Off Road Cargo trailer worth the cost?

Essentially what it says on the tin. Is a 4x4 or off-road cargo trailer worth the huge expense? I would be primarily boondocking with it, but do I really need 4x4? What are everyones thoughts on this?

Weird thread title...I thought you were asking about a little harbor freight 4 foot by 4 foot cargo trailer they sell for a couple of hundred dollars. That would be a 4 by 4 cargo trailer. 

Apparently you are referring to a trailer with high clearance and bigger tires that can go off-pavement or off-road when pulled behind a 4x4 vehicle.

So how can we determine what something is worth TO YOU without knowing a little about the one you are asking about, and what you intend to do with it, etc.

Some of them cost a few thousand, some cost many multiples of that. 

What vehicle do you have now for towing it, what price range are you thinking about, and where do you intend to go?

Typical dirt roads when boondocking in campgrounds and on forest or BLM land is off-pavement but not really off-road...for the most part. 

Most cargo trailers will handle that just fine.

If you plan to actually articulate thru the briars and the brambles, in low range, crawling over rocks, sloshing in the mud and drifting thru the sand, hoping to deploy that new winch and muddy up the traction boards when you get stuck, NOW we are in a whole new category of off-road boondocking.

And you wont really want a trailer of any kind impeding your forward progress in that scenario. 

So...which will it be? off-road appearance? or off-road READY?

Thanks for your thoughts! That helps a lot. Yeah I see what you mean about the title, I'm not sure how to edit though or else I could clarify better.

Definitely no winch-deploying maneuvers, brambles or briars, but we do spend a lot of time in the northeast (US) which can get a little muddy at times in the National Forest campgrounds. I've heard of other RVers getting stuck in those conditions so wanted to explore my options. You make a good point that in true off-road conditions you really wouldn't want a trailer at all and that makes a lot of sense. If the off-road was necessary we were considering splurging on the 4 x 4, but if not, we'd rather keep it under our original 10k budget.

Thanks again!

Welcome - I posted this in another thread where someone was asking a similar question. Here is a link to Bob's Youtube page. His 2 most recently released videos are about a cargo trailer like you are describing. enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAj7O3LCDbkIR54hAn6Zz7A

I was thinking "4x4 trailer, that won't hold much, how tall is it?"

Welcome to the CRVL forums Nour! What would you like your title to say? I can change it for you.

To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started.

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

We look forward to hearing more from you.

Thank you for the link. I’ll definitely have a look. I appreciate it.

wayne49 said:

I was thinking "4x4 trailer, that won't hold much, how tall is it?"

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 Sorry for the confusion due to my subject line. I meant 4x4 as in off road capabilities, not dimensions.

rvwandering said:

Welcome to the CRVL forums Nour!  What would you like your title to say? I can change it for you.

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I guess I would just switch out “4x4“ with “off road”, since I think that’s where I’m confusing everyone. Thank you.

A lot of trailers have little ground clearance to make them easier to load and less wind resistance behind the tow vehicle. Over hang in the rear is also a problem on uneven ground. Most make do with what they have to see if it causes a problem. Getting a long enough tongue so that the box doesn't hit the tow vehicle in a full turn is more important in my opinion as many "off road" trailers are just modified normal trailers.

Nour said:

 Sorry for the confusion due to my subject line. I meant 4x4 as in off road capabilities, not dimensions.

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"4x4" actually means 4 wheels on the ground, and 4 of them are drive wheels....you see why the term is not actually applicable for any trailer. So that is why my original thought when reading the thread title lead me to assume you meant physical dimensions. 

At any rate, the confusion is past, we all know what we are all talking about now.

That makes a lot of sense and now that you mention it, it's very obvious. I don't know why I had 4x4 stuck in my head, but I'm glad you cleared that up for me. Much appreciated.

Nour said:

Essentially what it says on the tin. Is a 4x4 or off-road cargo trailer worth the huge expense? I would be primarily boondocking with it, but do I really need 4x4? What are everyones thoughts on this?

