Thoughts on building an offroad trailer

Tchajagos · Post by **Tchajagos** » Fri Aug 05, 2016 6:23 pm

So I have an old bronco frame sitting on my trailer that I was planning on scrapping. I want to make a small offroad camping trailer and I think this would be a good base.

I've seen pickup truck bed trailers where guys just cut the frame and welded it together in the front onto a hitch. I was thinking of something similar but with a camper built on top instead of the truck bed.

I already have springs and shocks for a bronco that will fit. With a shackle flip in the rear and a nice 5x5.5 bolt pattern trailer axle I'm thinking it wouldn't be too bad. Maybe put on a sway bar (I have a bunch of take off front bronco away bars)

I essentially want to build an offroad teardrop trailer ontop of this frame.

Anyone have any input? Thanks.

Post by **SteveG** » Fri Aug 05, 2016 8:47 pm

I think off-road trailers are bad ass. I don't think any kind of factory frame would be ideal. Way more bulk and weight than you need.

Tchajagos · Post by **Tchajagos** » Fri Aug 05, 2016 8:58 pm

I agree it will be on the heavy side. I wanted to make the frame of the camper out of metal tubing so that it won't break apart offroad. Was hoping to save some coin by using this as the base instead of buying a bunch of 6x3 or 4x2 tubing.

Broncow · Post by **Broncow** » Sat Aug 06, 2016 6:42 am

A trailer is on my "to do" list as well. I've got the 8.8" out of the kids truck I plan to use as the axle. Gives me a spare if needed and already has e-brakes. My idea is to make the trailer a portable kitchen/bathroom. I can set up the back of the bronco for sleeping. Fortunately my neighbor sells steel to the oil industry so I get a pretty good deal on that.

damon1272 · Post by **damon1272** » Sat Aug 06, 2016 7:32 am

Did the same thing with a long bed truck 1 ton ford and a utility bed trailer. It is heavy as hell. I will be replacing the axle with a trailer axle with brakes.It tows great but I don't think I would do it again. Going through the trailer exercise really turned me off to an off road trailer. Rethinking how to do everything and have it self contained within or on the vehicle.

Tchajagos · Post by **Tchajagos** » Sat Aug 06, 2016 10:56 am

I wanted something like this without the $17k price tag.

After much thought it would probably be the same amount of work to just build a base frame out of tubing. That one uses 3x2x.120 tubing.

XTate · Post by **XTate** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 9:40 pm

I would look at the surplus military trailers as a base, very tough rigs that you could build off of as you have more funds.

Post by **SteveG** » Tue Aug 23, 2016 7:36 am

That's what I was looking at when I was hot and heavy over an expedition trailer.

Tchajagos · Post by **Tchajagos** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 12:09 am

I was thinking about the military trailers but they seemed really heavy and people want $$ for them. I think I'd be better off making a steel tubing frame and trying to keep the weight down for easy towing. Sub 2k lbs

XTate · Post by **XTate** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 11:04 pm

You could weld some flanges on to a piece of 3 inch DOM that you then bolt some front spindles and front hubs, spring it on leaves, and run the same tire and wheel that is on your Bronco, carry only one spare, and have about the same ground clearance as the Bronco, steel tube a box and your good to go. It would be lite and tough, drag it over anything the Bronco will go over.

hollandermotorsports · Mon Oct 03, 2016 9:16 am

Here is a trailer I picked up last Friday. I will use this for our Big bear trip this weekend and our Baja 1000 trip then probably unload it. I never thought I would see the day where the bronco would tow a trailer.

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damon1272 · Post by **damon1272** » Mon Oct 03, 2016 8:55 pm

Oh how the once mighty bronco has fallen. What is next? Will we see it running around with a Domino's sign on top of it delivering pizzas? Just joking. Little trailer is cool as hell. I would place money that you hold on to it after using it for a couple of trips. It may slow you down though.

Tchajagos · Post by **Tchajagos** » Mon Oct 03, 2016 11:57 pm

Looks pretty cool. Is it a home made trailer?

Tchajagos · Post by **Tchajagos** » Tue Oct 04, 2016 1:01 am

http://m.imgur.com/dYz2tCE?r

Thought I'd share. Pretty cool

hollandermotorsports · Tue Oct 04, 2016 3:24 pm

damon1272 wrote:Oh how the once mighty bronco has fallen. What is next? Will we see it running around with a Domino's sign on top of it delivering pizzas? Just joking. Little trailer is cool as hell. I would place money that you hold on to it after using it for a couple of trips. It may slow you down though.

I bought this trailer strictly to modify and see what is nice to have and what is a must have. We are currently designing a set up to manufacture that is why this will probably find a new home after the 1000. I only tent camp in the summers my winter camping I take the toy house. If the bronco starts delivering pizzas its cause some pizza boy came and offered the right amount of money lol. I'm more the hands on guy so maybe a landscape trailer or back to my roots of detailing if all hell breaks loose and every business I am involved with folds up. lol.

hollandermotorsports · Tue Oct 04, 2016 3:25 pm

Tchajagos wrote:Looks pretty cool. Is it a home made trailer?

Its a combination of 2 buddies building and a fab shop buttoning up. its a nice little well built trailer

palmawor · Post by **palmawor** » Thu Oct 13, 2016 6:06 pm

Luv to see more pics of adventure, true tested trailers. I've decided I'm gonna own one soon to tow w my bronco. I want to be able to camp and be self sustained for at least a week. Any custom builders near Washington state?

hollandermotorsports · Fri Oct 14, 2016 10:35 am

palmawor wrote:Luv to see more pics of adventure, true tested trailers. I've decided I'm gonna own one soon to tow w my bronco. I want to be able to camp and be self sustained for at least a week. Any custom builders near Washington state?

We did about 35 miles while towing the trailer in some nasty terrain while loaded with camping gear it did great. There are a few builder up in Oregon, Washington state that's where a lot of the adventure stuff comes from. The trailer made our camping trip way easier vs packing everything in the back of the bronco but we were not able to go as quick as usual once we hit dirt with the trailer.

Tchajagos · Post by **Tchajagos** » Sat Nov 26, 2016 2:27 pm

Ended up grabbing a rear axle out of a Dodge Grand Caravan from the pick a part for like $50. It's going to work great!

This is the plan for it.

I stripped off the drum brake parts and it looks pretty heavy duty. 5x4.5 lug pattern so I can easily find adapter for 5x5.5. Has a sway bar and a panhard bar which I'm not sure if I will keep or not. I will be flipping the axle over and using maybe leaf springs off a ranger.

hollandermotorsports · Thu Feb 16, 2017 10:02 am

So after tossing it around for a long time and a few different revisions a close friend and I decided lets go for it and manufacture adventure off road trailers. So we founded Adios overland trailers. Our current design is a lower priced unit just to get the ball rolling. We have 2 other designs in the works but this will do for now. These are perfect for hauling camp gear and coolers behind our broncos. This design allows for a 37" tire to be run on the trailer as well so you can run same wheel and tires as your broncos.

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