Jump to content

Fitting out a Luggage Trailer


StuartO

Recommended Posts

We always seem to be overloaded when we tour in the MH so I have decided to use a luggage trailer to carry some of the weight and create some spare payload. I chose a trailer with a Gross Weight close to the MH's 1,600kg maximum towing capacity yet of relatively of twin axle design (for stable towing) and lightweight construction (compared with a previous Ifor Williams box van trailer I owned when I was motorcycling) to maximise payload. I don''t anticipate carrying anything like the full payload (about 1,200kg) in the trailer but the potential will be there, if we are ever allowed to bring a cargo of wine back from the Continent again! I could have had almost as much capacity with a single axle trailer, which would have been easier to man-handle but I've never had difficulty towing or manoeuvering a twin axle box trailer so why not have the extra stability and capacity?

 

It's an eight foot long by five feet wide and six feet high box van trailer, so just a big empty space, so having made that basic decision, how should I fit it out for use as a camping support trailer, that was the next question? I have used IKEA wooden shelving kits in the garage and found them strong yet light in weight, so they would be the basis of the method; I would aim to organise the storage so that I could carry as much as I wanted to carry and allow it to be conveniently accessible while on tour - so no having to unload everything to just to reach what I wanted to get out.

 

So here's a photo of the inside of the trailer with one set of IKEA shelving assembled ready for fastening to the trailer itself. The rear unit has to have a lower top shelf to clear the roller shutter door. Three shelving units just happens to be the right length to fit the length of the trailer and since each unit of four shelves comes with four verticle timbers, when you join units together you end up with spare lengths of timber. I will use this spare timber to fit retention battens to the shelving to prevent stuff falling off the shelves while in motion and also to add vertical battens to the front end, to retain the load and protect the pointy GRP space at the front, where the spare wheel lives, bolted to the cross bar.

 

There will be no point in carrying extra stuff just because we have the capacity to do so but on the other hand the extra payload will allow me the flexibility to take things like my one-tonne trolley jack with us, which has hitherto stayed behind because it was too heavy. I've only ever had one puncture and it was a slow one, so I got to a garage easily enough but you never know and the flimsy little jack which came with the MH inspires no confidence at all. And I might decide to take our Honda EU2.0 LPG generator with us too, which has also been left behind for many years because of payload limitations. No plans to use it regularly but we've got it, so why not have it with us? Likewise the 3 metre telescopic ladder I treated myself to but also ended up leaving at home because of it's weight. My toolbox, which has grown considerably in weight over the years, will also migrate to the trailer. So probably will the Weber BBQ we carry and maybe even the folding chairs. Maybe a 25 litre spare water carrier will be added as a contingency and maybe a gazebo.

 

I bought enough IKEA shelving to do both side and since we won't now be taking bikes with us, or no more than one, I could fit out both sides with shelves; that decision has yet to be made.

 

So what ideas can you guys contribute? Lots of motorhomers who do long tours take luggage trailers with them so there must be a wealth of relevant experience out there. We do tours of several weeks in Spring and Autumn, most recently to Spain and Portugal but so far we've not tried to stay over winter abroad - we've never fancied cramped camsites and bingo on a Thursday and we quite like to spend some of winter tucked up cosily at home in UK but I suppose a luggage trailer would open up our options. What do the full timers carry in their trailers?

1386088492_TrailerShelving.jpg.8dbf989530a1934d3724d91ca4ee5826.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Depending on your transport needs at the destination, maybe a e-bikes. Scooter etc.

 

Only advice I can offer is to safely stow (and stop from moving) heavy items at floor level. It is surprising how much items move forward when towing. A lot of caravans , trailers start off with the correct nose weight then find it’s got heavier throughout the journey. Learnt that towing a tandem axel caravan with a Disco, 80kg at the start, and no idea what the final nose weight was, other than everything that started over the axels ended up in front and no lifting would get the hitch off the ball. Luckily the Disco had good nose weight margin.

 

Finding the ideal nose weight may take a time as a 4 wheeler hitch can pitch up and down thus varying the nose weight , speed humps can be an education!

 

Rgds

Link to comment
Share on other sites

747 - 2020-05-10 1:58 PM

 

Instead of taking your one ton Trolley Jack with you, buy a 2 or 3 Ton TJ instead. A one Tonner is not a lot of use for a motorhome.

 

I carry a 10t bottle jack, so easy to use and takes up less space, I can actually work my jack with 1 finger, now now!! I'm serious

hymer 694 tag axel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My immediate concern would be that with shelving along one side it could create an inbalance of weight across the trailer.

That would cause instability & not an easy way to check if weight distribution is equal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the ideas so far - keep them coming!

 

I have thought of balancing the load laterally if I don't put shelves both side but of course i don't have to load all the shelves so as long as I think of it balancing should still be possible. I may install a shorter length of shelving on the RH side, to allow floor space for a tie down load. Balancing front to back is also a consideration of course.

 

The height of the rear openning is about a foot lower than the inside of the trailer because of the roller shutter so unfortunately I won't be able to remove the shelving without dismantling if I want to transport household like furniture, which I did occasionally with my Ifor Williams box van trailer but we're not planning to move house again so that shouldn't be a problem.

 

The bare trailer, as delivered, doesn't have any tie down points but the supplier gave me plenty to fit myself and he has been very helpful with advice about how to fix the shelving to the van sides. Blue Line Trailers is a family business which I can heartily recommend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, Did you say it was a twin or single axle?

 

Sorry, I should have added, we've got a similar size trailer dimension wise but with single axle. I've been towing it for coming up to 3 seasons now and it's been brilliant., tend to forget it following us at times.

 

I've fitted two bike grabs up the front so we can carry our electric bikes which is great when we're on site and also a safe secure and dry place to keep them when overnight and when not used.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mine is a twin axle, plated gross weight is 2000 kg, axles 1000 kg each. Max towing capacity of the MH 1,600 kg. so plenty of payload. A single axle might have been easier to manhandle but my previous twin axle was OK so I went for a twin. More capacity, more stability, more versatility.

 

I have considered bikes and electric bikes but we’re too old to make significant use of them. Happy to stick to MH with trailer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

crocs - 2020-05-11 9:57 PM Looks a good trailer. Remember that you can make it easier to manoeuvre a twin axle by hand by winding it up to the rear wheels only.

 

Indeed, although that method does depend on whether the jockey wheel can cope with the terrain. I've seen professionals manhandle an empty twin axle by securing the jockey wheel off the ground and then lifting the back axle by standing on the A frame to make a turn.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I've bumped this thread to post a picture of the finished project.

 

Bear in mind this an eight foot long trailer, so it's not as big as it looks on this photo.

 

I fitted full length shelves on the L side but only short shelves, less that two feet long, on the right, to leave some clear loading space with tie down rings on the floor. This space is big enough to load a full size mobility scooter in due course if necessary, although we have no plans for that at the moment.

 

The shelving units have had retaining bars added to stop the contents jumping out. Total cost of fitting out was less than £200. The shelving ir removeable quite easily.

 

Sorry the picture is blotchy; something to do with size reduction.

888194567_TrailerProject.thumb.JPG.9008ec96134b640bedfa594ac5962d24.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...