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Homemade Trailer Tent ideas?

Metal Head

NAXJA Forum User
I have a small trailer I tow (wood and square steel), it's like 3 1/2 feet wide and a little over 6 feet long. I'd like to make it into a tent trailer to stash myself and the wife and kid in when camping etc. Something up off the ground and dry. I'd like maybe to add some sides maybe that fold out and make it wider with poles to hold them up and maybe mount/setup/attach a tent on it somehow. Or create a structure to drape some heavy canvas over (like a lean-to). Any ideas? I have seen these around but I am having trouble coming up with some ideas, I know people have made these themselves. Pics would be the shizzle.

Thanks.
 
We have this great Adventure Forum, and there are lots of trailer idea threads in there. A number of folks start with a Military trailer, but there is no reason why you can't start with something a bit more austere.

As Darky suggested, look at how the manufactured ones are made. I'm thinking google for "adventure trailer".
 
We have this great Adventure Forum, and there are lots of trailer idea threads in there. A number of folks start with a Military trailer, but there is no reason why you can't start with something a bit more austere.

As Darky suggested, look at how the manufactured ones are made. I'm thinking google for "adventure trailer".

That forum is one of the perks of being a suporter and or member IIRC.
 
A number of folks start with a Military trailer, but there is no reason why you can't start with something a bit more austere.
I wouldn't start with a military trailer. Nothing wrong with them, but they are WAY overbuilt, and consequently twice as heavy as they need to be for camping. It doesn't matter much if you keep to the trails, and never take it off road, but if you want a truly off-road-able trailer, weight is important.
 
i been thinking of building a trailer with a pop out tent ontop like this
IM000023.jpg

but want it with a pop out range and sink and a slot up the middle big enough to fit my xr600r
 
I also am having the delimna of whether or not i want to continually haul my ATV if so there is not much I can do with it. Being that my Cherokee is basically stock I can't pull it down too many trails lined with stumps and logs and rocks etc. anyway. Tire size may be an issue as well, the spring perches on this trailer are only 3 inches shorter than my 8.8 so a swap to my D35 for use as a trailer axle may be an option.

Here are the pics, this trailer is stout as hell for being so small I have hauled everything on this thing.

Trailer004.jpg


Trailer003.jpg


Trailer002.jpg


Trailer001.jpg
 
Could you build it with walls high enough to cover your quad and then put a lid over it to mount the RTT on? Also, I would consider using just a straight beam axle instead a D35 or other driven axle. Better ground clearance, lighter weight, etc.
 
I wouldn't start with a military trailer. Nothing wrong with them, but they are WAY overbuilt, and consequently twice as heavy as they need to be for camping. It doesn't matter much if you keep to the trails, and never take it off road, but if you want a truly off-road-able trailer, weight is important.

I just saw this and had to respond....

You might be right if you are thinking of the new M101 trailers they pull behind the Hummers but this just isn't the case if you can find an old M416. Bone stock they weigh around 600Lbs and while they are built well, they are in no way overbuilt. It's what mine is built on and I wouldn't want it to be built on anything less substantial.

4766280268_c887c79451_z.jpg
 
definatly agree with dr.moab, 600 lbs and stout as hell , thats my m101 a few posts back, with the monster sized tent on top, fully loaded with all the gear and beer and i can barely even feel the trailer behind the jeep.

that little trailer you have there is a great start , you could build it any way you want,
i would not want a d35 as an axle though. to heavy for sure, a 3500# axel from harbour freight or princess auto is cheap, a couple of hundred bucks,
or a rear axel from a mini van flipped will work really nice too.
 
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