Cheaters soft floor tent trailer

[cheaterparts]

Well let start at the beginning I picked up a cheap second hand trailer tent it came with an annex and annex walls all the posts needed but nothing under so this was my trailer build
first it had to come in under my cars tow rate and of cause the tow ball weight which was 1600 Kg ( 3520 lb ) and 160 kg ball weight ( 352 lb ) it also had to be long enough to carry my fishing ski @ 5.25 meters - a bit over 17 ft ( and preferably longer for my sea kayak @ 5.75 meters - almost 19 ft ( still being built and an upgrade to my fishing ski that will be 5.6 meters )
of cause it needed storage for fishing gear and I normally take everything

so my plans turned out with a basic trailer 3.7 meters - a bit over 12 ft with a 6 ft draw bar - total length 5.53 meters and about 5 ft 6 inch wide
with the weight of the trailer 10 " electric brakes were fitted
so this was the basic guide lines

you may notice I'm don't use a lot of wood I find steel glues easier and faster

Basic frame made from 50 x 50 x 2.5 mm 350 grade sq tube

as I had a bit of 50 mm sq solid it was easy enough to just make up a lay over axle and with the bearing set
this is rated 1.4 tonne ( a bit over 3000 lb )

now matched up to the frame on 7 leaf off road springs as I had a set laying around just needing to make up some hangers and shackles

some of the side sections going on made mainly of 50 x 50 x 2 mm 350 grade sq tube

building the inner guards and cutting the floor pannels

knowing I was going to fit water tanks some mounts where glued on before the floor went down as it was 2 off 70 litre tanks ( 37 us gal total ) where fitted and both have there own pump just a switch to change tanks

the floor in and the large square frame on top is the opening is where the tent fits and on struts to make it easier to load while the tents folded up

some of the side taking shape the 2 door openings on this side were to hose an onan 2.3 kva generator which I picked up for free ( second hand but works fine ) and
the rear for my propane and generator fuel tank both boxed and vent outside

so that was the start of the build

 

[cheaterparts]

some suport fitted for the front box which is a full cavity to the rear tail gate

more sheeting and the generator box with the onan loosely mounted in position - there was also room for my C tek DC - Dc charger and a fuse box fir the 12 volt

and rear box for the Propane and generator fuel - I used a small outboard motor tank and this worked well

at this stage the trailer was really taking shape a few doors and things to do

and of cause some make up - really not a lot of body filler needed just near the welds to clean it up a bit where the weld pull a bit

and the rear swing out door this has a basic folding table to put a camp cook top and the rear section above the tailgate makes a good working bench when cooking
this all fits under the annex and can be walled it if the weather isn't flash

 

[greygoos]

Nice job so far

 

[cheaterparts]

Nice job so far

Yes it was coming along quite well

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I used a basic lift up bench with a swing out hinged prop to put my cookers on it's quite basic but works simple enough
the swing door also has a catch to hold it open

getting ready to paint - every seam got the seam seal treatment

and the grumpy one doing the seam seal job ( my wife getting dirty hands )
between that and some body filler in places it was all cleaned up and ready to paint

after painting drop tee handles fitted also lift struts on the front box
basic trailer wiring done with a 7 pin plug so I could also run reverse lights ( much nicer backing up my driveway after dark )
other wiring to be done but this was enough to register it for the road

That brings us to fitting the second hand tent and it fitted up really easy on it own hinges and lift struts
pretty easy to fold out and fold up - a 1 man job
the tent is locked down with over centre catches and accessed through the LHS side doors

racks were fabricated to hold a couple of fishing skis

and the first trip away with my camper not quite finished but good enough for a fishing comp W/E
I was in a caravan park ( RV park ) so showers and toilets were on hand
still to fit at that stage were the water tanks and pumps - charging system from both the car and solar - finish plumbing fuel to the generator
all the other wiring needed though the camper - and it also need a new tent travel cover all jobs after I come home

 

[cheaterparts]

12 volt charging for the camper batteries - the C tek Dc - Dc charger - does the job as a 5 stage smart charger pulling power from the cars alternator while driving
I have a 50 amp Anderson Plug connection from the car to the trailer running from the battery though a 60 amp fuse
the yellow Anderson Plug is for my solar which is 2 - 110 watt panels which I can set up a couple of ways
the 6 red wires hanging down now go to a fuse box and a loom heads back through the camper to various points some plugs still need to go in

Water tanks are in 1 each side of the axle with stone shields and both are 70 Lt ( about 18.5 US gals ) each - plumbed up with drinking water hose
filler are just a snap on fitting - simple to fill
I did have one issue with one tank leaking along the seam but the shop replaced it straight away so no problem

a few happy snaps from the last trip away just a W/E at Portland Victoria Aust

2 burner BBQ did the job for the 3 of us

just wating for the meat to cook

above now remind me why we love camping - that was the view from the camper in the mornings

packed up and ready for the trip home

so thats the build so far - yes there are still things to to but thats just the way it is

 

[aggie79-HILO]

Awesome design and build!!!

 

[cheaterparts]

Awesome design and build!!!

after I get a couple of other projects out of the way a teardrop is on the cards - I've been sketching up a bit of a mud map on one

probably a 12 x 5 at this stage like my soft floor camper it needs to carry long fishing skis or my sea kayak both quite long vessels
once I start it I'll post the build