Distribution of gear between vehicle and trailer

[dieselBlazer]

Hi all,

Those of you who use off road trailers, do you store anything in the cargo area of the tow vehicle? If so, is it difficult to access?

I have a K5 blazer set up with a slide out fridge and stove and hammock mounts in the bumper, and have done a lot of solo trips over the years. Lately I've been doing more group outings and the girlfriend is showing some interest in joining on future adventures, and my solo hammock setup isn't well suited for multiple people. I like the idea of an RTT, but I don't want it on my truck due to aerodynamic and center of gravity impacts.

I'm considering a simple lightweight trailer to basically carry a rooftop tent and extra fuel/water. I have plenty of cargo space in the vehicle and want to keep most my setup except the tent in the tow rig so I can still go on solo outings when I want. However, the trailer will make it much harder to access gear in the vehicle.

Do most people just put all their camping gear in the trailer and never camp without it? Do you move everything back and forth depending if you want to take the trailer or not? I can't open the tailgate to access the fridge with a trailer connected, so it would make stopping for lunch pretty inconvenient and we would have to detach the trailer at camp every night in order to cook.

Thoughts/advice?

 

[jim65wagon]

We tow a teardrop. The trailer has everything in it for a long term basecamp. Of course it has a bed, kitchen, fridge etc. It also carries an EZUp, camp table, chairs - everything for a basecamp for weeks.

The truck carries a generator, extra gas, drinking water, backpacking stove, foods and supplies, kayaks and those supplies. It also has a tent, sleeping bags, camp chairs and a camp table for those times we are away from our base camp.

Trailer makes a great basecamp that we can thoroughly explore an area we are staying in.

I see lots of trailers hauling gas cans and that only works out if the trailer is always with you. Ours is not always with us so gas stays with the truck. Everything truck related stays in the truck. Basecamp related items stays with the teardrop


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[dieselBlazer]

We tow a teardrop. The trailer has everything in it for a long term basecamp. Of course it has a bed, kitchen, fridge etc. It also carries an EZUp, camp table, chairs - everything for a basecamp for weeks.

The truck carries a generator, extra gas, drinking water, backpacking stove, foods and supplies, kayaks and those supplies. It also has a tent, sleeping bags, camp chairs and a camp table for those times we are away from our base camp.

Trailer makes a great basecamp that we can thoroughly explore an area we are staying in.

I see lots of trailers hauling gas cans and that only works out if the trailer is always with you. Ours is not always with us so gas stays with the truck. Everything truck related stays in the truck. Basecamp related items stays with the teardrop


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Appreciate the input, thanks! Do you ever camp without the trailer, or does it come along on every trip?

I really enjoy the minimalist camping I can do with the truck alone and would like to add the trailer as an option when a nicer tent/shelter is desired, but still be able to leave it at home for shorter trips when I want to travel light or tackle highly technical trails.

 

[jim65wagon]

We live on the road, so the trailer is home. We lock it up and cable the wheels to spend a night or two in a rougher area than we like to take the trailer. As example, we left it on BLM lands outside of Monticello Utah while we camp and explored the Needles district in the Canyonlands. Elephant Hill, Devils Pocket and Bobby's Hole were not things I wanted to attempt with the trailer.

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[NatersXJ6]

I keep the fridge and kitchen box in the Jeep, pretty much everything else is on the trailer. I haven’t used it a whole lot yet, so that might still be evolving.

 

[dieselBlazer]

I keep the fridge and kitchen box in the Jeep, pretty much everything else is on the trailer. I haven’t used it a whole lot yet, so that might still be evolving.

Do you have to drop the trailer to access the fridge? Or is your trailer tongue designed such that you can get into the back of the jeep with it connected?

 

[1000arms]

... I'm considering a simple lightweight trailer to basically carry a rooftop tent and extra fuel/water. I have plenty of cargo space in the vehicle and want to keep most my setup except the tent in the tow rig so I can still go on solo outings when I want. However, the trailer will make it much harder to access gear in the vehicle. ...

