S-788 Shelter and 1102 Gen Trailer Project and 1600 Mile First Run

[Overdrive]

Returned from Overland Expo 2018 on a 3200 mile (round trip) cross country run with my S-788/1102 project with a build time of 2 months... Never doing that again!

Expo was a bit dissapointing this year. Lots more people and seems like its turning into a social event... Like a trendy thing (if that makes sense). I hope anyone who camped on site had a positive experience... It didn't look good seeing everyone crammed together and lines for the porta-john.

Lots of HAM radio fun on 20 & 40m.

Anyway here is the 788...

This was a basic build including: custom mounts for the shelter to trailer, two beds, 12v power supply (group 29 battery) with 100W solar panel, wiring for 12v and 120v, sealing the heck out of the shelter, moved brake lights, Rhino Rack awning, internal battery box (vented to outside), and fingers crossed everything would work.

FYI, the plastic, glue on, solar panel mounts actually work!

No water or propane systems installed on this project except for a propane tank mount. Heat and AC were provided by a ClimateRite doghouse 2500 BTU AC.

Trailer has the SS 2.5" lowered mod applied and 32" tires for a total of 5" drop. All mounting brackets for shelter to trailer were bolt on 6061 aluminum 1/4" sheets or angle and about $200 in grade 8 bolts.

10 MPG YUCK! I miss having a diesel but the Hemi had no issues pulling it. No major crosswind issues at 65 to 68 mph. Only heavy sway happened West of Amarillo (all the windmills!) where I had to slow down to 55-60 but all the big rigs were slowing down to that speed as well.







More pics and modification details to come.

 

[tobyS]

It looks like the camper worked pretty well.

I have a similar project with an 1101 that I have cut to fit the S-788 (trailer had bent front and corners). I have about 4" from bed to the bottom for storage of poles, making it rather high. I may have to consider lowering it and regular trailer tire sizes too. Hmmm that solves a need for more HMMWV tires.

 

[tobyS]

Today is the first time the 1101 has been hooked to the truck.

 

[Overdrive]

That's a neat modded trailer. I will need to come up with a jack system on the back like you have.

 

[mkcoen]

I completely forgot about you being there. We probably crossed paths at one point or another. We camped on site and it wasn't great but I've been worse places before. At least we were able to get in Thursday and avoid the stupid people directing (or pretending to) traffic.

If you find someone to buy your 1078 ask them if they need 2

 

[tobyS]

That's a neat modded trailer. I will need to come up with a jack system on the back like you have.

Thanks OD. I had a part of one jack to start with. The green part is remains of a road sign steel (box) tubing that fits just right inside of the tan part. You can probably get a couple pieces at your county highway department. Unfortunately my S-788 is going to go over them and make them hard to get to or have to be cut shorter. If you don't come up with the inner (green square) tube, I could send you a couple pieces.

The mods were out of necessity....all four corners and the front were bent...but it works well for the 788 box or would make a great welder or gen trailer. The price was right after it did not sell at auction because it was so badly bent (and tires junk).

 

[Buffalobwana]

Very cool shelter. One of these days I’ll have a shelter of my own! Just have to go pick it up!

 

[engele]

Very nice.
is there no issue with to much weight behänd the axle. Because your shelter is the longer version.
i have the same trailer and can get the same shelter.
thank you.

 

[tobyS]

Engele, I hope Overdrive gives us a few more pictures and tells what he did for the rear support. It sure is a nice looking rig.
I'm not doing the M1101 because of height and I have another Dexter axle that would bring the S-788 down a lot. The axle is 8 lug and will take the hummer wheels but instead I found a 3/4 ton truck that will give up it's (2) wheels and tires, just slightly bigger than the ones on the M1101 above. The frame will be similar to the trailer in the picture. The axle will be narrowed so the tire outside is about 1" outside of the box on each side (7' 4" outside of the tire). I may under-sling the axle to keep it really low. OD's description of towing his, made me reconsider the height issue and when making a tent over it, will not be so high. Mine would be even higher than OD's, with the 1101.

 

[Overdrive]

Sorry guys, I didn't get a reply notification on your posts to this thread...

Engele & tobys,
The extra length behind the axle wasn't a major issue. It sits about 9" beyond the rear lip of the gen trailer. In my original post I mention about sway on the trip. The nice thing was i did purposefully distribute the weight with gear I was hauling inside the shelter to get a tongue biased balance. I added reflectors to the back and side corners of the shelter with the overhang and I moved the trailer lights to custom brackets bolted to the bottom of the shelter.

Trying to describe the ride is some light sway going over rough/uneven interstate that straightened out quickly with maybe a few times with cross winds and bad road that i needed to slow down. Maybe a little worse than any single axle trailer with a load. I had all the loose gear in the shelter tied down and secured so nothing went flying. I wouldn't want to pull the setup with the stock hummer tires and un-lowered trailer but that is just me. I averaged 65-68mph on the 1600 mile trip.

Let me know if you wanted to see pics of something specific.

What was the question about rear support? I used three mount points in the back for shelter to trailer mounting.

OD

 

[tobyS]

The question about rear supports is basically if you have any jacks at all. I read you say you need some, but was wondering what you are using now. Unhooked from the vehicle, climbing in might bring it all backwards. Jack stands would be handy and not have to be mounted. On mine, that same back overhang makes the jacks impossible to use but the front is overhung too, about centered.

The combination of being up higher than I want plus the jacks not working, I have a reversal of plans and have started building a frame with (Dexter) axle (no brake), that will be lower and use rims/tires from a one ton truck (like the frame for the 105 bed above but a smaller tire). New frame is 1 1/2" x 3" x 3/16 wall box tube. The axle gets 14" of width removed to make outside 7'2", just slightly wider than the outside of the box. Stability when pulling should be good and I can sell or re-purpose the 1101 to a portable welder trailer (want diesel that can function as backup for my house---darn they are expensive).

 

[engele]

Hi,
i put my shelter on the Trailer yestreday. i fixed it with a strap only. But the weight on the lunette is about 50kg.
i will put extra diesel, Heather, cooler and bed in the Front to get more weight. And i have remove the Generator mountings.

i think the benefit is the shelter is very light. Runs well behind my m1045A2.

 

[tobyS]

Nice rig engele! That's the way to do a HMMWV - trailer right!

Do you have air conditioner or heat plans? I see you carry them, are they for use in the shelter?