Prospecting Trailer Build

Hi Goldchaser,

Food for thought, I had the same problem as you in that I wanted more ground clearance on my caravan, to fix this I made a subframe to mount the springs onto and then mounted the subframe to the van

This had one drawback in that it was breaking the van in half, to fix the problem and to keep the height I removed the subframe which was the same length as the springs and replaced it by extending the drawbar all the way thru to the back of the van

This made the frame that takes the springs 200mm deep, in your case it would be 165mm...it would mean removing your spring mounts and continuing the drawbar the full length of your trailer and this gives you your ground clearance

Cheers Ron

Well geez Ron you shouldnt have any probs with your chassis now,did you have the drawbar bent or did you cut it etc? 200mm all up thats a very solid setup,i dont think some of these trailers or campers are not made well enough for extended outback use,a workmate bought a 7x4 or 8x5 dual axle offroad trailer out of perth,it looks solid and well built,then i crawled underneath for a squizz,i was a bit surprised to see the whole chassis was angle,looked like 50x50 and probably 5mm but still all angle,cost him $4500.
 Extended shackles turned up today,now ive got the clearance and ride height i wanted,yesterday i ordered some suzuki grand vitara rear coils,about the width i need to fit i where ive got a bit of room,today im thinking geez could i be bothered mucking around with the coils,i may just order the new leaf springs tomorrow LOL
At least i have options,pretty anal about the suspension and running gear,if you want to try to make a bulletproof trailer my thoughts are ya cant skimp on axles and suspension,if my plans work out ok i reckon this trailer will still be around in 30 yrs after bring hammered through some of WA's worst roads for yrs,then again it might fall apart first trip,we'll see......

Its gonna have racks i could mount a roof top tent on hugh,we have a good tent so maybe later im not sure,i like the idea of a cavass canopy to but my problem is the tub sides meet the front box so i have no way to overlap the canvass at the front,it wouldnt seal,bummer cause ya just throw ya matress in the back and sleeping quarters are sorted,quad takes up most the tub,will have 2-300mm down one side left,so no draws or cupboards no,if i fit four tanks it will have about 240 ltrs on board,we use (2 of us) roughly 30 ltrs + on shower days,halve that other days,you must take long showers ......
Yep awning will be mounted on it
You have a much larger trailer,is this a car carrying trailer or large box trailer?
 If its a road going type one id just make sure ya suspension is up to the job,is it dual axle?
 Like if it had slipper springs id be inclined to swap them out down the track,not good on outback roads,rattle the whole trailer to pieces....

   


     Its just a dual axle car trailer I built about 23 year ago ,ford axles,14'' tyres ,tilt tray ,floors got a few bows in it probably replaced 2-3 broken leafs in it ??  went up the tanami track last year with it .I shopped around a bit before xmass pricing axles - suspension's ,steel etc ,and I think from memory  it worked out roughly 4 - 5 times dearer than what it did about 23 yrs ago ! $$$$$$  Thou I think its lasted this long because ,despite abusing it at times , is simply due too maintaince, and by driving to road condtions !! it amazes me how a lot people with caravans / camper trailers expect to do a 100 kmh plus etc . Yeah I do like a good bogey at the end of the day ,20l on average I work on just for a shower every day i'd of reckoned those leaf springs in the picture would of been ample for what your carrying ,what weight do you reckon you'll have all up ? just off topic for a sec ,you must consider yourself one of the lucky ones to still have a job in mining ? just from what I've been told by some blokes who have come back east ,reckon the down turn in the west , is just as bad as it is here in the east

