Trailer & or Camper GQ/GU Axles

[MB]

G'day NIssanPatrol.com.au,

Recently toiling with the idea of upgrading my camper axles and or building a new camper from scratch using a full rear GU axle, diff, springs, towers etc.. more so as an emergency rolling spare parts carrier for its GU tow rig.

Can anybody see any possible hidden problems with the concept besides weight and having to drag an extra diff housing along rutted out tracks?

Cheers in advance !

[threedogs]

Not to put a damper on your idea I toyed with cutting up a GQ to make a camper.
Ended up converting a single cab 2010 hilux J deck tub.
Whats the chances of needing a full diff swap out bush.
Check what DX grunt and others take as spares.
Look up Orac off road leaf springs with greasable shackles I've found them very good
and my axle is a 50mm x 50mm solid square axle sprung under the leaves

[BigRAWesty]

First problem I see is the height of the chassis that's going to be needed..
The lower and upper trailing arms need to be the same as the stock setup or you'll have to have custom arms..
Then what about your diff?
To run the outter setups you'll need the center. And that's heaps of drag for a trailer.
Imo I think go a standard setup and carry a few spares...

[the evil twin]

If you bust up the car rear diff that bad it would probably mean having to abandon the trailer after you scab the bits off wouldn't it?
Trailer would be so high a camper tent might not have the drop?
If you "tunnel" the trailer so the tent drop fits it wouldn't be able to carry much gear?

[MB]

Thanks Gents,

All very valid points/advice, appreciated, Cheers!

[threedogs]

What are you trying to acheive more height for the camper or the ability to carry some spares.

[Winnie]

I thought it was a bloody good idea in theory!

[threedogs]

When I was going to do this I was going to blank off the diff centre and turn the diff 90 degrees.
But,,,,,Its a lot of extra weight to drag around, if concerned take a wheel bearing kit for the rears.
Not sure the track would suit the camper either?
Were you going to use the brakes? Doable but $$$$

[MB]

What are you trying to acheive more height for the camper or the ability to carry some spares.

The theory was for both the above.

Cheers!

[MB]

I thought it was a bloody good idea in theory!

Awww, thanks Winnie :-) !

I think everybody's right though, just carry some spares in a box on the A frame. Less drag/weight and custom fitting of the whole setup concept.

Don't know why I'm worrying about breaking anything back there, these Nissan's have huge ass ends.

Must be all those years of blowing up crowns/pinions/spiders & axles in my Toyota's prior to finally giving up and buying my first GU in about 2005.

They're beasts and have never looked back !!

[MudRunnerTD]

The easiest way would be to source a GU chassis with the rear still complete and cut it in half retaining the 5 link rear ready to go. As stated though the chassis rail would sit high and it would be bloody heavy!!! And still not Independent suspensions. Just buy the best axle you can and fit Nissan hubs.

I have a mate that mounted the spare onto a full front hub assembly including wheel bearings on the front of his trailer for the win. Had a spare free wheeling hub and all! Now that's a great idea!! The back of a Patrol is tough As! Unlike the 80series.

[nissannewby]

Chassis will be the same if its a patrol chassis height wise if you are cutting it forward of the lower links to use the suspension.

Me and a mate have contemplated a similar setup but still retaining the patrol. Have it cut just in front of the rear doors put a bed in it and use the fuel tank as water or fuel storage. Stick some awnings on it.

However it kinda gets to the point of where do you stop lol.

[Winnie]

Chassis will be the same if its a patrol chassis height wise if you are cutting it forward of the lower links to use the suspension.

Me and a mate have contemplated a similar setup but still retaining the patrol. Have it cut just in front of the rear doors put a bed in it and use the fuel tank as water or fuel storage. Stick some awnings on it.

However it kinda gets to the point of where do you stop lol.

Why not leave the front on it, and weld an A frame that. Then you have a whole spare front diff needed and an engine as well?

[threedogs]

Why not leave the front on it, and weld an A frame that. Then you have a whole spare front diff needed and an engine as well?

PML NN said where do you stop, it needs to be balanced to be successful
Maybe cut it down the firewall, personally its a great topic over a few beers lol

My idea would be cut it at the "B" pillar buy a short rear cut and weld that to the front
you still have side rear and front entry if required

[the evil twin]

snip...
I have a mate that mounted the spare onto a full front hub assembly including wheel bearings on the front of his trailer for the win. Had a spare free wheeling hub and all!

