australia:trailershelters
trailer shelters, vans and caravans for camping
see also:
- I don't sell any of these nor do I receive any remuneration if you buy them, and I have not personally reviewed all of them, they are listed here to give you perspective
- if you drive towing a trailer or caravan, your chances of mishaps increase substantially and you may lose everything if this occurs in a remote setting - not to mention delays to medical care
- 4WD and trailer/caravan roll overs can occur unexpectedly such as a rear tyre blowout, even on relatively flat roads and will likely end your trip!
- examples:
- Risk of trailer sway and roll over
- addressing causes of trailer sway:
- ensure trailer is not too long - choose the shortest trailer possible
- ensure optimum mass distribution - mass should be mainly low down over the trailer wheels - not at the front or rear of trailer
- tandem wheels should have same road grip and hence same load - and thus trailer must be LEVEL
- avoid long distance from rear wheel of vehicle to hitch point (avoid tow bar extensions) and avoid rear overhang loads over hitch point
- ensure low centre of gravity for both tow vehicle and trailer
- ensure correct tow ball mass of 5-10%
- too heavy and trailer will be too stable and not turn with tow vehicle plus less load and hence grip on the vehicle's front wheels
- inadequate tow ball mass although making trailer easier to maneuver, makes the trailer unstable
- ensure correct tyre pressures as determined by load on each wheel
- too low - increases risk of trailer sway, squirm and float
- too high - increases trailer bounce and loss of grip
- SLOW DOWN - 90kph is much safer than 110kph!
- reduce speed and thus reduce trailer momentum (momentum = mass x velocity) and shorten your braking distance
- take care downhill as trailer momentum and gravity forces tend to have trailer “overtaking” tow vehicle which increases sway - ensure you reduce speed at start of downhill parts and increase the proportion of braking to the trailer brakes!
- take extra care in wet weather or with gusty winds (eg. passing a truck)
- take extra care on bumpy roads that bounce the trailer around
- ensure your vehicle is appropriate for the towing and braking needs and the tow ball load is appropriate and you learn to drive appropriately towing a van
- driving after sunset dramatically increases risk of hitting a camel or similar large animal, if you swerve suddenly you may end up with a rollover or into a tree
- motorhomes and caravans occasionally catch fire
- if your negligence results in an incident which causes harm to others, you do risk life long guilt and also potentially inprisonment!
Introduction
- many campers prefer to tow a trailer or van for their camping trips as these may provide:
- more amenity (gas fridges, stoves, better beds, storage space for extended cooking equipment and cutlery)
- most have a 2nd external gas stove which can be pulled out for use and avoids the cooking smells becoming embedded inside the van
- greater water storage capacities
- often less accessible to animals/insects seeking food
- in some cases better security although most only provide security against opportunistic thieves and not against professional thieves
- potentially less set up and pack up time as self-contained and most gear is already ready to go without packing
- the downsides are:
- they are much more expensive and tend to depreciate in value
- more can go wrong - gas leaks, water leaks, towing issues, wheel issues, etc
- need a fairly large area of reasonably flat ground plus use of ramps under wheels to ensure relatively flat
- high risk of accidents whilst being towed, including loss of control at speed, hitting pedestrians due to poor visibility, or poles when cornering due to poor judgement or visibility
- they will require use of more fuel to tow
- some do take some time to set up and pack down
- they can get very hot in summer time if there is no air conditioning
- they can get very cold in winter unless you add extra heating such as a diesel heater but this can be noisy for other campers
- some require considerable physical abilities to set up and pack down, and some require a 2nd person to assist
- require storage
- constant risk of them being stolen by being towed away by thieves when unattended
- requires an appropriate tow vehicle for the load
Design options
- full size caravan
- popular with families going to caravan parks
- provide reasonable security although extra measures are needed to mitigate tow away risks by thieves
- pop-top caravan
- eg. Jayco Poptop ($AU57K), All-Terrain pop top ($AU73K) all are 17'
- travel heights are usually 2.5-2.7m
- only a relatively small upper ceiling pops up to provide more head room, shorter people can stand up even if this is not poped up
- door remains in situ when towed
- some have extension wing-like annexes at end eg. Expanda Pop Top ($AU65K, 4 adults, 2kids)
- “camper trailer” pop-up caravan
- eg. Jayco Penguin 3 person 22' ($AU29K)
- travel height 1.6-1.77m so less wind resistance and less fuel
- double bed, child sofa bed, fridge, stove, sink, cupboards
- top half walls are mainly canvas hence not really secure
- top half of door is folded up into ceiling for towing
- some have extension wing-like annexes at end that can accommodate extra people eg. Jayco Swift, Swan ($AU32K), Lark ($AU25K) and Eagle models
- J Pod
- light weight trailer style, roll out side sink, fridge
- eg. Jayco Sport ($AU24K) and Outback ($AU30K)
- can carry a kayak or bike on the roof
- A-frame fold up caravan
- popular with solo women as provide better security against forced access and are reasonably easy to set up and pack down
- less wind resistance and less fuel than a full van
- ends have low head room which can be annoying
- pod style camper trailers
- tend to be designed for off-road use and thus can be very heavy to make them robust and durable
- often have an optional rooftop tent
- other niche fixed trailer designs
- some are mainly wooden for better security
- camper trailer with fold up canvas shelter
- examples:
- longer set up and pack down times but are lighter to tow (so better for smaller cars) and more compact to store.
- some are designed for off-road use
- camper trailer with rooftop tents
- more compact and easier set up than fold up canvas shelters but less amenity and you have to climb a ladder to go to bed
- often designed for off-road use and mated with a 4WD off-road tow vehicle
- examples:
australia/trailershelters.txt · Last modified: 2023/08/10 14:11 by gary1