Towed Trailer Tips

[tony johnston]

I am going to buy a small(<500kg)single axle trailer to tow behind my Qashqai to take all my base tent fit out for extended,site based,winter trips to Morocco.

The trailer will be made by a specialist in the town near where i live to a standard design but,i have the opportunity to have my own extras designed in.So,i have two questions:

1.Any tips for inclusion in the design details.

2.Any tips or experiences to pass on for driving with a small trailer in tow.

[markharf]

I'm not clear why you feel the need for a trailer at all. In general, they're a pain at times, require maintenance, cost money on toll roads and ferries, mess with your gas mileage and ability to negotiate marginal roads (not to mention parking garages and city streets), cause wear and tear on compact car engines, plus more like that.

But assuming this is something you really believe practical, some details about what you expect it to accomplish for you and what sorts of luxuries you do or do not crave might help attract useful responses. I can easily spend US$10,000 on a teardrop trailer direct from the factory--far more if I want full solar, flatscreen TV, satellite hookup, and lots of other bells and whistles. Here's one at a base price of $26k (plus options, tax, registration, insurance...): https://coloradoteardrops.com/canyonlandpinnacle/.

Then there are hard or soft-sided, pop-ups--lighter and cheaper, mostly. Some folks build for themselves on a basic trailer frame, with only a bed, a window, and a couple of lights run off the car battery; maybe that's what you've got in mind. My all-time favorite was a single wheel/two point hitch trailer I had, manufactured in 1958 and sold by Sears Roebuck; the wheel pivoted freely, keeping the trailer in line with the tow car. That allowed me to carry stuff like long ladders spanning them both. No issues with backing up, either.

Anything more specific than "small, single-axle?"

Mark

[tony johnston]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for your reply.

What i am going to buy is a simple steel box on wheels with a lid.Similar to the old UK Military Sankey trailer.

I am going to throw all my tent and shit into it rather than have it in the car.
If i do end up sleeping in it,it will be because i fell into it pissed!

[markharf]

"If i do end up sleeping in it,it will be because i fell into it pissed!"

An important distinction when it comes to trailers!

I'll offer one more bit of input before leaving you to posters who can directly address your questions (rather than strew red herrings in your path): Although I own a small trailer and could tow it behind my small-ish (by American standards) car, I've never taken it on a road trip. Instead, I mount a roof box into which all my camping gear fits easily, along with stuff I don't want inside--smelly boots are prominent in this category--and anything else lightweight but bulky. Its carrying capacity is limited to a couple of hundred pounds/~100 kilos, but that's a lot of bedding, tents, clothing, chairs, skis, and the aforementioned boots. Camping gear--or at least, my camping gear--doesn't really weigh much.

Disadvantages to this approach include increased sidewind profile and fuel consumption, but these are not as bad as they'd be with a trailer. I leave the box in place much of the year, since it's never really in the way even when not in use. It was cheap to purchase and is free of ongoing expenses or maintenance. However, it doesn't trumpet "rugged adventurer out here having rugged adventures" the way a trailer might--this could be considered a drawback or a bonus, depending.

There's no doubt I'd bring my trailer if I ever had to carry hundreds and hundreds of pounds of supplies--including if I were bringing a motorbike along--but so far I haven't, and don't. Take that as a single data point, and have fun doing what works for you.

Mark

[Rognv]

Originally Posted by tony johnston

I am going to buy a small(<500kg)single axle trailer to tow behind my Qashqai

Hi,

A Qashgai is not the biggest vehicle but I want to say, make sure the trailer isn´t too small. When I drive with a trailer I want to be able to see the trailer while driving. It is a real pain driving backwards when you can´t see the trailer. Best to have the trailer about same wide as vehicle.

Just my opinion.

Rögnvaldur

[tony johnston]

Thanks Rogn,

The width of the trailer and so,stability is one of my main concerns.

The trailer i am looking at is 1.75m long x 1.15m wide and the body is 600mm deep incl lid.They are very common here in Southern Spain but how will they behave on a 1000km road trip.I am happy to drive at <80km/hr and,in fact,in Morocco that is the max speed on non-motorway roads anyway.

My other concern,for the same reason,is the suspension system(or lack of it).

These are really the areas where i would like to share others experiences plus any handy tips to include at the fabrication stage.

Happy Trails

[tony johnston]

One little thought i had was to have something like a CB radio aerial fitted on the rear of the trailer so that i can see where the rear is and how it is moving(yuk)
.

[Vaufi]

You might find some ideas here: Trailer Manufacturers South Africa | XRAD
This type of trailer is very popular in South Africa.