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Overlanding trailer for UTVs

crewcabrob

crewcabrob

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Hi Everyone,

In light of the recent Rimrocker trail ride in the went and a few other rides that are planned for next year, I have been interested in pulling a micro overlanding trailer to make these trips more enjoyable for my wife. We can no doubt tent camp, but sleeping on the ground nor a cot is really what she wants to do. I have a P520, so adding a roof top tent is likely out of the question for many reasons: the roof line and lack of space as well as being very tippy.

I know of a few people that have pulled teardrop trailers, and while that would be an easy fix, most of them are either to heavy or poorly constructed for offroad adventures. I am also trying to work within the boundaries of the same width, similar ground clearance and no taller than my machine. That way, if my buggy makes it through the trail, so should my trailer. It also has to have a good suspension for being on trails and terrible roads.

Weight is a huge concern, less is always more when pulling... To that end, I am trying to stay as low a weight as possible. A very good member here, Montecresto enlightened me that trying to pull 1,000 pounds up steep rocky trails might be more than my rig can handle. After thinking about it for a while, I am not sure many of our Honda SXS can be asked to do this. Most will have the power to do it, but will either lack traction or get pushed around by a trailer that weights 2/3rds of what the SXS weighs. To that end, I'm trying to shoot for a fully loaded trailer to come in at 600 ponds, certainly no more than 700.

I have identified a couple of trailers that may work, but of course we have thousands of members that have been doing this a lot longer than I have. There is the Tentrax trailer and the Trail Stomper that I have found as good starting points. Does anyone know of anything else close?

I'm starting to think I may just need to fabricate a trailer out of aluminum and start building the rest from there. Montecresto had a total failure of his teardrop due to lack of adequate suspension that lead to broken seals on the body that let water in to rot the wood construction. So no wood will be used in my build. How many have gone down the road of building a true Overlanding trailer for behind your UTV?

Thanks for your help guys! The Peace Trail ride is a mere 13 or so months away and I want to have this solved long before that ride so I can have time to test prior to a big ride.

Rob
 
JACKAL

JACKAL

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After hauling hundreds of commercially manufactured RVs there is not one made that is remotely durable enough to withstand off road travel. There are exceptions, but they are made for Jeeps etc. and are priced 3x over conventional RVs
 
Montecresto

Montecresto

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Hi Everyone,

In light of the recent Rimrocker trail ride in the went and a few other rides that are planned for next year, I have been interested in pulling a micro overlanding trailer to make these trips more enjoyable for my wife. We can no doubt tent camp, but sleeping on the ground nor a cot is really what she wants to do. I have a P520, so adding a roof top tent is likely out of the question for many reasons: the roof line and lack of space as well as being very tippy.

I know of a few people that have pulled teardrop trailers, and while that would be an easy fix, most of them are either to heavy or poorly constructed for offroad adventures. I am also trying to work within the boundaries of the same width, similar ground clearance and no taller than my machine. That way, if my buggy makes it through the trail, so should my trailer. It also has to have a good suspension for being on trails and terrible roads.

Weight is a huge concern, less is always more when pulling... To that end, I am trying to stay as low a weight as possible. A very good member here, Montecresto enlightened me that trying to pull 1,000 pounds up steep rocky trails might be more than my rig can handle. After thinking about it for a while, I am not sure many of our Honda SXS can be asked to do this. Most will have the power to do it, but will either lack traction or get pushed around by a trailer that weights 2/3rds of what the SXS weighs. To that end, I'm trying to shoot for a fully loaded trailer to come in at 600 ponds, certainly no more than 700.

I have identified a couple of trailers that may work, but of course we have thousands of members that have been doing this a lot longer than I have. There is the Tentrax trailer and the Trail Stomper that I have found as good starting points. Does anyone know of anything else close?

I'm starting to think I may just need to fabricate a trailer out of aluminum and start building the rest from there. Montecresto had a total failure of his teardrop due to lack of adequate suspension that lead to broken seals on the body that let water in to rot the wood construction. So no wood will be used in my build. How many have gone down the road of building a true Overlanding trailer for behind your UTV?

Thanks for your help guys! The Peace Trail ride is a mere 13 or so months away and I want to have this solved long before that ride so I can have time to test prior to a big ride.

Rob
If you build, what suspension will you likely buy?
 
crewcabrob

crewcabrob

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Montecresto

Montecresto

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crewcabrob

crewcabrob

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After hauling hundreds of commercially manufactured RVs there is not one made that is remotely durable enough to withstand off road travel. There are exceptions, but they are made for Jeeps etc. and are priced 3x over conventional RVs
That is kind of what I have found. But there have been some surprises:



Rob
 
crewcabrob

crewcabrob

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I know you have mentioned this one before. I had to rule it out as I feel like a starting point of 600 doesn't work well for me and the width is about 8" more than my top parameter of 60". My SXS is only 55" at most, so trailering something 68" wide is more than I want to drag around.

