Trailer Builds? - Page 3

Rustywolf · 06-22-2009, 02:53 PM

Sports Rig in Morro Bay, CA has a very interesting "micro trailer" product with a lot of cool options for bikes and kayaks. Looks like just the thing for light loads. It's at www.sportsrig.com - Rusty

BC · 06-24-2009, 10:30 PM

SMBDAD that's a sweet find for Craig's List, curious what he was selling it for? I've been probing and lurking various places, dreaming of Adventure Trailer-like utility but recognizing that is borderline absurd price-wise ($6,800+) and dont need all the bells and whistles. Same with SMB Rock Crawler trailer, too spendy for what it is. I just want a small 4X6 utility trailer that I can cover and haul extra gear/bikes/water/fuel etc., with some limited off road capabilty. Dont need extreme rock crawling/pintle hitch per se. Found a guy who said he'd build me one so having it done now at a fraction of the cost of even some junky ones I've seen on Craig's List where I live.

SMBDAD · 06-24-2009, 11:47 PM

I think I got pretty lucky. He sold it to me for 2,000, but I have to change the tires as he wanted them back for his jeep. This fit the bill as far as what I was looking for/needed. The outer dimensions of the box are 4x6. After researching the wieght of these vehicles(not wanting to add more), and the expense of the racks/storage boxes it seemed a no brainer if I could get it. Having a tent was a super bonus! When I brought it home my wifes response was " you paid how much for that!" When she came home later and I had it set up she could appreciate how cool it really was. I also had to show her off road trailers on the net to justify the bargin purchase.

I would recommend that you go with the pintle hitch. The ball hitch receiver gets beat up when used off road. The PO showed me the cool new articulating hitch that will be going on his new trailers. Nice! About 200 dollars, but it has no play like the standard pintle eye has.

**daveb** · 06-25-2009, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMBDAD

The PO showed me the cool new articulating hitch that will be going on his new trailers. Nice! About 200 dollars, but it has no play like the standard pintle eye has.

That's what I'm running on my trailer, no clunking like a pintle hitch.

BC · 06-26-2009, 07:14 AM

cool, yeah I struggled with the hitch design, what to do as far as being interchangeble vs fixed and adding cost to the build.
Articulating hitch sounds interesting, dont think I've seen. daveb send a pic if you can,

**daveb** · 06-27-2009, 11:44 AM

Here is the hitch portion that fits into the receiver:

**daveb** · 06-27-2009, 11:54 AM

This is the problem end. You'll have to weld this portion on or what I would rather have, a receiver on this end that would enable you to use different applications.

jage · 06-27-2009, 03:56 PM

Hmm, I already move my hitch and 2 5/8 ball around with the car trailer, and have different drop hitches for other applications (formerly a small trailer, formerly a flat tow to ball application, both with different sized balls) and my Falcon AT2 tow bar, which fits in the receiver directly. Moving that hitch to a different vehicle, or even removing the nut to put the clamp in place of another ball (for different drop or rise) doesn't seem like that bad of a deal. It looks like you could even put that clamp on one of those step bumpers that has 3-ball holes.

What other applications are you looking for?

**daveb** · 06-27-2009, 04:47 PM

Actually I’m referring to the welded tongue section on the trailer.
My thought is if for some reason I lost or damaged any part of the hitch system itself. I would have to purchase another hitch to safely get the trailer home (if it were on the van end). I don’t even want to think about the welded piece on the trailer being damaged. I have yet to come across someone in the back country with a hitch like that, where pintle hitches are much more common. If the section on the trailer were interchangeable and had a removable tongue, at least I could make a swap at both ends and get it home. It’s probably an easy fabrication but low on my list. But if were me building a trailer I would not weld on the tongue section, it would be like the receiver on the van.

BC · 06-29-2009, 11:44 PM

thx for the pics, interesting set-up. Agree if that thing breaks you arent exactly going to find a replacement, even if not boondocking.
Tentrax has an interchangeable tongue--like what you were thinking for the articulated---for swapping a standard ball coupler w/pintle, see below.

http://www.tentrax.com/options/prodp...ntle_page.html