New to the forum, looking at offroad options

[LanM]

Hi guys, I've been lurking for a while reading loads of information. I even recently purchased a camper that I was going to use as a base for an off road trailer project.

The camper I purchased is a nomad 14. The good is I'm positive it has a heavy duty axle since it has trailer brakes. The bad is it was advertised as weighing 1200lbs, but the local scrap yard weighed it at 2700lbs.....so its way too heavy in its current state. My explorer got 11mpg towing this parachute home. It does had a square stock frame that's 4'8" wide with triangular gussets that stretch out to the full width of the camper.
here's a pic:


The thing I'm currently chewing over is what would be the best base for a project. Scrap the body on this thing and build to suit, or the other option

I've been thinking about is taking the rear of a SUV like a jeep cherokee or dodge durango (which has a frame) and making that into a tear style camper (it would take engineering a waterproof hatch and door setup out of the equation but probably create heating and cooling issues with all the glass).

Weight of the finished product is also a concern, so until I get an idea of weights I'm stuck guessing. I'm shooting for 1500 max loaded weight, which is prob about 300lbs of gear....so 1200 max empty weight.

I'm planning on having a 24 inch storage box at the front of the trailer built into a V to use as much space as possible. I'm planning on outfitting it with everything I need for mobile summer living-propane shower, mini gen set, maybe a small a/c, wave3 heater, etc (hence the large storage box up front. 5x10 is that I'm shooting for, with 8' of camper, and 2 foot storage box. It will all ride on 35" tires.

So, given the pic of my current trailer, would you use this frame as a donor, or is it too heavy? Sell it and start over? I only have about $250 in it now, which is less than the axle would cost me. I'd also appreciate input on the SUV tub idea- that would come complete with hatch, doors, etc. Just have to outfit it and insulate....but it may be way too heavy.


Lots of good info here, I'm excited to get moving on it!

[Ageless]

Unless the Nomad's interior is trashed; I'd sell it rather than destroy it. Using the rear of an SUV is gonna be just as heavy.

Look thru some of the off-road build here and get an idea of what you want. If you check Craigslist; I'm sure you can find trashed trailers for 'free' that will provide a donor frame. I have a 2008 Ranger 4X4 and it tows my 1370 lb + gear fine.

[boxcar]

I agree with Ageless. The Nomad is way to cool to trash.Unless its rotted out.. By the looks of the tongue it's definatly heavy.
The SUV idea is an interesting one........Alot of the weight of the stock doner is in the running gear and interiorr so in theory if one removes all of the stock running gear and interior, including the axle and replaced it with a say 3500lb trailer axle you might be able to hit your projected weight. I have seen Cj5 tubs done up into trailers that worked well.
If you can lay your hands on a 2 door Jeep Cherokee you may have a viable doner ( it's a uinibody ) Very light . ...Boxcar...

[LanM]

The Nomad's been sold so that solves that question.

As far as the SUV idea is concerned, I was thinking Durango since it has a frame that would be pretty easy to make work, I could throw a 3 inch body lift on it and call it a day as far as clearance is concerned.
I also like the idea of an additional gas tank (if I kept the factory one), or it could double as a sweet water storage location. The weight is what concerns me there.

The other plus to the SUV is I've seen a few really cool rear hatch jeep tents which would add a lot of space in good weather if I moved the kitchen area forward of the doors in some kind of flip up and slide out setup. I came across an XJ based trailer today someone did in Australia.

here's a shot of the xj trailer (borrowed with respect)



I have a lot to think about, I'm not even positive my total desired length will even be possible out on the trail as far as articulation is concerned. a 10 foot trailer plus tongue looks to be much longer than what most guys are lugging down the rubicon or in Moab

Does anyone have any experience towing a longer trailer offroad? Most people doing serious offroading seem to be going the tent trailer route, but I don't want that.

[Forrest747]

Oh I love that Cherokee rear build. Wish I had thought of something like that. would of been awesome.