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We really like our 2016 Livin’ Lite CampLite 6.8 truck camper. However, it’s a bit cramped when packed for traveling, and we actually exceeded our truck’s GVWR on a trip last month.
To improve storage, access, organization (both at home and on the road) and to reduce truck payload, we’re considering a “small” enclosed utility trailer like this one from Snapper:
This one is 4’ x 8’ with 15” wheels, and is about 4’ tall. I like the rear- and side door configuration which should improve organization and access. The trailer’s GVWR is 2990 lbs.; trailer brakes are an option.
Anybody tried anything similar? Any suggestions, recommendations, or cautions?
We really like our 2016 Livin’ Lite CampLite 6.8 truck camper. However, it’s a bit cramped when packed for traveling, and we actually exceeded our truck’s GVWR on a trip last month.
To improve storage, access, organization (both at home and on the road) and to reduce truck payload, we’re considering a “small” enclosed utility trailer like this one from Snapper:
This one is 4’ x 8’ with 15” wheels, and is about 4’ tall. I like the rear- and side door configuration which should improve organization and access. The trailer’s GVWR is 2990 lbs.; trailer brakes are an option.
Anybody tried anything similar? Any suggestions, recommendations, or cautions?
Thanks!
Jim / crewzer
My sister has a 12 footer she uses to haul dog show equipment in, but I'm not sure of who the mfg. is. When they get to the dog show, they unload it and use it as a 'tent' or just stay in a hotel. They can't use a slide in because they have to have their show dogs in carriers in the back of the pickup.
Anyway, she seems to love hers. Says it pulls great.
I can't use one of those because the thing in my sig pic gets in the way...but it does get loaded as if it were a trailer like you posted...
Hers looks identical as far as overall design features. Theirs is black and like I said, longer. I believe theirs came from a mfg. in Yakima, Wa, or they got it from a dealer there. One of those things I wasn't paying much attention too. I was too busy listening to all the reasons the dogs & their dog carriers couldn't travel in there leaving the back of the pickup open for a portable, in the long run, cheaper hotel room. Something about dogs in trailers being different from horses in trailers....
Why so small? I've towed my 14' interstate 2 axle thousands of miles. Hardly know it's there.
Our goal is to not carry anything loose on the camper bed, on the benches, or on the floor (except for the Koolatron electric cooler, assuming it’s not in the truck cab), and a step stool. We want to be able to quickly access the camper without having to move stuff in and out. We’d also like to minimize how much stuff we carry in the rear of the crew cab.
At ~128 cubic feet, we think a 4x4x8 trailer would be large enough for our needs, and we like the notion of a three-door (or even a four-door) format:
4 - 6 tubs of stuff
2 - 3 zero-gravity camp chairs
Folding table
12 x 12 dining canopy
Outdoor camping stove and one-pound bottles
Water jug(s)
4x camper power jacks (removed from camper for long-distance trips)
Solar panel(s) and/or recreational kayak on Yakima bars
Dog equipment and supplies
Toolbox
Laundry
Our younger son’s camping gear for when he’s with us
Exactly Jim! While we pull a boat so a utility trailer wouldn't work, we load a part of what you have listed into the 23' boat. On long trips to various lakes, we usually also have anywhere from 4 to 6 5 gallon gas cans along with a couple of cans of diesel. Things we don't want in the camper and it helps with moving load on axles to pulling/towing weight.
12X24 dining canopy with bug screen
2 bicycles
tool box
electrical repair box
Camp Chef Camp Stove
4 20# propane bottles
2 150 ice boxes and 1 100 for fish, soda pop, beer and extended stay food items that there is no room in the refer for, but have to be refrigerated or kept on ice.
Like you said, just a way to keep the camper bed, aisle and table area open and the ability to get - make lunch, dinner or overnight stops on the way to destinations, not to mention and easy access to the head when the 'rest stop' is 2 miles too far down the road or non existent!
It looks like we’re thinking along similar lines. I modified my list above to include a solar panel (or two) and/or a recreational kayak on top of the trailer.
Aslo, the list above doesn’t include items carried in the camper external closets. The street side closet contains 2x 20 lbs propane tanks, and the curb side closet contains a divided storage box of small parts, spares, and doo-dads along with a Homer bucket of larger tools and misc. items.
