what is the standard of trailer needed in outback?

Joe what sort of a trailer do you tow?
Your profile shows a caravan??

Joe, are you saying that there is something inherently wrong with spring over axle combination?

G'day John (Vic ) and Off -track.

I trust you won't mind me trying to answer you both in the one follow up reply.

John, I have a purpose built off road capable trailer, that I built some 18 years ago, the draw bar is 7 feet long, it has a heavy duty Treg block coupling. The draw bar and chassis are continuous lengths of heavy walled RHS, measuring 2 inches wide by 4 inches tall, if memory serves me correct, the wall thickness is one eight of an inch, sorry about the imperial units of measurement.

The trailer body is the standard 6 foot by 4 foot by 21 inch deep box trailer with a flat, hinged top that has a roof rack. The trailer carries 4 x 20 litre Jerry cans in holders, left and right side, front and rear of the mud guards.

The axle assembly is a custom made unit from Trailer Parts in Bayswater, Perth WA. ( $750)

Alco electric braking, on a 75mm square beam axle, the axle sits on under, Toyota Landcruiser 75 series rear springs, minus 4 leaves in each pack.

Shock absorbers are angled to the centre of the chassis cross member, under the chequer plate floor, all cross beam under the trailer are 2 inch square RHS.

Wheels are ROH white spoke 16 x 8 inch units, running BFG Mud Terrain tyres 285 - 75 - 16 including the spare wheel mounted on the lay down tail gate, the trailer is all steel construction, weighing in at 275 kgs dry.

Braking is controlled by an electronic unit in the Cruiser, the trailer carries an Optima red top battery, fed 12v directly from the Cruiser through an Andersen Plug.

Sorry to be long winded, but that's the trailer.

Off-track.

No mate, I'm sorry it sounded as if I thought spring over axle combinations were wrong or inherently faulty, not so.

What I was trying to point out was, " some trailer manufacturers" put the axle under the springs, on lightly built (garden) trailers, whack some light tuck wheels and tyres onto it and call the unit an "Off Road Trailer", I am suggesting, buyer beware!!

Thanks for your patience.

No Joe, my apologies - I just re-read what you said. :-)

Mudness

I have one of those trailers with 45mm a square axle and Ford bearings and it runs pretty well over all types of terrain. I do find that I have to replace the bearings once a year. My drawbar is 4mm RHS and 100x50mm.

Most damage to trailers is caused by excessive speed and the over-inflation of tyres on corrugated roads.

But as you say...there are so many variables.


Cheers

Bob

Aren't you the bloke who does 14000km in 14 days through the Outback....LOL

No wonder things break



Cheers

Brian, I wonder if that was me that was talked about. Just goes to show what crap people talk.

The draw bar connection was bent as two bolts weren't put in the side od the third party extension giving the triangulation strength. The Polyair pipe had a puncture in it from a stone so the suspension bounced on the bump stops in the tow vehicle. I fixed that before I had my evening drinks.

I had lost a trailer plug before Innamincka but the electrics were fine, brakes worked all the way when I got a new plug.Water tank, they still had water in at Birdsville and I topped up the tank. The Karavan had NO damage.

I agree with one comment you make about the tyre pressures. 14psi was good. Apart from that your memory is stuffed.

Member - JohnR (Vic) wrote;
1) “Brian, I wonder if that was me that was talked about. Just goes to show what crap people talk.”

Personally, I don’t know who it was that was talked about. Nor do I care. I mentioned the story as part of my post that the desert does damage to trailers.

2) “The draw bar connection was bent as two bolts weren't put in the side od the third party extension giving the triangulation strength.”

As far as I am aware, The KK in question had a bent drawer bar, not the connection.

3) “The Polyair pipe had a puncture in it from a stone so the suspension bounced on the bump stops in the tow vehicle. I fixed that before I had my evening drinks.”

Good for you

4) “I had lost a trailer plug before Innamincka but the electrics were fine, brakes worked all the way when I got a new plug. Water tank, they still had water in at Birdsville and I topped up the tank. The Karavan had NO damage.”

The KK I referred to had “Fried” electrics, the guy who related the story to me was adamant that there was substantial damage to the electrical system in the van. Also the water tank was holed.

5) “I agree with one comment you make about the tyre pressures. 14psi was good.”

I didn’t mention 14psi. I only said that tyre pressures are important. Exactly WHAT tyre pressure is up to the individual. And whether you agree with me or not is of no importance to me anyway.

6) “Apart from that your memory is stuffed.”

Who the hell do you think you are to say that? You assume because I mentioned a particular story related to me that I am talking of you and your van…. Are you the ONLY person who owns a Kimberley Kamper? We saw several on our trip out to the Simpson last year, and a friend of ours owns one…… (his name isn’t John and he lives here in Qld, not in Victoria, so it can’t be you can it?) So obviously there are a few more in circulation. It may be that the fellow who related the story to me had it wrong, but that is the way it was related to me.

Talk is cheap on the internet John…… in future perhaps you should think your comments through a bit further before posting, ExplorOz is a forum full of brilliant information, and IMO there is no need for insulting comments from the likes of you.

Rave, rave, rave Brian. It would take a bulldozer to bend a Karavan drawbar. I am aware of two other Karavans that have been out in the SD. Neither in July last year.

" ExplorOz is a forum full of brilliant information,"", yes it is but also a lot of MIS-information. Why would you post it?

" I am aware of two other Karavans that have been out in the SD. Neither in July last year."

You know them all do you??? LOL.........

I refuse to be drawn further, it isn't me that's raving John.

I would have to agree with JohnR about the strength of KK chassis

I have a KK CT and although the "van" is heavier, I would like to hear from anyone who has seen a KK drawbar bent ??
I think it would tear the rear end out of the 4x4, before bending the drawbar !!
KK's are not indestructable, but I don't know of any other chassis out there that are more strongly built ??
Same goes for the independent suspension...very strong...but its weak point....people not greasing the pivot points !!

Gronk, the Karavan is heavier than the Kamper, that is for sure. Brian above uses the two terms interchangeably so one never knows. For Karavan owners, we have a Yahoo Group and about 33% of all the Karavans sold is represented within the group.

We find that some use too high a tyre pressure on corrugated roads and thence too high a speed which can cause troubles apart from the pivot points. All trailers (caravans/karavans) are like that. You are right Gronk, it wasn't the draw bar but the extension as i said earlier. There was lots of mis-information above.

The desert was easy really. Pretty good fuel economy really too.