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Tell us about yourself:“I'm the R&D and project manager for a large machine shop. I am a machinist and maintenance Diagnostics engineer by trade. I am a tinkerer at heart, and I love to build things especially if it involves doing so with my kids. My boys and I are planning our next build!”
When Herald wanted a lightweight trailer big enough to sleep four and transport his ATV, he came up with this toy hauler/camper hybrid for hunting trips with his kids. Looks like it does the job perfectly, with everything a base camp needs!
Great job, Herald! Thanks for sharing your project with us!
What is it? I wanted to construct a small toy hauler type of trailer. It had to be able to take my quad, but provide enough room and a warm place at night for me and at least three kids when we're out in the bush hunting. The trailer had to be lightweight enough to maneuver around the yard by hand, and maybe even tow using a side-by-side UTV or quad.
I have a large family, and all of them are very keen hunters and fans of the outdoors! We use this trailer for hunting; we travel 4 hours north, so it has to be big enough to stock all our supplies.
What design/build challenges did you come across and figure out? My biggest design challenge was the weight restriction. I had to have a trailer weighing no more than 2,500 pounds, yet be 14 ft long by 6.5 ft wide, and 6.5 ft tall inside the cabin.
I had originally wanted a single axle trailer; that way it was lighter and easy to move around the yard. However, when I switched over from a quad to a side-by-side UTV and increased the weight, I needed to add another axle. This was an issue because the side door was already built; I had to move the axle mount further back than I liked. But putting a second axle was a lot easier than I had hoped for! It made the trailer ride much smoother, as it didn't bounce as much.
The second issue I had was the rear ramp door. To ensure it was strong enough, I had to add extra material and that made the door extremely heavy. I was able to fix this by using a 1,000 lb capacity ATV winch.
If you had to build it again, what would you do differently? If I were to do this again, I would look at using a different type of suspension rather than leaf springs, as I find the trailer sits a little too high for my liking. I would also look at using more aluminum in the frame to reduce the weight. I would not paint the trailer myself; even though I bought a paint sprayer, I am not a painter.
The reason for making the trailer the width it is, was to make it the same width as the tow vehicle. This way, you don't need mirror extensions and it's easy to see around. If I had to make any changes, I would put the wheels underneath the trailer, so when you're towing the trailer through mud or heavy snow, the wheels are traveling in the track left behind by the tow vehicle in front!
My plan is also to install a roof vent as it gets way too hot inside! I would also move the stove and furnace to the middle of the kitchen bench and have the sink off to one side.
My son (Dominic) who is now 13 is eager to start another project. We have been thinking about the possibility of selling this trailer and building a bus or old army truck with a rear hatch that acts like a toy hauler, so we can still drive a quad or side-by-side UTV inside.
Which Princess Auto location do you visit most? Edmonton South, AB