[deltabravo]

About 3 months ago I bought this little trailer for hauling bikes, but also decided to use it for hauling stuff if I ever go on a Jeep camping trip and have so much stuff that I don't want to haul everything around in the Jeep while out on the trail - this would work for camping at a single location and coming back to camp every day.

In the picture shown, I was towing it with my DD, pic was taken in Moab the first week of October.



I started to outfit the trailer less than 20 minutes after getting it back from the dealer... then towed the bike home to WA from NM, then work on doing more mods.

It's a pretty trick little trailer, has a loading ramp that is removable, and is all aluminum. I considered a Harbor Freight trailer, but eventually decided on this because it was a little bit shorter (6' length) and is welded and not bolted together. I have enough vehicles and trailers already in my fleet, that I didn't want one that I'd have to be checking tightness of bolt periodically, nor something that woul develop rust spots from being stored outside in the PNW (where it rains more often that not during 7 months a year)

[MoparToYou]

So what have you done to outfit your trailer? What tie down points have you done, what gas can mounts, spare tire mounts, etc., have you added? Does that fold up ramp cause enough wind resistence to effect fuel mileage on your tow vehicle? And for what it is worth, welding aluminum causes the aluminum to weaken. All of the new aluminum framed ATVs are being built with aluminum frames that are enitirely bolted or riveted together, with no welds, to improve strength. Take that for whatever it is worth. I have an all aluminum trailer myself, that is big enough to tow my Jeep with and it has both welded sections, and bolt together sections. I like the aluminum because the trailer weighs 1000 lbs less than a comparable steel trailer I owned before, and like you mentioned, no rust to worry about in the future.

I have installed six adjustable wheel chocks called the "Trackstar", by Ancra. I have three at the front of the trailer, and three at the back of the trailer. So I can haul the Jeep by itself; or two ATVs in front, and three dirt bikes in back; or six dirt bikes if I want to. When the wheel chocks are not needed I only have the flat tracks mounted on the trailer that do not get in the way.



I also need to install six swiveling D-ring tie downs to make it easier to hook up the ATV tie down straps, and even the Jeep tie down straps. I haven't decided for sure what I want to use for D-rings though, so any set up tips people have on their trailers is appreciated.

[deltabravo]

Originally Posted by MoparToYou

Does that fold up ramp cause enough wind resistence to effect fuel mileage on your tow vehicle?

It does add enough wind resistance that towing the bike and trailer back from NM (1500 miles) I only got about 25mpg, verses around 35 mpg going down to NM empty (no trailer). I bought the trailer in New Mexico, so I have no idea what the mileage would have been with the trailer empty.

The gate can be folded down flat against the bed (resting on the bed). The ramp, for my intended usage, is basically pointless - i don't need it, but the trailer came with it.

I would have liked to have hauled the bike home with the rear tire resting on the ramp laid flat, but I pretty much knew the weight of the bike would have tweaked the ramp. The ramp doesn't actually totally rest on the bed... it's about 3/4" above the deck, and then there's some rubber spacers bolted to the ramp.

Originally Posted by MoparToYou

So what have you done to outfit your trailer? What tie down points have you done, what gas can mounts, spare tire mounts, etc., have you added?

The spare tire is mounted to the tongue, but is removed in the photo above to make way for the wheel chock for the bike. Wheel chock on the tongue was just a temporary setup to get the bike home. I'm using a Pingel removable chock, which was bolted to a 2x12, and the 2x12 was attached to the tongue using the u-bolt that was holding the spare tire in place.

This by no means is meant to be an "expedition" class trailer, but will serve the purpose of being a multipurpose trailer for the Jeep and the car shown above. I really didn't need a trailer with an 8' bed because I have a 6x10 Wells Cargo trailer that serves as a lumber hauler when hauling things such as plywood and other long stuff.

No gas can mounts - I actually had thought about adding gas can mounting spots, but could should the need arise.

