Off road camper and remote travel

[Lonelycruiser]

I'm interested to hear what  others are doing to their off-road campers to make them more reliable and safe to to tow in remote areas.One suggestion I have heard is to fit a safety chain from the chassis to the axle to prevent the axle and tyre from rolling the trailer over.

[02-SR5]

I don't really get what your saying.

Independent suspension usually does to restrict droop.

Leaf spring doesn't.

But neither requires a chain to reduce roll overs, that doesn't really make any sense?

[GeoffA]

I'm interested to hear what  others are doing to their off-road campers to make them more reliable and safe to to tow in remote areas.........

Regular maintenance is a good start.

[speewa158]

Yarr What he said  , & enough spares , tools Cash &  to sort it out  if it dose turn to s^1t     

[Crimso]

Load up, head off & take care.

[speewa158]

lts kind of a lucky dip   , Some gots to Win  , Some gots to louse 

[swanny]

Do a search thru the forum mate, look for "trip preparation, and spares to carry", heaps of stuff on here that will get you going.

Never over look doing maintenance to your CT, or veh for that matter, do the right thing and reduce your dramas 10 fold, some times chit happens, but if you have done your prep at least you have piece of mind.

Swanny   

[GeoffA]

........some times chit happens, but if you have done your prep at least you have piece of mind.......

I agree. Some things just can't be foreseen, or avoided, but you can improve your chances.

[Chris J]

Good maintenance, walk around and check the trailer and vehicle at every opportunity, but most important slow down and take it easy.

Regards Chris.

[TOPNDR]

One suggestion I have heard is to fit a safety chain from the chassis to the axle to prevent the axle and tyre from rolling the trailer over.

I'm confused by this. I assume the "chassis" is the camper chassis? This leads to two questions.

Without the safety chain, how does the axle & tyre roll the trailer over?

If there is a safety chain from the chassis to the axle, how does this prevent the trailer from rolling over?

I'd have thought driving technique was the best method of preventing a roll over.   

[Lonelycruiser]

The chain to the chassis was suggested in the event of a major spring or u bolt failure . Were the wheel could roll back under the guard and throw the trailer over. It does sound extreme but I have heard it happen.
The question I'm asking is to see the solution for problems people have experienced after a remote trip.ie: another suggestion was to beef up protection on electrical wiring under the CT prevent stone damage.

[GeoffA]

........another suggestion was to beef up protection on electrical wiring under the CT prevent stone damage.

Yep. Hide all wiring as much as possible, and don't use cable ties under the trailer.

[mongrel]

I am prepping now for a trip out to Coober and although a lot of the travel will be on the black top, there will be a bit on the rough stuff.

So this week as precaution, I am taking the camper to the local suspension guy that I know for a once over.  He is going to check my shocks and springs and check for any signs of wear and weakness that can be easily rectified.

I know the rubber bushes on my shocks are already cracked and split, so they will be changed out, but I also just wanted to get is opinion on the strength of the setup etc. 

So yeah - as the others have said - know your trailer is in good shape before you head out, then hope! 

[BTMNDR]

The chain to the chassis was suggested in the event of a major spring or u bolt failure . Were the wheel could roll back under the guard and throw the trailer over. It does sound extreme but I have heard it happen.
The question I'm asking is to see the solution for problems people have experienced after a remote trip.ie: another suggestion was to beef up protection on electrical wiring under the CT prevent stone damage.

Thanks Lonelycruiser, I'd not heard of that happening.

[McGirr]

Below is what happened to Tim on the 2012 Cape Trip.

The ubolt snapped and the axle went back and the result. They were new ubolts.

Very rare and you have to be unlucky for this to happen.

Make sure your camper is insured also.

Mark

[mongrel]

OUCH!!

Agreed on the insurance.  I have mine insured with AAMI.  It's not that expensive either.

[speewa158]

On a recent trip down the Old Ghan Track to Fink 1 of the convoy lost his independent  suspension . His insurance didn't mean ZIP as he was on a track not a road . Up to you bucko make sure your insurance covers retrieval of tug & or CT from a road /track on a map . We were quoted $2750 in cash up front before a truck would be dispatched from Alice Springs to retrieve him . As it worked out we managed to get the parts rewelded & get going by ourselves .
Take spares , cash , & positive mental attitude   &       

[@fnq4now]

Yep. Hide all wiring as much as possible, and don't use cable ties under the trailer.

