Little Guy Ruggedized for Fire-road Runner

[fike]

Last weekend I rented a Little Guy 6-Wide teardrop and drove 500 miles to Great Smoky Mountain National Park? I towed with my rugged Subaru Forester turbo. At a little over 1,000 pounds, it was a breeze to tow. This trip was really a shakedown for the purchase of a 5-wide. I did wildcat camp one night on the way down, and it was good on the fire roads of George Washington National Forest. Turning around in the dark without a spotter was fun. [get out of car and survey scene with flashlight. Backup four feeet. Get out of car and survey with flashlight. Back up another four feet...and repeat about four times.] overall turning around at a forest service gate was a non issue.

Some Interesting Observations About the standard Little Guy (not rough Rider)

• It still has 13" of clearance to the frame
• The entire length is a very manageable 13 feet
• There are some wires that are routed OVER the frame (bad bad bad)
• The interior has very poor storage options ( though could be fixed by some easy mods and mesh attachments)
• Propane connector hangs down low on rear end( need to exclude from my build)
• Roof fan is awesome
• There is no battery gauge
• the jacks on the rear weren't long enough to reach the ground.

So I have decided to get a ruggedized Little Guy 5-Wide and dispense with the heavier frame and super-duty skid plates.

• Larger tires and square fenders to add clearance and make rolling over obstacles easier
• Remove propane
• Add battery gauge
• Add brakes to make it easier on a smaller tow vehicle
• Add removable e-jack to give more clearance at tongue
• Add mesh ceiling storage
• Add second battery ( at three days with no charging, lights were starting to dim
• Add solar panels (though in the east most campsites are in wooded areas, so that may be of dubious value)
• Add shower head for quick washing
• Add jerry can holders to front cargo area
• remove stupid graphics and wrap sides with darker color. Leave roof white

So I don't know what to do about that wire routing. I assume that drilling in the frame would be a bad idea. I will need to get a brake controller, and none of the shops around here have any idea how to install one in a Subaru. The rear jacks were quirky. Maybe I can make do with leveling platforms.

All in all, I think a ruggedized and simplified 5-wide with its 13" of clearance (before new tires) will work well for rutted-out fireroad running.

Any suggestions or advice?

 

[DanCooper]

I had a brake controller installed in my Subaru Outback this spring by an automotive specialties shop (you know, stereos, lights, winches, window tinting, trailer hitches - all the farkles a vehicle can carry). While I was waiting and talking to the owner (a friend), the installer came out of the shop, logged on to the interwebs, and did a YouTube search for that controller in a Subaru Outback. He watched the video (or maybe two) and took some notes, then went back to the shop. I laughed and told my friend I could use google as well as his installer, and wanted a discount. But the controller works, even if I didn't get the discount.

 

[Buddha.]

You could do surge brakes instead of electric brakes.

 

[fike]

You could do surge brakes instead of electric brakes.

I know roughly what surge brakes are, but I have little idea about their effectiveness or the trade offs. I am trying to do two things: improve safety by shortening stopping distances and reduce wear on my Subaru brakes. My understanding of surge brakes is that they only engage in a fairly hard stop where the momentum engages the trailer brakes. Do I have that right?

 

[calicamper]

I added a rectangle shaped flat ATV LED flood light just under the rear frame on our 12ft long Lifetime trailer. I have it tied to a 50cal ammo box power unit I built. I have it on a simple toggle switch, but I have a remote key fob unit I'm going to put it on. This way I can get light for backing up without getting out of the Subaru. Yes I added it after our first after dark arrival.. Arrgg that back 2-3 feet, get out with flash light eye ball it then go again really sucked.. The single high output 6LED ATV light was hands down top Favorite mod. $12 cast aluminum housing about 1.5 inches high so stays tight to the frame with little risk of catching something. Bright as the freaking sun too.

 

[calicamper]

We run a 2010 2.5 OB Limited. All up packed our rig typically is about 1300lbs behind the Subaru. 18-21mpg dependi g if we have bikes on the car roof or not. Subaru easily hauls it 70+ even in some stupid hot temps.
The only thing I track carefully is trunk weight vs Tongue weight so were not dragging our ******** down the road.

