A TJ sized camper

A prototype Trax Kitchen undergoing weather testing :).

EasternIowa_zpsi6bbu2gd.jpg


Both photos taken on the way to SEMA 2019, I towed this prototype to the show for them.

UtahViewArea1_zpssdlmg8uj.jpg


At the SEMA Show:

TraxKitchen_zpswg5eolmp.jpg
 
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Here's our current version of a camper.
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I love all of these so much. I'm thinking teardrop with AC would be amazing, but I'm loving that kitchentrax setup for the simplicity. I've got too many projects unfortunately to start building anything and too many projects to afford the kitchen setup.

My current "off-road" trailer is a like a converted boat or jet ski to utility trailer. I added some boxes earlier this year, but it's just going to be for some additional hand tools and gas powered air compressor so it's easier to support our broken down tractors.
TJ Utility Trailer.jpg


I got the trailer pretty cheap, but it had a broken axle when I picked it up.
Bent Trailer.jpg


It tows really well. I didn't fix it until after I swapped the Cummins in place of the 4.0. I really haven't even noticed much MPG drop since the mud tires and roof rack. Towing or nothing, it's like low 20s to high teens, but my tank has fuel on the outside of it, so I probably need to see what's going on at some point.
 
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Goatman said:
Holy 💩! How could they get it that heavy? My thought was with my bad sciatic I need something low to get into, while still full height. And the older slide-ins are very affordable around my area. I'm due for a good idea.🤬 Actually way over due.
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I think you will find that virtually every single rear wheel truck camper out there is overloaded. In the case of the 3/4 ton trucks (F250, etc.), severely overloaded. Our F350 has the high gross weight option (11,500 lbs) and when loaded full up we exceed that by about 500 lbs. it handles that load nicely and we never exceed the axle ratings (which can get you in trouble in Canada I am told). Our camper is small, and as noted before has no slide-out, A/C or generator. Those things would add another 500 lbs easy. A 2WD, gas powered, short bed will have maybe an additional 1000 lbs of payload capacity. But seriously, who would want to make those compromises? I think the only reasonable way to stay below weight limits is to buy a dually. I didn’t want that because, while it is not a Jeep, the single rear wheel truck is reasonably off-road capable.
 
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I doubt that trailer is under 2klbs. With most of that being on the tung. Towed by a novice, probably going way to fast on the trail.

I see 2 steel boxes in front of it. Probably filled with batteries/water
Rack
rtt
canopy
plus whatever is in the camper
 
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Daz7 said:
This has more to do with operator error than a Jeep issue. Interesting fact is that we see a lot of this thing in those travelling around Australia in overloaded Dual cabs - Mitsubishi Tritons appear to have the worst track record.
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Cruisers are the favorite over there correct? They seem to handle an extreme amount of weight guys run.
 
BuildBreakRepeat said:
Cruisers are the favorite over there correct? They seem to handle an extreme amount of weight guys run.
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They are however the midsize dual cab market is huge and they are the ones having this issue.

The Cruisers when setup as a lot of the guys do are very near to/over GVM. Theres a massive market here for GVM upgrades at a very exxy price.
 
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Daz7 said:
They are however the midsize dual cab market is huge and they are the ones having this issue.

The Cruisers when setup as a lot of the guys do are very near to/over GVM. Theres a massive market here for GVM upgrades at a very exxy price.
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Anytime I see the “truck” conversions where it looks like a box or flatbed style on the back I just imagine how much force those axles are taking. I really like your approach of dividing the weight between trailer and Jeep.
 
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jscherb said:
This one's a little larger, but still smaller than a TJ. It's a work in progress, the interior isn't done yet.

View attachment 144605

View attachment 144606

Prior to the photos above it looked like this, the "cabin" above is modular and removable so it can be used as a simple pop-up like this too:

View attachment 144607

View attachment 144608
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There was a company that was going to start producing these modular trailer parts you designed right?m, did that ever happen?
 
Midnight LJR said:
There was a company that was going to start producing these modular trailer parts you designed right?m, did that ever happen?
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Yes. The fiberglass Jeep-tub and military replica trailer kits I designed are now manufactured and sold by www.dinoot.com.

