Adventure Trailer that can hold dirt bikes????? Examples or leads please.

[DetroitDiesel]

Hello I'm racking my brain between building an ambulance or cargo van or short bus type build or pull a trailer. I'm about to pick up a lx470 project truck and trying to determine if a combo of the 470 pulling a trailer with rtt and dirt bikes will give me more options than a cargo van or such. Payload is a big deal. Another option is the lo tech option. A deuce and a trailer with my 80 or 470 and the bikes on that.

Here's what I need to haul. You guys know how quick this stuff adds up #.

Me
2 dogs 100lb mastiff and 40lb am staff
Personal gear for me for 4 seasons
Dog supplies. Bed leash, basicially a plastic tote or so full.
2 dirt bikes. A dual sport 350# and a trail bike 275#
Mountain bike
Food for 10 day periods without resupply
Water,fuel,rescue gear all that for 10 day shots at a time.
Solar power
Small fridge
Shower
All dirt bike related gear
Mountain biking gear
Fishing poles
A bed for 6'2 200
Room for dogs to lay down
Really I'm clueless cause I've never done this so no idea the pile of "stuff" I'll have trying to shove somewhere.


The idea of a trailer behind 470 would be make a base camp and have the 470 and the bikes to explore. That leaves a chance of breaking the 470 and now were stuck at that base camp till repaired or if totaled then what? Fly home and get the 80? But it can't tow as much? Buy another rig with ins money? Thoughts



The idea of a trailer behind a cargo van or bus or ambulance is make a base camp and use the bikes to explore and store runs etc. But I can't fit my dogs on bike and I want to take them hiking so everything would be from camp. So to be close to top hiking that means closer to "people" for a base camp. I can camp farther from play spots with 470 just load up and go. Thoughts.


The deuce option is get a 109 deuce camper the back and pull a trailer with the 80 and bikes and gear. No worries about weight or payload just where do the dogs ride? Lol. On the bench seat of the deuce? I don't like that too much possibilry of driver interfence when navigating or shifting. Somehow I could make a dog door from passenger area to camper area but I think the bed flexes separte from the cab when it articulates. And I can go 45mph tops. But can bring all the stuff I won't need.


This is CONUS and the Baja Pen. Only. I want to get near the 4 corners area and base camp and ride dirt bikes and mouintain bikes, hike and fish. Then move towards death valley and the hotwest, then Baja.


I'd like to see some adventure trailers that have a way to haul two dirt bikes and all that gear I described. I can make a bed in the back of the 470 or cargo van/bus etc then I'm envisioning a M101 style trailer with bikes and gear. I've seen the plastic one that has a rack that goes up and down I'm thinking that's kinda flimsy. Any ideas. Thanks




A trailer behind the 470 would need to be the high clearance m101 type.

A trailer behind a van or bus more options.

The deuce means carry all.

 

[calicamper]

Hello I'm racking my brain between building an ambulance or cargo van or short bus type build or pull a trailer. I'm about to pick up a lx470 project truck and trying to determine if a combo of the 470 pulling a trailer with rtt and dirt bikes will give me more options than a cargo van or such. Payload is a big deal. Another option is the lo tech option. A deuce and a trailer with my 80 or 470 and the bikes on that.

Here's what I need to haul. You guys know how quick this stuff adds up #.

Me
2 dogs 100lb mastiff and 40lb am staff
Personal gear for me for 4 seasons
Dog supplies. Bed leash, basicially a plastic tote or so full.
2 dirt bikes. A dual sport 350# and a trail bike 275#
Mountain bike
Food for 10 day periods without resupply
Water,fuel,rescue gear all that for 10 day shots at a time.
Solar power
Small fridge
Shower
All dirt bike related gear
Mountain biking gear
Fishing poles
A bed for 6'2 200
Room for dogs to lay down
Really I'm clueless cause I've never done this so no idea the pile of "stuff" I'll have trying to shove somewhere.


The idea of a trailer behind 470 would be make a base camp and have the 470 and the bikes to explore. That leaves a chance of breaking the 470 and now were stuck at that base camp till repaired or if totaled then what? Fly home and get the 80? But it can't tow as much? Buy another rig with ins money? Thoughts



The idea of a trailer behind a cargo van or bus or ambulance is make a base camp and use the bikes to explore and store runs etc. But I can't fit my dogs on bike and I want to take them hiking so everything would be from camp. So to be close to top hiking that means closer to "people" for a base camp. I can camp farther from play spots with 470 just load up and go. Thoughts.