That is what I had on my custom Camper Trailer.
The camper spare wheel carrier was a Patrol front hub assy
The camper had a plate thingy with 6 holes PCD the same as the Nissan
The hub sat behind the plate and the tyre bolted on the front... sorta as if the plate was a wheel spacer

ROFL, thought I would impress the shit outa the "jeez, your buggered now" peanut gallery one day but never had to use it...

[threedogs]

mates camper trailer comes with 2 spare hubs to suit the camper
its called a Track-Shack its one with the lot.

[MB]

Ripper idea ET!!

[MB]

I have a mate that mounted the spare onto a full front hub assembly including wheel bearings on the front of his trailer for the win. Had a spare free wheeling hub and all! Now that's a great idea!! The back of a Patrol is tough As! Unlike the 80series.

Ripper idea thanks MudRunner, Cheers !

[the evil twin]

Ripper idea ET!!

I thought so at the time too (I certainly wasn't alone as per MR's post).

It just made sense, if you put Nissan Hubs on the trailer to run interchangeable wheels etc why not carry spare hub bits as well, if you want to carry spare hub bits why not... etc etc

Usually my ideas are as useful as a Pie in the face and I only get one decent idea a decade, almost due for my next one...

[BigRAWesty]

So I'm currently doing the same to my camper..
The hubs are 10 drums with nissan studs.
The spare will be mounted using nissan studs.. so that's 3 spares and the spare can go in the van if I gets that bad..
Realistically what spares will you need.
I doubt you'll break a rear axle but I'm pretty sure there is no left or right in the rear so one of them
Front axles are a possibility and unfortunately need a long and short.
Bearings imo would be a must so a set or 2 for each axle, and maybe seals.
Maybe some lower control arms but if your talking that sorta damage I doubt you'll be taking your camper in there..

As mentioned I'm doing this now..
Have just out Layed $400 for an eye to eye outback setup with has a safety loop where the second leaf wraps the main eye each end so if the main fails it will stay together.
Also fitted with snuffer plates to hold the spring pack together if you get some air..
Sure it's not independent but imo that's a waste.
We don't have independent suspension on our rigs and still do bloody well..
I'm fitting 31" tyres on a straight threw 50mm axle so I will actually have more ground clearance than the stock patrol diffs..

[MudRunnerTD]

Why not leave the front on it, and weld an A frame that. Then you have a whole spare front diff needed and an engine as well?

or.... leave the A Frame off and the engine In and just drive it? :p

[the evil twin]

Bwaahahaha... gold

[Winnie]

or.... leave the A Frame off and the engine In and just drive it? [emoji14]
But then what do you do for spares?

[MB]

I thought so at the time too (I certainly wasn't alone as per MR's post). It just made sense, if you put Nissan Hubs on the trailer to run interchangeable wheels etc why not carry spare hub bits as well, if you want to carry spare hub bits why not... etc etc Usually my ideas are as useful as a Pie in the face and I only get one decent idea a decade, almost due for my next one...

Cheers ET & MR's,

Keep those idea's/experiences coming Gents. We're all better off at NP.com.au getting them fast-tracked in under a decade.

So glad I finally joined the Forum, Cheers Blokes !!

[BigRAWesty]

Ok..
So let's just put this question out there..
You build your camper using gu diff etc etc to carry spares..
You half way across the desert and you shag a bearing..
Does that mean your turfing the camper for the sake of a bearing? ??
Another reason to go a normal setup and carry spares. .

[nissannewby]

How often does a rear bearing fail in a patrol though?

[the evil twin]

How often does a rear bearing fail in a patrol though?

Never if you are carrying a spare... It's the law.

Hehehehe... If it came down to failure rate the ZD30 boys would have to carry a spare you know what before a rear bearing

[BigRAWesty]

How often does a rear bearing fail in a patrol though?
But then why build a trailer to carry all these 'spares' which are being used

[nissannewby]

So then you can carry all the same spares instead of one set for you trailer and one set for your patrol

[BigRAWesty]

Seems very over kill for a extra set of bearings.

[MB]

G'day Gent's,

AB might be able to explain my wacky trailer backup theory better. In a past life, (LCruiser regular failure days pre 2005 GU's :-) ) we would slide out the fully floating axles when blown and gaffa tape 1.25L coke bottle halves onto the hubs and struggle out FrWD with rear tail shaft disconnected.

