adapting it, saves some cost perhaps, have to get a pic of it.

[SeerSavant]

Here's the thing, this isn't really a thread about what I should build, I think Tater Raider is in the same boat as far as what we are looking for... Thanks Joe and Greggk for the links, I've actually spent a great deal of time on the Mikenchell forums lately, great advice and whatnot... The tips and techniques forum is a goldmine.

Eugene; the only thing I don't like about a truck camper unit, is the fact that I loose so much functionality with a bed unit... But I did see a Gypsy/Vardo version that just exuded a wow factor...

Why I want a home built teardrop ish trailer, more of a Sawtooth XL;
A; I want to be able to tow it off road, not exactly rock crawling, but enough that it can go wherever my own vehicles can go.
A(part 2) I also wanna be able to run at highway speeds without loosing half my fuel economy, or having a passing semi cause me to swerve all over the place.
B; I don't have ten grand, but can build a fairly nice one for less than half that.
C; Gone tent camping, it's fun, but the weather can turn it into an exercise in frustration, had a pop top, and it got destroyed by a buncha damned squirrels... I admire the little fuckers, I really do, but I have a few .22s in my bug out plan... Just for you little eastern gray squirrels.... You hear me, you little bastards!
Ahem.
D; If a few hungry squirrels can destroy a pop top, then that, or anything that requires tent material (short of the Aussie Conquerer's use of ripstop nylon.. ) then it's not exactly what I would call anything more than a recreational use item.
E; they are fairly easy to build, and don't require much of the modern technology that some other campers do... (built since the 20s and haven't changed all that much.
F; I can design it as I please... And my current thoughts are Syd Mead/Futurist on the outside and victorian steampunk on the inside... Just cuz....

And finally; Any thing I'm going to invest time and money should have a benefit that I can also enjoy when times aren't so dire...
Yes, it will be designed with the capacity for taking in rough country (one of the places I like to camp) and designed to be a fairly reliable and dependable shelter (for evacuations during a hurricane, a zombie apocalypse, or I dunno, a weekend out of town to enjoy some family quality time) and if I can wrap all that up in a stylish and unusual design that is equal parts function and fun.

The point is, this kinda trailer/camper is nimble, easy to use, functional, highly customizable, and pleasant to the eyes.
As well as a fully functional and purpose built bug out vehicle.
Because prepping to me, isn't just about jumping into survival mode when something happens, it's also about a lifestyle that is at home in the here and now as well...


Tacair, do you have a link for that homemade trailer? I'd love to read it's build....


The Uhaul idea I've seen done pretty well, but other than parts, I dunno.. I really am looking at building one from raw materials ('cept for the frame, most likely use a donor, ie; boat/trailer/harbor freight special)


Rugger, accept it... You can never have enough preps, there is no stopping point, only the space between prepping and training with your preps... Think of it as the ultimate alternate lifestyle.... 20 years ago, preppers were cult like and partly frightening.... Well, yeah, okay we still are, but now we got geek cred, and have grown to big to be a cultish type, so now prepping is a lifestyle choice.



The appeal to these trailers is the same as it was back in the twenties and thirties...

When jobs dried up, and folks were forced to move all over the country stopping for a week here, a week there, and with no money to find lodgings, everything they owned they had to take with them... Our grandparents and great grandparents either had one of these, or at one point knew one who did.
When times where better, the teardrop became recreational vehicles..

I see no reason why they wouldn't be as useful today...