SMB Trailer

curtis · 11-17-2007, 03:34 PM

Has anyone purchased a SMB trailer.....and what do they think and feel about it? Do these ever come up in the after market? Practical applications? Do they hold a ton or just a little. Over rated? I haven't seen much written on them yet. Thanks, C

Ford_6L_E350 · 11-17-2007, 05:22 PM

I have one. As received, it had some design flaws.

- The gas struts that support the lid were mounted so they held the top down when the top was closed. Made it very difficult to open the top. I remounted them so they are pushing the top up when it is closed - now even my wife can open the top. This is the worst design flaw on the trailer.

- The pins that close the tailgate were loose. They come all the way out and could get lost in the dark. I threaded the ends and put a nut on them so they cannot come out of the latch.

- The springs were way too stiff for the trailer. Probably 3500# springs on a 2200# trailer. I removed one leaf.

- The trailer 'pogo'd' on the road. I added an old pair of heavy duty motorcycle shocks.

- The tailgate is 2" above the trailer bed when it is open. No easy fix found for that. It does make unloading more difficult than it should be.

- The tongue jack didn't lift the tongue high enough to get the trailer level or to meet my hitch. My 33" tires (same as the van) probably didn't help this at all. I remounted the jack to get a couple more inches of lift.

- The tires rubbed on the flares. I narrowed the axle 3" to solve that. Again, probably because of our tire/wheel choice.

- The license plate was mounted to the trailer rear hitch mount. I moved it to the frame.

All that aside, I like the trailer. We couldn't find another trailer of similar size that would fit our 8 lug wheels. With the same wheels on the trailer and the van we have two extra spare tires. We carry camp chairs, BBQ, propane, hatchet, bikes, bulk food (for long trips), plenty of firewood, extra boots, cold weather clothes, drinking water, shovel, door mats and more in the trailer. It makes remote camping more enjoyable.

I've never seen a used one for sale. And I heard SMB doesn't offer them anymore, but they are still listed on the SMB website (you have to look under 4wd - options) so maybe they are still available new.

Mike

Greggd · 11-17-2007, 05:29 PM

A lot of money for very little ! Google Tentrax. com and adventuretrailers.com . Both of these are very good and upgradable/add on friendly . My oldest son has the Chaser by Adveture and is extremely pleased with it , he has five son's plus always a couple of their friend's and a lot of gear that travel's South of the border in pursuit of Wave's and Fish .

Check it out

Greggde

Ford_6L_E350 · 11-18-2007, 09:45 AM

We actually looked at those trailers before we bought our SMB trailer. The Tentrax is small and the Adventure trailer would be a good choice if we needed the sleeping quarters and everything else that is in our SMB. And they really cost about the same or more than the SMB trailer.

If we didn't have an SMB, the Adventure trailer would be a good option.

Mike

cellularSTEVE · 11-18-2007, 11:38 PM

Hi Mike,
I know this is a bit off topic, but I met you in late September at Zion. I enjoyed meeting you and your wife.

I have to say, that the trailer was really cool. I like all the storage you had. Thanks for showing it to me.

I hope all is well and you had a great trip!

Steve

Ford_6L_E350 · 11-19-2007, 08:39 AM

Hi Steve,

Actually I remembered your forum handle and had noticed several new posts from you.

Did you talk your dad into retirement? Hope so!

Glad to hear the SMB is working for you and the V10 is doing a good job in your van.

Enjoy it while you are young!

See you on the road.

Mike and Dorothy

EMrider · 01-12-2008, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford_6L_E350

We actually looked at those trailers before we bought our SMB trailer. The Tentrax is small and the Adventure trailer would be a good choice if we needed the sleeping quarters and everything else that is in our SMB. And they really cost about the same or more than the SMB trailer.

If we didn't have an SMB, the Adventure trailer would be a good option.

Mike

The Adventure trailer is a nice looking rig. For those of us near SoCal, they offer a rental option that looks good. $385 for a week with their high-end trailer model. They are in Upland, CA.

Rob