Camping trailers and towing them

[dinny_g]

Whereas mine had a large front door with detachable triangular side panels which kept the rain out completely unless of course, the wind was blowing straight at the front of the tent.

But even then, it had to be blowing a gale in which case, you wouldn’t want a front door fully open at all, no matter what the design in em the interior.

Just different designs I suppose.

I think most manufacturers are pushing for you to cook in these outside covered spaces but I always cooked inside, with suitable venting etc. ours had a full mesh covered side door where so set up the stove ( with the front opened a bit too)

[mikeyb]

I bought a trailer for tip runs but it doubled up as a camping trailer for recent stay-cations (although strictly speaking it's probably a camping trailer that doubles up as a tip run trailer). Having two dogs taking up the boot space and a fiancé that seems to want to take everything, we’ve had to resort to taking the trailer.

Here's a couple of pics from our trip around Scotland last September.

Untitled by mikeyb, on Flickr

Untitled by mikeyb, on Flickr

ETA: The trailer was bought second hand for around £400. The towbar was from PF Jones for circa £150 and a LR wiring kit for £80 (didn't need coding, but means the car knows there's a trailer attached - turns off parking sensors etc).

I would go for a larger trailer unless storage is an issue.

[ZedLeg]

If you buy a used trailer check the tyres. I saw one shred a tyre on the M1 on Sunday, no hard shoulder on that section either.

That's a good shout for anyone buying a used trailer or caravan tbh, people are terrible for not checking trailer tyres. I saw a guy towing a vintage tractor on a trailer with tyres you could pull apart with your bare hands once .

[JonMad]

Thanks @mikeyb. One with a lockable lid seems a good plan. If evonomics massively kicks in, following the 'get bigger if you can' advice, this one.

[Mito Man]

If you're looking at spending that much I'd recommend Ifor Williams because they're tanks. They do a P5 domestic trailer.

[mikeyb]

Thanks @mikeyb. One with a lockable lid seems a good plan. If evonomics massively kicks in, following the 'get bigger if you can' advice, this one.

You're welcome Jon. The lid comes in handy, particularly as I had to unhitch the trailer and leave it in a car park whilst in Oban.

It may just be that i don't have mad skillz, but the tiny trailers are very difficult to reverse. I think the bed on mine is 2m x 1.4m. It was a different kind of fun dragging it around the NC500/Skye - overtakes needed planning...

[mikeyb]

I’d look at the below - Brenderups tend to have a good chassis and A-frame tow hitch. Or IW’s as Mito has suggested.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175299987144 ... media=COPY

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195038674156 ... media=COPY

[V8Granite]

You REALLY only need a roof box and towball mounted tray for that tent.

So pop your tent on the rack, plus sleeping bags or quilts in a waterproof hold-all, plus some self inflating mattresses (which rock and are genuinely warm) and you still have an entire boot to use.

2 kids, a dog using half the boot and a roofbox was all we needed. We also never carry anything in the cabin, boot only or roof box.

Dave!

[DeskJockey]

Oh and to both of you, get a carpet for the interior space, if you haven’t already. Transform the space

We have carpet, fairy lights, bunting, and assorted other necessities. The carpet is the only one of those that I genuinely wouldn't want to be without.

And make sure you have a puncture repair kit and a spare beam.

[JonMad]

Tent purchased and test erection (fnarr) complete. And a bunch of other camping gear purchased. Tow bar fitting booked in. Test weekend camping booked in. Very convenient trailer - from a neighbour across the road - available to borrow, last used a year or so ago, with the caveat, 'the tyres are a bit old, but I've never had an issue'. A couple of spare wheels look pretty cheap though. Thanks also @Sundayjumper for your trailer offer.

Might get a new gas canister and hose/regulator as
- our gas bottle is 15kg size, so feels like overkill (even for a fortnight of cooking?)
- the hose attached to the 2 burner gas cooker I pulled out of the loft is dated 2001.

[dinny_g]

Camping top tip.

ABB - Always be Boiling.

As soon as you get up, boil a kettle of water. When you get back in the evening, first thing you do - get a kettle on to boil.

Also, buy a really good Flask - Vango ones are best performance/value compromise.

Always be boiling!

[Gavster]

If you buy a used trailer check the tyres. I saw one shred a tyre on the M1 on Sunday, no hard shoulder on that section either.

That's a good shout for anyone buying a used trailer or caravan tbh, people are terrible for not checking trailer tyres. I saw a guy towing a vintage tractor on a trailer with tyres you could pull apart with your bare hands once .

On Saturday June 13th 1992 one of our trailer wheels detached itself from the boat trailer (which had several boats on it) as we drove around the North Circular near Wembley. We spent the rest of the day sitting in the sun, eating sweets from a corner shop, watching the traffic jam that we had created and seeing thousands of people walk towards the Guns and Roses gig at Wembley. Apparently it's really difficult to get a minibus full of teenagers and a long boat trailer recovered when a wheel has ejected itself. The police stopped and asked us to move, despite one corner of the trailer being sat squarely on the ground.

[ZedLeg]

Reminds me of the time that our bus ran out of diesel leaving Beamish on a school trip.

We blocked the road for about an hour while we scrounged up diesel and the driver and my dad bled the fuel system

[16vCento]

Someone is selling a decent looking Erde 102 here, never been used for £160.

https://autoshite.com/topic/49790-erde- ... 160-stoke/

[JonMad]

ta, though can't see that as not a member. Looking at something a decent size - we have the storage space - with a lockable lid.
evonomics is leading me towards this one
Are Temared any good? Looking at that one again, I'd want them to throw in a spare wheel.

[JonMad]

Sorted.

[Sundayjumper]

Cool ! Now practice reversing. It’s a skill all on its own.

[Gavster]

Camping top tip.

ABB - Always be Boiling.

As soon as you get up, boil a kettle of water. When you get back in the evening, first thing you do - get a kettle on to boil.

Also, buy a really good Flask - Vango ones are best performance/value compromise.

Always be boiling!

My junior researcher is going to Glasto this weekend and we were chatting about it on the team meeting on Monday. Our senior researcher was saying all the sensible things, like "take wellies, take waterproofs, keep wet things out the tent, etc..."

I just said "TAKE LOTS OF DRUGS"