How have your trailers held up camping in the mountains?

[OregonTRX4]

My trailer sees some rough gravel forest service type roads but we drive real slow, especially through potholes etc. We also leave our trailer on some land isolated way up a forestry road. My friends trailer is already having mice and we are battling that. What I was wondering is what problems people have run into with repeated exposure to these conditions. Loose screws and bolts? Broken parts? Let me hear your problems. I prefer this to camping in a park. Thanks.

[RobertRyan]

69Avion wrote:
can't think of many US maufacturers that make TT like the off road versions made in Australia. That is probably because much of the continental US is covered by paved roads.

I think there would be none. Most who do, use some flipped axle with leaf springs, that does not cut it.

[Francesca_Knowl]

69 Avion wrote:
You still need enough ground clearance to clear the obstacles that may be in your way.

Goin' small works for me as well as goin' tall would have, at least as far as deeply rutted roads are concerned.

At it's widest point my setup is less than 6 1/2 feet wide, which allows me to ride the hump on deeply rutted roads. One side on the hump, one side on the shoulder...presto! A whole foot or more of clearance for the oil pan etc.

Of course, this definitely leads to more pinstriping, so one must take care to alternate roadsides so both sides are equally detailed :B

[69_Avion]

I can't think of many US maufacturers that make TT like the off road versions made in Australia. That is probably because much of the continental US is covered by paved roads.
I couldn't find a trailer that had much of the positive attributes to suit me so ended up building a trailer for my old Avion C-11 camper.

Very few 19' trailers will have decent ground clearance, 80 gallons of water, 20 gallons of gasoline, 20 gallons of black water, 20 gallons of gray water, 100# of propane, room for one quad, E rated tired to match the F-350 pulling it, and over 1500# of payload above the wet weight.

As eluded to earlier in this post, the key to success in driving on rough roads is to drive the proper speed for the conditions. Going slow in rough conditions will certainly save your equipment. You still need enough ground clearance to clear the obstacles that may be in your way.

[Downwindtracke1]

When we were in Aus, we went to a RV show. Even their tent trailers are very well built.

[Huntindog]

mlts22 wrote:

Huntindog wrote:
That is the way we have always camped. Screws do back out, and staples loosen up. I fix it in such a way that it won't happen again.
At some point I like have done most everything in the way of repairs... A hint: Loctite is your friend. The Harbor Freight brand works well and is affordable enough. Never reinstall a screw with using it.

Which "color"/strength Loctite do you use? In general, I use the blue stuff (removable by hand tools), but some swear by the purple (the weakest of them all), and others use red (removable by heating to 300-400 degrees.)

I generally use the blue. If I'm out of it and have the green, it'll do. Rarely use red.

[RobertRyan]

How they go around the roads of the late 1950;s and 1960's in these is hard to imagine. A 1964 34ft Caravan

A 1959 Modern Interior.

[RobertRyan]

BillyW wrote:
My entry level, and much maligned brand, has been through it all. Some of it would even make Robert Ryan take notice

Before Off Roaders became common people have been taking their "normal caravans" everywhere. There were a lot more unpaved roads in Australia in the 1950's and 1960's The caravans were pretty solid then but the suspensions were still basically old fashioned leaf or inverted leaf ones.

[Doug33]

BillyW wrote:


I also think the washboards are probably ones worst enemy. It gets very old, but I drive those kinds of roads pretty slowly.

Your dentist will thank you after you pay the bill to have your crowns reinstalled.

[TurnThePage]

My entry level, and much maligned brand, has been through it all. Some of it would even make Robert Ryan take notice. The fridge and drawers have opened. Various "stuff" has dispersed all over. I've found kitchen items in the bathroom, etc. As mentioned, the occasional screw comes loose. I think if you drive for the conditions, pretty much any trailer will be OK. No need to be in a hurry when the road or path is disagreeable.

I like that term, "Sierra Stripe". I'll have to remember it.

I also think the washboards are probably ones worst enemy. It gets very old, but I drive those kinds of roads pretty slowly.

[JiminDenver]

I've been pleased with how well the Amerilite has done on the back roads. I've noticed a screw that needed tightening, the faceplate of the furnace is scuffing the cabinet behind it. Other than that it's the usual fridge, cupboard or medicine cabinet door opens.

I don't mind the rocks, ruts and washouts, we can pick our way over those as slow as needed. It's miles of washboards that I dislike.

[RobertRyan]

Francesca Knowles wrote:
We camp almost exclusively in the kind of conditions you describe.

Other than "Sierra pinstripes", my trailer hasn't sustained any damage from mountain/rough roads camping. If you can call that damage...some folks, myself included, think of them more as badges of honor. Positive proof that we've been down roads literally narrower than the trailer...now, THAT is what I call "campin'!

That is why we have the rapid growth of the Off Road Caravan in Australia. More and More people are going to previously inaccessible places in Australia without destroying their RV.

[bartlettj]

I use those things that look like giant twist ties to keep my cabinets shut on the road: http://www.griptwist.com/

[Downwindtracke1]

It always interesting to open the door.

Why don't they make a fridge door with good latch? If you put a piece of carpet in front of the pantry, when it spills , it doesn't damage the floor. BTW, door latches are top of the honey-do list. chuckle

5MPH ?? I did highway speeds on gravel highways in the NWT. good gravel roads, though, got to get a grass skirt for the truck

Backroads Trailer 3, is an Outdoor RV Creekside, it seems to be standing up well .Heavy frame, shocks,

[profdant139]

We installed latches on all of our cabinets to prevent stuff from falling out on rough roads -- we get more bouncing on California freeways at 60 mph than we do on forest roads at 5 mph!

To handle rocky roads and steep driveways, we had our axle flipped and installed heavy duty shocks and axle.