Once fixed, If a pinion,crown or spiders were to go on another adventure, axles were removed again and tail shaft away same same.

Apologies for my ignorance, I thought there may have been a way to float behind the main rig a complete GU rear kit that could be picked/isolated as needed.

Much re-learning to do for me, Cheers to all :-) !!

[altech]

62654 this is all you need to carry spares lol altech build 2015 :-)

[BigRAWesty]

Unfortunately with the patrol diffs you need the diff center to carry tell shafts.. one of the few limited thing Toyota did right.
If your purely looking at reducing spares the serious look at getting stubs to suit patrol bearings.

[BigRAWesty]

Brain Wave.....
Grab a ute leafy rear setup..................

[MudRunnerTD]

Murphy's law will see you using your spare parts to fix your trailer and then your car fail.

The Nissan rear is a whole new level of tough compared to Toyota. It would be the least of my worries.

[BigRAWesty]

Absolutely agree..
I have the gu diff.on the tressels in the shed atm both the father and sister inlaws bf were looking at it..
Father inlaw turned to him and said "that diff is bigger than our rear Prado diffs"..
Lol. Nissan don't fark around lol..

[Robo]

Using the gu axle would snow ball in expense and maintenance.
not to mention the extra fuel to drag it around.
then there's the hydraulic brake problem, finding the correct over rider master cyl to supply the correct pressure for gu calipers & trailer weight.
also more chance of getting hung up.

[threedogs]

Possible to use but its a lot of work.
I love my trailer it uses Patrol rims.
the track could be a tad wider but its not that far away.
Still working on it , removing the grey [dolium] water tank [50ltr]
and replacing it with an underbelly 82 ltr caaravan style with a 12v
pump .
You should be able to pick up a tub cheap enough.Mine is a J deck 2010
single cab tub [hilux] about 2300 long x 1500 wide usable.
I have spent a bit on it though, off road greasable springs.
turns a few heads thats for sure
even though I use the 6 stud pattern I think the bearings used
are only holden or ford ,tiny compared to patrol rear bearings

[MB]

Cheers TD !

Great looking trailer mate!!

Love the polished wood floor, awesome truly!!!

Unfortunately too nice for my wrecking abilities, that is a work of art my friend :-)

Cheers MB

[threedogs]

Tows like a dream I have made the triple drawbar 1800mm long
Recessed a cavity to hold a 100ah battery, Hindsight would see a few things done different.
Best product used is called a ute swag which allows for weather proof sleeping

[MB]

But then why build a trailer to carry all these 'spares' which are being used

Cheers BigGQWesty!

[MB]

Murphy's law will see you using your spare parts to fix your trailer and then your car fail. The Nissan rear is a whole new level of tough compared to Toyota. It would be the least of my worries.

Cheers MudRunnerTD !

[MB]

Using the gu axle would snow ball in expense and maintenance. not to mention the extra fuel to drag it around. then there's the hydraulic brake problem, finding the correct over rider master cyl to supply the correct pressure for gu calipers & trailer weight. also more chance of getting hung up.

Cheers Robo !

[MB]

Never if you are carrying a spare... It's the law. Hehehehe... If it came down to failure rate the ZD30 boys would have to carry a spare you know what before a rear bearing

Cheers ET !

[MB]

How often does a rear bearing fail in a patrol though?

Cheers NissanNewby !

[MB]

G'day NIssanPatrol.com.au, Recently toiling with the idea of upgrading my camper axles and or building a new camper from scratch using a full rear GU axle, diff, springs, towers etc.. more so as an emergency rolling spare parts carrier for its GU tow rig. Can anybody see any possible hidden problems with the concept besides weight and having to drag an extra diff housing along rutted out tracks? Cheers in advance !

Thankyou Gents (All) !

More than appreciate all of your input to my wacky theory!

Truly have learn't a lot, 'KISS' theory again, must keep it simple :-) !!

Cheers MB !!!

[BigRAWesty]

Thankyou Gents (All) !

More than appreciate all of your input to my wacky theory!

Truly have learn't a lot, 'KISS' theory again, must keep it simple :-) !!

Cheers MB !!!
Well you don't have to.. but sometimes it is the better option..

[threedogs]

Do you want to build a trailer/camper not that hard IMO ??