How off road is your typical "Off Road" Trailer?

Welcome Mattitude, I have an off road camper box type. I thought I could use it as a "garden trailer" when not camping. In reality, too much effort to remove the camper section. Not that it is technical, just bloody heavy. I have 12oz canvas and it is a bit bigger than most. It needs 4 blokes to lift it off and put it back on. Installed a hook in the shed roof and ran my winch cable through a block down to the camper but its still time consuming. Also have to take out the kitchen box and all the other camping gear that lives in the trailer. I like to leave it in there so we can take off camping at a moments notice. My thoughts - if you need a garden trailer, get a garden trailer just for the garden!

Suspension, ah! Abso-bloody-lutely FORGET box trailer leaf type suspension!! Offroad leaf may be 60mm wide instead of 45mm but the leaf packs are too short!
Believe me, I have had endless problems with mine. I don't believe there is anything wrong with the principle just that the leaf packs are too short to to 'work' effectively on really rough corrugations with or without shocks. OK for short trips, but take it on a long haul and take lots of spares. My choice would be independant coil with shocks, or if the budget wont stretch, have the trailer buit with leaf springs from the back of a falcon ute. Remove a couple of leaves from the packs and fit shocks. Good solid mounts to the chassis, greasable shackle pins and this setup will flex nicely. . I wish someone had told me this before I bought mine. Forget Alko also, if something breaks in the middle of nowhere its very difficult to jerry rig it

I would suggest galvinising. The sand and dirt/dust in the outback or up Cape York will strip paint off faster then you can blink.

Before others start tearing me to bits, this is just my opion and experience. Many will disagree with me.

Have said all that, I love my trailer. We drag it all over this wonderful country. So easy to set and break camp, so comfortable and so convenient.

See you out there someday!

My off road camper is now 14years old ,it started out as a medium duty 7x5 box trailer with short slipper type leaf springs , i replaced axle with a 50 mil square axle with 1/2 inch plates welded on axle another 1/2 plate on top of spring bolted together with 1/2 inch grade 8 cat bolts (no U bolts they work loose and break ) 14 inch 8 ply tyres ,done 40,000 klms on rough roads gibb river twice ,kalgoorlie darwin dirt most way Kalgoorlie exmouth 6 times, found secrect to keep trailer on road surface was to fit stabiliser bars to keep trailer from leaping 2ft of ground on bad roads( friend had similar trailer to mine not modified though on gibb trip no bars , broke u bolts center bolts blew 3 tyres , trailer up in the air as much as on the road ,nothing broken replaced tyres old and worn thats all tow car hj 60 now gq 4.2 turbo nissan Cheers
Maurie

The only one I have seen that converts easily is made by Heaslip in S.A. The camper part clips on top of the box trailer & you fit windup legs to remove it + it's capable of going anywhere you take the 4by well almost. Check their web site.

Crayman Sorry should have added didnt replace origional springs just welded old section of spring leaf as wear pad to save chassis frame from wear and beefed up mounting spring location points,used grade 8 shackle pin bolts and case hardened spring bushes no grease(unless well sealed grease and dust can = valve grinding paste never been replaced as yet) longer softer falcon springs and shocks would help be care full law only alows em so long ithink
Maurie

I have an ex army landrover trailer with shocks and which uses longer than normal box trailer length springs as well as a shackle (not slipper springs) but it still bounces, particularly when theres not much weight on it. I find that lowerring the tyre pressures makes a big difference - 20 psi is fine.

In QLD anyone can make a light trailer and I'm thinking of making a coil sprung off road trailer using a Range Rover rear end with A frame set up. I wont need the entire rear axle, will just weld the coil spring seats onto a heavy duty beam axle. I've seen a guy with this set up on a boat trailer and it really protects the boat on corrugated roads.

I just sold a leaf sprung trailer and am moving to a coil independent, but the reason was not suspension (quite a few other issues). IMO, a solid build leaf sprung trailer, with poly block hitch and no shockers can go anywhere....you just slow down and take extra care where required. The corrugations play havoc with the fancy systems too I'm told. And I agree with your spreading the load over 6 wheels comment......only snag is that trailers should not go in some areas, but that doesn't detract too much from your outback trip options.......its just another trip formula...they all have plusses and minuses !

Tony's suggestion for the Falcon ute rear springs seems v.good to me.
Shackle springs are preferable to slippers particularly the short cheap chinese ones it seems.
The Falcon leaf springs worked very well on the ute which rode quite well
even with its 7 or so leaves. The leaves are wide (extra strength) and ends are tapered for progressive ride. Remove leaves to suit your load as too hard is going to
damage stuff.

Thanks very much for your comments. I have found what seems to be a couple of good trailers made in Brisbane. One in particular has most of the things suggested here, including a "robound suspension", which has longer leaves, hangers, and shockabsorbers. The trailer also seems to be pretty sturdy, with the drawbar going right through to the rear tail lights - meaning the drawbar also becomes the chassis etc. It seems quite well setup, and although its a bit dear, it is fully galvanised etc - so should last for Donkeys. Only trouble is - it won't be ready before we go in 4 weeks - NOOOO - anyway - I will be getting one when we get back - not having one won't affect our holiday too much! Once again - thanks for your comments - its amazing how quick education is with the interbag, No No no - ...internet ..... internet! ciao