And, Tentrax (https://www.tentrax.com/new) is about to release a trailer kitchen that I designed.
 
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jscherb said:
Yes. The fiberglass Jeep-tub and military replica trailer kits I designed are now manufactured and sold by www.dinoot.com.

And, Tentrax (https://www.tentrax.com/new) is about to release a trailer kitchen that I designed.
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Cool, I was aware of those. I thought at one time someone was gonna make the fiberglass corner pieces to allow you to make the Dinoot it into like a teardrop style. Like the above photos.
 
Midnight LJR said:
Cool, I was aware of those. I thought at one time someone was gonna make the fiberglass corner pieces to allow you to make the Dinoot it into like a teardrop style. Like the above photos.
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As part of my trailer design projects, I designed and made molds for a series of framing parts that make it easy to assemble a very professional looking camper top for Jeep-tub trailers. Here are a few of the parts:

PartsSoFar1_zps6677c2ae.jpg


There's a special set of parts for making teardrops, including framing for the curved rear hatch to make one of the more difficult parts of making a teardrop easy.

AssemblyDone1_zps16d4ed4e.jpg


AssemblyDone3_zps92834b7f.jpg


The parts can be used for simpler things, like this hinged lid:

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RtWindow1_zps98ca3ce4.jpg


The same lid/pop-up canvas is used in this larger camper:

TiltUp2_zps8rjkiejo.jpg


These parts haven't made it to the market although I've still got all the molds.
 
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jscherb said:
As part of my trailer design projects, I designed and made molds for a series of framing parts that make it easy to assemble a very professional looking camper top for Jeep-tub trailers. Here are a few of the parts:

View attachment 159486

There's a special set of parts for making teardrops, including framing for the curved rear hatch to make one of the more difficult parts of making a teardrop easy.

View attachment 159487

View attachment 159488

The parts can be used for simpler things, like this hinged lid:

View attachment 159489

View attachment 159490

The same lid/pop-up canvas is used in this larger camper:

View attachment 159491

These parts haven't made it to the market although I've still got all the molds.
Click to expand...

That's awesome! I just got all excited about a TJ looking tear drop trailer!
 
jscherb said:
As part of my trailer design projects, I designed and made molds for a series of framing parts that make it easy to assemble a very professional looking camper top for Jeep-tub trailers. Here are a few of the parts:

View attachment 159486

There's a special set of parts for making teardrops, including framing for the curved rear hatch to make one of the more difficult parts of making a teardrop easy.

View attachment 159487

View attachment 159488

The parts can be used for simpler things, like this hinged lid:

View attachment 159489

View attachment 159490

The same lid/pop-up canvas is used in this larger camper:

View attachment 159491

These parts haven't made it to the market although I've still got all the molds.
Click to expand...

Darn! Those are the ones I was talking about was the pieces for the hinged lid for the Dinoot.
 
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RustyAutoholicGuy said:
That's awesome! I just got all excited about a TJ looking tear drop trailer!
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A few more photos of the teardrop proof-of-concept:

RTTTest2_zps250b0e63.jpg


TwoGorillas_zps5db94c27.jpg


I never finished the teardrop, but I thought if I finished it I would do a mural on the side, maybe something like this...

SunsetMuralAppliedYellow_zps88fea694.jpg


I built the teardrop shell as a proof-of-concept for the framing components; once I assembled the basic shell and proved the concept I put the parts aside and haven't done anything with them since then. They've been in a storage room in my basement for the past few years.

TeardropParts_zpsnx1em4ha.jpg
 
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jscherb said:
A few more photos of the teardrop proof-of-concept:

View attachment 159500

View attachment 159501

I never finished the teardrop, but I thought if I finished it I would do a mural on the side, maybe something like this...

View attachment 159502

I built the teardrop shell as a proof-of-concept for the framing components; once I assembled the basic shell and proved the concept I put the parts aside and haven't done anything with them since then. They've been in a storage room in my basement for the past few years.

View attachment 159503
Click to expand...
I enjoy seeing all the cool things you make. Amazing work.
 
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