Not everyone can have a fancy Talon like you ;) 👍
 
Montecresto

Montecresto

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After hauling hundreds of commercially manufactured RVs there is not one made that is remotely durable enough to withstand off road travel. There are exceptions, but they are made for Jeeps etc. and are priced 3x over conventional RVs
Just very recently there are several manufacturers meeting the growing needs of SXS’s…
 
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Montecresto

Montecresto

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I know you have mentioned this one before. I had to rule it out as I feel like a starting point of 600 doesn't work well for me and the width is about 8" more than my top parameter of 60". My SXS is only 55" at most, so trailering something 68" wide is more than I want to drag around.

Not everyone can have a fancy Talon like you ;) 👍
Oh I know it won’t work for you, I was more posting it for jackal to see. Thing is, nothing like this existed when I ordered mine 6 years ago. But as SXS popularity has grown, there’s manufactures getting in the game of small and lightweight off road trailers. They’re so new though that there aren’t yet any reviews.
 
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Montecresto

Montecresto

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That is kind of what I have found. But there have been some surprises:



Rob
If your wife is good with tent sleeping, you’ll have no problem with keeping a 3-400 pound base weight. If she prefers/needs the comfort and security of the solid sleeping quarters, it seems 600 pounds is the lightest base weight….
 
Montecresto

Montecresto

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For weight, size and the compactness of it, the tentrax seems the best, IF mama would accept sleeping in a tent. She won’t do a roof top as she’s afraid of falling off those tiny ladders 6’ in the air. But the tentrax tent floor looks to be only 2-1/2 to 3’ off the ground….

Although, the Tentrax has the same dry/base weight as the Boony Stomper which you said is too much….

What’s the price of the Tentrax???
 
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crewcabrob

crewcabrob

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$7995 is the base price. I have come to grips that this is going to cost me at a minimum $10k if I buy something. Even if I build something, I suspect it will cost me $5k+...

Rob
 
UpnorthP5

UpnorthP5

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$7995 is the base price. I have come to grips that this is going to cost me at a minimum $10k if I buy something. Even if I build something, I suspect it will cost me $5k+...

Rob
Not sure but maybe this place would custom build to your needs?

 
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crewcabrob

crewcabrob

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Looks really nice, but they are likely building on steel frames and they are heavy and wide for my needs. I might contact them and see if they do custom work.
 
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NTCPrezJB

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A rooftop tent setup on a custom built off road trailer base with pull out drawers underneath the tent along with some water and fuel storage and potentially a small genset is the best plan I’ve been able to come up with. A trailer coupler allowing enough independent vertical and horizontal articulation would be a key.

If you aren’t into a tent then folding panels could be built on top but would raise the weight aspect.

You could get into a smaller footprint trailer if you went with a hammock sleeping setup and plan a deployment frame.

Ultimately getting SxS and trailer up an incline can be accomplished with your winch. Consider a rear mount winch on the SxS and a swing down front limited swivel tire on the trailer or a tongue mount winch on the trailer. That would allow you to uncouple and winch the trailer up behind you. Chalk wheels and repeat as needed.
 
ChadD

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A rooftop tent setup on a custom built off road trailer base with pull out drawers underneath the tent along with some water and fuel storage and potentially a small genset is the best plan I’ve been able to come up with. A trailer coupler allowing enough independent vertical and horizontal articulation would be a key.

If you aren’t into a tent then folding panels could be built on top but would raise the weight aspect.

You could get into a smaller footprint trailer if you went with a hammock sleeping setup and plan a deployment frame.

Ultimately getting SxS and trailer up an incline can be accomplished with your winch. Consider a rear mount winch on the SxS and a swing down front limited swivel tire on the trailer or a tongue mount winch on the trailer. That would allow you to uncouple and winch the trailer up behind you. Chalk wheels and repeat as needed.

A lot of knowledge from a guy with no SxS 😎🤣



#NTC 👍
 
L

Lloydtheredneck

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i dont think dragging a trailer around on trails is what the machines are ment for. id say they are built for the trails, or to work around home pulling a trailer. 600lbs will get a tire/suspension/frame and thats about it. if its going to be built to withstand the beating that will ensue. aluminum is lightweight, but is rigid and cracks. steel flexes. i bought a nice aluminum enclosed trailer and that thing was a pogo stick, it went back to the dealer and swapped for a steel.
 
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Montecresto

Montecresto

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Looks really nice, but they are likely building on steel frames and they are heavy and wide for my needs. I might contact them and see if they do custom work.
Those are suited to Jeep’s and too heavy for a P5…..
 
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Montecresto

Montecresto

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i dont think dragging a trailer around on trails is what the machines are ment for.
Certainly not daily, but for an annual cross country trek, which I’ve done many of, the machines do just fine.

And I agree with you that an aluminum framed trailer wouldn’t hold up.
 
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