Dual cab Hilux and Trayon again.

Twinkles
Only a few days ago on one of the threads someone posted a picture of a Hilux dual cab
which had broken the chassis. I looked at it and initially I thought it was a Mazda and was corrected.
The weight behind the rear axle peaked the chassis upwards and the camper hit the ground at the rear.
With a dual cab it is hard to keep the load balanced fore and aft of the axle.

I looked to see but couldn't identify the thread. Someone else may have a guide to it, worth a look.

I suggest you have a yarn with Trayon. They are very helpful, and will give you all the info you need- including weight distribution, recommended mods (if required) and any other query you may have !!!

Twinkles
Either steel or aluminium is fine as far as the Trayon is concerned - if going with a steel tray then you will need a rubber mat for it to sit properly. This was the information I was given from Trayon when first looking at their products.

Be very careful regarding the weight. I can speak from first hand experience - last year I broke the chassis on my BT50 on the CSR carrying a Trayon (tried to keep weigth to a min and was well below the vehicle GVM). Even though the Trayon is one of the lighest slide-ons on the market, IMO many of the current crop of meduim duty utilities are not up to carrying a load such as a slide-on on rough (corrugated) roads for any length of time.

Good luck with your deliberations, and hopefully you find a Trayon to suit your needs. Our's (Trayon) has been going 5 years and has been terrific. Can't say that about the BT50!

Cheers, Geoff

With a load capacity of only 840 kg, I see the Hilux twin cab as possibly the wrong vehicle to carry a Trayon. Just do the sums. The camper may weigh only 370 but you'll need to add the weight of the tray, the fuel, the passengers, the food, the clothing, the camping gear plus 110kg for water. (& thats the lightest version without any options or other vehicle assesories) GVM upgrades are available but they just beef up the springs not the chassis so no matter how you load a camper on a twin cab, there will be too much weight too far back.
Once again we come accross another overloaded twin-cab on the Simpson this year folded in the middle. (Brand doesn't seem to matter) Just because they fit on doesn't mean they are loaded right.
Good luck with your setup. Cheers Craig..............

Hi Twinkles.
I went through similar decisions earlier this year when purchasing an Active Camper slide on - dry weight 500kg. Had a fantastic dual cab Hilux, considered an new extra cab Hilux, but settled on a "pre loved" LC 79 series. The camper weight plus all food, water, fuel, spares etc, etc for outback touring certainly adds up. And you see and hear of many dual cabs of all brands breaking the chassis. Completed 15000km up through Kimberley area (inc. Mitchell Falls - very corrugated, rough and rocky), Tanami Track, Hay Rv Track, and Simpson during this winter. Vehicle and Camper were excellent.
I know it is more initial expense, but it is much less worry.
(The LC has an alloy tray by the way.)
Enjoy the Kimberley - it is spectacular, but expect lots of people and dust. It is no longer remote - even Mitchell Falls.
Cheers

Remember this, all the dual cab utes are derived form a single cab design.

A single cab design that centers the tray over the back wheels, all the load intended for the single cab tray is carried on the back wheels.

It may take a while for so to connect the dots here.

so we now put a dual cab body on exactly the same chasis and suspension....we do two things we shift almost the whole tray behind the rear axle and reduce the total payload by 200 to 300 Kg, while increasing the passenger carrying capacity by about 200Kg.

so ya in tray payload has in practice droped to less than half..about 500Kg.....and that whole load carrying equasion is calculated bassed on "improved surfaces"....butumin or smooth dirt.

Dual cab utes are very easy to over load on the rear axle.

So iff ya trayon is 300 pluss KG and you are carrying 4 people you may have reduced your total gear carrying capacity to arround 150 to 200KG, including fuel and extra tyres.......enough fuel and an extra spare tyre and you are down to enough weight for a box of chicken sandweges and 4 liters of cordial.


seriously.....a roof top tent weighs about 50KG.

no matter what single vehicle you are traveling in if you want to travel with 4 people you will have to pack very very carefully to stay within GVM...and that is without a rigid body camper.

My personal view is that dual cab utes are neither use nor ornimant.

cheers