Keeping camera gear in overland trailer across country?

Hey so quick question for you guys.

I have a Toyota FJ, can that tow one of those sort of trailers?  Also I have a bike rack that plugs into my tow hitch.  If you have a trailer plugged into the back of your truck, how can you carry your bikes?  

Depends on the weight of the trailer.  What size wheels are you running?

Those tear drop trailers are so cute!  I wouldn't leave my gear in it though.  To hot and it could tip over from hitting a bump.  

Seeing that this thread has gone in a completely different direction than it started already, where are you guys finding your overland trails?  Any decent iPhone app you can suggest?

Oh man, we camp all the time when we hit the sand dunes.  In my camper we have everything bungee down.  But I will never carry anything of value, things just bounce all over the place.  Especially if you are driving spiritedly.  Make sure you get an off-road free moving hitch.  

Each summer we spend nearly 6 weeks overlanding.  All sensitive electronics always go in the SUV.

CharleyL wrote: Is the trailer insulated? Does it have shocks? I would much rather keep cameras and lenses in the insulated/air conditioned vehicle and put something else of less value in the trailer. One of the first things that I did when I bought my enclosed cargo trailer was to insulate and panel the inside walls and ceiling with foam board and plywood and I modified the axle and added shocks. A spare tire mount and spare tire was also added just behind the hitch, with a cable and lock to secure it.
I also make certain to ventilate the trailer when traveling in the warmer climates, but I still would not put my camera and lenses in the trailer when traveling. Other photo gear maybe, but not my cameras or lenses.

Charley

Did you build this or buy a bare trailer and build from there?

I came close to pulling trigger on a Schutt trailer, but had concerns about their axles.  A buddy of mine told me that I really need to pay attention to the suspension in these things.  Which does make sense, I'm not mechanically inclined, so if something goes wrong, I'm screwed.  

Ozzie_Traveller wrote: G'day Cory

As someone who lives on the road for most of every year (except this one!!) I would suggest -in the vehicle- before -in the caravan- ... as the towing vehicle is better stabilised than the caravan

The biggest caveat would be secure storage, as regrettably we all know of cases where theft has occurred

ps- for us, we're in a motorhome rather than a caravan and overall it provides us with much better all-round accommodation, storage and security. We've had our vehicle now for 16 yrs and it's coming up to 500,000km sometime soon - now next year rather than this year for obvious reasons

Phil from the great land Downunder
www.flickr.com/photos/ozzie_traveller/sets/

Ha!  I watch a lot of 4WD YouTube channels, and so many are from your neck of the world!  You all have some very dense off road trails over there.   How often are you getting out?

Richard K Photography wrote: Ha!  I watch a lot of 4WD YouTube channels, and so many are from your neck of the world!  You all have some very dense off road trails over there.   How often are you getting out?

G'day Richard

While there are many YouTube + other sources videos on "outback and wacky" exploits from equally wacky people - it is all outside my area of travel (and interest)

While we are on the road in the motorhome each year - generally covering from 20,000 to 25,000 kilometres, 75% of this is sealed roads leaving about 5,000 ~ 7000 Km of dirt roads

Such roads vary a lot in construction and safe road speeds.  Here's one from last year's travels.  Quite safe for 80 to 100km/h travels, but we do regrettably have city-based idiots who want to do 130-140km/h speeds and quite soon come to grief, leaving locals and the Flying Doctor to pick up the pieces

a) The Oodnadatta Track - north towards Alice Springs some 700km away

b) and you can see 'em coming for miles away - as the saying goes

Phil from the great land Downunder
www.flickr.com/photos/ozzie_traveller/sets/

Completely jealous of you all.  The only offroad vehicle in my garage is a 2 door Jeep Wrangler, which I don't believe could tow much of anything.  I was just telling my wife a few weeks ago, I would like to move to a Toyota Tacoma and possibly get a camper for the back.  Who knows, might look at making a trailer or buying one.  Well I don't think I'll make one, I don't have the time and would rather spend my free time out shooting.  

"Did you build this or buy a bare trailer and build from there?"

My trailer is a 6 X 12' box trailer made by Pace with a drop down ramp tailgate on the back. It was bought from Home Depot in North Los Angeles over the phone by credit card, so my youngest son could move his belongings back home to NC when he became disabled and could no longer work.

I later installed foam insulation board between the ribs and tie down strips at two levels down both sides. I can secure and move most anything that will fit in it, and do it safely.

Right now it has two wide format printers in it, waiting for me to make space in my studio for one. The other will likely keep me in spares for a while, or I may sell it instead.

Charley

I thought you transformed the trailer into a mobile off road studio 

Is it something you can sleep in?

On road it would be fine if the temp wasn’t to hot.  If going off-road, that will get tossed all over the place. 

I wouldn't take my Pace trailer off road, or at least not very far off road. I usually pull it with my Jeep Grand Cherokee 4wd and 5 litre engine, but sometimes pull it with my 96 Dodge Dakota 2 litre 2wd. The WWII movies show military Jeeps pulling utility type trailers quite often, and over some pretty rough terrain, so I would think that a newer model Jeep would do well pulling a tear drop or similar sized trailer, even somewhat off road, as long as the trailer gross weight was 1,600 lbs or less. 

I still would never carry expensive electronics, cameras, or lenses in a trailer. They just bounce around too much and have no climate control. Even if insulated, with no climate control system, they can get quite hot or cold. The advantage of insulation is that it retards this climate change, kind of averaging it out over a 24 hour period and removing the peak hots and colds.

Charley

I'm jealous, I would love to get off grid!