I'm a huge fan of small utility and cargo trailers, for the reasons that you mentioned and more.
With the width and height of your SD with slide-in camper a small tow behind will be virtually no additional aero drag and even a little bigger small trailer like that wont be much additional to pull for your truck. I would opt for the trailer brakes though, every little bit of braking help is always nice and it takes that responsibility off the truck.
With your listed load (and the future increases) I would suggest a slightly taller 5'X8'X5' with 200 cubic feet. Not only would it give you more interior space but it will be much easier to get into and out of with that extra height and shouldn't be too tall to stow and retrieve the kayak off the roof. And with a swivel wheel on the tongue jack it could still be easily moved around by hand when needed. The extra width and height will make it easier to organize the interior with maybe a shelf or two along the sides with a small aisle to help load/unload and to get to any single item without having to move other things around to access it. And that extra height and width wont bring any addition aero penalties as it will still be completely within the aero "shadow" of your truck and camper.
Thanks for your analysis and suggestions. Before I go any further, let me add some personal details that will influence my decisions. I’m 6‘-7, 275 lbs, and in my “upper middle 60s”. As my wife likes to remind, size and dimensions have different meanings to me.
I appreciate your mention of the aero issue. I agree that any trailer in this size range should draft nicely, especially with the V-nose.
I’m now leaning towards either a 5x8 trailer that would be 4’ tall (160 cf), or a 5x8 that would be 5’-6 tall (220 cf) — about six inches taller than “standard”. The former would allow easy access (for me) without a ladder or a step stool. The latter would require a short ladder or a step stool for roof access, but would allow the interior access you’ve suggested easier for me. I already have a 20” high collapsible aluminum work platform — basically a 4’-wide step stool — so perhaps that would solve the higher-trailer roof access issue.
My original concept was to basically build a big parts storage bin on wheels, and to essentially access everything from the outside. With a 36”-37” sleeve length, this should be relatively easy for me to do. However, I must admit that I like the idea of at least some amount of interior access. Assuming I get one or two side access doors, then storage along the side walls or even a “U” shaped storage arrangement at the rear are notions to consider.
The trailer brake feature and benefit you suggested is something I’ve considered; electric brakes appear to be an option from the manufacturer. Adding the brakes would mean upping from a four-conductor harness to either a six- or a seven. I really like the idea of the seven-conductor harness because, with the camper and the trailer wired in parallel, I could operate LED trailer service lights, both interior and exterior, from the camper batteries. I could also add trailer reverse lights.
Finally, as you indicated, the listed load will likely grow...
approach. It certainly would be easy to adapt to transporting our solar panel(s) and/or kayak. However, while I appreciated that flexibility, I decided that there were too many challenges and limitations overall.
In short, my conclusion was that the configuration would not lend itself well to organizing and transporting all of our stuff particularly well. I also had concerns about protection from the elements as well as general security. And, assuming all new equipment, I didn't see much of a final cost advantage.
Finally, a distant family relative is credited with inventing the chuckwagon. There's a part of me that's keen to devise a modern-day version, as we still do some of our cooking in a cast iron dutch oven using charcoal. Hence another reason for the enclosed utility trailer approach.
Boxes like you linked didn't work out so well for us. I have a couple in the back of the pickup right now loaded down with long ropes for adding length to the winch cable, game bags and other hunting type auxiliary support equipment. They are wrapped in tarps. They seem to siphon water in around the lid. Not sure how as they have the overlapping lips and were billed as wet weather compatible.
Dutch over biscuits and stew....great minds really do think alike!
We have a CVT off-road trailer with a roof-top tent on the top. Our intention is to tow it behind the camper and offload water weight (there's a water tank inside) as well as two 100aH batteries, the huge cooler thats full of ice and drinks, recovery equipment, the outdoor grill, and 2 NATO gas cans with extra fuel. It has a tongue weight around 200lbs, and allows our three boys to sleep much more comfortably in the roof-top-tent (and out of the camper.)
11-29-2018, 11:07 AM
Truck Camper + Cargo Trailer Combo?