Thats sounds ok hugh,tilt tray is for the nuggets im guessing,our old dual axle is slipper springs,im not real fussed on them,they dont seem to move,the roller rockers would be ok,i nearly went dual axle on this one but thought if i go big on axle it'll be fine,then i could muck around with my own springs etc also.
 Yep drive to conditions,sadly when i was out tanami with my trailer i was driving to survive,just out to the border and back both mudguards were nearly gone and i was waiting for a spring to break,that was 2nd gear in some spots,never again with a trailer like that
Im hoping the trailer comes in around 600kg mark,fueled quad about 350,water about 240ltrs and 160ltrs of fuel,then prob a max of 300kg of other bits and pieces,so potentially @ 1 ton?  Very rare cause of work it would be loaded that much,most trips would be only 100ltrs of water and 80 ltrs of fuel,if we did have everything topped up id fill last 2 tanks and jerrys prob at last stop,wouldnt be real keen on tearing down the highway fully loaded but it will handle it-hopefully.
Was hopin them springs might of been ok hugh but as was explained to me putting them under a single axle trailer is alot different to a car,when you think about it it makes sense,when you load a ute up some of the forces from the weight transfer through the chassis and lift the front end,so that weight is not just on the rear springs  only,like a cantilever action,get my drift.....
or depending on where load is placed saggs front also but 4 wheels alot different to just two......
The downturn is mainly iron ore and it will bounce back,had to level out a bit,still jobs up north if you want them is what i hear,know a few that have headed up lately,where in gold,its solid at the moment,plenty of work over here if you want it......
Yeah actually shower days we'd be at 30-40ltrs maybe,we work on about 12ltrs per shower cause my old steel bunnings bucket is 12 ltrs odd,might get a bigger one now

Sheez GC, 24L/day for two showers?
We use the 12litre Bunnings steel bucket, heat it on the campfire, tip it into the caravan shower recess and we get two showers out of that.
Have a separate 12V filtered pump that recycles the water through the existing shower, can stand under the shower rose until the water goes cold.
If a cold snap is in the air, pump a little of this water back into the bucket and reheat it for the second shower.
** Have non return valves in lines so there is no chance of shower water contaminating the caravan potable water.**

Nightjar wrote:Sheez GC, 24L/day for two showers?
We use the 12litre Bunnings steel bucket, heat it on the campfire, tip it into the caravan shower recess and we get two showers out of that.
Have a separate 12V filtered pump that recycles the water through the existing shower, can stand under the shower rose until the water goes cold.
If a cold snap is in the air, pump a little of this water back into the bucket and reheat it for the second shower.
** Have non return valves in lines so there is no chance of shower water contaminating the caravan potable water.**




 
 

Over east i used to get old concrete sealer buckets off a mate,they are awsome,heat up in about 1 minute-thin steel and 20 odd ltrs,just make sure there empty and clean or ya might not be able to comb ya hair for 12 months gotta chase some up,6 ltrs !!!!!??????,how ya do that nightjar?
I have to wash and condition my hair.......

goldchaser wrote:
Over east i used to get old concrete sealer buckets off a mate,they are awsome,heat up in about 1 minute-thin steel and 20 odd ltrs,just make sure there empty and clean or ya might not be able to comb ya hair for 12 months gotta chase some up,6 ltrs !!!!!??????,how ya do that nightjar?
I have to wash and condition my hair.......

Simple, Haircut straight off the blade. Haven't got a lot of hair anyway. :-)

Your local fish n chip shop will likely have 20 Lt open top locking lid oil drums, easily cleaned with a little hot water and dish soap and also thin enough to heat quickly, good for storage of whatever will fit in them and you will get a couple of runs out of them at least and then just start with a freshy again, I used them extensively before I went all up market  and got a stainless bucket from one of my daughters for my birthday

Wayne.

Digginerup wrote:Your local fish n chip shop will likely have 20 Lt open top locking lid oil drums, easily cleaned with a little hot water and dish soap and also thin enough to heat quickly, good for storage of whatever will fit in them and you will get a couple of runs out of them at least and then just start with a freshy again, I used them extensively before I went all up market  and got a stainless bucket from one of my daughters for my birthday

Wayne.

