Redneck Toyhauler

[cLAY]

22ft Rustler 5th wheel on a 30ft Trailtech goose neck.

Took it out for the first time this weekend. Works great! Tows great!




Works as an RTI ramp as well!

[TJ54]

I've been thinking about something like that for a long time. I saw a similar setup this weekend but they were using old tent trailer instead of the fifth wheel.

I think it looks awesome, a great, practical, low budget way to go out for a weekend.   You just gotta figure out where to put the hot tub now.

[fug]

Everytime I see something this I want to do it myself.  I've seen it done with a small travel trailer.. and truck camper.... but I really like the idea of the 5th wheel. 

Do you have any shots with with the Jeep on the back and tied down?  How did you get the 5th wheel up onto the goose neck?  Is it permanently attached now? How's the weight distribution?

[cLAY]

Yep I think its going to work out well.

Sorry no shots of the jeep actually on there, but there is 14ft of deck space for the jeep.

5th wheel is just chained down and could be removed and the axles re-installed in about 1/2 a day.

I built a platform to lift up the 5th wheel using 2" ID reciever tube and some trailer jacks. Two lengths of 2" tube were welded across the bottom of the frame and then 2" OD tube was welded to the trailer jacks and then inserted into the receiver tube. Then the 5th wheel was lifted up in stages using its own landing jacks and the trailer jacks. Once it was high enough I backed the GN under it. Unfortunately the pin box on the 5th wheel wouldn't clear the neck on the GN and I had maxed the jacks out. So I had to drop the 5th wheel onto the the deck of the GN and throw some rims under the jacks to give it a bit more height. I then dropped the pin box of the 5th wheel into the 'V' of the GN hitch. Here are some pics.

[cLAY]

Weight distrubition is good with the jeep on the trailer but heavy on the pin without. Dually still handles it ok, doesn't sag in the back or anything but you do notice it hitting the bumps on the highway harder.

[fug]

Nicely done!  I like the idea of the 5th wheel cause you get a decent sized bed and decent sized sitting area as well without giving up too much of the deck.  

I guess one down side would be the total length.  Might be a bit tougher to get into some smaller spots.  I use a slide in camper and an 18' bumper pull for the the jeep.  There are times I've dropped the trailer along the road and just backed the truck into the site.   Then again ... being able to quickly unhook the tow vehicle and have use of it is nice too.  Decisions decisions.

[cLAY]

Yes that was our old setup as well. 12ft camper and 18ft car trailer.



REALLY sucked trying to get ready for a long weekend. Now I just back up to it, tie the jeep down and we're off.

Size/weight could be an issue, ground clearance is good but if I did drop the wheels into a cross ditch it could be bad. Especially if was on the way home and the jeep was dead and couldn't be offloaded. I had no problems this weekend and one of the other guys in the club got his motorhome stuck going into the site.

BTW those 37" IROKS you sold me suck! Even with chains on and locked front/rear I STILL got stuck in the snow!   

[fug]

I will say... loading the camper onto the truck and hooking up the trailer etc etc does suck.  I have visions of building something like what you've done... with sides all skirted in below the 5th wheel/camper.  Tool storage... maybe a big generator, compressor and welder etc.  Basically everything you would want to live comfortably and fix what breaks. 

It's not the Iroks dude... Its the ZJ! Everyone knows they don't wheel.  HAHAHAHAHA       Good to see you're putting the tires to good use tho... My TJ hasn't moved in months 

[cLAY]

Ya its hard to wheel without any tires! 

My plan is to skirt in the sides and wheel wells for extra storage. The driver's side wheel well already has two 8D cat batteries mounted in it. I too had hoped to mount a gen set and welder in the wheel wells but once the axles are off and its sitting on its frame the wheel wells are WAY smaller than I had thought they would be.

[dubbleJs]

haha redneck or not, wicked setup!

[dunl]

I think it looks awesome, a great, practical, low budget way to go out for a weekend.   You just gotta figure out where to put the hot tub now.

[Spinalguy]

That is great Clay. i like the idea of a roomy trailer vs truck cramper.

At our race in Porkies this past weekend, a buddy made a STEAM room. It was frickin fantastic!
The easy up served as the room and he Mcguyvered a system to deliver steam.

[w squared]

Okay...now THAT is roughing it in style!

[cLAY]

When I tree planted in nothern ontario we were always camped on a lake and built a sauna. We just bent over a bunch of tall willows into a dome big enough for 4-5 people than convered it in old heavy quilts. We then found large boulders which we heated in a fire. When they were glowing we moved them into the sauna with a large shovel. Water was then poured over it to create the steam. We stayed in until we couldn't stand in any longer then went outside and jumped in the lake. This was in May/June and in early May the lake usually still had ice chunks floating on it. You didn't even feel it though after being in the sauna. Well not at first anyway.....

Sometimes I could barely get back to my tent afterward, I felt like a wet noodle!

[Spinalguy]

Man, we never had that creativity when i tree planted in N.ONT.
Damn