The ZOEBEAR Off-road Teardrop in So Cal

Took Wednesday off to pick up the RTT at TuffStuff

http://tuffstuff4x4.com/products/tuff-stuff-ranger-overland-rooftop-mounted-tent-free-annex-room/

Comes complete with annex room for for $1349. If you pick it up you get $150 back for freight. Since they are only 30 minutes away it was not problem. They sale a great product there for Jeeps and Overlanding. I have other items on my TJ from them.
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I finished skinning the inside and wiring the fan and the interior lights. I will be adding edge trim to the corners and seams.
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Below Is where the switch panel is going.
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It was a hot weekend here in So Cal. I got a lot done and the list is getting shorter.

I built the rack for the RTT.

Wired the trailer with lights.

Mounted the battery box and ran the wires into the trailer. Just need to build the switch box and wire it in.

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1SAR39

New member
Great job on the build! Looking slick! I'm near the end of my teardrop build, too, and looks similar to yours.

I built up a m100 about 5yrs ago, but with 3 kids it got way too small as they got bigger. Now my wife and I get the queen bed in the trailer, and kids will get the rtt... maybe.

I also used a utility trailer I had to build off of. Mine was a 5x10 with a 3500# axle, but I chopped 2' off the rear to shorten it up, and went spring over. I'll have to get a build/ built thread started.

Keep it up and looking forward to seeing it with the rtt up there.
 
I finished what I needed to get done Thursday night. I went down to the DMV Friday morning at 7:15. There was already a line around the building. When it opened, I got #68. The wait was on. I tried to make an appointment 2 weeks ago, but it was for June 27th. So, I had to wait in line. When I was walking in the building a gentleman that was handing out forms told me to find him after I got in got my inside # to find him to get it inspected. I found him and went to inspect the trailer. I was a little nervous at that point. I was not sure what was going to happen. He asked what it was for and I said to haul camping equipment in. He asked if we were going to sleep in it, I said no. I asked if we can register it as a utility trailer and he looked in a book and said yah the would work good for you. I guessed my weight at about 900#’s from some calculations I made. He wrote the information down pulled off a vin tag and placed it on the trailer. I was good to go. Until I went in side and had to wait and wait and wait. I finally got out of there at 11am but, I had a new plate, vin tag and a registration card. I was set. Make sure you have all your paper work and receipts with you. I made an excel spread sheet with all of them on there. That helped a lot.

I mounted the RTT to the trailer Friday. I forgot to take pictures of that. I will and add them later. The RTT fit perfect on the rack I made and left me with enough room to add my ABS water tube on top (building now).
We headed out Saturday morning with the Suburban towing the trailer with my youngest daughter and my wife and middle daughter in the Jeep. We knew that we were going to break in the RTT for sure Saturday night because the weather conditions were changing in Big Bear for the weekend. We were expecting 15mph winds with gusts to 35 temps 70 to 35 deg in the early am. There was no keeping us away from the first trip. The entire family was excited to go. It makes it even better when the Wife is all in also.

After getting to camp we started setting up the RTT it went up easy with no problems. Got a lot of lookers as we were setting it up. Some eventually came and asked questions about the trailer and RTT. It’s nice when you get compliments on something you spent a lot of time to build.
My daughters got in the RTT at about 11pm and it was all already 45. They had 40 deg sleeping bags and sweat pants and long sleeve shirts. When they got up around 8am on Father’s Day. They said it was nice and comfortable up there. They said they got hot and slept on top of their sleeping bags about 2am. They did not feel any wind drafts anywhere in the tent at all. The wind did not bother them all night. They both loved it up there.
Here are some pics of it set up.
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Still have some items I need to finish. All in all, it worked great, it towed with now problems nice and smooth.

Here is me inside. I am 6’3” and have a queen size air mattress inside with 18 inches left to the door.
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I will keep updating as I complete new tasks.
 

RacerAV

Active member
Did you go to BigBear for Fathers Day?! I was at Yellow Post 30! Hahaha I too was on a freakin mission to get our trailer ready to go by then. Although it was just miss to the trailer. Didn’t build it myself. Still working on the house and the wife was NOT please I’d be taking time away from that to build our trailer lol so I bought one instead!
 
Trip #2
Took the Trailer out to Holcomb Valley Camp Ground in Big Bear before the 4th. Worked like a champ. Once we get to the dirt road we lower the tire pressure to 15#’s. It helps a lot with the ride of the trailer on the bumpy dirt roads. Set up the Annex room this trip. It goes up so nice and gives you a lot of room inside. You can easily sleep 2 adults and a child. It was another cold night as always in Big Bear. Got down to the mid 40’s. The kids say they are very warm in just their sleeping bags. I got a weather station in the trailer now and it gives the inside and outside temps. The firsts night it was 39 outside and 49 inside. We were very comfortable in the trailer. I only have insulation on the front and top. Not the sides or bottom.
Here are a couple of pics with Annex room and with RTT packed up.
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Still need to do a couple of things to trailer.
Going to paint the floor with Behr Decking paint. That way it will handle the weather temps and wont have any issues. The walls will be done with Valspar Duramax Exterior paint it to will handle the climate changes. There are some small odds and ends also. The one big item is to change the tongue to a 2x2x.250 pc to lengthen the trailer and add an articulating hitch to it.
 

lacofdfireman

Adventurer
Was fun to stop buy and check out your build a few weeks back. Got me excited to get started again on our build. Wish I had some time off to get some work done on our trailer but work is just crazy. Might make me 2 years this time.

But we have begun our build.

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Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

lacofdfireman

Adventurer
Anymore updates on your trailer. I wish I had more time to work on mine but it’s still coming along. Slowly but surely as they say. Also did you use raptor on your entry door?


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Here is the latest pictures with the new tow vehicle we got a year ago. Tows the trailer so easily. All we have done to the trailer is added a memory foam mattress, stained the inside, and added rock lights underneath. Going to sell the RTT and add an awning with enclosure. I have a black ABS water tube I made to add to the roof rack after I take off the RTT. We have spent about 14 days in the trailer. Works great for our family. Looking forward to this spring and summer trips.
 

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It has been a while since I last posted. We have now had over 2500 miles on the trailer and about 25 nights in the trailer. Got rid of the RTT and added and ARB awning and room. Wanted to cut down on the weight and wind drag. put a rack and water tank on top and added the tire carrier. No other major changes. Raptor liner is a beast. No leaks or cracks. We have hit the sides hard a couple of times on branches and no issues. Getting ready to move up to 33" tires. Will have to change the fenders but that should be it. Heading out on a 5 day trip this summer. Yosemite, to Bishop to Menache Meadows. Family is looking forward to the trip.
 

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Here are the last pics of the trailer. Just sold it.
 

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