View attachment 680114

Would a long enough tongue on the trailer allow you to still access your Blazer? As long as you camp on fairly level terrain? Maybe turn your Blazer enough to keep the trailer tongue under the stove?

Maybe you could get a second stove for the trailer, use a cooler for the trailer, and keep ice in your fridge (for the cooler). Perhaps not ideal, but fairly low cost and it keeps your Blazer set up for easy solo trips? You could always pick up a second fridge for the trailer down the road.

Forum member @Teardropper has written a book on teardrop trailers. You didn't mention teardrop trailers, but the book might give you some ideas.


.

I've included a quote of a post regarding the trailer I fabricated to tow behind my Jeep Wrangler TJ.

A while back, I designed and built a small camper trailer to tow behind my Jeep. 45 degree angle at the back for departure angle. Same size rims and tires as on my Jeep. Same track-width. Torsion axle stubs. I welded up my frame with a receiver hitch front and rear on the trailer. Pintle ring inserted in to the front receiver on the trailer. Pintle hook in the rear receiver on my Jeep. Tongue long enough that combined with the pintle hook-ring setup, I could turn with the tongue more than 90 degrees from straight ahead towing, without Jeep body to trailer body contact. The trailer body was built out of 2x laid flat and 3/8" plywood, with 3/4" plywood floor. Silicone on every joint and sheetrock screws. No insulation or interior sheathing, so very easy to see how all the joints held up. I painted the outside with Rustoleum white metal paint. I towed it across the US. It spent a lot of time in the Pacific Northwest rain (and some snow), but had no leaks when I sold it 5 years later.

I "glued and screwed" every bit of the perimeter, on every panel, to something solid. The "glue" did the sealing and the screws pulled the panels tight and clamped them until the "glue" cured. I was careful to avoid pushing all of the "glue" out of the joints.

I painted multiple coats of Rustoleum metal paint (white) and let the ACX plywood soak up all it could, especially the edges. It was just ACX plywood from the store with the cheap orange buckets.

The camper trailer was easy and cheap to build and seal.

 

[dieselBlazer]

Would a long enough tongue on the trailer allow you to still access your Blazer? As long as you camp on fairly level terrain? Maybe turn your Blazer enough to keep the trailer tongue under the stove?

This is an interesting thought, thanks! With an appropriately shaped tongue, you could jack knife the trailer 90 degrees to the truck. This would allow the spare tire swing out (added since that picture) and tailgate to open. I'll try to sketch that out this weekend and see what compromises would have to be made to the trailer design. It might not be that bad...

You're just then limited to lunch and camping spots with a large enough area to wiggle the trailer into sideways.

I also thought about just doubling up on equipment. I already have a second stove, and I could move the 50qt ARB into the trailer and get a smaller off brand fridge for the truck. I'd prefer to avoid that, but it would be an option. It also might not be then worst to just move the fridge back and forth depending on if I bring the trailer.

 

[krick3tt]

I built a trailer on a HF 4 foot platform with metal sides. Mostly to haul camping gear and extra gas for long distance adventures. Two gas cans on the fenders and six inside. Plus camping gear and two bikes carried on the top. A 10 pound propane tank on the front and a spare tire for the trailer on the rear. There is a 4 inch 'fence' around the liftable top (top is lockable) for securing additional gear that can be exposed to weather. Haven't used it in a few years now but it is in great shape waiting to go again. Pulls well and tracks behind the vehicle. Used to have a Pinzgauer to haul it, also goes well behind the LR. Mostly the gear went in the trailer and fridge and sleeping bags and bed rolls in the vehicle.

 

[1000arms]

This is an interesting thought, thanks! With an appropriately shaped tongue, you could jack knife the trailer 90 degrees to the truck. This would allow the spare tire swing out (added since that picture) and tailgate to open. I'll try to sketch that out this weekend and see what compromises would have to be made to the trailer design. It might not be that bad...

You're just then limited to lunch and camping spots with a large enough area to wiggle the trailer into sideways.

