Bruiser the Adventure Cruiser Offroad Cargo Trailer 6'x12'

Converting Cargo Trailers into TTTs

Re: Bruiser the Adventure Cruiser Offroad Cargo Trailer 6'x1

Postby Rainier70 » Tue Mar 06, 2018 5:21 pm

Flooded Lead Batteries can be put inside, you just need to put them in a sealed compartment that is vented to the outside.



Such as this: Image
User avatar
Rainier70
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1083
Images: 244
Joined: Wed Jan 30, 2013 4:35 am
Location: Southeast Idaho

Re: Bruiser the Adventure Cruiser Offroad Cargo Trailer 6'x1

Postby beachguy005 » Tue Mar 06, 2018 7:38 pm

Foy1deR wrote:This is like looking into the future. My wife and I have started planning our build. Our initial plans are a little different from yours but the list of wifely needs are strikingly similar. I'll even be pulling it with MGM double cab long bed Tacoma. We'll be visiting some trailer dealers in the coming weeks to make sure that 6x12 is what is going to work for us.

One question though, I've looked at Colorado Trailers, but being from the right coast, getting the trailer seemed to be an issues as well as the steep buy in. Do you find the build quality to be worth the price? The alternative for me would be to buy something local and then modify it for offroad use after the fact.



Just an FYI. I looked at those trailers and would have purchased one until I realized I couldn't park it in my yard, or fit it in my garage. I ended up with a smaller C.C. trailer that fits in the garage. One thing I learned is that those off road units that Cargo Craft makes were made in their TX plant and not it their GA plant. I called TX and had to go to a dealer in LA, which was the closest to me in SW FL. They would have to order it from TX but the cost was quite a bit less than the stocked units priced at CO Trailers.
beachguy005
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 140
Images: 17
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2016 4:34 pm

Re: Bruiser the Adventure Cruiser Offroad Cargo Trailer 6'x1

Postby John61CT » Tue Mar 06, 2018 8:17 pm

Adventurous wrote:I'm no expert in the subject, but I was under the impression that even sealed FLA batteries off-gas hydrogen and should not be placed in living quarters? AGM to a lesser degree, but they both off-gas and ideally should be vented.

The gas poses an explosive hazard only if allowed to build up.

Some people are sensitive, or don't like the smell.

They should then enclose and vent.

Securing tgem from fling around in an accident is the non-optional bit.
John61CT
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1958
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2016 4:36 pm
Top

Re: Bruiser the Adventure Cruiser Offroad Cargo Trailer 6'x1

Postby Adventurous » Wed Mar 07, 2018 4:26 pm

tony.latham wrote:
Thanks Tony! Electrical demand will be the Fantastic, a 65L dual zone Dometic fridge, the exterior LED lights, interior LED lights, charging cell phones/a laptop, an electric tea kettle (1500W) and/or toaster oven (1000W). Those last two were demands from the wife that drove me to the group 31 over something smaller and lighter. Of course if that is overkill I'd be happy to return it and get a smaller AGM if I could get away with it. Are your power demands similar?


Our power demands are similar with the exception of the Dometic. (We use coolers and ice.) And propane:

Image

Since you've looked up the watts on the toaster and teapot, I'm sure you know how fast they will suck that big battery down to its 50% point. (about a half hour?) Hot water and toast are quicker when "cooking with gas."

We charge our phones (3-4 amps), have a Fantastic fan (2 amp/hours), watch a movie on an iPad (4 amps) and preheat the bed with a 12V electric blanket (4 amps). I can't even measure the power our LEDs use. If I weren't using a CPAP at night, which uses another 2 amps/hour, I'd drop down to a 35 amp AGM. I still might give it a shot.

:thinking:

Tony :beer:


Everything is more or less sized based upon the kettle and toaster oven. I'll try out a few experiments to see how fast the Partner stove can boil water compared to the electric kettle (4.25 minutes). If it were up to me I would leave both of those behind, but I'm trying to be accommodating since she agreed to give up the indoor shower and separate bathroom. I figure with that battery plus 200W of solar panel I won't have to worry about shore power plug-ins or any contribution from the truck.

