That really is a dream utility trailer setup, so much versatility for camping, work around the house etc.
Thank you for taking the time to share and explain everything.
Thank you for taking the time to share and explain everything.
A TJ sized camper
- Thread starter whitrzac
- Start date
I am looking at small popup trailers at the moment. Something around 1500# dry that'll sleep us and two little boys that will usually get towed by the minivan but can also be towed by the Jeep. A/C is a must for us.
They make some of those 'fiberglass egg' style travel trailers that sleep 4 and weigh under 2,000.
Those are Scamps, Burro, and also Casitas (sp). I have a Scamp. I haven't tried towing it with the Jeep but I want to someday. It has electric brakes on it and someone gave me the set up for the Jeep, but it just hasn't been a huge priority. LOL Now that hubby is only working 3 days a week, we will be able to get things going and try towing it with the Jeep.
Here is a pic of a Scamp.
I have an '86 Cadet fiberglass "project" trailer. It's one of many types and they all seem to have a solid group of enthusiasts.
If you're looking this is a good source but you have to act fast.
https://www.fiberglassrv.com/
I haven't gotten around to finishing the interior of this camper because of other projects and also I seem to need it empty so often to help the kids move. But stay-at-home time has given me an opportunity to do a little work on the camper configuration so I installed a spare MORryde Trail Kitchen in it. The kitchen includes a slide for the fridge, several drawers, a sink with running water and a propane stove.
There's a drawer unit beside the base kitchen:
And the kitchen itself has a drawer:
Everything folds up and slides into the trailer as this anim GIF shows...
If the anim above doesn't work, here's a video:
The kitchen is mounted to nutserts in the floor of the trailer so it installs/removes in minutes for times when I need the trailer empty to haul things. Right after taking these photos I removed the kitchen because tomorrow I'm bringing the empty trailer to DC to help my daughter move.
Because MORryde borrows my Jeeps often for their shows, I have another Trail Kitchen that gets installed in either the LJ or the JKU as needed and both of those Jeeps include a mount for a kitchen battery and a charging system to keep the kitchen battery charged. I'll use the same charging system to maintain the trailer battery - there's a power connector on the bumper of the JKU that the trailer will plug into.
There's a drawer unit beside the base kitchen:
And the kitchen itself has a drawer:
Everything folds up and slides into the trailer as this anim GIF shows...
If the anim above doesn't work, here's a video:
The kitchen is mounted to nutserts in the floor of the trailer so it installs/removes in minutes for times when I need the trailer empty to haul things. Right after taking these photos I removed the kitchen because tomorrow I'm bringing the empty trailer to DC to help my daughter move.
Because MORryde borrows my Jeeps often for their shows, I have another Trail Kitchen that gets installed in either the LJ or the JKU as needed and both of those Jeeps include a mount for a kitchen battery and a charging system to keep the kitchen battery charged. I'll use the same charging system to maintain the trailer battery - there's a power connector on the bumper of the JKU that the trailer will plug into.
The fiberglass ones look very interesting but push the weight pretty close in most cases. They are surprisingly expensive as well, even used! I will keep my eyes open for them as an option though. We need to sleep 4, need a/c, and weight of probably 1700lb dry max to accommodate being pulled by the Jeep with at least a little gear in it.
That Dinoot looks awesome! That's going to sleep 2 I assume?
That Dinoot looks awesome! That's going to sleep 2 I assume?
Thanks. Yes, it'll be set up to sleep two. This is the basic plan, a raised bed platform above the kitchen and storage. The end of the bed will swing down to provide standing room for changing. I'm 6'6" and I can easily stand in it.
Vidar
TJ Enthusiast
Check out Livin Lite Quicksilver trailers. We have the 8’. It’s all aluminum and weighs in around 800#s dry, with a 1500# gross weight. Tows really easily behind my TJ. In fact, the TJ drives better with the camper than my wife’s WJ with a V8 pulling it. The quicksilvers are a bit pricy, but there is nothing to rot (other than the steel axle).
The parts for my cover came into today from Trail Top Campers. They appear to be very well made.
GorillaBiscuit
TJ Enthusiast
I don't know if they still make these or not, but I would love to have one in Flame red to match Big Red.
Thanks, they were great to deal with.
I am hoping to learn to sew a canvas top and do my best to copy your fold up tent, that store under the lid.
Is there a sewing machine you would recommend for a beginner to learn on? Or am I better off designing it and having a boat place do it? I always wanted to mess around with making some things out of canvas like that.