Yeah didnt think of that wayne thanks mate,drop down the fish an chip shop then,20ltr showers here we come,not getting out till im wrinkly nightjar lol
Where ya get the stainless bucket wayne,ive seen lots on dairy farms,one of them?

goldchaser wrote:

Digginerup wrote:Your local fish n chip shop will likely have 20 Lt open top locking lid oil drums, easily cleaned with a little hot water and dish soap and also thin enough to heat quickly, good for storage of whatever will fit in them and you will get a couple of runs out of them at least and then just start with a freshy again, I used them extensively before I went all up market  and got a stainless bucket from one of my daughters for my birthday

Wayne.

Yeah didnt think of that wayne thanks mate,drop down the fish an chip shop then,20ltr showers here we come,not getting out till im wrinkly nightjar lol
Where ya get the stainless bucket wayne,ive seen lots on dairy farms,one of them?

One of my daughters bought it for my birthday last year, not sure where she got it but I love it, the handle brackets are spot welded on and one spot weld almost completely missed its intended target   I fixed that for life with a couple of stainless bolts, not as pretty but now you could kill a buffalo with it   I was a big fan of the old enamel gear for years but it is a bit prone to chipping damage and then rust, I also began to fear eating or perhaps worse feeding nasty enamel razor chips to my people so I have retired it all,  I have now converted my entire cooking/eating camp gear to stainless steel, that shite travels well, cleans well and stores well and makes tasty food... ain't that right boys?

Wayne.

Yep im hearing ya,we have a few old enamel plates and theyve got a few chips also,might start gathering some stainless gear,best thing we bought a cuppla yrs ago at the perth camping caravan expo is our hillbilly cooking setup,i was thinking of making a swing out style camp fire setup but we walked past there stand at the show and had a squizz,the price well hey i wouldnt bother making it,got a good setup with canvass carry bag for $200'odd,they have lots of pans pots etc you can add on later also,stoked with it,makes life easy cookin on the fire......

Not alot to report on but strengthened the frame up a bit,replaced the rear bar with 100x50x4 left over from drawbar,if we swing 2 wheel carriers off it it will handle it,added some bracing at the rear of the frame and around the shock mounts in case i mount coils in this area,got a set of coils here but still undecided if its worth mucking around with them,i'll try and mount them temporary and load it up,see how it looks.
Still dealing with warpage whenever i lay down serious welds here and there,most my welds are looking good but getting a handle on this warpage comes with time i suppose,have spent hrs pulling a few bits and pieces straight,some welds on opposite side etc,sledge hammer and block come out a cuppla times also

You can't fool me goldchaser, this is all part of an elaborate plan to go and retrieve that huge shizen hausen nugget you found, without raising any suspicion. Prospecting trailer my a*se, the prospecting has already been done. No one builds that much suspension into a trailer.... without good reason.  Yeah, throw a few chickens on top, that'll fool 'em, no one will suspect a thing.
Great skills there by the way.

Digginerup wrote:

goldchaser wrote:

Digginerup wrote:Your local fish n chip shop will likely have 20 Lt open top locking lid oil drums, easily cleaned with a little hot water and dish soap and also thin enough to heat quickly, good for storage of whatever will fit in them and you will get a couple of runs out of them at least and then just start with a freshy again, I used them extensively before I went all up market  and got a stainless bucket from one of my daughters for my birthday

Wayne.

Yeah didnt think of that wayne thanks mate,drop down the fish an chip shop then,20ltr showers here we come,not getting out till im wrinkly nightjar lol
Where ya get the stainless bucket wayne,ive seen lots on dairy farms,one of them?

One of my daughters bought it for my birthday last year, not sure where she got it but I love it, the handle brackets are spot welded on and one spot weld almost completely missed its intended target   I fixed that for life with a couple of stainless bolts, not as pretty but now you could kill a buffalo with it   I was a big fan of the old enamel gear for years but it is a bit prone to chipping damage and then rust, I also began to fear eating or perhaps worse feeding nasty enamel razor chips to my people so I have retired it all,  I have now converted my entire cooking/eating camp gear to stainless steel, that shite travels well, cleans well and stores well and makes tasty food... ain't that right boys?

Wayne.