Foy1deR wrote:This is like looking into the future. My wife and I have started planning our build. Our initial plans are a little different from yours but the list of wifely needs are strikingly similar. I'll even be pulling it with MGM double cab long bed Tacoma. We'll be visiting some trailer dealers in the coming weeks to make sure that 6x12 is what is going to work for us.

One question though, I've looked at Colorado Trailers, but being from the right coast, getting the trailer seemed to be an issues as well as the steep buy in. Do you find the build quality to be worth the price? The alternative for me would be to buy something local and then modify it for offroad use after the fact.


The build quality is okay, but then again I'm pretty anal about such things. The only reason I purchased it all done was time, if I had 1+ years instead of months I'd be building it. It's a really simple structure, nothing you couldn't build with a tubing bender, a welder, a chop saw, and some layout tools.

You'd probably be just as well served buying a regular old cargo trailer, cutting the leaf spring suspension and axle out of it, then throwing in the Timbren axle-less torsion suspension with larger tires to match. The windows and insulation would be pretty easy to add after the fact. So long as you aren't afraid of doing some work this is probably the best route...

aggie79 wrote::thumbsup: :applause: :thumbsup: Nice CT trailer and very nice work.

I'm interested in your build and to see the floor plan when it "firms up." We would like to build something similar but maybe not with all your design's off-road capabilities.


Now that I have access to Solidworks again, I'm going to try and model the inside and create some 3D renderings. I'll be sure to share when I get to that point, hopefully get some dialogue going about various design options.

Rainier70 wrote:Flooded Lead Batteries can be put inside, you just need to put them in a sealed compartment that is vented to the outside.



Such as this: Image


I'm leaning towards putting the battery in the passenger compartment now with some sort of positive ventilation system like a computer fan to evacuate gasses. As nice as a sealed and vented unit like that is, they are a bit of a PITA to deal with, I'm hoping having a semi-sealed battery compartment with a fan will suffice. After all, I don't want to be the wheeled Hindenberg!

beachguy005 wrote:
Foy1deR wrote:This is like looking into the future. My wife and I have started planning our build. Our initial plans are a little different from yours but the list of wifely needs are strikingly similar. I'll even be pulling it with MGM double cab long bed Tacoma. We'll be visiting some trailer dealers in the coming weeks to make sure that 6x12 is what is going to work for us.

One question though, I've looked at Colorado Trailers, but being from the right coast, getting the trailer seemed to be an issues as well as the steep buy in. Do you find the build quality to be worth the price? The alternative for me would be to buy something local and then modify it for offroad use after the fact.


Just an FYI. I looked at those trailers and would have purchased one until I realized I couldn't park it in my yard, or fit it in my garage. I ended up with a smaller C.C. trailer that fits in the garage. One thing I learned is that those off road units that Cargo Craft makes were made in their TX plant and not it their GA plant. I called TX and had to go to a dealer in LA, which was the closest to me in SW FL. They would have to order it from TX but the cost was quite a bit less than the stocked units priced at CO Trailers.


Correct, ours came from the Texas plant. Ours is quite tall, unless you have 10' doors there is no way you are getting it into the garage. It's also a shade over 15', so it's not a shorty either. There's just enough space in our driveway for the trailer and the wife's Civic, but I'll take it!
Truck Build: http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threa ... ild-Thread

Trailer Build: viewtopic.php?f=42&t=70064

Instagram: explore_the_untamed
Adventurous
Teardrop Inspector
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2018 5:59 pm
Top