 

[MtnToSea]

You may want to consider a wireless break controller, that way noting has to be installed in the tow vehicle. I have a Tekonsha Prodigy RF Wireless Trailer Brake Controller on my SoCal Teardrop, and it works great.

 

[jscusmcvet]

Surge brakes on our T@B does just fine. They engage even when slow going down inclines off of traditional roads.

 

[rnArmy]

Contact etrailer. I've used two of these units and have been happy with them.

http://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/etrailer/ETBC7.html

They've got a couple videos for Subaru vehicles (I didn't see one for a Forester though).

I use this module - very user friendly and adjustable: https://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Controller/Tekonsha/90195.html

 

[Sparse Gray Hackle]

You could do surge brakes instead of electric brakes.

Ghaaaaaaaaa!

If you do, better have a lockout for backing up, and figure out a way to deal with really hot brakes on long descents! I have surge brakes on my tandem axle boat trailer, but I wish I would have gone with electric over hydraulic.

For a small camping trailer, electric brakes on a controller would be your best bet.

 

[fike]

Surge brakes seem like getting something for nothing...nothing is free.

I will suck it up and get a brake controller. As for wireless, I don't like wireless stuff for mission critical functions.

Has anyone used one of the e-Jacks?

 

[MtnToSea]

The wireless function is only used to set it up when you are parked. Once its adjusted you unplug the controller from the 12v port and its set. You only have to set it up once. i like it because I have 2 different vehicles I use to tow so I don't need to add controllers to each vehicle.

 

[fike]

The wireless function is only used to set it up when you are parked. Once its adjusted you unplug the controller from the 12v port and its set. You only have to set it up once. i like it because I have 2 different vehicles I use to tow so I don't need to add controllers to each vehicle.

Can you point me to an example of this product? Where does the wireless base unit sit? Is there a part on the trailer with the configuration base wirelessly communicating from the driver's seat?

I don't understand what mechanism these controllers use to be "proportional." My understanding is that they are connected to the brake light which is binary--either on or off. This doesn't have anything proportional about it. Is the proportional braking modulated by the accelerometer?

 

[rnArmy]

Can you point me to an example of this product? Where does the wireless base unit sit? Is there a part on the trailer with the configuration base wirelessly communicating from the driver's seat?

I don't understand what mechanism these controllers use to be "proportional." My understanding is that they are connected to the brake light which is binary--either on or off. This doesn't have anything proportional about it. Is the proportional braking modulated by the accelerometer?

Here's an example of a proportional brake controller - hopefully the write-up on the link will explain it. For lack of a better term, these things are "smart" vs. the "all-or-nothing" cheaper brake controllers that you're thinking about (which is how I used to think about them until I got educated here on this forum).

http://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Controller/Tekonsha/90195.html (this is the non-wireless one I use, and seems to be well represented on this portal)

Features:

•Brake controller activates trailer brakes in proportion to your vehicle's braking action◦Automatically adjusts trailer's braking based on deceleration of tow vehicle
◦Activates immediately - no pausing like with time-delayed brake controllers

•Automatic-leveling ability - internal sensor detects deceleration even if controller is not mounted flat◦Position at any angle up or down in the vertical plane

•5 Storable settings let you customize controller for multiple trailers, varying loads or different drivers◦Store display settings, brake type, language preferences, and desired boost level and power levels

•3 Boost levels let you adjust initial braking power and aggressiveness

 

[MtnToSea]

As I understand it from the paperwork given me it states:
The Prodigy RF employs an inertial sensor. It senses deceleration and generates an output that is based on deceleration, thus the term “Proportional Braking”.
The Prodigy RF will “HOLD” your trailer with 25% of power setting while you are at a standstill with brake pedal applied for longer than 5-7 seconds.
The Prodigy RF will brake proportionally in reverse. It will apply the appropriate brake voltage based on deceleration.

Here is the link to the product: http://www.tekonsha.com/products/br...s/prodigy-rf/TzaIxkVx1cI5XOy!osRB508pViEKmVBf

I saw it on a rental trailer and had one put on mine, all I know is on my teardrop, it works really well.