Okay, so I'm about to head out to Moab here in a few weeks with the Samurai in tow. Well, that's the problem. I've always flat-towed it behind my SUV and it's been fine, but as any good wheeler goes along, the rig gets more radical and the potential for trail carnage increases. So, why not just buy a trailer???

My driveway is narrow, steep and has a sharp turn coming up off the street.

I looked into renting a trailer for this trip, borrowing one, buying an old junker and just re-selling it when I get home, etc...The Samurai is only 11'10" end to end including the 12.5" wide spare on the tailgate! I saw that a few manufacturers (Carson, Big Tex, Kaufman) make a 12' long trailer that might just get up into the driveway without draggin' ass. But how to figure that out before dropping the cash???

I built me a trailer! :grinpimp: Okay, they have a pimp smiley, but no red-neck smiley??? So, here it is:

Completely to scale... :D

Material: 1X2" Poplar (no C channel!!!)
Tires and wheels: Rolerblade extreme
Fastening method: Sheetrock screws and quick clamps
Coupler: Zip ties
Jack: Samurai OEM
GVWR: 20 lbs
Trailer weight: 14 lbs
Time to build: 1.5 hours
Total cost: 42 bucks

Making sure it's level before moving it around the driveway:

Notice the bling-bling wheels! :grinpimp:

Initial measurements...I purposely built this 2" lower than the ones I would buy as a bit of a fudge-factor.

I took a hitch-height reading right where it was first parked and then moved the Pathfinder 3-feet and measured again. I repeated this 15 times. I wrote down each measurement on a piece of masking tape and stuck it to the driveway right under the ball:

Are you getting the "Too much time on your hands!!!!" urge? :flipoff2:

When I was done, I had a trail of blue tape running all the way down the driveway and into the street. Like little breadcrumbs. :D

Then I rolled the trailer through each of those spots making sure to keep the "coupler" over the trail all the way down. I'd stop at each mark and measure the height I recorded and make sure the trailer wouldn't scrape, clip a wall or whatever through the route.

What did I find out?

There really isn't a dragging problem, but it will be a v e r y tight squeeze on the sides making the turn. I'm not at all worried about pulling out of the driveway...downhill...I'm more worried about threading the needle backwards, uphill, tight turning with 4,000 lbs of load back there.

This was with a 12' to-scale model. FORGET a 14 footer, let alone the typically available 16-18 footers! :eek:

Bottom line, shouldn't be too much of a problem. Now, the question is...which 12-foot trailer manufacturer to drop the $2,000 on???

Hopefully, they will all be built a little sturdier than this one!

Time to build: 1.5 hours



You'll Never Get That Back :flipoff2:

I'll take 2

I guess that is why you drive a samari :flipoff2: I have about the steepest driveway out there. It scrapes but oh well. Wheels on the back would take care of that. RV's have those wheels on back in case they scrape. As far as backing it up... DON'T Put a receiver in front of your Sami and push it up. That is how I do it and I have only less than 3 or 4 inches on each side to get it through my garage.

When I was done, I had a trail of blue tape running all the way down the driveway and into the street. Like little breadcrumbs. :D

I wish I had been there to help, I have this fancy Trimble GPS unit from work, we cudda worked that in there some how.

And why not go to U-Haul and rent one to see how hard its gonna be?

Actually, I back mine up into tight places with no.. well, *some* trouble. Its just that you have to go slow with such short coupling. If you have low gears and power steering it works better! :-) I tow a tiny fiberglass clam-shell trailer behind my Zuke for camping.

As far as backing it up... DON'T Put a receiver in front of your Sami and push it up.

Yeah. That is the trick set-up. I usta park $milion$ airplanes into tight hangers with a diesel tug. I'd use the hitch in front to push em backwards.

I wish I had been there to help, I have this fancy Trimble GPS unit from work, we cudda worked that in there some how.

And why not go to U-Haul and rent one to see how hard its gonna be?

Actually, I back mine up into tight places with no.. well, *some* trouble. Its just that you have to go slow with such short coupling. If you have low gears and power steering it works better! :-) I tow a tiny fiberglass clam-shell trailer behind my Zuke for camping.
the only trouble i have seen you have with your little trailer is the 2 guys that dig holes and bury it up to the axel

I think your gonna need some REALLY small bearing buddies to keep the axle working :laughing:

Oh yeah "Needs More Triangulation" :flipoff2:

I wish I had been there to help, I have this fancy Trimble GPS unit from work, we cudda worked that in there some how.

