Evolution of a trailer

[Lorin]

The trailer is a Challenger Bundu Basher, made in South Africa. It is essentially a copy of the Venter Bushbaby. As standard mine was the unbraked version with a Tare of approx 500kg (based on Bushbaby specs) and a GVM of 750kg. Unfortunately Challenger have gone bust, so there isn't much info to be found. However, I do know that a braked version was also available with a GVM of 1500kg, the only difference being the axle and the braking system, and I wanted mine to be braked....., and on 37s.

Here's how it was in standard trim when I bought it (thanks Stu)

Establishing 37s don't fit...

After much cutting, fabricating, swearing and spending.... 37s do fit

And here it is proper. 37 XZLs to match the truck. Lots of strengthening and bracing. Braked axle rated to 1600kg with same track width as the 80. New suspension leafs rated to 1200kg (maximum I will ever carry) with uprated/stronger hangers. Extended drawbar.

The next stages include mounting the tent on a lifting rack and fitting out the inside. Updates to follow.

 

[Chris]

Oh yeah. Someone get the pop corn, I'll fetch the beers. Next instalment please Lorin.

 

[Lorin]

Oh yeah. Someone get the pop corn, I'll fetch the beers. Next instalment please Lorin.

Parts ordering begins in earnest tomorrow... starting with 125 litre water tank

 

[stumog]

Looks good lorin going to be mental on 37s

 

[Chris]

Having fitted out a trailer from scratch Lorin, you know that if you've any questions, you've only to ask. I had issues with mine. Weight too far forward, leaking water tanks, tent mounting decisions so if there's any way I can help point out the pitfalls, let me know.

First thing I would say is if you fit (and you should) a water filter, drain it during the winter. I didn't and it froze and split right open. Having a drain point low down is really useful. It can be used to drain of course but also in the event of total pump failure, I can stick a bucket under there.

 

[Lorin]

Little bit of progress...

Some plywood to create separate compartments in the trailer.

Rear compartment holds 2x 64 litre and 2x 50 litre Really Useful Boxes

Centre section, mostly over the axle - tie down points for the water tank, bolted through the chassis

125 litre water tank from Tanks Direct

Pics to follow showing electrics, tank plumbing, Gaslow LPG install etc....

 

[chapel gate]

just noticed your running XZLs. there an animal of a tyre!
how are you finding them on the 80?

 

[Lorin]

I really like them. They're a compromise for sure, they are pretty noisy and very heavy but they're also very tough and other than the noise don't have any major downsides.

 

[Lorin]

Few more updates. As I will be using a roof tent rather than a trailer tent I had a few issues to solve.... Firstly, the tent has a skirt that I want to be able to use as a room, so I need the tent to be at the right height to work properly. Secondly, I wanted my trailer with the tent on to be lower in height than the 80 - primarily to keep the trailer centre of gravity as low as possible but also so there’s no chance of the trailer snagging on something the 80 could clear and lastly to minimise drag. Oh, I also wanted some storage rack space on the trailer......

The solution was to have a lifting rack that was low enough when being towed but the right height when pitching the tent. After mocking up several designs I initially settled on using a telescoping leg arrangement. This would have been my preference but to get it work properly, and by that I mean tight enough tolerances for no lateral movement when raised, things got very technical and increasingly costly. So, a pivoting leg arrangement was settled on.

This design gives me a full length rack with 30cm of height to use as storage under the tent. It then lifts a further 30cm to a total height of 2m when raised. The legs pivot to the rear of the trailer meaning when raised, the tent provides cover for us to access where our clothes are. The ’L’ shape of the legs means that when the rack is raised it sits down on the legs. The legs are secured in both the lowered and raised positions by 4 indexing pins, meaning it is properly locked in each position. To assist with lifting the rack two gas springs are mounted on the rearmost legs.

Base/storage rack

With tent rack on - in lowered position

Tent rack in raised position

Lowered

Raised

Pictures with tent on to follow....

 

[Lorin]

Figured I’d post a few update pictures. The trailer is now mostly finished and has been through a little testing off-road courtesy of some welsh lanes.

This is the twin Gaslow 6kg LPG cylinders in the nose cone. The filler is an external LPG fill point so can be filled via auto LPG fillers - I have the adaptors for Europe and a separate decanting system with adapters to cover places like Africa. Gas is used just for cooking and hot water.

This is the hot water set up. Runs off the aforementioned gas and is fed either from the 125 litre water tank or from any external water source such as stream/river etc via a Shurflo pump. We use this both for showering and the washing up. You can also see the front storage compartment that holds our chairs, table, tent awning and various other bits. This picture also shows the tent pitched with the rack in the low position.

Not the best picture but this shows the tent pitched with the rack in the high position that allows the tent skirt to be used.

 

[Lorin]

A few pictures from ‘testing’ off-road. This is with the trailer and truck fully loaded - hence bikes are also on the carrier. This lane is in the Elan valley and is quite narrow and rutted with a few rock steps. This allowed me to check that all my clearances when articulating were okay - they were!

 

[Iwan]

Looking good Lorin!

 

[SteveJB]

Very nice Lorin need to ask did you get any binding on the tow ball when you went off road or did you not go that extreme have got 1800kgs braked axle with hubs and rims to suit me truck and a very heavy indispension tow hitch noticed that you have renewed your tow hitch and looks like its a lot lighter than mine could you tell me what make and about what weight it is also do you still have the rack what size is it and would it be available and going by your welders phone number you are in the Bournemouth area so can collect

 

[Lorin]

Very nice Lorin need to ask did you get any binding on the tow ball when you went off road or did you not go that extreme have got 1800kgs braked axle with hubs and rims to suit me truck and a very heavy indispension tow hitch noticed that you have renewed your tow hitch and looks like its a lot lighter than mine could you tell me what make and about what weight it is also do you still have the rack what size is it and would it be available and going by your welders phone number you are in the Bournemouth area so can collect

Hi Steve, there’s no binding as there’s no tow ball. I swapped it out for a Nato hitch when I realised that a tow ball is limited to just 21 degrees of articulation! Whilst I’ve seen them articulate more than this, I knew I’d be pushing it a lot further and didn't want the risk. I do however carry the standard hitch in the trailer and it’s just two bolts to swap it in place of the Nato eye. That way the trailer can be recovered if ever needed. The Nato hitch tows superbly both on and off road and I’ve had it at much more than 21 degrees when getting up and over some rock steps. The hitch is a genuine Dixon Bate 3.5t pintle and the eye is an Alko 76mm Nato eye for the Bradley Hydratow coupling HU3H (braked for 1800kg). The weight of the eye is 6kg.

A better picture of the Nato eye

Here’s a couple of pics showing the trailer at an angle well beyond what a standard ball hitch can safely cope with (sorry for poor quality - they’re from a video)

I‘m afraid the rack that was taken off the trailer has been scrapped. It was however quite specific to the trailer with the feet angled for the trailer lid and was not a very user friendly design. I am based in Bournemouth as you surmised.

 

[SteveJB]

Lorin thank you very much for the information been looking into the Australian Hitch ezy and Alco types but unsure of the UK type approval for these over here

 

[Lorin]

I also looked at these and other similar options. The main problem I see is that if you ever break down and need the trailer recovering, you’re stuck. The reason I went for the Nato hitch set-up is that it allows me to swap the eye for a standard hitch.

 

[Chris]

I have exactly the same set up. It's quite a good anti theft device too. Not that many folk running around with NATO hitches. I keep a cheap std hitch in the took cupboard. I also have a tow ball in case I need to pull someone else's railer.