Trailers!!! Need some advice

[Richo460]

I want to buy/make a camper trailer. I have been looking at haven't found the one that suit so i reckon i will make one as apparently i is one of dem welder people.

So I want a trailer i can use for normal stuff like going to the dump, now that i am uteless :(
I also want to carry around my dirtbikes. And i want to make a camper setup out of it. The only trailer i have seen like this are bloody huge and impractical.

So my thoughts are to either buy or make a 7x5 or 8x5 box trailer, put a rack on it for a rootop tent and all the other usual junk they attact to camper trailers. Alot like this one on ebay that i can't afford now and is too far away.
The other design i was thinking was a hardtop camper and put the motos on top, but i reckon they will be too far off the ground. My motos are about 1200mm high and 2200 long.

My question is this, what is the differences between the off rad trailers and on road? is it just bigger axles, springs and wheels?
The one i wanna make will get dragged over all sorts of places like my trol so i was wondering if anyone had any tips for design or selection of components.
Has anyone seen other builds like this?
I would love to start a shop making custom stuff for cars and 4x4's.
Does anyone else here ride moto's?
Its hard to find good trailers to buy in far north and they are never what i want so its time to build my own custom bike camper.

[NissanGQ4.2]

Sorry missed this thread

http://www.motoxmarketing.com.au/

As far as difference between on and off road depends who you buy it off and what they classify as on / off road.

[threedogs]

check out my camper trailer on Ebay, type in' hilux single cab camper'. , off road suspension, O'brien coupling. would not hesitate to take it anywhere and have. It's one of a kind and recently respray to match my Series 3

[dads tractor]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh mate you are in the hurt locker staight up ! Too many jobs for a trailer but lets all get together and see what we can design and any cad gurus out there maybe you can help the cause. Lets explore how the transport industry get around this issue and that's by the use of skull trailers or chasis trailers . Basically you make a chasis with cam locks and use a subframe to lock on your load so now we need to work out your load requirements and usage. The upside is 1 trailer 1rego multi use.

[97_gq_lwb]

I had a nice big dual axel 10x5 but sold it and went with an 8x5 single axel due to rego costs and pinks slips every year i can do without the 2 foot.
Something to consider when building one is the weight anyway.

[threedogs]

Electric brakes on a 7x5 frame would be a good start IMO plus long drawbar say 1800mm, no brainer for Nissan hubs

[Punderhead]

The difference between on and offroad includes, as you said, axles springs and wheels, but also hubs, hitch, and the biggest difference, the amount of steel used in construction.

we (meaning dad) have just a normal 7x5 box trailer, and also a trackabout safari camper trailer. I also have a mate who is n the process of building a trailer much the same as what you sound like you want to do. Now he looked under our camper as he wanted to copy the main frame, and I quote "I don't have that much steel"

But then again, it is the super heavy duty model we have, triple drawbar, electronic brakes, 15 ounce canvas on the tent etc.

our box trailer on the other hand has 2 supports other that the outside frame and wouldn't last 5 minutes over any sort of corrugations or the like.

Now my mate has drawn up plans for this trailer he is building, and if possible, I will try and get pics for you, however as he has drawn them up on some expensive proffesional program thingy that he uses for work and i don't have I'm not sure if I will be able to. (plus his computer keeps crashing every 10 minutes hahaha)

Hope this helps

Cheers!

[threedogs]

The old camper trailer I made was a 7x5. changed the draw bar and fitted 50 x 50 axle with 6 stud hubs with electric brakes, Made a canopy that bolted to the trailer with a thick rubber gasket in between, just un bolted it if I needed just the trailer. Canopy was 25 x25 x3 rhs, lift up door on the back and lift up sides all on gas struts. good size to sleep in, had false floor about 40mm. fully self contained with solar on roof which acted as a tropical roof and kept it cool. you could also box in each side of the wheel arches for storage. Orac make good off road springs with greasable shackles, just add some shocks. Agree with Punderhead a triple drawbar is a must and frame from 40x40x3 min. Dont forget you build trailers up side down

[Rip'n'Shred]

My camper trailer has a 50 x 50 frame, 100 x 50 drawbar, high sides, tail gate kitchen (hinge from side).

Def go 50mm square axle, eye to eye leaf springs.

I have seen a camper that the tent part is on 4 long arms that make the tent sit up high with bikes underneath. To set up, remove bikes and tent pivots down on top of box trailer, then setup tent as normal.

I have also seen some with bikes across the long draw bar. Depending on what type if bike you have. From your measurements it sounds like you have a european bike, they are a bit longer in the wheel base, may hang out a little.

Good luck.

[threedogs]

Don't weld on top of drawbar where tub sits, thats where most drawbars fail, just smear a little silicon there

[MQ MAD]

The first thing regardless of its use , is what sorta weight we looking at , in total weight ???
Over 750 KG , theres brakes involved,(yeah most know that, but theres alot who dont)
For a serious medium sized heavy duty trailer , youd want straight bearing not tapered, maybe a decent load capacity rim and definately load rated tyres
In qld , any trailer around the 2 tonne gross,it adds up fast,has to have a machinery before rego,forget what it cost me,and theres not many places who do this,morso truck places
Rego, qld , holey dooley my tandem is just under $200 a year, theivin mongrels
Whatever you do ,over engineer it , and over build it,make allowances for addition loads later


Check out QLD DOT website, think theres some dribble on trailers,dont forget youll be the builder and youll be liable for anything if it fails