Damn straight it is!!!!!! not so sure it's the S/S more so the "Magician" masquerading as "Camp Cook & Prospector"

goldchaser wrote: Yep im hearing ya,we have a few old enamel plates and theyve got a few chips also,might start gathering some stainless gear,best thing we bought a cuppla yrs ago at the perth camping caravan expo is our hillbilly cooking setup,i was thinking of making a swing out style camp fire setup but we walked past there stand at the show and had a squizz,the price well hey i wouldnt bother making it,got a good setup with canvass carry bag for $200'odd,they have lots of pans pots etc you can add on later also,stoked with it,makes life easy cookin on the fire......

Pics or a link of that would be interesting, Its a personal thing I know but if your not adverse to second-hand gear I found that the local salvos or lifeline or whatever is around can sometimes have great stainless gear that can be mixed n matched for a good camp setup, I select stuff that only has solid metal handles and can take a bit of wear n tear,  nothing I own is fancy or flash but I truly believe good camp kit really does make camping life easier and I always aim to enjoy every aspect of the bush when I get the time to do so.

Wayne

slimpickens wrote:You can't fool me goldchaser, this is all part of an elaborate plan to go and retrieve that huge shizen hausen nugget you found, without raising any suspicion. Prospecting trailer my a*se, the prospecting has already been done. No one builds that much suspension into a trailer.... without good reason.  Yeah, throw a few chickens on top, that'll fool 'em, no one will suspect a thing.
Great skills there by the way.

Well the rumours over here were that slims coming over this season,much talk of it,they said you better get a trailer etc ready for him,so i got to it,they said extra HD for the laden trip back and he needs a fridge,even canned the chooks cause i know you like peking duck,ducks are on order,we like to look after you guys when ya come over
Is all my work in vein??????

Digginerup wrote:

goldchaser wrote: Yep im hearing ya,we have a few old enamel plates and theyve got a few chips also,might start gathering some stainless gear,best thing we bought a cuppla yrs ago at the perth camping caravan expo is our hillbilly cooking setup,i was thinking of making a swing out style camp fire setup but we walked past there stand at the show and had a squizz,the price well hey i wouldnt bother making it,got a good setup with canvass carry bag for $200'odd,they have lots of pans pots etc you can add on later also,stoked with it,makes life easy cookin on the fire......

Pics or a link of that would be interesting, Its a personal thing I know but if your not adverse to second-hand gear I found that the local salvos or lifeline or whatever is around can sometimes have great stainless gear that can be mixed n matched for a good camp setup, I select stuff that only has solid metal handles and can take a bit of wear n tear,  nothing I own is fancy or flash but I truly believe good camp kit really does make camping life easier and I always aim to enjoy every aspect of the bush when I get the time to do so.

Wayne

http://www.campingwithhillbilly.com/m/

See if that works,so im guessing waynes the "majician" lee

goldchaser wrote:

slimpickens wrote:You can't fool me goldchaser, this is all part of an elaborate plan to go and retrieve that huge shizen hausen nugget you found, without raising any suspicion. Prospecting trailer my a*se, the prospecting has already been done. No one builds that much suspension into a trailer.... without good reason.  Yeah, throw a few chickens on top, that'll fool 'em, no one will suspect a thing.
Great skills there by the way.

Well the rumours over here were that slims coming over this season,much talk of it,they said you better get a trailer etc ready for him,so i got to it,they said extra HD for the laden trip back and he needs a fridge,even canned the chooks cause i know you like peking duck,ducks are on order,we like to look after you guys when ya come over
Is all my work in vein??????

Loose lips, sink ships. Damn it, I was looking forward to that WAFC.

goldchaser wrote:

Digginerup wrote:

goldchaser wrote: Yep im hearing ya,we have a few old enamel plates and theyve got a few chips also,might start gathering some stainless gear,best thing we bought a cuppla yrs ago at the perth camping caravan expo is our hillbilly cooking setup,i was thinking of making a swing out style camp fire setup but we walked past there stand at the show and had a squizz,the price well hey i wouldnt bother making it,got a good setup with canvass carry bag for $200'odd,they have lots of pans pots etc you can add on later also,stoked with it,makes life easy cookin on the fire......