I sewed the pop-up canvas using the machine pictured below. It's an early 60's Janome New Home machine. Many of today's plastic home sewing machines aren't robust enough to sew several layers of soft top fabric or to sew through the plastic strips that are used to retain the soft panels to the tub, but older all-metal machines like this one work very well. Machines like this can often be found on eBay for $100; I just checked eBay and there are a few, one is listed at $66.
Sewing Jeep and camper accessories isn't especially difficult, things like the pop-up camper canvas are mostly straight lines of stitching and there's no complicated tailoring like there might be with a piece of clothing, and canvas is easier to sew accurately than thin apparel fabric. There are also lots of instructional videos available online - check out Sailrite.com, they're a boat canvas/sewing supply place (I get a lot of my supplies there) and they've done many videos on different aspects of sewing boat tops, side windows, bimini and dodger tops and all of those techniques apply to doing a camper pop-up (or mods to soft tops or roll-up soft sides for modular hardtops). They even have a "learning to sew" section which shows techniques for sewing with canvas: https://www.sailrite.com/How-To-Projects-Guides/Projects-and-Tips/Learning-to-Sew
A sewing machine is an incredibly useful power tool for making Jeep accessories, I rank it right behind my metal-cutting bandsaw and ahead of my MIG welder in my list of favorite power tools for doing Jeep projects. I'm happy to offer any advice or help I can to people who want to learn to sew their own Jeep accessories.
I've got photos of most steps of the pop-up construction, so when you have questions I can probably post photos to help you. Probably best for you to start a thread on your project and you can ask questions there and I can help you in that thread rather than filling up this thread with lots of details many people might not be interested in
.
I sewed the pop-up canvas using the machine pictured below. It's an early 60's Janome New Home machine. Many of today's plastic home sewing machines aren't robust enough to sew several layers of soft top fabric or to sew through the plastic strips that are used to retain the soft panels to the tub, but older all-metal machines like this one work very well. Machines like this can often be found on eBay for $100; I just checked eBay and there are a few, one is listed at $66.
View attachment 166966
Sewing Jeep and camper accessories isn't especially difficult, things like the pop-up camper canvas are mostly straight lines of stitching and there's no complicated tailoring like there might be with a piece of clothing, and canvas is easier to sew accurately than thin apparel fabric. There are also lots of instructional videos available online - check out Sailrite.com, they're a boat canvas/sewing supply place (I get a lot of my supplies there) and they've done many videos on different aspects of sewing boat tops, side windows, bimini and dodger tops and all of those techniques apply to doing a camper pop-up (or mods to soft tops or roll-up soft sides for modular hardtops). They even have a "learning to sew" section which shows techniques for sewing with canvas: https://www.sailrite.com/How-To-Projects-Guides/Projects-and-Tips/Learning-to-Sew
A sewing machine is an incredibly useful power tool for making Jeep accessories, I rank it right behind my metal-cutting bandsaw and ahead of my MIG welder in my list of favorite power tools for doing Jeep projects. I'm happy to offer any advice or help I can to people who want to learn to sew their own Jeep accessories.
I've got photos of most steps of the pop-up construction, so when you have questions I can probably post photos to help you. Probably best for you to start a thread on your project and you can ask questions there and I can help you in that thread rather than filling up this thread with lots of details many people might not be interested in
I will start a thread for it once I get there, thank you!
I'll be watching for it. I was just about to ask if your parts for your trailer have started to come in yet.
I've got to pick up a few pieces of furniture this week, too much to fit in the Jeep, so my fiberglass military trailer will do the job. I keep both trailers in a storage unit because all of my garage bays are filled with Jeeps .
The furniture will be too large to fit under the fiberglass lid of the trailer, so I swapped the covered wagon canvas on instead.
I can't use this as a camper with the covered wagon top because I'm taller than a military trailer is long, but for people who aren't my size it could be a good camping solution. Or, the lid makes a good platform for a roof top tent, here's a photo from when I was setting it up as a camper for an earlier trip.
.The furniture will be too large to fit under the fiberglass lid of the trailer, so I swapped the covered wagon canvas on instead.
I can't use this as a camper with the covered wagon top because I'm taller than a military trailer is long, but for people who aren't my size it could be a good camping solution. Or, the lid makes a good platform for a roof top tent, here's a photo from when I was setting it up as a camper for an earlier trip.