Expedition Trailers for a 258 CJ5?

[jzak]

Hey Guys,

So i'm looking into these expedition trailers that you find on the web. Companies like Turtleback, HEO, or Manley ORV trailers. I'm looking for a RTT trailer with enough stowage capacity for a possible cross country trip.

So what's the maximum tow weight that would work for my CJ5 . I've got a strong AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l with a TBI conversion, but in the end, its still just a inline 6. The last thing I want to do is to be overheating while i'm going up the Appalachian Trail at 5mph. Also some of these trailers are almost as big as my CJ. What's kind of trailer dimensions makes a good fit for a CJ?

Any help or trailer recommendations is much appreciated!

Cheers!

Josh

 

[Lumpy Grits]

My '85 CJ7 had the trailer option(didn't know there was one at the time)with heavy duty cooling and a higher amp output alternator.
In the paperwork was a statement that the max trailer weight was 2K lbs total.
For many years I towed a small Aristocrat 15' Lo-Liner at 1800lbs with a hitch weight about 250lbs camping trailer. Yes I installed trailer brakes, along with air shocks.
Sure it slowed me down on hills........
http://www.tincantourists.com/wiki/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=aristocrat_1977_16ft.jpg

I used the OEM draw bar and a sway-control. Went to many spots that I would not have seen otherwise.
Still miss that trailer, to this day.
LG

 

[Peanut Butter]

I have a small 4' x 6' utility trailer I tow behind my Jeep. Works pretty good. The key here is total weight, not size. 1000 lbs. is an ideal max, but you could do a little more. The big things to remember are not how fast you can get it going, but how do you stop it. Anything over 1000 lbs. and I'd try to get it with electric brakes. The other concern is tongue weight. Make sure you have a draw bar that is solidly attached to the frame. With the AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l the gearing you have will make all the difference in towing up hills and not crawling at 5 mph. Lots to consider, but start small and see how you do. Maybe try to test pull one of the trailers your looking at.

PS: Can't help but show off my little homemade trailer.



By the way, you can build one of those rigs a lot cheaper than you can buy one. Look at this link: Jeep-tub trailer and another: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/72697-Trailer-Box-Kit-by-jscherb

 

[gert]

:drool: Looking at some of the links you guys posted I found Dinoot trailers I so have to have one now and paint it to match my CJ when im painting it Jeep Trailer, M416 Build at Home or we build Fiberglass Kits

 

[Petescj]

:drool: Looking at some of the links you guys posted I found Dinoot trailers I so have to have one now and paint it to match my CJ when im painting it Jeep Trailer, M416 Build at Home or we build Fiberglass Kits

The Dinoot trailers were designed by Jeff Scherb from CJ8 .com. Jeff has done a lot of custom fiberglass work and his results are amazing. You can build your Dinoot for just about any outdoor/off-road adventure. I love the trailer top tent addition.

I'm looking for a pop up camper right now and a quick Google search put the tow rating of a CJ7 at 1500 lbs. That's pretty much inline with what Lumpy quoted and all the additional items he added are well thought out. I'm a little worried about my set up though being I have 2.72 gears.

 

[gert]

The Dinoot trailers were designed by Jeff Scherb from CJ8 .com. Jeff has done a lot of custom fiberglass work and his results are amazing. You can build your Dinoot for just about any outdoor/off-road adventure. I love the trailer top tent addition.

I'm looking for a pop up camper right now and a quick Google search put the tow rating of a CJ7 at 1500 lbs. That's pretty much inline with what Lumpy quoted and all the additional items he added are well thought out. I'm a little worried about my set up though being I have 2.72 gears.

2.72 gears are meant for highway gas mileage figures. Best bet would be to try it and see, but im betting you will be getting lower gears. I really like the CJ truck Jeff Scherb built. I really really like the fenders he came up with. I have been wanting some kind of off road capable sleeping trailer and really like how Dinoot trailer looking like the back end of a CJ I also dig the fold out tent set up now I would have to figure out an out door toilet and shower for the wife lol I have wanted to be able to trailer a pop up to where ever im wheelin and camp where I stop.

 

[Petescj]

2.72 gears are meant for highway gas mileage figures. Best bet would be to try it and see, but im betting you will be getting lower gears. I really like the CJ truck Jeff Scherb built. I really really like the fenders he came up with. I have been wanting some kind of off road capable sleeping trailer and really like how Dinoot trailer looking like the back end of a CJ I also dig the fold out tent set up now I would have to figure out an out door toilet and shower for the wife lol I have wanted to be able to trailer a pop up to where ever im wheelin and camp where I stop.