X 2. And spare everything, including $$

[jetcrew]

I'm interested to hear what  others are doing to their off-road campers to make them more reliable and safe to to tow in remote areas.One suggestion I have heard is to fit a safety chain from the chassis to the axle to prevent the axle and tyre from rolling the trailer over.

You have heard right mate, on a beam axle leaf sprung trailer a chain fixed from the chassis both in front and behind the axle will in the event of a spring or hanger failure , prevent the axle from moving backwards and contacting the wheel arch , more prevalent in light weight boat trailers as they will flip over in a heartbeat.

On my previous boat trailer this was done as a single spring hanger or u-bolt  failure could be bad news for fishing 

Now I run tandems and I do not have it. But on a single axle is very good insurance against total loss in the event of suspension failure.

I have never personally had it work but was in company with a boat that survived spring hanger failure because if the chain.  we bush welded the hanger back on and took it easy , no chain and it would have been a diff story .

All it does is stop the axle sliding back wards from under the trailer until it hit the wheel arch as per the pic .

Jet

[speewa158]

lets not get to complicated . Treg up , pack up ,make Dust .  What ever will be will be .  The road will decide how your trip  will be . lf you don't want the drama of travel ,   then stay home  . Or go & enjoy .
You can dine out on stories of the road for years  , or sit home & wonder what it could have been like  . Your call 

[mongrel]

^ +1  to that brother. 

[Barry G]

For the sake of 2 lengths of chai n I might do this. Zip weight and good 'insurance'.

[jetcrew]

lets not get to complicated . Treg up , pack up ,make Dust .  What ever will be will be .  The road will decide how your trip  will be . lf you don't want the drama of travel ,   then stay home  . Or go & enjoy .
You can dine out on stories of the road for years  , or sit home & wonder what it could have been like  . Your call 

that's all good and a fantastic attitude for some ....but  when I pull over and see that attitude  has been the trip prep attitude then I just grab my family jump back in my prepared rig and off I go.. why should I waste time on my holiday to help others who obv could not have given a rats to try and set their vehicle and camper up properly for the conditions they are travelling.

This whole help out fellow man when outback is great but if my fellow man can't give a rats or is towing something that was clearly not designed for the area, then I am happy to put my hand up as one of those ignorant people who offer no help. (except life endangering of course).

Some things fail no matter the trip prep but that is obv to anyone, like in Mcgirs post, when you can see a bloke has done all he can and put new u-bolts on for the trip given the suspension a full service then that's just plain and simple bad luck and he deserves every help avail.  But pull up and see rusted old springs ,bald tyres, overloaded rig and he has no tools ..then I am out of there.

Lonleycrusier- good on you for at least asking the questions and trying your best to set yourself for the remote travel , buy using that attitude it should see you through or at very least allow others to see that you have made every effort which might make them more inclined to help out.   

Jet  

[weeds]

wow never realise the impact if an axle let go.............

never heard or seen chains fitted, I do see the merit however I think if your trailer is well constructed and maintained than that's a good start.

[speewa158]

that's all good and a fantastic attitude for some ....but  when I pull over and see that attitude  has been the trip prep attitude then I just grab my family jump back in my prepared rig and off I go.. why should I waste time on my holiday to help others who obv could not have given a rats to try and set their vehicle and camper up properly for the conditions they are travelling.

This whole help out fellow man when outback is great but if my fellow man can't give a rats or is towing something that was clearly not designed for the area, then I am happy to put my hand up as one of those ignorant people who offer no help. (except life endangering of course).

Some things fail no matter the trip prep but that is obv to anyone, like in Mcgirs post, when you can see a bloke has done all he can and put new u-bolts on for the trip given the suspension a full service then that's just plain and simple bad luck and he deserves every help avail.  But pull up and see rusted old springs ,bald tyres, overloaded rig and he has no tools ..then I am out of there.

Lonleycrusier- good on you for at least asking the questions and trying your best to set yourself for the remote travel , buy using that attitude it should see you through or at very least allow others to see that you have made every effort which might make them more inclined to help out.   

Jet



On you Jet ,   l think you missed the point l was trying to make . Do what you need to do to keep your CT & rig going , maintance etc .  lf at some stage it all turns to $h1T  & you arnt prepaid to take that into the trip as part of the price of the road stay Home    . $h1T happens no matter how your prepared . That's why we travel in the 1st place to experance that out there