The deuce option is get a 109 deuce camper the back and pull a trailer with the 80 and bikes and gear. No worries about weight or payload just where do the dogs ride? Lol. On the bench seat of the deuce? I don't like that too much possibilry of driver interfence when navigating or shifting. Somehow I could make a dog door from passenger area to camper area but I think the bed flexes separte from the cab when it articulates. And I can go 45mph tops. But can bring all the stuff I won't need.


This is CONUS and the Baja Pen. Only.


I'd like to see some adventure trailers that have a way to haul two dirt bikes and all that gear I described. I can make a bed in the back of the 470 or cargo van/bus etc then I'm envisioning a M101 style trailer with bikes and gear. I've seen the plastic one that has a rack that goes up and down I'm thinking that's kinda flimsy. Any ideas. Thanks

I've toyed with how I would use my current trailer for something along the lines of what you describe. Granted you would need a larger platform than mine but this is sorta my general approach of how I would do it.

Adventure trailers need to be as compact as possible but you also have a pretty big list. Guessing something in the 6x8 range being the smallest you would be able to creatively go and manage to work most of your options into. A rack that sits over the bed of the trailer at a height that enables you to roll a bike on board. RTT over the bikes etc. Then of course you would need your gear stowage set up from every trailer I've seen that I like having cabinets that open from the exterior slide out fridge under an awning - slide out kitchen option etc all seem to be the best set up and most functional approach vs some type of internally stowed system inside the trailer. Which case you many need more like a 6x10 trailer for the added length for the slide outs containing your kitchen gear and retain enough floor length for the bikes to be loaded etc.

In my case my 4x6 would only be a racked RTT on the top of the tall sides giving me load room on the trailer floor for a bike or gear etc.

Don't under estimate your weight. My 93 LC wasn't a great tow machine it towed my 1800lb boat pretty well but there were some tough hot climbs or high wind flat highway stuff where it wasn't exactly fast or happy. And if long pavement runs are in play it could get old pretty quick.

 

[Littlehouse]

Adreniline campers makes a pretty cool trailer. You'd have to keep a lot of ur stuff in the lx, but I'm pretty sure your bikes would be fine on the trailer.

 

[RagnarD]

This is a nice build.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/102077-M101a2-dirtbike-camper

 

[TwinStick]

X-Venture by Schutt Industries. http://www.schuttindustries.com/Consumer.aspx

They are VERY HD. Bed is 49" wide between the wheel wells. 59.5"Wide x 89" x 18" Tall.

 

[TripLeader]

The M.O.A.B. Yak might be an option.

 

[mhiscox]

I believe Stahl will still sell you the 1-ton payload Challenger TR trailer, which is pretty much their Challenger service body put onto a trailer chassis. It has a 4 x 8 bed, but also plenty of side compartment space for systems and stuff. You obviously need to configure it to your own requirements, but the "blank canvas" is perhaps there. It is a high quality American made unit that tracks very well; my Sequoia pulls it like it's not there.

Mine is involved in a fairly grandiose buildout that likely wouldn't suit your needs, but you might spend a couple of minutes at the beginning of this thread:

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/132612

to see if you see any merit in the Stahl as a starting point.

 

[WahooJeep]

My build is very low budget, but would do what you are describing.

I've got a M101A2 with a camper shell pulled by a JKU.
We load mountain bikes, kayaks, chuck box, dog supplies, and gear for me and the kids in the trailer.
When we set up, we pull that gear out, and one adult, one teenager, a mastiff, and a boxer sleep in the trailer.
I sleep on a platform with one dog, and the other dog and kid sleep on a air mattress on the ground.
Fridge is in the Jeep.

 

[DetroitDiesel]

The Lx470 is not an option any longer because payload and towing. I'm thinking a short bus with living space and kitchen inside. Then the trailer. If I use a deuce then I'm driving my house into tricky situations. So if I use the bus it's my motel then I ride out from there. I can always do a jeep rental to take the dogs on a cruise around. So now I need to start focusing on the trailer. So many ideas.

Adreniline campers makes a pretty cool trailer. You'd have to keep a lot of ur stuff in the lx, but I'm pretty sure your bikes would be fine on the trailer.

Thanks. I don't necessarily want a camper. I'm looking for more of a bike hauler with storage.

This is a nice build.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/102077-M101a2-dirtbike-camper

. Thanks. This is the build that I saw on steel soldiers I think. The Orange jeep is hard to forget. This gave me the idea. A m101 helmet top. The company that had the military contract stopped making them though. So high markups used. I was thinking maybe build some type of frame system. Like I would have a rtt on. But no rtt.

