Overland trailer

[gobears870]

I have a PWC trailer I currently use for hauling my 16' canoe around. Facing cabin fever, I'm looking at projects to take on and wondering if it's possible to make the trailer more useful for other purposes. Has anyone here seen a jet ski trailer converted into an offroad/overland/expedition trailer, done it themselves, or know a good forum where this stuff goes on?

 

[MikeG]

I've never seen a jet ski trailer done personally. Expedition Portal is going to be a huge resource in all things overland.

 

[Titan_Bow]

Not a PWC trailer, but I am working on a M101a2 army trailer that I'm converting to sort of a multi-purpose utility/ camp trailer. Expedition Portal is really a good resource, but I find over there that the "hobby" is more about building the trailer, than it is using the trailer LOL. I would say really take a serious look at what you need the trailer to do, how you plan to use it, and where your interest really lies (ie. the building out of the trailer, versus the use of the trailer).
Its like anything else, there's so many accessories and items that these forums will tell you that you need (ie. rooftop tent, Dometic Fridge, Maxxtraxx, Rotopax, $1000 awnings, etc. etc.) Best to really have a solid plan of what you want your trailer to do and how you plan to use it, so you don't get tempted to buy a bunch of sh#t you dont actually need or realize you'll never actually use!

 

[gobears870]

Good advice. I think at the end of the day I would want something pretty basic; not a bunch of accessories - just something to organize and haul gear and still be able to throw my canoe or kayaks on top. This is going to sound stupid to the experienced ones out there but I've always looked for an excuse to learn welding and building a frame for this may be as straightforward of a project as any to get into it.

 

[Elkfitness]

Titanbow,

Where did you source your trailer. I’m looking to do this too. I’m in the Denver area as well and looking DYI vs a ruger or smittybuilt trailer.

I have a tent that I use on my truck and have probably 50 nights in it, but want to put it on a trailer for mobility.

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[ODB]

I have been looking into a little trailer, mostly because I do t want to buy another truck, but want to be able to easily haul and drop stuff that I don’t want to cram in a 4Runner or land cruiser. Some folks I know used to pull a small trailer throughout east Africa. Set up camp, leave it and explore - sounds like an idea worth considering.

 

[ODB]

Not a PWC trailer, but I am working on a M101a2 army trailer that I'm converting to sort of a multi-purpose utility/ camp trailer. Expedition Portal is really a good resource, but I find over there that the "hobby" is more about building the trailer, than it is using the trailer LOL. I would say really take a serious look at what you need the trailer to do, how you plan to use it, and where your interest really lies (ie. the building out of the trailer, versus the use of the trailer).
Its like anything else, there's so many accessories and items that these forums will tell you that you need (ie. rooftop tent, Dometic Fridge, Maxxtraxx, Rotopax, $1000 awnings, etc. etc.) Best to really have a solid plan of what you want your trailer to do and how you plan to use it, so you don't get tempted to buy a bunch of sh#t you dont actually need or realize you'll never actually use!

How much do these raw trailers sell for?

 

[Titan_Bow]

Titanbow,

Where did you source your trailer. I’m looking to do this too. I’m in the Denver area as well and looking DYI vs a ruger or smittybuilt trailer.

I have a tent that I use on my truck and have probably 50 nights in it, but want to put it on a trailer for mobility.

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I bought this trailer 4 or 5 years ago from Govplanet.com. It was a military auction. The trailer was in Little Rock, Arkansas. I bought this one for $450, it didn’t have a canvas cover and looked pretty bad. BUT it don’t have any substantial rust, and no damage.
I cleaned it up, got all the rust off, painted the whole thing with Rustoleuum implement paint, got some new tires for it and had a dude in Denver make a custom cover for it. I also threw a Bed Rug bed liner in it. The cover cost me 1200 bucks. There’s a ton you can do with these old army trailers, and they are damn near indestructible. They are heavy though. I’m really organizing all our camping gear in bins, and the trailer just allows me to carry a very comfortable camp for family camping trips or hunting trips where we are basing out of the trailer. I like having the versatility of using it as a utility trailer if I need to as well.


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[nphunter]

I wouldn't use a PWC trailer or snowmobile trailer type axle. I have had several wheel bearings go out on them and blown a lot of tires over the years using them for larger loads than they were intended to carry. It doesn't take much time at all to put way too much weight on such a small axle.

IMO a person's best bet for one of this trailer is to build off of an old truck bed trailer, keep an eye on craigslist or the FB classifieds and you can pick them up for cheap. A lot of the older ones are pretty small beds and have wooden floors, even if they are beaten up bad a box can be picked up from a wrecking yard to replace the box for very cheap. I've seen a lot of these made out of old Toyota and Nissan beds which would be super easy to lift and gain some ground clearance and they would be great for around the woods.

Not my picture but I've seen a ton similar to this for sale for around $500, you could replace the bed with one off of a newer pickup as well or keep it original if in good shape. These trailers will haul weight very well and you can even install a camper shell or even a camper and have a miniature camp trailer when needed.

 

[pk_]

I would not mess with modifying your jet ski trailer. They are not made to hold any real weight or traverse any terrain, both of which would be necessary for an overland trailer.

Not to mention every dime put into the project will be down the drain if it doesn’t turn out to be what you want as you will likely never ever be able to sell it for a dollar more than it’s worth right now sitting the way it is...

Unless you are looking to tow it over some serious terrain(not just a dirt road with some pot holes) it sounds like you just need a small cargo trailer and a rack for the canoe

Hope I don’t seem like a jerk I’m just trying to pass on what I have learned from other projects.

 

[come2elmo]

I built this trailer last year to take on hunts. It has been to Colorado twice. I have upgraded it a bit since this pic. Longer and reinforced tongue, bed liner in and out.

 

[Titan_Bow]

How much do these raw trailers sell for?

I also have a 4Runner and thats the main mission my trailer serves as really, a pickup truck bed when I need it! I would say the prices of these things are all over the place. Mine is an M101a2. The a1 variant has really hard to find tires, the a2 like mine uses standard Chevrolet 8 lug wheels and tires, and then the a3 variety uses the big Hummvee tires. Your best bet on a good price is a government auction. I used govplanet.com Its pretty common for guys to pick them up under 1K in really good shape. If you go to Craigslist, you'll see them going for much more, especially if someone has done some work to them. Over on expedition portal, guys swap axles, cut off the big surge break, make all sorts of racks to hold rooftop tents, etc. I just wanted something that looked nice that I could use to haul the gear I need, so thats why I went the route I did.

 

[nphunter]

Titanbow,

Where did you source your trailer. I’m looking to do this too. I’m in the Denver area as well and looking DYI vs a ruger or smittybuilt trailer.

I have a tent that I use on my truck and have probably 50 nights in it, but want to put it on a trailer for mobility.

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Sell the tent and buy a canopy and one of these. I've got probably 60 nights in one, they take about 5 minutes to put up and tear down and will keep you dry through some nasty storms.

I can't imagine ever wanting to take my canopy off my Taco, love the extra lockable storage it offers and the ability to keep my back seat open in the fall.

Robot or human?

 

[Boudreaux]

I am working on my trailer now, I would check some local classifieds. I found a frame and box built for pretty cheap. It needs a few tweaks for what I need before I skin it.

 

[McCrapper]

I have one of these I'm getting rid of that is decently equipped.