Camper on a utility trailer

[ryanb]

A while back I saw someone with a good sized 9-10' camper dropped right onto a relatively compact utility trailer. Since I only have a toyota tacoma, and used import-sized campers seem way too expensive I got to thinking about putting an older full size camper onto my quad/utility trailer.

Has anyone ever done this? I have a 5x8 trailer with 1' sides that has about a 2200lb payload. What would be involved in securing the camper to the trailer? Anything else to think of?

[mapguy]

i would expect it to flip too top heavy for a trailer a car hauler trailer would be better i think

[dawn2dusk]

yeah I have seen some of those around. Was interested in the concept.

The ones i have seen usually are very small camperette style of campers. And the trailer had a pretty wide wheel base.

I think it would work well. I have a wall tent now though.

[4ptbuck]

My BIL has a camper on a home depot trailer. It scares the begessus outta me.
The tongue weight must be close to 300 lbs, as 2 guys can barely lift it.
He had to get a welder in to re-inforce the 'neck' (from the ball to the trailer), as it was bending.

The camper came off a dakota. He's pulling it with a black ram.

[Mr. Dean]

A 2200 lb trailer is WAY to light for carring a full-sized camper IMO.

[ryanb]

The GVW for the trailer is 3000lbs and I believe the thing weighs around 700 pounds give or take. An 8-9' camper shouldn't weigh any more than 2000lbs should it?

By my calculations, as long as you don't go and buy a long camper in the 9.5'-12' range, balance (tongue weight) shouldn't be an issue. I was more interested in the legalities and logistics of doing this as I've seen a few on the road so it must be possible.

The trailer isn't a high-deck and has a wheel base width of around 6', which is more than my truck. I can't see it being anymore top heavy than the camper would be 2' higher in the bed of a pickup.

[NEEHAMA]

this usually is a very bad idea. i was looking at doing this and i'm glad i didn't.

it is something you can't be border line on. if your trlr is ultra heavy duty and at least a heavy tandem axel, and your camper is very compact and light it might work. if it is "iffy" the results are very, very bad.

yikes!

[mapguy]

do you have brakes on the trailer
some 8ft campers run 1400 dry a lot of them are heavier
the box on your truck will help to keep it on the truck but on a trailer your gonna need some serious hardware to keep it on

[tikkat3]

I have an 8ft camper that is very minimal and it weighs 1400lb wet. I think the problem you might have is shaking the crap out of the camper on the simple leaf spring suspension of the trailer. You might even bust it on a rutted out road or something. Plus, the nunchuks and frame hardware you would need to install for the chains that hold the camper to the trailer you would have to fab up yourself I think.

Plus, if you have an 8ft camper you would want to sit the entire floor on the trailer deck. On an 8 or 10 foot trailer you would then have 7 feet of over-cab camper bed that would run right into your tailgate. Even if you removed the tailgate, the bed part of the camper would be a lot wider than your box, so you would have to put the camper up on pallets or something to allow the camper bed to clear the box and that would be more weight on your trailer plus less stability from the higher center of gravity.

[stickbow]

my 8ft camper weighs 1081# dry and the bulk head is only 52" because you sleep left to right not front to back.It would work on a 10' trailer,but I think I'd want a double axel,sturdier and prehaps a better ride.