The Camping Trailer Project

[okidoke]

I enjoy camping, moreso when I go with a friend or two, which is all I really have anyway. My friend Tony and I have talked about getting a little trailer and modifying it to our needs. Usually we borrow a trailer from another guy we know, which is nice of him, but we hate being so reliant on another and last time we had a wheel bearing break and we had to repair it on the fly, which we managed to do. Anyway, Tony and I got to talking about getting our own again and we found a neat little one advertised for a good price. The guy even threw in an awning for us, which was missing a pole, but I've already sourced one to fix that issue. So, the project is a bonding exercise as much as anything else. Something to keep us busy and will be of practical use. After picking the trailer up yesterday, I gave it a wipe down and practiced setting up the awning solo. which was easy enough. I'll attempt to post updates of what we do. First thing we need to do is find a spare tyre and fix the temperamental lighting cable.

 

[okidoke]

Bought a wheel at the local recycle yard for $10 to have as a spare. Will paint it black.

 

[okidoke]

Spare wheel sanded and painted. Lighting wiring repaired (all but one wire was secure in there). Drawers removed.

 

[user 188685]

Very nice

 

[okidoke]

Little steps. I filled, sanded and painted the holes left from the drawer screws.

 

[okidoke]

Bureaucracy at work. Due to this being 20cm too long and that we might tow it interstate, we have to get it registered, which means making an appointment with the authority ($19 for that), buying a number plate ($19) and paying a year's registration ($62). And we have to add some reflectors and a number plate light. Fee for an appointment, really? I'm sure that's subsidising the employee's salary.

Some years ago I rode a Yamaha XVS1100 custom paid $500 for a vanity plate (which they only give you one for a bike, even though for the same price car owners got two!), but I sold that without the plate and a year later bought a Triumph 865 Speedmaster. I asked if they could transfer my vanity plate onto the new bike, which they said was fine, but they wanted me to pay $180 for the privilege! Are you kidding me!! I already paid for the ownership transfer and the new registration, and they wanted to scam me out of another $180. For what? How do they even justify that? Bloody ripoff ********.

 

[okidoke]

Attached mudflaps and required reflectors today. And the pole I ordered for the awning arrived. Will wire up the number plate light next.

 

[okidoke]

Got all the lighting sorted today. Had to cut and splice wires. Was happy how well it went. Never got flustered once.

 

[okidoke]

Got it registered yesterday. Shopped around today for bits and pieces to build out slide out cooking bench.

 

[okidoke]

Preparing the bench top. Sanding and varnishing.

 

[randomguy]

Looking good, big man, can't wait to see the finished article.

 

[okidoke]

Looking good, big man, can't wait to see the finished article.

Thx man. We’re being slow and careful so we don’t stuff it up lol. We’re not experts in anything, just learning as we go. It’s good to have a second brain to bounce thoughts off.

 

[okidoke]

Square of carpet laid.

 

[randomguy]

Hahah, I'm loving this bloody trailer more and more every day, I want to start camping now so I can have one

 

[okidoke]

Hahah, I'm loving this bloody trailer more and more every day, I want to start camping now so I can have one

Get on it dude. Just so you know, there are some amazing camper trailers out there, but at this stage, we're keeping ours fairly simple. The more complex, the more can go wrong and the more it takes away (IMHO) to the real camping experience. Here's an example of a pretty cool complex trailer.

 

[okidoke]

After sanding and varnishing our selected bench top, we carefully thought out how we should attach the sliding rails, and were happy with the result. Next we will hinge a second length of board and attach it all to the carpeted platform I pictured above.

 

[okidoke]

Got longer struts on the cooking side of the trailer, as well as getting the slide-out cooking bench fitted in. We're going to get better fold-out legs fitted in future, but these extendable poles seem to work for now.

 

[okidoke]

Just a simple thing that needed doing - affixing the spare wheel to the draw bar.

 

[okidoke]

Ready to take the new trailer on out first camping trip tomorrow. Heading to a place about 2.5hrs away. Everything fits nicely, Our firewood will go into the back of the ute, truck for you Americans lol

 

[okidoke]

The first test away went fine, but we're already thinking of modifying the way the slide out bench works. We have ideas for some drawers and lid access to under the boxed in platform. It towed really well. We did check the weight on a weighbridge and we were fine with the gross weight.