Re: Bruiser the Adventure Cruiser Offroad Cargo Trailer 6'x1

Postby McDave » Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:15 am

Hey Adventurous,
That's quite a build you got going. I would have 86ed the bathroom as well, but I love my wife and I'll give her whatever it takes to make her happy. Luckily, she is a pretty smart cookie. I love having a shower and toilet inside and wouldn't give it up now. I have thought long and hard about the cooking issue and did install a microwave, its nice but you need a gen. or shore power. Resistance heating eats power very fast, so gas is the only way to go. I don't want to cook inside anyway. Just too small of area and grease and odors linger. Plus I love cooking outside and getting up before everyone else and getting the coffee and bacon started on those crisp mornings. That's camping.
My battery and LP tank are in a sealed(from cabin) vented compartment in the nose. The access door is vented and a floor vent as well. The pump is in there and I store the stinky slinky in there too. I have a 125ah battery that runs reefer and lights nicely for a couple days before charging. No solar yet, this year if it ever quits snowing, but I have gen for the AC and can charge from truck as well. Here is a pic of the vented access door. The fresh water inlet, cable/ant. and 30 amp power connector are below the door.
151320

McDave
User avatar
McDave
Donating Member
 
Posts: 2288
Images: 412
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2015 5:21 am
Location: Tiny Town, Montana
Top

Re: Bruiser the Adventure Cruiser Offroad Cargo Trailer 6'x1

Postby PigTrail » Fri Mar 09, 2018 11:33 am

Great looking build. Thanks for sharing the details of your welding. I have a 140 as well and enjoy the flexibility to work with metal as well as wood in these cargo trailer builds. Keep up the good work.
Richard

@DualSportDispatch on IG
PigTrail
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Jun 25, 2014 3:30 pm
Top

Re: Bruiser the Adventure Cruiser Offroad Cargo Trailer 6'x1

Postby Adventurous » Mon Mar 12, 2018 9:20 pm

McDave wrote:Hey Adventurous,
That's quite a build you got going. I would have 86ed the bathroom as well, but I love my wife and I'll give her whatever it takes to make her happy. Luckily, she is a pretty smart cookie. I love having a shower and toilet inside and wouldn't give it up now. I have thought long and hard about the cooking issue and did install a microwave, its nice but you need a gen. or shore power. Resistance heating eats power very fast, so gas is the only way to go. I don't want to cook inside anyway. Just too small of area and grease and odors linger. Plus I love cooking outside and getting up before everyone else and getting the coffee and bacon started on those crisp mornings. That's camping.
My battery and LP tank are in a sealed(from cabin) vented compartment in the nose. The access door is vented and a floor vent as well. The pump is in there and I store the stinky slinky in there too. I have a 125ah battery that runs reefer and lights nicely for a couple days before charging. No solar yet, this year if it ever quits snowing, but I have gen for the AC and can charge from truck as well. Here is a pic of the vented access door. The fresh water inlet, cable/ant. and 30 amp power connector are below the door.
151320

McDave


Totally in agreement, I tried whittling down the list as much as I could, but there were only so many compromises I could extract. But yes, there's something about the cool and crisp morning air that makes camping special.

PigTrail wrote:Great looking build. Thanks for sharing the details of your welding. I have a 140 as well and enjoy the flexibility to work with metal as well as wood in these cargo trailer builds. Keep up the good work.


Thank you! I'm looking forward to the wood portion, as I generally have more skill in woodworking than I do in metal. But hey, always a good opportunity to learn right?


No updates, cause I've been screwed twice by Amazon on solar panel kits. The first one didn't come with a solar controller, the second kit was a wheelbarrow. Yes, no 200 watts of Renogy solar panels, but instead a heavy duty wheelbarrow. Let's hope try #3 works out...
Truck Build: http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threa ... ild-Thread

Trailer Build: viewtopic.php?f=42&t=70064

Instagram: explore_the_untamed
Adventurous
Teardrop Inspector
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2018 5:59 pm
Top

Re: Bruiser the Adventure Cruiser Offroad Cargo Trailer 6'x1

Postby Adventurous » Fri Apr 20, 2018 11:23 am

Sigh, we can never predict what life will throw our way, and in this case it requires me to sell the trailer. I will be sad to see it go, but happy to see someone else bring it to life. This is an awesome platform for someone looking to boondock camp, or just have a tiny little apartment on wheels that's not a monstrous RV. Plus, it just looks cool. This is a good opportunity to avoid a 6-8 week build time and get yourself a rugged camper ready to build!