And why not go to U-Haul and rent one to see how hard its gonna be?


I actually had fun building this...Short of the cost of metal these days, I would probably build the real thing!

I thought about renting a u-haul (good idea!), and just try to find one that's close in dimensions. Trouble is, when I was done with it, I wouldn't be able to bust it all up for firewood. :grinpimp:

Looked at Carson trailers today at the factory...they're not so good on the quality side...and not that much cheaper than a Big Tex. Now I just need to find someone coming to California from Texas to pick one up for me!

Any takers? :D

WOW, it took me about half of this thread for me to realize that trailer is just a model. I kept thinking, i know Sami's are light, but a 1"x2" poplar trailer :rolleyes:

But anyways, awesome job. post up pics when you get the real one made!!

I bought a carson 7000# dual brake about 5 years back. Yeah its mostly made of china shit but I have used the hell out of it. Best $1400 I spent. The only thing I had to upgrade was the tires. They didn't have enought of a load range.



Looked at Carson trailers today at the factory...they're not so good on the quality side...and not that much cheaper than a Big Tex. Now I just need to find someone coming to California from Texas to pick one up for me!

Any takers? :D

the only trouble i have seen you have with your little trailer is the 2 guys that dig holes and bury it up to the axel

Naw.. that's generally no trouble, its just that on big weekends at Pismo there are always plenty of propeller-head twits running around. %(|:-)

And one of em broke my taillight. But I fixed it... think it might be Jeep lights on there now, not sure.

GeoB :-)

$2k for a 12 foot trailer? Are you freakin nuts.
I got a 12' for a samurai here, about 2 yrs ago, tandem axle, nice built trailer, for $900.
and I got my 16' car hauler with 6k axles, electric brakes, and alum toolbox on tongue, for $950.
That sounds outrageously high.
For the difference in cost you could drive here and buy one.
Brian.

$2k for a 12 foot trailer? Are you freakin nuts.
I got a 12' for a samurai here, about 2 yrs ago, tandem axle, nice built trailer, for $900.
and I got my 16' car hauler with 6k axles, electric brakes, and alum toolbox on tongue, for $950.
That sounds outrageously high.
For the difference in cost you could drive here and buy one.
Brian.

I built a trailer out of poplar in my driveway and you're asking if I'm nuts? Seriously? :D

Unfortunately, steel prices are way up from where they were two years ago...and you're right, they are a lot cheaper in Texas...or Indiana for that matter.

If you know of a brand that is a 12 footer, with brakes, that actually HAS paint on the bottom, with a bulldog coupler, with a breakaway kit, with a 7k rating, with a treated pine floor, with ramps, with a front stop rail, with a tongue that goes all the way back to the axle, with teardrop (stronger) fenders, with NEW 15" trailer rated tires (not used)...DELIVERED in Southern California...for less than $1900 + tax, I'll take it! :bounce2: :bounce2: :bounce2:

The Carson trailer is the cheapest I could find around here. Their 12 foot "Light Car Hauler" is $1080, but doesn't come with brakes...or a break-away kit. Add in those things, ...and you're up to $1375 for a trailer that flexes in the showroom when I lift a corner! Yikes! :eek:

If you go up to their "standard" model, you're looking at $1665 before taxes, fees and a spare tire ($1973 out the door), but still a quality notch below a Big Tex. Coupler, wiring, paint finish, wood are all sub-par.

So I'm happy with a trailer that's in the Big Tex 70CH class in a 12 footer. Here in California, they are quoting me $2180 plus tax, yada, yada, yada... The SAME trailer from Mt. Pleasant Texas is $1728! Plus tax... You guys get everything cheaper down there! :flipoff2:

It's 3128 miles round trip to go get it, that's 208 gallons of fuel...or about $400. Ug. I saved about 50 bucks, not including hotels, three days of my time and mileage on my rig.

I found an old-stock 60CH-12 (they used to make that one in a 12 footer) for $2130 out the door, but I can see all the places where they cut corners over the 70CH. I just got a quote for a 70CH-12 from another dealer 100 miles from me at $1900 plus tax. Sounds like I'm going to grab that one.

