Forum Discussion

missouri_dave's avatar
Sep 11, 2016

towing an expedition trailer behind a TC?

I'm interested in doing some semi long term boondocking. I wasn't much looking at truck campers because I'm a full timer and I thought they only had so much space and tankage. I've seen some pics and youtube videos though that have made me think a TC might be the way to go. Has anyone tried pulling one of those adventure/expedition type off road cargo trailers behind one just to give a little more storage and gear? I'm thinking one of the smaller ones that are made to pull behind jeeps maybe. Could carry extra water, generator fuel, a cooler etc. Plausible or just crazy talk?

18 Replies

  • jefe...those are some great 4x4 rigs. Did the Dodge sprout training wheels recently?
  • I did this for a while. Toad a motorcycle trailer behind my truck camper. It was great to have the extra space. But then I decided if I was going to tow a trailer I might as well toe a bigger one . So I went from a truck camper to a toy hauler of 20 feet. Not only do I have a real shower and a real bathroom and a real bed but I get to use the truck once the camper is unhooked.
  • Dave,
    It's done all the time. I would go to the expedition trailer forum on Expedition Portal to find a LOT of people in the same boat and what they put together for long term use. These are some creative people. That forum is the all-time best off-road trailer forum anywhere.
    The only thing to worry about is, how far off the beaten path are you going? If extreme, then you want the trailer to have a lot of clearance, big wheels and tires, a H.D. frame and suspension, not the usual wimpy trailer frame and definitely not standard, off the shelf trailer springs. See below. If you just need some storage for things you use in the outback, a suitable 'jeep' style trailer would be good. Back in my hard core jeep dayz, I had a series of small, tough jeep trailers to haul the stuff that would not fit in the rig. This is the current one:


    It's a 1955 David Bradley sold by Sears and Roebuck. This one is the choice after you cannot find a reasonable M-100 or M-714 actual military jeep trailer. I use a pintel with this one and two others I owned. Clanky stone age tech, but bomb proof. How proof is bomb proof? Glad you asked. The DD manual for the destruction before the enemy of the M-100 and M-714 trailers is a thick document describing how many hand grenades it takes to disable one.


    This is a 1968 M-714 used by the Navy with our SOA and pintel on my CJ-8: It will actually float if you get in deep enough water.

    Here are a couple JTTT's: one is a converted M-714 and the other is a special:

    A very rare 1967 Con Fer Toyota Land Cruiser jeep trailer with matching 6 lug hubs and track width. It had 4 gas can racks, and hinged locking waterproof lids. The best of the 5 'jeep' trailers I owned.

    The only woe was they used regular trailer springs of which the mainspring took a dump join the middle of nowhere: The mainspring is hanging down. Snapped at the centering bolt. Ironwood and bailing wire did not work well as a mainspring replacement. No centering hole. Yes, that's me in 1975 when I had a lot more testosterone. Vizciano Desert in Baja: 90 miles west of Guererro Negro.

    I had a couple others with no pix.
    If you get an enclosed utility trailer, which may be your best option, be sure it has a rather wide track. Why? So you can see it in your mirrors while backing. Those real narrow ones disappear from view until it's too late to recover. Why? short swing base: hitch over tongue to axle. I would advise against getting more trailer than you need. On a narrow track with no place to turn around, it will be a long day or night backing the thing for a long distance. The good thing about a jeep trailer is you can back it into almost any spot with no worries to turn on the wye and go back the way you came.
    jefe