I also thought about just doubling up on equipment. I already have a second stove, and I could move the 50qt ARB into the trailer and get a smaller off brand fridge for the truck. I'd prefer to avoid that, but it would be an option. It also might not be then worst to just move the fridge back and forth depending on if I bring the trailer.

You are welcome!

With a long enough trailer tongue, would you be able to park inline and simply reach over the trailer tongue to cook? Maybe drive the Blazer rear wheels up on leveling blocks for clearance, if you need to?

Perhaps an adjustable-length trailer tongue?

 

[NatersXJ6]

Do you have to drop the trailer to access the fridge? Or is your trailer tongue designed such that you can get into the back of the jeep with it connected?

I built the tongue with 3 pinned positions, so it telescopes. Tight in on trails, about 6” from the pivot point. The tailgate cannot open at all and you can’t jackknife. Mid position is about 36” back, tailgate and tire carrier can open and trailer can jackknife to 90 degrees, this is the “normal” travel point. About 24” more is the last position, easiest backing and I usually extend it here for putting it away beside my house, as it is a little tight to back into.

I don’t recall the exact measurements, but those are close. There is a thread on here about modifying my AT chaser.

 

[dieselBlazer]

You are welcome!

With a long enough trailer tongue, would you be able to park inline and simply reach over the trailer tongue to cook? Maybe drive the Blazer rear wheels up on leveling blocks for clearance, if you need to?

Perhaps an adjustable-length trailer tongue?

It would be a really long tongue...
I have a full width swing out for my spare tire now (not shown in the pic) which is probably 5' long. So that would have to clear the front of the trailer to open before you can drop the tailgate.

 

[NatersXJ6]

Re-reading your thread, you might just reconsider the tent on truck question. Aerodynamics and COG issues have relatively little impact on a full size blazer, already a horribly inefficient and relatively stable shape compared to what is run on many trails. My bigger concern would be holes in the roof, although Blazer tops are pretty easy to come by.

 

[dieselBlazer]

Re-reading your thread, you might just reconsider the tent on truck question. Aerodynamics and COG issues have relatively little impact on a full size blazer, already a horribly inefficient and relatively stable shape compared to what is run on many trails. My bigger concern would be holes in the roof, although Blazer tops are pretty easy to come by.

I already designed a roof rack that mounts to the top of the bed sides under the top, and keeps the seals intact. However I rolled my last full size blazer on a trail, and I think having the 33" spare, high lift, shovel/axe/etc on the roof rack played a part in that. It was at least 200 lbs of gear (close to RTT weight) mounted as high as possible on the vehicle... I'm really trying to keep the CG as low as possible on this one.

Agreed it's not very aerodynamic already, but I get 17mpg currently with the diesel engine and manual trans. The last one was definitely worse than that with all the crap on the roof, and I suspect weight will hurt MPG less than a larger drag cross section.


But I go back and forth. The tent on the truck would be way more convenient...

 

[1000arms]

You are welcome!

With a long enough trailer tongue, would you be able to park inline and simply reach over the trailer tongue to cook? Maybe drive the Blazer rear wheels up on leveling blocks for clearance, if you need to?

Perhaps an adjustable-length trailer tongue?

It would be a really long tongue...
I have a full width swing out for my spare tire now (not shown in the pic) which is probably 5' long. So that would have to clear the front of the trailer to open before you can drop the tailgate.

I built the tongue with 3 pinned positions, so it telescopes. Tight in on trails, about 6” from the pivot point. The tailgate cannot open at all and you can’t jackknife. Mid position is about 36” back, tailgate and tire carrier can open and trailer can jackknife to 90 degrees, this is the “normal” travel point. About 24” more is the last position, easiest backing and I usually extend it here for putting it away beside my house, as it is a little tight to back into. ...

Re-reading your thread, you might just reconsider the tent on truck question. ...

... But I go back and forth. The tent on the truck would be way more convenient...

You just need a bigger hood for a HTT (Hood Top Tent).