Does anyone here have firsthand experience building up your own overlanding/adventure trailer? I have read on several different forums more dedicated to that topic, but thought I would start with this group to see what experience people had. I took lots of hunting trips this year which now has me wanting to build up something dedicated to adventure that my son and I can use for trips. I have been window shopping on ready built trailers over the past couple of months and then got the opportunity to get a small utility trailer free of charge that I don’t necessarily need as a utility trailer so am thinking about building one up just for the experience of doing it myself. It appears there are lots of options on accessories, kitchen setups, sleep arrangements, etc., so the first part is planning out what all I want to be on it. I am in the very early stages but hopefully over the next 6 months I will be able to get it all lined out before hunting starts up again.
If you already have a flatbed trailer confirm what the weight rating is for it. Then personally I would search for a used small RV that you could remove all of the axles etc and mount to the flat bed. The remodel the RV shell with what you want. You can find used old RV’s for relatively cheap and remodel/upgrade. If your flatbed is good size you could even haul a toy on it like a 4 wheeler.
I would love to take on a project like this. You can buy a lot of the RV stuff like fridges, furnaces, etc online. The Vevor diesel heaters are pretty cool and economical.
An alternate path could be an enclosed trailer for hauling toys etc and you modify it with beds, kitchen, water, electric, etc. Basically starting from a box and build out.
Depends how off road you want to go as well.
We have a normal 5th wheel toy hauler but too big and nice to be dragging out on mountain roads. I’d love the option to do that or have both.
Why not just get a used travel trailer and maybe redo the supension?
I do not have first hand experience, but have considered this quite a bit. I would think about where you will go and the odds of needing “overland” capabilities. For my needs, largely Midwest, I think maintained “fire roads” are as rough as I would need. I did see some good looking cargo trailer conversions for upland hunting not too long ago but can’t find them now
will be interested to see what you end up with.
The trailer is much to small for an RV shell. I am thinking much more simple at the moment. The things I am thinking are a roof top tent up on a stand, 12v fridge, stove, dry storage, area lighting, solar panel, water tank, and heater. Overlanding trailer is definitely too strong of a term for what I plan to use it for, but that is the most common word used. It will mostly be pulled down dirt roads near the areas I hunt, so no major technical terrain. It is only about 10’ long so space is somewhat limited but should be plenty for no more than I want to put on it. With the tent elevated, it should leave some storage underneath on the actual trailer for additional items that I might need. I have thought about upgrading the suspension on it to something a little more easy riding. First order of business will be new led lights and replacing the wood floor with a diamond plate floor.
I am in Oklahoma so the “fire roads” you mentioned would be comparable to most of the areas I hunt.
You should talk to Dan Empfield(slowman) here. He just built from the ground up his own camper. Started with an old flatbed diesel and then did everything from scratch. And he made it like a disc wheel too, all carbon fibre!!! We are going to go on a little shake down trip in 8 days, so will check out all the appliances..