Camper Trailer.

[terryc]

What have you got?
Good and bad points?

Now we have the D22, time to start going to all those Aussie locations the CFO wants to visit. However, we are a bit beyond erecting a tent and comfy mattress each night.

So today we started visiting the camper trailer manufacturers around Sydney. Bottom end up with excellent results; tents that were more involved than the old fossicker, so (cough) the budget increased a little.

 

[scottybobcat]

I have an ezytrail offroad camper.The thing is great with the king size matress,just added a pillow top and comfy as not hard to erect (not like my other thing lol) I have the choice of just having the main tent or I can add 2 more rooms onto it.I have a 60ltr water tank with elec pump,big toolbox,elec brakes,battery pack,solar panel and made a draw system up for all of the food and the like.I need to move the toolbox,spare wheel and stone gaurd forward by 120mm so I can put a 100mm pipe in to carry the tent poles as there bloody heavy when all in the one bag.

 

[Queenslander]

You have just opened a can of worms, picking the right camper could send a bloke mad. I had been drooling over them for years, then one day it all fell into place and I was free to get what ever I wanted. (I got a divorce) I spent months narrowing it down to just the right specs. I gave up on a second hand trailer, there just to expensive you may as well buy new. I had a budget of $15k. Then out of the blue I fell over a camper that wasn’t even for sale. It was 7 years old been used 4 times and the awning was still in its bag never been opened. Everything was wrong, the tent size the draw bar configuration the extras I wanted, there was almost nothing on the trailer I wanted, except for its price. The owner paid $12k for it new and once I started poking around decided he didn’t want it anymore and would take $6k for it.

My point is, look ask questions and keep looking, there’s a lot of garbage out there. Just be ready have your money sorted, because if the right one comes along grab it, the bargains don’t last long. In the end I decided that I could get by with out the bells and whistles I had wanted because of the money I was saving and over time I can add to the trailer. There’s nothing wrong starting off with a basic camper.

The big feature of my camper is its kitchen and it’s also the biggest wast of money IMO. It’s an Italian made apparently, 4 burner cook top plus a griller, stainless steel sink and draws, the whole sabang. A $15.00 cooker from Kmart works just as well and you can move it around. The sink is small and then you have to run a hose off it so the gray water isn’t running through your camp. Back to Kmart and a $5 plastic tub works even better. The weight of the kitchen has cracked the welds on the tail gate hinges. Kitchens can cost thousands and I just don’t think there worth it. I only boil the billy on mine and even then I think the $15.00 cooker would be quicker. I never cook on it and why would you? Do you cook in the middle of a tent? I take a Webber babyQ. Best BBQ’s ever made.

Good luck they are a great thing, I don’t miss pitching tents. Just take your time to sort out the lemons.

 

[Dotcom]

To what ever camper you buy thats suits your budget the biggest failure i have seen when people buy a camper and deal with a bad dealer that there camper trailer is wider than there 4x4 or there axle width does't match there 4x4 creating extra drag and work on the 4x4 down at the beach or sand dunes

 

[Nevyn]

The best setup I've seen is with the Drifta kitchen. You can pull it out and put it anywhere. I don't think it had a sink or cooker in it because like Queenslander said

I never cook on it and why would you? Do you cook in the middle of a tent? I take a Webber babyQ. Best BBQ’s ever made.

x2 on the babyQ

 

[merchant]

I looked around for months and months for a camper that suited what the wife and i wanted to do and go. It had to be well built and strong, super offroad capable, not overly heavy etc etc. In the end i gave up cos i couldn't find one i liked. I should say however that i did find the one i liked but it was spread over 12 different makes and models. No one trailer suited what i wanted and the thing the really annoyed me is that they are all bloody expensive for what they actually are. A trailer.

So what did i do, i built one. I researched set ups and over about a year i built the best trailer going around. I bought a tent of Ebay (not the best but did the job) and ordered all the steel and panels off a local merchant who helped with advice when needed. I used a newish inverter stick welder and away i went.

The thing was fantastic. It went everywhere without any trouble and it towed magically.

I used it 3 times and then sold it to someone who saw me towing it around town and wanted it.

Cost to build $7000. Sold $9500

I now have a Goldstream wind up camper.

Good luck

 

[WoodyD40]

I have a 2nd hand PARAMOUNT camper trailer - i dont think the qld company exists anymore ...

It has a GALV chasis, ALUMINIUM body and a great h/d tent, and approx 70 tank under. Comes with zip on awning and sides to make a 2nd room as big as the main tent. Kitchen on draw bar has a plastic tub for a sink, a bolt on 2 burner gas stove (only use to boil kettle for coffe and making b+eggs in mornings). Like others, i cook over the fire for main meals, or use a SPIT ROAST when possible.

It has 2 boxs on the draw bar with spare tyre. I also would like to re-arrange and have a purpose built box on draw bar that can house the spit roast, 2x spare tyres and the necessary jockey wheel and other equipment to level and chock the trailer when camping.

I would also like to put a decent solar panel on the top of new box to keep the battery charged.

Anyone in SE melbourne good with making custom box's ?

