Thread: D3, Towing, and Cape York

Originally Posted by Steve223

Why would you take a trailer to the Cap if by yourself? Get a stretcher or quick tent and save yourself the hassle. You can get steel dynamic rims had them on my D3. Towed our camper trailer 4000ks outback NSW and QLD D3 tows well but still prefer having no trailer on the back.

Swag or sleep in the back for me every time

Cheers

I agree. I would swag it on a tarp, and take one fridge & 2 jerrys. Travel light. Less fuel and pressure on the car. I'm struggling to see how the trailer can be so light fully loaded, but strong enough to deal with corrugations. A RTT weighs about 50kg plus frame. From memory my Track trailer is 450kg empty.

Originally Posted by rar110

I agree. I would swag it on a tarp, and take one fridge & 2 jerrys. Travel light. Less fuel and pressure on the car. I'm struggling to see how the trailer can be so light fully loaded, but strong enough to deal with corrugations. A RTT weighs about 50kg plus frame. From memory my Track trailer is 450kg empty.

My trailer is a Series 3 SWB tub on a Suzuki sierra Chassis (100x50x2 RHS) with Alloy box on the Draw Bar, weighs around 165kgs empty my roof top tent is an alloy hard shell and weighs 40something so say 50 to be fair.

its not a real 'Camper' trailer its a very tiny trailer I built myself with a alloy hard shell camper thing ontop of it (basically like a hard shell rooof top tent but hinges on one side, and opens up 45deg)

Ill add a little more information about the trip, other than me the only other person towing is my friends elderly parents who are towing the rented Van, the guy in the Hilux only has a small tray and his girlfriend with him, my mate in his prado is a bit of a moron, but has his car so fully loaded with 'gear' (i.e. a rear draw system that weighs nearly 200kgs empty! and fits jack all into it because its such thick plywood and steel) they have all asked that I carry gear for them all as-well, so in my trailer will be everyone elses gear that they cannot fit (pretty sure I am getting the short end of the stick!) but If It means I get to go, Ill take there crap because I want to go.
and I do like my comfort, Id rather use extra fuel and have my nice comfortable camper top then the swag Ive hated for the past 6 months, (personally I dont know how people like them so much! I've used mine fro 6 months thinking ti would grow on me. . . the opposite!)

I see more advantages in the trailer anyway, as we are going to stay some place for a few days (dont know where, they have the trip planned im jsut tagging along) and I can lock my trailer down at 'camp' and take the car easily, i never feel comfortable leaving my camp site anywhere I go, had way to much gear stolen over the years, so if I leave my camp site unattended I always lock everything up or pack it back in the car and leave and empty tent and gazebo at my site so there is nothing to steal, but the site is still 'claimed' while I am out for the day. . . guess I'm just strange though. but we are not all without our own quirks.

by keeping my car emptyish though It keeps room for others if they break down, to come with me, if I break down though, ill be strugling to get a seat due to how the other cars are setup. my mates parents will have the only spare seats other than me!

maybe i need a better group of people to go with

Thanks for all the good advice! Ill definatley take a lot on board, though I will still be towing my trailer.

Leroy

We towed a camper to the Cape, never had an issue with any downsides with towing and our camper is 1.5t.

In fact our camper goes everywhere with us, no matter where we go, never had any issues regarding fuel economy, holding anyone up or where it can or can't go, and on some occasions I've had to unhook the camper to recover people, have I been stuck, yes, but others without a camper have been stuck also.

Towing your camper will be fine Leroy, the perants with the van though, that's a different story, it will be the Developement road for them in most cases, although being a rental, are they even allowed to go on dirt roads.

Baz.

Originally Posted by Redback

the perants with the van though, that's a different story, it will be the Developement road for them in most cases, although being a rental, are they even allowd to go on dirt roads.

Baz.

Its not a full Van, its a TVan or the Kimberly camper hard floor, they have not decided yet, aparently its a company the rents them for the purpose off offroad use? im not 100% sure as it really hasnt got anything to do with me as they arent my parents lol, but they are family friends. but I still think you may be right, development road for some parts for them, as they have a stock Prado, and plan to run up there on the stock Dunlops I am told (by my mate, not by them themselves though)

Leroy.