If there's some other brand that makes a decent 12-foot trailer, I'm all ears...otherwise, I'm probably buying the Big Tex this afternoon. Anyone? Anyone? Bueler? :D

Yup since the price of steel has about doubled in the last few years my old trailer is probably worth the same as what I paid for it. $2000 sounds about right for a trailer given the price of steel now.

I think your gonna need some REALLY small bearing buddies to keep the axle working :laughing:

Oh yeah "Needs More Triangulation" :flipoff2:

Ahhh, the obligatory "Needs More Triangulation" observation. That cracked me up! :D

Funny you should mention it though. I learned something else while going through this exercise (besides poplar will split really easy if you don't pre-drill the screw holes) and that is...

When I had JUST the deck built (6 pieces screwed together) the whole thing was so torsionally unsound that I could lift one corner and the other 3 would stay on the :eek: driveway! I was beginning to think that this wasn't going to work, but I plugged along anyway. Once I mounted the tongue, the whole thing stiffened right up! Playing around with it, the farther back toward the axle I went, the stronger (flex-wise) and stiffer the deck became.

This factored into what I would look for in a trailer to purchase. Some of them out there just grab the front corners of the deck and call it good enough!

Take a look at this:

Compared to this:

I think that first one is flexing sitting there in the parking lot! :eek:

So what did you end up with?

So what did you end up with?

A Big Tex 70CH-12 with electric brakes on both axles, breakaway kit and a matching spare tire/wheel for $1925+tax.

I backed it up the driveway when I got home last night in the dark. Man that's tight! It's a three-shot deal as the Pathfinder doesn't turn as tight as the trailer does. Line it up, cock it, pull forward, line it up, cock it, lather, rinse, repeat. Oh, and I'm happy there's a low range on the t-case in the tow rig!

This:

You have entirely way too much time on your hands these days. I am glad to see that you have finally ended up with a trailer. Looks good.

what's the overall weight and inside fender dimensions?

what's the overall weight and inside fender dimensions?

It's exactly 83" inside measurement, fender to fender.

Okay, it's really 82 15/16", so you see why I'm inclined to round to 83. :D

I haven't had the trailer on a scale, but Big Tex specs this at 1305lbs. Pretty light if you ask me. Well, you did ask me. It's pretty light. The only thing lighter is goingto be aluminum (975# for the 14' featherlite) or the "Light Car Hauler" from Carson ...steel...at 1100 lbs for a 12 footer.

Weight was a big concern so I'm pretty happy with this. Heavy enough to be built well, light enough to pull well. I get 15.5-17.5 MPG on every tankful on the Pathfinder for the last two years. A little around town...a little highway. Buying the trailer was a 216 mile round trip adventure and even with towing it on the return leg, I got 19.1 MPG on that tank! I'm sure it was the 65-70MPH as opposed to my usual 75-85...but 19+??? :eek: Whodathunk?

It's also clear to me that there will be a LOT less drag pulling 4 well-aligned trailer tires instead of 4 sortof aligned 33" MT/R's. I'm planning on dropping the windshield to reduce windage back there as well.

I have one of those u-haul steel trailers that is a perfect fit for my LWB Zuk. It is a universal trailer, hydro surge brakes, multi-size ball, etc. I have wondered if it is too heavy... I have priced a aluminium framed trailer from Iowa, about 900#s. I don't know what mine weighs, guess I should head up to the truck stop.

I am trying to get my junk together for Moab, as-well... when you pull 16hrs, it all makes a difference.

Thanks for the info... see you on the trail.

I have one of those u-haul steel trailers that is a perfect fit for my LWB Zuk. It is a universal trailer, hydro surge brakes, multi-size ball, etc. I have wondered if it is too heavy... I have priced a aluminium framed trailer from Iowa, about 900#s. I don't know what mine weighs, guess I should head up to the truck stop.

The u-haul trailers come in at 2100lbs empty. 1/2 way back from Moab last year, I couldn't take flat towing any longer (49 MPH to keep the sway down), so I rented that u-haul trailer for the remaining 400 miles. I got 9-10 MPG on the same Pathfinder! :eek: You could really feel the weight back there, but I think windage had a lot to do with it as well.

See you in Moab!

I pull it with a full size 2 door Blazer... 350TBI. I can definitely feel it back there empty. I have often thought of swapping the brakes out to electric and removing that awful heavy surge brake setup... hopefully that will help lighten up.

1300lbs would be nice... thanks