Pics or a link of that would be interesting, Its a personal thing I know but if your not adverse to second-hand gear I found that the local salvos or lifeline or whatever is around can sometimes have great stainless gear that can be mixed n matched for a good camp setup, I select stuff that only has solid metal handles and can take a bit of wear n tear,  nothing I own is fancy or flash but I truly believe good camp kit really does make camping life easier and I always aim to enjoy every aspect of the bush when I get the time to do so.

Wayne

http://www.campingwithhillbilly.com/m/

See if that works,so im guessing waynes the "majician" lee

Yeah Mate you got it, he can whip up a feast fit for hungry prospectors, be it store bought protein or fresh off the land , MMMM Rabbit a la buckshot, "Squatters on the Divide"

 Got the steel for the sides a cuppla days ago so got the guards where i think they need to be and framed in between them,plenty of room for 4 jerrys each side,put 6 12volt plugs and voltmeter and phone -computer charges in to,im gonna have to make a small hinged sealed box for them,they wont handle rain,be blowing fuses everywhere,also picked up a toolbox out of perth the other day,the quality was a bit better then expected.Ebay jobby.....
  We have heaps of ground clearance which is good,still have to get the coils on it and load it up and see where its all at,i took a punt and welded guards in,not just tacked,hope it doesnt come back to bight me but i think there about where they need to be.

Looking good GC  interesting build, thanks, watching with much interest.

Wayne

That is looking really good. Have you picked a final colour? cheers Pete.

Hope you have your fridge on a slider?

Cheers wayne,nightjar yep on a slider,made it big enough for 80ltr waco but our old 50ltr evercool will be used most trips.

 
  Pete ive taken a bit of insiration from this mob,like their concept on some of his trailers,wanted a colour thats off the shelf though so going with dulux metalshield wilderness,they could prob mix olive drab for me but i like the idea of walking into bunnings or mtr10 and buying it off the shelf for any touch up or repairs,just gonna brush it and roll it to,came close to ringing drifta about building a trailer but decided in the end they prob wouldnt build what i wanted and if they did the price would be crazy,good concept though with the roof top tents etc as the trailer can also be used as a general trailer on occassions.....

A bit more progress on this trailer,jerry can holders sorted after 2 go's at it,we did get 4 water tanks under it and i found a spot for a pump underneath also,its in its own cradle that bolts up under the floor,sat the alloy floor in today,its only 3mm which might come back to bite me but i welded extra angle to support it might be ok,i should of went 5mm,got a gas bottle holder on one side.
 Got the top coil mounts done last cuppla days,we put the quad and eveything else in it today and got 1 ton in it,dropped about 100mm,the suspensions soft and thats overloaded i calculate most trips will be around 650 in weight,with 1 ton it still had 4" odd of travel left,gonna throw bump stops on it just in case,lookin ok at the moment so we can fine tune it later if need be.
Got to order rooftop tent etc and hopefully get some paint on it next cupple weeks and rego,gonna have to hinge the tent to get the quad in and out gggggrrrrrrrrr!!!      
Oh yeah plumbing and wiring will be a whole lot of fun to
Shouldnt be long pics might get a bit more exciting

Few more bits done on this trailer,made up some drop down legs for the back,water fillers are in,one each side and a tap,made a start on the rack,it will take the roof top tent and a 200 watt solar panel,i'll brace the rack up and remove it and finish it on the ground.
Had a win also a darche roof top tent unused popped up locally for a fair price so i grabbed it

Looking better all the time, , keep us posted.


Wayne

Yeah, looking great. Watching intently!!

Cheers GM & wayne i'll keep em coming,just a few more bits to buy,solar panels on its way,still need second awning,one battery,inverter,new shocks,handbrake i think,ther'll be other stuff,man it keeps  adding up       im gonna mount the spare tyres later as im not sure how towball weight-balance is gonna end up......

Very nice build mate, have enjoyed watching its progress.