 

[Fox]

Always buy the best that you can afford, and learn from the mistakes of others.
Make sure you can set it up easily for an overnight stop, or rip it down fast when the storm clouds roll in !!

I have an Australian built "Camp-o-Matic" (not the Cub) and could not be happier with ease of set-up and it's off road capabilities

 

[Old.Tony]

My wife and I looked over the pop-up campers and off-road campers and in the end we decided that for the style of traveling we enjoy, none of them are suitable.

We like to drive - and drive and drive and drive - and stop when we're hungry, or tired, or need a rest room break. If we see something interesting we stop for that.

It's really, really difficult to stop in a rest area frequented by other road users and pop a camper up, make the meal, have a snooze, then pack it all up in a hurry and move on.

Because of the way we do things, the full-sized van was essential. Finding one with a solid chassis that could take a bit of a beating was a challenge, but we managed it.

If money goes the way I would like, we'll gladly change it - for a Kedron. They have 21' vans with matching wheels to the tow vehicle and they are RUGGED. But for now, this thing is brilliant. Twin axles make it super-stable to tow. If it's bucketing down with rain, I don't have to wind up this part, fold this out, peg that down and connect this widget to that and then zip this to that. Just open the door and get in.

It's all up to what you want to do with it, really. I pay a penalty in fuel - the thing weighs 1.8T, but has an inner-spring mattress that's always ready for a quick nap, a 140L 12V/240V fridge and a shower/toilet. We are completely self-sufficient no matter where we go.

 

[WoodyD40]

I agree with you Tony, partcularly with your style of touring.

Long term, a Kedron caravan is on my 'wish list'.
It will have to have Independant suspension and at least a full size queen bed (length and width).

But for the moment, the camper trailer style of holidays will suit for a few years - it is easy to open the tailgate and use the sink and stove within minutes of stopping (even in a carpark area) and quick to pack up too. All we need to access is either in the tail gate of the camper, or in the fridge in the Ute.

Only thing we can't do, is have a snooze unless we set-it up somewhere. But there is always the picnic blanket on the grass option .... :GRIN:

 

[KraftyPg]

Only thing we can't do, is have a snooze unless we set-it up somewhere. But there is always the picnic blanket on the grass option .... :GRIN:

With a grin like that remind me never to go bush with you

 

[WoodyD40]

With a grin like that remind me never to go bush with you :eviltongue;

damm ... you were at the top of my 'who to invite' list.

 

[KraftyPg]

Awe if you put it that way

 

[WoodyD40]

back on topic ...

if ever i upgrade the camper trailer - i will seriously look at one with independant suspension instead of lazy axle. I do have concerns if i ever do a long drive over corragations with a lazy axle and leaf springs (no shocks) what kind of breakages i'll get with the rattles.

 

[heata]

I'm in the research phase also, and I agree you could go mad!!!! do you spend the best part of 20k because its aussie made? do you get on ebay and pick up and import with the works for about 6k???
In the end we have hired one and will hire a few over the next six months to choose. We hired a top of the line with independant suspension for $60 a day. I reckon its worth doing this a few times to see what works.

 

[terryc]

We are still at the very initial research stage, but I tend to regard the whole thing as a journey in itself and expect to have a number of stages as time and money allow.

Initial goal is to use our current camping gear and to get a trailer to carry the stuff and buy a tent to go on top(?) that is very easy to erect. That tent looks a bit difficult atm. Also checking CT.org. Myswag.org, TP and fleabay for a bargain.

Second goal is to build one, which may take a few years, but should give us exactly what we want/need. Unfortunately, might need to get a new welder as my current stick just won't do 2mm stuff and I'll have to relearn the canvas sewing skills.

Later, when we can no longer do the off the track stuff, might go for the Jayco/ Goldstream/ Coromal/ Opalite/ 4-OS-brands style. We are not so much drivers, but like to potter/camp/potter for a while.

Tomorrow is day two of looking at places. Day one was the bottom end with Chinese palatial tents. Hopefully we can find something that is a bit more self contained and doesn't involve 140-160kg of tent and poles to drag in and out.

 

[Queenslander]

In the end we have hired one and will hire a few over the next six months to choose. We hired a top of the line with independant suspension for $60 a day. I reckon its worth doing this a few times to see what works.

There's a top tip, great way to find out what works for you and what dosn't.

 

[d22dave]

The best setup I've seen is with the Drifta kitchen. You can pull it out and put it anywhere. I don't think it had a sink or cooker in it

I have a drifta kitchen in our trackabout camper. The wife liked the draws and bench space , quick to setup . No weight on tail gate because slides in an out on trailer floor. The sink is a plastic tub and you put a 2 or 3 burner stove in it, We cook toast on it and the billy. The rest we cook outside.

 

[terryc]

What does a Drifta kitchen weigh?

I've seen them in looking around and they are a possibility, but it will be a latter addition.

 

[d22dave]

What does a Drifta kitchen weigh?
.

Dont know about weight , Trailer is about 600 kg i believe. Plus drifta kitchen and draws, And everything else. I will put it over a weigh bridge loaded one day. The hilux 2.8 struggled to get ,stay or go over a 100 towing the trailer. Hence the upgrade now i need cruise cause i struggle to keep my speed down. The nav loves towing the trailer