X-Venture by Schutt Industries. http://www.schuttindustries.com/Consumer.aspx

They are VERY HD. Bed is 49" wide between the wheel wells. 59.5"Wide x 89" x 18" Tall.

Thanks. A lot of these trailers are built to go deep in the woods and rocks. I'm not looking to abuse my trailer like that because I'll be on a long trip. No breakage. Although if you use a HD trailer lightly it's a built in safeguard. Instead of a flimsy trailer.

The M.O.A.B. Yak might be an option.
View attachment 282183

Thanks. That's sweet just not what I'm looking for.

I believe Stahl will still sell you the 1-ton payload Challenger TR trailer, which is pretty much their Challenger service body put onto a trailer chassis. It has a 4 x 8 bed, but also plenty of side compartment space for systems and stuff. You obviously need to configure it to your own requirements, but the "blank canvas" is perhaps there. It is a high quality American made unit that tracks very well; my Sequoia pulls it like it's not there.

Mine is involved in a fairly grandiose buildout that likely wouldn't suit your needs, but you might spend a couple of minutes at the beginning of this thread:

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/132612

to see if you see any merit in the Stahl as a starting point.

Thanks. Did you contact them directly? About a block away from my house is a distributor and installer of their products. For like van bodies with boxes etc. I saw a broke down e350 I'll try to find on craigslist. You think I could mount on a trailer? I'll find it so you can actually give an opinion.

Here it is. Could I remove this and scrap the van and place that on a trailer somehow? What do you think?
https://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/cto/4960079981.html

My build is very low budget, but would do what you are describing.

I've got a M101A2 with a camper shell pulled by a JKU.
We load mountain bikes, kayaks, chuck box, dog supplies, and gear for me and the kids in the trailer.
When we set up, we pull that gear out, and one adult, one teenager, a mastiff, and a boxer sleep in the trailer.
I sleep on a platform with one dog, and the other dog and kid sleep on a air mattress on the ground.
Fridge is in the Jeep.

Thanks. That's sweet! I've had 2 boxers growing up also. Great dogs. I like this setup. I'll be a few thousands pounds though. You look like about 1500 or so. I'm talking gear. Not trailer weights.

I've toyed with how I would use my current trailer for something along the lines of what you describe. Granted you would need a larger platform than mine but this is sorta my general approach of how I would do it.

Adventure trailers need to be as compact as possible but you also have a pretty big list. Guessing something in the 6x8 range being the smallest you would be able to creatively go and manage to work most of your options into. A rack that sits over the bed of the trailer at a height that enables you to roll a bike on board. RTT over the bikes etc. Then of course you would need your gear stowage set up from every trailer I've seen that I like having cabinets that open from the exterior slide out fridge under an awning - slide out kitchen option etc all seem to be the best set up and most functional approach vs some type of internally stowed system inside the trailer. Which case you many need more like a 6x10 trailer for the added length for the slide outs containing your kitchen gear and retain enough floor length for the bikes to be loaded etc.

In my case my 4x6 would only be a racked RTT on the top of the tall sides giving me load room on the trailer floor for a bike or gear etc.

Don't under estimate your weight. My 93 LC wasn't a great tow machine it towed my 1800lb boat pretty well but there were some tough hot climbs or high wind flat highway stuff where it wasn't exactly fast or happy. And if long pavement runs are in play it could get old pretty quick.
View attachment 281986

Thanks. That's about what I want. Did you do the metal grating to be secure and light? Or roof strength enhancement? You've pretty much summarized my situation. I'm thinking something like yours on a m101. Make that screened walls. Make a roof rack. Mount solar and air and a few things on the roof. Maybe a pickup truck like storage box on the front.

The kitchen will be in the tow rig I decided. I'm kinda hestitant cause I eat alot of fish and it can get funky cooking. Don't want to create a "locker room" type atmosphere in my bedroom. Between cooking dogs wet gear etc. I've read enough of your posts to know we are on a similiar mindset. Subarus, dirt bikes etc. Is it a bad idea to cook inside? I was thinking alternate to that setup like a tent awning type thing off the side of the bus. Keep all the cooking gear in Rubbermaid totes and set up a "kitchen" like we did in boy scouts in the tent. Basically a screened in porch of side of bus. Bugs weather shade etc all covered.


This is going to be quite low tech. It's my first build and I'm young so I have too much time to keep changing my mind. You guys are "professional campers" so you buy for a purpose. I'm still experimenting with setups. For me a uhaul truck with all my gear in back would be fine. But I'm trying to get a bit more refined. So a short bus with the wheelchair lift to get heavy things in it. And a "cargo" trailer but not an enclosed one. Or is that what I want. Just load and unload a cargo trailer? I was thinking a rack over the bikes more options. And less weight. I'm going to put a roof rack on the bus to hold solar and spare tires etc. Then a roof rack on trailer to hold solar for the trailer. Running tools air etc.


