r/overlanding • u/Useless_Engineer_ • Jul 26 '26
Photo Album Built a trailer to compliment the 4Runner!
After years and thousands of miles of packing the 4R full, a massive RTT, and enjoying some beautiful trips, buddy and I decided to build home made overland off-road toy hauler.
It's finally registered, road legal, and 95% complete but had to go get some photos after detailing it and the 4Runner.
Notes about the trailer:
Goal was to build a trailer that fits in a standard garage, haul two dirt bikes (or mountain bikes), have a queen sized mattress inside (have a tri-fold mattress not pictured), capable off-road, and be WAY cheaper than what's on the market.
-Weight: 1680lbs
-Length: 15'8" (yes the tongue is long, that was intentional)
-Width: 88" to the outside of the tires
-Height:79"
-Material Cost: $11.9k (We bought the best of everything we could and spent more $ than expected as we made changes and learned our way through building this thing).
3
Jul 26 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
2
u/Useless_Engineer_ Jul 26 '26
Yup haha that's always the thought, as you mentioned though, paired with a lock-n-roll hitch system it will help so much off road!
Edit: worse case, I can cut it down and reweld it shorter without a problem
It also helps with distributing weight in the trailer and tongue weight
2
Jul 26 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Useless_Engineer_ Jul 26 '26
When we positioned the axle and chose the length of the trailer, dry weight all the way to fully loaded (2500lbs-ish), it'll always fall between 10-15% tongue weight with it typically hitting the 11.5-13% weight.
It's been a lot of planning to get here lol but thanks for appreciating the planning
2
Jul 26 '26
[deleted]
2
u/Useless_Engineer_ Jul 26 '26
So I've seen different solutions pending the age and height of the kids I've seen fold down horizontal beds (Google bunk bed in tear drops). But I could 100% see a thing where you'd have some tight quarters but bunk beds with two queens or a queen with two fulls that fold down.
TC Teardrops makes some really good stuff for a somewhat decent price.
But perspective this took us just over 7months start to finish
2
2
Jul 26 '26
[deleted]
4
u/Useless_Engineer_ Jul 26 '26
You do not, US anyone can trailer very large trailers without a special license. I think you can tow a up to a 20k lb (9k kg-ish) without one, and this is only 1700lbs which is considered small
2
u/Available_Quote_5567 Jul 27 '26
If you aren’t doing anything commercial most states don’t require any special licensing for legit semis as long as it’s registered as an RV. I have friends at the racetrack that bought an older Volvo tractor with a giant studio sleeper on the back. They pull a step deck race trailer with two corvettes, spare parts, tools, and additional sleeping quarters. Only a standard operating license required.
2
4
u/Tyraid Jul 26 '26
My god, why black though?
3
u/Useless_Engineer_ Jul 26 '26
Because black isn't common and is a statement
But for what it's worth, the top is a reflective white rubberized coating to reduce heat significantly, and it's fully insulated. I also have 3D printed parts to great inlet/outlet vents with fans, one of which has a magnetic system where I can swap on an inlet tube to connect either to an AC or diesel heater if needed.
With that though, Ive never been camping in CO where I'm like damn... It's too hot to sleep haha the mountains are cold.
-2
u/Tyraid Jul 26 '26
I see a ton of black trailers working in the backcountry. They all look like mobile human ovens towed by people who need to look tough.
6
u/New-Scientist5133 Jul 26 '26
Why waste your energy needlessly insulting strangers? Can I guess that you haven’t built a trailer yourself?
-3
u/Tyraid Jul 26 '26
Don’t get me wrong the trailer is amazing and OP should be rightly proud of it. I’ve just spent enough time in them that I know the black ones are impossible to be comfortable in if the sun is out.
-1
4
u/hefecantswim Jul 26 '26
Complement*
3
3
u/Mitsch25 Jul 26 '26
Pretty awesome. Nice work👌👌