The First Tent Trailer, A Story of a Backroads Trailer

[Downwindtracke1]

A tent trailer rebuilt for the backroads of our beautiful province and camping at Forestry Rec Sites. We started with a used, fairly standard Bonair 700 hardtop,sleeps six,ice box, two burner stove and sink. As problems surfaced, I made repairs and improvements. Such as relacing the sink with a stainless steel one and designing a drain system that didn't flood the cutlery drawer. Starcraft uses the same design,now.I built an outside stove shelf like the new tent trailers have ,too. But the biggest improvement was adding a strong but light fully boxed ladder frame.When I did that I also used a 3500# axel with big 10" electric brakes and long 3500# springs. That's stronger frame than the factory "Off Road" tent trailers use,they only use a C-chanel. The longer springs give a softer ride with good load carrying.That lifted the trailer 6 3/4". Orginal axels are only 1500# and we had to replace the short springs in Cranbook one trip.Nor have I had to change the 13" tires,unlike the orginal 12". Don't let anyone tell you you don't need electric brakes with a light car,one panic stop in traffic will convince you otherwise.We pulled it mostly with a Cherokee,but on the trip to Disneyland we pulled it with a '90 Caravan.We replaced the rotton brown canvas with the more modern grey. And ALWAYS put it away dry. My wife painted the trailer white with a blue stripe, looks good. The new roof is covered with seamless white rubber like the new travel trailers. Most of the trim has been changed to white,too.It has an alumium checkerplate front,no more dents from gravel. The interior has a lot of real cherry veneer and new floor covering. I did that when I replaced 1/4 of the floor with pressure treated plywood. Of course ,the foams have been replaced with hi-density and recovered. Matching curtains,too. I didn't do those. Why after all this are we selling it? Well,I only yesterday did I finish the new roof project. The new bigger Starcraft has been used five times already. And I have heard each time how much more user friendly the old one was,chuckle,I guess there are more modificatins in my future. This was an add I placed on CL.

Instead of modifying the StarCraft we purchased a OutdoorRV Creekside 20FQ TT. I've already modified it for those same backroads. We still talk about that old trailer fondly and the memories.

Get out and camp, it's time together as family.

[manualman]

The stabilizers aren't for leveling on any popup (or TT). You level side to side with wood blocks, Lynx levelers or the peculiarly popular BAL leveler. Then you level front to back with the tongue jack. Stabilizers are only to prevent "wheelies" and to reduce 'camper wiggle.' Crank cable popups (as opposed to the old spring arms) shouldn't even have tight stabilizers when cranking the roof up our down.

But indeed, get out and enjoy. Not me this weekend. Bearing duty this weekend...

[Downwindtracke1]

The StarCraft we had was the last year of the standard leaf spring suspension. It was both high enough and heavy enough. Where that trailer failed was the frame wasn't stiff enough and stabilizers didn't lift. With a PUP, you can camp anywhere, even a guy in a bed roll can't sleep where you can camp. But you need to lift the trailer level. I was going to beef up the frame and use TT scissor jack stabilizers. The stabs would slide into pockets and travel in a box at the door. Otherwise they would hang down too low. I didn't think of it at the time, but I should have added shocks as well on the list of mods for the StarCraft.

I found that ad when I was looking in my computer for a file. The photos weren't saved.

[2lazy4U]

I really wish I had the skills to do mods like that. Sounds cool.

[Campfire_Time]

Photos?