Tie Down details coming further along in the write up, but I used L track from www.rbcomponents.com

L track is what is seen in the photo above.

I waffled for about a month trying to decide which trailer to get.
The three choices were:
1. cheap bolt together from HF (Harbor freight) with 12" tires and wheels
2. 4x6 Carry On trailer with expanded steel mesh flooring from Lowe's or Tractor Supply. The version TS sold didn't have the tail gate/ramp and reduced the price some, but the nearest TS was about 3 hours or so away from my stopping point in Albuquerque, NM, so getting one would have burned up about 2/3 of the day.
3. The Aluminum one by Aluma KLM.

Things that I considered during the decision process:

Expanded steel floor - not much good for hauling things like grass clippings, and a pain to keep rust free here in the Pacific North Wet region (where it rains 7 months of the year). Actually it would be a maintenance chore keeping the entire trailer looking decent, not just the floor. (but the side rails won't really contain many grass clippings either, so a tarp will be used to contain them)

Steel trailer - heavy. most of my towing will likely be behind the Aveo, which can't tow much, but the way I looked at it, 1 passenger, some gear, a trailer and bike wouldn't be much different that toting around a driver and 4 passengers when you consider the weight involved... obviously the weight is in a different place and considerations about that have to be made when driving.

HF bolt together, well not really maintenance free considering it's bolted together, and they only make em in 4x8. and you have to buy a sheet of plywood to make a floor for it which adds more weight and cost.... and then what happens to plywood in the PNW rain?

the above were both leaf spring suspension - bouncy when empty, BUT they have more ground clearance because they sit higher.

I HATE RUST!

The Aluma trailer looked very nice, butit was expensive. I liked the way the ramp was angled out when stowed on the Aluma, and that you can lay the ramp down on the deck. The Carry On trailer's ramp stowed vertical and would have to be removed to haul a bike because the bike hangs out beyond the end of the trailer, which would mean the bike would prevent the ramp from being stowed, that's why i considered the non ramp version from TS.

The Aluma has rubber torsion suspension (softer ride <good>, lower ride height <bad> ).

The Aluma eventually won out over the others because of being non rusting, the nice ramp that stows at an angle and a solid floor.

[deltabravo]

First Project (hadn't even owned the trailer for 20 minutes before I started hacking up the wiring!!)

I replaced the stock lights with some LED lights.

As you can see, the stock side marker light had a bunch of sand in it. Non sealed lights tend to get all sorts of stuff in them that can eventually corrode the bulb contacts or otherwise mess up the innards of the fixture, so I jettisoned them for some small sealed LED side maker lights with a clear lens.





I did have to redrill the center hole to make it bigger because the LED units have a little protrusion coming out the back where the wires are.




LIGHT ME UP!! Later on, I picked up a little trim ring to go around the light which covers up the lower hole and hides some of the discoloration/oxidation of the side of the trailer.

[deltabravo]

I also replaced the tail lights with some LED units too.

Here's the right side light.

As you can see, it sticks out past the mounting bracket some, but that's OK because when going around corners, it will be easier to see the rear side marker light since it sticks out some. The original light was tucked in and completely protected by the mounting bracket/guard.

This pic shows how the ramp is mounted, it has a bolt like this on each side. pull the nut and bolt out on both sides and the ramp come off (it's stored in my garage now)




Side marker light:




Driver's side has built in white license plate illuminating LEDs. this pic just barely shows the small motorcycle sized license plate I got. WA DOL won't usually ask if you want a small plate or volunteer info about them, but all licensing agents have them. They are just not that commonly used, so they just give out the big plates for trailers, unless you ask. The agent told me they are only for trailers under 600lbs. I wanted the small plate so I didn't drag it on the ground when moving the trailer or going through driveways and stuff. (oops, I forgot to remove the plastic protector on the lens)




Then I added a center light bar too. it acts as a center ID bar as well as center brake light and turn signals. this pic also shows how the tailgate/ramp totally folds down on the trailer deck.