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=70282
Truck Build: http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threa ... ild-Thread

Trailer Build: viewtopic.php?f=42&t=70064

Instagram: explore_the_untamed
Adventurous
Teardrop Inspector
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2018 5:59 pm
Top

Re: Bruiser the Adventure Cruiser Offroad Cargo Trailer 6'x1

Postby Iconfabul8 » Fri Apr 20, 2018 5:23 pm

:( Was so enjoying your enthusiasm and build. Sorry to see you go. Hopefully we will see you back at it some day.
User avatar
Iconfabul8
500 Club
 
Posts: 624
Images: 14
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2016 6:15 am
Location: Southern Utah
Top

Re: Bruiser the Adventure Cruiser Offroad Cargo Trailer 6'x1

Postby McDave » Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:58 am

Sorry to hear that Tim. You were making great progress and had a clear vision of what you wanted to accomplish. I'll keep you in mind if I hear of somebody looking. Don't be a stranger, there will still be folks who can benefit from your skills and advice. Good luck with your new plan, shiny side up.. ;) ...

McDave
User avatar
McDave
Donating Member
 
Posts: 2288
Images: 412
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2015 5:21 am
Location: Tiny Town, Montana
Top

Re: Bruiser the Adventure Cruiser Offroad Cargo Trailer 6'x1

Postby hankaye » Sat Apr 21, 2018 9:49 am

Adventurous, Howdy;

Yup, been there, Life does get in the way a lot more often then most folks realize.
I've had to make several detours gettin' to where I am now. Don't think I've got room
for to many more. Whichever route you take, be sure to go at a speed that you are
comfortable with. Best of luck to ya, as is said in the Navel service, " Wish you fair
winds and following seas."

hank
Striving for a less complicated life since 1949 ...
Every day I beat my own previous record for number of consecutive days I've stayed alive.
hankaye
2000 Club
2000 Club
 
Posts: 2567
Images: 1
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2012 5:35 pm
Location: S.W. New Mexico
Top

Re: Bruiser the Adventure Cruiser Offroad Cargo Trailer 6'x1

Postby Adventurous » Mon May 14, 2018 8:43 pm

Iconfabul8 wrote::( Was so enjoying your enthusiasm and build. Sorry to see you go. Hopefully we will see you back at it some day.


McDave wrote:Sorry to hear that Tim. You were making great progress and had a clear vision of what you wanted to accomplish. I'll keep you in mind if I hear of somebody looking. Don't be a stranger, there will still be folks who can benefit from your skills and advice. Good luck with your new plan, shiny side up.. ;) ...

McDave


hankaye wrote:Adventurous, Howdy;

Yup, been there, Life does get in the way a lot more often then most folks realize.
I've had to make several detours gettin' to where I am now. Don't think I've got room
for to many more. Whichever route you take, be sure to go at a speed that you are
comfortable with. Best of luck to ya, as is said in the Navel service, " Wish you fair
winds and following seas."

hank


Thanks for the support fellas! I had great hopes and aspirations for this build, alas, it was not meant to be. I'll keep checking in on this forum from time to time of course, I love seeing all of the ideas people come up with.

The wife and I ended up picking up a truck camper for our journey. First trip out this past weekend was promising; it'll for sure be light on the storage compared to the trailer but was comfy none the less. There are tradeoffs for every option I guess.
Truck Build: http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threa ... ild-Thread

Trailer Build: viewtopic.php?f=42&t=70064

Instagram: explore_the_untamed
Adventurous
Teardrop Inspector
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2018 5:59 pm
Top

Previous

Return to Cargo Trailer Conversions

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests