Utility trailer setup.

[DLP]

Looking at purchasing a small utility trailer to take to the mountains with me this year. Those of you that haul stuff to the mountains with a utility trailer, what are your setups? Just regular trailers or do you install a little bit of a lift? Post pics if you have them.


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[Justin Crossley]

I've used enclosed trailers quite a bit for work and hunting. A couple of things I've learned.

E-track is a great addition for tying things down and also for accessories if you put it on the walls. (I have two rows in the walls of my trailer.)

I will only buy double axle trailers. They haul way better IMO and it's way too easy to overload the weight rating on cargo trailers. A blowout with a single axle trailer is usually a big mess. I've also seen trailer tires come off and/or axles break which can be devastating with a single but not a big deal when you have dual.

 

[isItFallYet]

Bringing this thread back up because I am looking for unique ideas too. Just purchased a 7’x14’ V nose tandem. I plan on using this to hunt with (western hunting, midwest whitetail, FL gulf waterfowl, and a local deer lease), as well as fishing salmon and steelhead runs in MI. Also, I will use it to camp out of when dirtbike/rzr riding with my kids.
So far it is wired for 110, I have a 2300 watt inverter generator, a 2,000 watt inverter with two large marine batteries.

Some of the other things I plan on doing:
-Make a counter with sink, propane stove and fridge, that will have large locking casters so that I can easily remove and wheel into my shop.
-Install an awning.
-possibly install a solar system with MDSS switch
-Maybe a water tank with a small 2 gallon water heater for outdoor showers.
-Fold down beds (right now I have cots)

Anyone done anything similar? Please share your unique ideas and pictures if you have any.

 

[beachbunny]

i'm looking for an m1101 (or m1102)right now,good solid trailer

 

[Titan_Bow]

Here's my setup. Its an M101a2 military trailer I picked up at a government auction for $475. I got all the rust off, painted it, had a custom canvas cover made, added batteries, a rack, onboard propane. I use it primarily to haul camping gear.

 

[Customweld]

I use a 7x16 . The etrac rails are definitely a must. The 2x4 board sockets and boards across the trailer and a cut down sheet of osb makes for a good mattress base. Mine is set about 2.5 feet off the floor, so you can use that space under the bed as storage. I haven't done anything as elaborate as a stove or shower. I am working on making a solar type shower out of 6" ABS pipe.

 

[beachbunny]

Here's my setup. Its an M101a2 military trailer I picked up at a government auction for $475. I got all the rust off, painted it, had a custom canvas cover made, added batteries, a rack, onboard propane. I use it primarily to haul camping gear.

boy, they aren't that cheap anymore, great setup! i like it,what size tires did you put on it?

 

[Missahba]

Here's my setup. Its an M101a2 military trailer I picked up at a government auction for $475. I got all the rust off, painted it, had a custom canvas cover made, added batteries, a rack, onboard propane. I use it primarily to haul camping gear.

Could you send pics of how you organize and load it? I have the WW2 version, Bantam B3-C. Planning on something similar. I still have the original wood bows for the canvas.

 

[isItFallYet]

Here's my setup. Its an M101a2 military trailer I picked up at a government auction for $475. I got all the rust off, painted it, had a custom canvas cover made, added batteries, a rack, onboard propane. I use it primarily to haul camping gear.

I was going to go this route. But some places are unreachable without a horse or ATVs/UTVs 50” or less to reach. So I bring my SxS just in case.

 

[isItFallYet]

I use a 7x16 . The etrac rails are definitely a must. The 2x4 board sockets and boards across the trailer and a cut down sheet of osb makes for a good mattress base. Mine is set about 2.5 feet off the floor, so you can use that space under the bed as storage. I haven't done anything as elaborate as a stove or shower. I am working on making a solar type shower out of 6" ABS pipe.

I considered using copper tubing that would go around my diesel exhaust. Using a waterpump, and a manual regen on my diesel truck, I think I could get the water hot pretty fast.

 

[String&stick]

Bringing this thread back up because I am looking for unique ideas too. Just purchased a 7’x14’ V nose tandem. I plan on using this to hunt with (western hunting, midwest whitetail, FL gulf waterfowl, and a local deer lease), as well as fishing salmon and steelhead runs in MI. Also, I will use it to camp out of when dirtbike/rzr riding with my kids.
So far it is wired for 110, I have a 2300 watt inverter generator, a 2,000 watt inverter with two large marine batteries.

Some of the other things I plan on doing:
-Make a counter with sink, propane stove and fridge, that will have large locking casters so that I can easily remove and wheel into my shop.
-Install an awning.
-possibly install a solar system with MDSS switch
-Maybe a water tank with a small 2 gallon water heater for outdoor showers.
-Fold down beds (right now I have cots)

Anyone done anything similar? Please share your unique ideas and pictures if you have any.

My dad has mine right now but I will see if he can send some pics. We have a 7x16ft v nose that we set up for hunting out of. E trac on floor and side walls, fold down beds, rear ramp door for loading 4 wheeler. We built shelves into the V for storage but they are stout enough to double as beds for kids or shorter people if need be.