I'm thinking a bus like this.
https://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/cto/4992142950.html

Dogs get to look outside and stick head out in the wind. Lots open spaces to personalize. Low chance of rollover. And less extra weight than an ambulance. Can tow good. And cheap to start.

 

[snowblind]

Ignoring most of what you posted except the "Dirt Bike" part.

M101-A3 trailer -> http://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/882345-new-dirtbike-trailer-m101a3/

 

[Ozrockrat]

There is an Isuzu on Phoenix craigslist that would suit what you need without the trailer.

 

[Ozrockrat]

There is an Isuzu on Phoenix craigslist that would suit what you need without the

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/cto/4992573829.html



1999 ISUZU VAN fuel : diesel transmission : automatic title status : clean

1999 ISUZU TURBO DIESEL CUBE VAN, 1 TON, AUTOMATIC, 184K MAINTAINED MILES, ALLISON TRANSMISSION WITH OVER DRIVE, AIR, CD STEREO, 45OO WATT 110/220 PROPANE GEN SET WITH TANKS, AC AND DC LITING. ELECTRIC OUTLETS,
ROOF AIR IN VAN, BUNK BEDS, WORK BENCH, SINK, TOW PKG AND CONTROLLER.
TILT CAB, 8 FT DOOR IN VAN FOR RECREATIONAL VEHICLES AND STANDARD SIZE
ENTRY DOOR WHEN LARGE DOOR IS CLOSED. METEAL STEPS UP TO THE BACK.
SIX STORAGE COMPARTMENTS UNDERNEATH FOR TOOLS, FULL SIZE AWNING ON
ONE FULL SIDE. SIX GOOD TIRES, RUNS AND LOOKS GREAT.
$12,500.00 WILL TRADE

 

[mhiscox]

Thanks. Did you contact them directly? About a block away from my house is a distributor and installer of their products. For like van bodies with boxes etc. I saw a broke down e350 I'll try to find on craigslist. You think I could mount on a trailer? I'll find it so you can actually give an opinion.

Here it is. Could I remove this and scrap the van and place that on a trailer somehow? What do you think?
https://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/cto/4960079981.html

Sorry for the delay in responding. I was camping in my Sprinter w/o any connectivity.

Stahl Truck Bodies is not far from you in Wooster, Ohio. You could probably learn a lot by calling them at 1-800-277-8245. I worked with them directly, but that was a fluke because of investigating a brainstorm I had to buy many and mod them up for overland travel. I suspect they'll want you to use a dealer if there is one close.

If the service body on that truck is in decent condition, I think you've got a great find. But note that is the longer body (ten feet, I would guess) rather than my 8-footer. As far as putting it onto a trailer, there's nothing theoretically in the way you except that you have to find a trailer (3500 pound single axle) with a frame the right size to fit under the body and an axle width that matches up to the wheel wells.

But if I was trying to do that, my biggest problem would be figuring out how to transfer the body, which is heavy and awkward. If you have access to a fork lift, or enough friends to bribe with pizza and beer, you're in good shape. Working by myself and with no magic lifting device, I'm not sure how I'd manage getting it on and aligned without a lot of blocks and jacks and a whole lot of time and effort.

The seller in the Craigslist ad must have been afraid of photographs, because it would have been useful to see a lot more. In particular, the cover over the service bed might also be a valuable thing. Looks like there's a lot of space under cover there, which would keep the bikes secure and give space for camping when you take them out.

Good luck.

 

[mhiscox]

There is an Isuzu on Phoenix craigslist that would suit what you need without the

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/cto/4992573829.html

View attachment 282541

Quickie thread hijack--Since Oxrockrat and I obviously need this thing to haul our sidecar rigs, does anyone see any trick way to get them into the back? BYO ramps, right? It would have been nearly-irresistible with integrated loading ramps for ATVs and hacks.

DetroitDiesel . . . it's not mainstream, and has one of the world's worst departure angles, but it's strikes me as the sort of truck a family could have a lot of fun living and playing out of. Sad it's in Arizona, but maybe there's something like it closer to home. Lots of potential for different uses; I kind of like it.

 

[Ozrockrat]

How about a Tommy Gate type lift. Then you could use it as a deck out the back as well. And I dont think it will affect the departure angle or lack thereof.