[deltabravo]

I needed to install some method of securing bike and/or cargo.... after I got home from the trip hauling the bike back from NM, and thought for a while about how I wanted to do it, I ended up getting some L track from http://www.RBComponents.com

I ordered two 100" sticks of it.

Step 1... git 'er up on blocks!! (ramps)



My bike maintenance stand made a nice support for the tongue.



Up next was figuring out placement on the deck.






Then I measured underneath to see how far from the side of the deck I should place the L track.



topside measurements...



I found some structural members underneath that might interfere with bolt placement, so I marked their locations above with a red Sharpie on piece of tape.






end view of the track.



Once I decided on how far forward to place the track, then I got ready to mark the other end *(at the back of the trailer) and cut it.

here's what I ended up with:

[deltabravo]

I decided I needed some sort of reinforcement (backing plate) to mount under the trailer deck to make the L track mounting beefier since the deck of the trailer isn't very thick between the structural supports under the deck.

All the local stores had nothing thicker than 1/8" and max width was 1".

I remembered a metal supplier that someone else bought metal from for his projects, so I went there and they had just what I needed.... WIDE flat stock, 3/16" thick. I could have gotten 1/4 thick, but figured 3/16 was good enough.

I had them cut a 12' section in half, then stuffed the two pieces carefully in my car.

[deltabravo]

I had cut up the side posts for the stake pockets about two weeks ago, they look like this:



Here's how they fit in the stake pockets:




Sunday: Started on the side rails after getting home from the meet-n-greet

I bought 6 pieces of 5/4 Cedar, since it was really nice wood, and was relatively inexpensive.

First project on the side boards was to cut the lower board to fit:



It rests on the side rail of the trailer, and the angle cut was to clear this little brace:




Lower board is done on both sides now:



Done for the night, was getting too dark to work outside

[MoparToYou]

That looks like a nice little trailer, and a fun project. Be sure to post some pictures of it behind your Jeep when you're set to go camping.

I agree on the LED lights for trailers. I've owned four trailers now, two with incandesant lights and two with LED lights. Both trailers with incandesant lights had to have bulbs replaced all the time, while neither trailer with LED lights has ever had a problem with the lights.

[deltabravo]

Finding a hitch (ball mount) for the Jeep was a challenge... still not sure I'm going to use the ball mount I bought, because I think it might be too high still.... that's another disadvantage of a "torsion suspension" axle, is they sit so low to the ground.... it works great for the car, but the Jeep needs a pretty major drop hitch.

There's so many times where I want to haul something, like my own bike for example, or take a few mounds of grass clippings to the yard waste facility, or other small loads, and using my big truck is overkill, so getting a trailer is something I've thought about for a while, but it made sense to get something that would also serve as a camping gear hauler for the Jeep... multi-purpose was the key.

[horatio102]

My 5x10' utility dump/flatbed trailer weighs in at a touch over 700 pounds, empty, before the electric brakes - and the DOL gave me a motorcycle plate for it too. Gross weight on the trailer is ~ 2990 pounds before the brakes, which bring the axle capacity up to about 3500 pounds iirc. I've hauled a yard of gravel in it before, without much issue.

I know people with 18' beavertail car haulers with the little plates too, so I'm not really sure why they told you they were for up to 600 pounds. :shrug:

Cool trailer though. I've got plans for mine too - down the road when I've got nothing better to spend money on, I'm going to look into getting a pickup bed camper to plop on it for camping trips so the GF won't wuss out.

I should have gone with the 6x10' though, as that would have been big enough for me to drive my miata on for track events. :lol:

[MoparToYou]

Here is what my trailer ended up looking like after installing the D-tracks for the motorcycle chocks, the E-track, and the swiveling D-rings. I also treated the wood deck with Penafin, which is Brazilian Rosewood Oil.