I loved Jeffs Gaucho project too. A guy in Jersey bought it and hasn't done squat with it since. Peanut Butter and Scooter have already started their truck build in the build section. I'm going to as well biut not till I move in Spring. I liked Those fenders Jeff made so much that I tried to buy a set. Unfortunately he never kept the molds.

 

[95yjman]

:drool: Looking at some of the links you guys posted I found Dinoot trailers I so have to have one now and paint it to match my CJ when im painting it Jeep Trailer, M416 Build at Home or we build Fiberglass Kits

He does make some really cool stuff. He's the guy that makes the side Jerry can mounts doesn't he?

 

[Peanut Butter]

He does make some really cool stuff. He's the guy that makes the side Jerry can mounts doesn't he?

Yes he does. Here are some more links to his projects:

LJ-8 project - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

Jeep-tub trailer

"Gaucho" CJ stepside pickup build - JeepForum.com

New World Cabs?

Retro Wrangler/Willys Project (Long))

"Safari Cab" custom hardtop project - JeepForum.com

Trailer Box Kit by jscherb - Expedition Portal

"Safari Cab" modular hardtop project - Expedition Portal

OT: Retro Wrangler/Willys Pickup (long)

It takes a while to read through all his stuff, but I think you'll like it. He has sold some of his designs. So there are companies out there make some of his fiberglass parts. He also recently sold a design for mole strap pouches that hook to the roll bars. You can find him at SEMA every year and usually the Jeep Easter Safari. GR8TOPS bought one of his designs, Safari Top.

So there's the entire low down, now that your inspired, what will you build?

 

[95yjman]

Yes he does. Here are some more links to his projects:



LJ-8 project - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum



Jeep-tub trailer



"Gaucho" CJ stepside pickup build - JeepForum.com



New World Cabs?



Retro Wrangler/Willys Project (Long))



"Safari Cab" custom hardtop project - JeepForum.com



Trailer Box Kit by jscherb - Expedition Portal



"Safari Cab" modular hardtop project - Expedition Portal



OT: Retro Wrangler/Willys Pickup (long)



It takes a while to read through all his stuff, but I think you'll like it. He has sold some of his designs. So there are companies out there make some of his fiberglass parts. He also recently sold a design for mole strap pouches that hook to the roll bars. You can find him at SEMA every year and usually the Jeep Easter Safari. GR8TOPS bought one of his designs, Safari Top.



So there's the entire low down, now that your inspired, what will you build?

Shoot, I still have to get my Cj running and driving first! Lol then I can focus on adding mod's

 

[jzak]

Thanks for the spirited feedback guys, and all the really helpful online resources! I think you may have raised more questions then answers for me, but that's how you learn.

I was thinking about the Dinoot trailer for a while, but when you add up everything its really only around $1,500 less then some of these other trailers i've been looking at. When you include the fact you're gunna have to assemble the whole thing yourself, it really starts to loose its appeal.

My situation is i'm working in Iraq, so the idea is at the end of my contract spend maybe a couple weeks back home, then head out west, so i don't really have the time to commit to a trailer build. Especially since most of my time is gunna be getting my CJ5 ready.

I'm beggining to think the Highland Expedition Outfitters T3 trailer is the way to go. With the Tent, it only weighs around 700 Lbs, it's built like a tank, and there's an option for Electric Brakes. At $7500 its twice the price i paid for my CJ, but working in Iraq, I haven't spent a penny on anything all year, so why not treat myself.

T3 | Highland Expedition Outfitters

 

[gert]

Sure is a nice trailer, I spent 2.5 years in Afghanistan I know all about being excited to get home, I still remember counting days hours and minutes waiting to get on the freedom flight home

 

[Peanut Butter]

Know that feeling. Blacked out take off out of Bosnia. Was glad when the lights came back on. Stop over in Ireland was nice too.

Since you got money to burn take a look at the cats meow of off-road trailers: Moby1 Expedition Trailers LLC

 

[jzak]

Thanks guys! I still got a few more months before heading back home, but planning stuff like this keeps me positive. I also worked in Afghanistan. We had a three year development project in Bamyan. A Beautiful place, but not much to do. At least here in Kurdistan, I can buy beer.

The Moby is a pretty bad *** rig, but i'm not sure if i wanna drop 20 Grand on a trailer. I could get a frame-off restored CJ for that kind of money. I think $8,000 is my absolute limit, and i cringe even thinking about dropping a bank roll like that on something I'm only gonna use a few times a year.

Another option would be to buy one second hand, but I haven't found anything on Craigslist, or other websites. Any recommendations? I can across one over a year ago on Craigslist. It would of been perfect, but he was asking $6,000 which was more then I wanted to spend at the time. I'm kicking myself for not jumping on it now.