We also opted for two roof vents and extra side vents, one of which we wired a 3 inch fan into. This was done because we occasionally run a propane stove inside, we have 2 carbon monoxide detectors installed as well. Then we wired in 2 LED lights on the inside and 2 LED flood lights on the outside. These are connected to a deep cycle battery that gets topped off daily by a 100w solar panel that rides inside and is set up once camp is made.

My dad and uncle will no longer use a wall tent due to the ease of use and comfort of the trailer (they also went overboard and bought semi sleeper mattresses for the fold down beds!

 

[ODB]

I’m still trying to find out if Manley ORV is actually making trailers anymore. They do not answer the phone, their email is broken, they will not reliably answer a FB message, yet act as though they are available for sale.

I like their design, but shit, doesn’t do much good if a company won’t answer the phone.

 

[thegrouse]

I use a small 4x6 single #3500 axle. Trailer is only 3' high with the racks on the top. I use it for camping gear.

 

[walterlee]

Here's my setup. Its an M101a2 military trailer I picked up at a government auction for $475. I got all the rust off, painted it, had a custom canvas cover made, added batteries, a rack, onboard propane. I use it primarily to haul camping gear.

This is awsome!

 

[sneaky]

Military trailers have gone through the roof since overlanding became en vogue.

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[Whisky]

My dad has mine right now but I will see if he can send some pics. We have a 7x16ft v nose that we set up for hunting out of. E trac on floor and side walls, fold down beds, rear ramp door for loading 4 wheeler. We built shelves into the V for storage but they are stout enough to double as beds for kids or shorter people if need be.

We also opted for two roof vents and extra side vents, one of which we wired a 3 inch fan into. This was done because we occasionally run a propane stove inside, we have 2 carbon monoxide detectors installed as well. Then we wired in 2 LED lights on the inside and 2 LED flood lights on the outside. These are connected to a deep cycle battery that gets topped off daily by a 100w solar panel that rides inside and is set up once camp is made.

My dad and uncle will no longer use a wall tent due to the ease of use and comfort of the trailer (they also went overboard and bought semi sleeper mattresses for the fold down beds!

How many men and gear are comfortable in something like that? For reference, I'm used to a 14x16 wall tent with 2-3 guys. Every year I wish for the convenience of what you describe. Only thing I would like additional would be insulation and Ac/furnace. Please get some pics up whenever possible. Thanks

 

[String&stick]

How many men and gear are comfortable in something like that? For reference, I'm used to a 14x16 wall tent with 2-3 guys. Every year I wish for the convenience of what you describe. Only thing I would like additional would be insulation and Ac/furnace. Please get some pics up whenever possible. Thanks

It's really a 2 man setup, you could do 3 especially with a smaller guy (we are all 6-2+ and 240lbs+)

My buddy slept for a week on the shelves on the v nose (they extend about a foot into the 7foot wide part) and he was fine but he's 5-10 and only about 160.

He's gonna take some pics when he loads up for elk hunting but it will be a couple of weeks.

 

[String&stick]

How many men and gear are comfortable in something like that? For reference, I'm used to a 14x16 wall tent with 2-3 guys. Every year I wish for the convenience of what you describe. Only thing I would like additional would be insulation and Ac/furnace. Please get some pics up whenever possible. Thanks

He had some in his phone he sent me. All are inside pics but that's fine because the outside is just a side door and back ramp!
Roof has been spray foam insulated which helped hold heat a ton, walls has some rigid foam behind the plywood. The white spray foam also really brightens it up when you kick the led lights on inside.

These are the beds, they are high enough for Rubbermaid totes to fit under and fold up along the walls while transporting. The mattresses are semi sleeper cab mattresses with a waterproof cover custom made in my home town. They zip off the mattress if you ever need to get it out. The covers also have loops sewn in so they can be hung while transporting to and from hunting.

E-trak along the walls and the floor in the other pics for securing things during transport, also a row of coat hooks along the top. For hanging clothes that need to dry a bit.

And the front shelves. These are right inside the door and all of our tire changing gear is kept where we can get to it quick if needed. They are built about a foot into the body of the trailer and then all the way into the nose (fun times getting them cut right). They are stout! Lots of gear rides in boxes and stays put really well with the the 2x4 lip at the front.
You can't see it but there is a deep cycle battery on the floor under the bottom shelf and a small hole drilled in the floor that we put a boat plug in when not in use. When we arrive we drop a lead out and plug our solar panel in to keep the battery topped off. The battery runs tow small LED flood lights inside for lighting, two bigger LED flood lights outside for lighting up the area if you need to in the dark. Then there is also an inverter and wiring running a phone charging station and the small vent fan.

When the trailer is loaded and the beds folded up you can park 2 4 wheelers inside.

The trailer has tandem Axel's and they were flipped ??? or something to give us 2 extra inches of clearance. We also went with heavier duty Axel's and contractor grade trailer in order to have a beefier setup.

We custom ordered the trailer out of reed trailer sales in Omaha Nebraska but with the contractor grade setup and heavier Axel's we were still cheaper than your H&H standard rig. We've had the trailer for 6 years now and it pulls double duty for our house flipping side gig during most of the year. In my opinion it is holding up very well.

 

[Whisky]

Thank you! I like it. Have you figured how much weight you added, or know total weight of the rig?

 

[Idahomnts]

Don’t forget insulation ,