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I looked at off-road trailers a few years ago; these are my thoughts:

Four main differences from regular camping trailers:
 - built sturdier; they have stronger frames to handle more pounding.
 - they have an articulating hitch that gives more travel than a ball hitch.
 - they have more ground clearance.  Usually obtained with taller tires but sometimes with a trailing arm suspension setup that doesn't have a cross axle or both.
 - they will have better thought out approach and departure angles than a regular trailer.

You need to decide what is important for the camping you do.

• Strong frames and build are good but you pay a weight penalty.
• Articulating hitches are for very twisting, undulating terrain. For most applications a ball hitch give enough up and down range.
• Having the same sized tires as tow vehicle give you as much ground clearance as said vehicle.  Having the same wheel size and bolt pattern as tow vehicle is an advantage.
• Approach and departure angles are important and you need to determine how much you think you need and exceed it.

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. This is very helpful.

Nour said:

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. This is very helpful.

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Hi Nour,
I don't know if anything I might say would be useful but I guess it couldn't hurt. I had to act quickly so bought a locally made enclosed cargo trailer. It is 12' x 6' with a V nose (making it a total of about 14' long). It has a ramp door and only 1 axle. The clearance is maybe a foot or so. Out the door cost was almost exactly $2800 including state tax.
There are pros and cons to everything. I totally agree with the description of real off road use described earlier in this thread. I don't think most of us want to do that. 
I have only pulled mine on regular interstate type roads and it is pretty easy to do. Can't see me trying to negotiate backwoods roads or little used forest trails. I have driven on enough unpaved roads in my life to know that almost all of them are not that bad. I have a 2004 Mazda minivan which was really designed for a soccer mom, not too high off the ground, but you work with what you have got. 
There is a lot to be said for owning your rig outright with no payments on anything. I have managed to adapt the minivan nicely and I am hoping to one day get it to the point that it can be used alone. A lot of work went into the trailer but now it is a comfortable little home. It keeps getting better. 
I have been living in it for a year now and I don't regret a thing. I am concerned about towing weight etc but much of what the auto manufacturers give as correct weights is to avoid legal issues. In other words they are very conservative in their numbers. 
I just don't think that for the average nomad using a cargo carrier there is a need to sink a fortune into the rig. A V nose with a single axle has certain advantages in maneuverability. You give up other things, like a long tongue where you can mount gas cylinders or a gen. It is all a balancing act and I am constantly learning. I am constantly wrong. Sometimes I have a brainwave. Ups and downs. 
Real off road trailers have jacked up suspension, dedicated brakes, knobbly tires and other goodies but you pay for them. It would be a shame to spend a lot of money on a military style trailer only to find yourself parked next to me. We can enjoy the birds and beaches without breaking the bank. 
Very best wishes with whatever you decide to do.  And if there is anything that you would like to ask about my build that might help you just ask. That is something that is a bit unique to vanners, we help each other.

Spaceman Spiff said:

I looked at off-road trailers a few years ago; these are my thoughts:

Four main differences from regular camping trailers:
 - built sturdier; they have stronger frames to handle more pounding.
 - they have an articulating hitch that gives more travel than a ball hitch.
 - they have more ground clearance.  Usually obtained with taller tires but sometimes with a trailing arm suspension setup that doesn't have a cross axle or both.
 - they will have better thought out approach and departure angles than a regular trailer.

You need to decide what is important for the camping you do.

• Strong frames and build are good but you pay a weight penalty.
• Articulating hitches are for very twisting, undulating terrain. For most applications a ball hitch give enough up and down range.
• Having the same sized tires as tow vehicle give you as much ground clearance as said vehicle.  Having the same wheel size and bolt pattern as tow vehicle is an advantage.
• Approach and departure angles are important and you need to determine how much you think you need and exceed it.

Click to expand...

Everything you have written is very true. Thanks.

"I totally agree with the description of real off road use described earlier in this thread. I don't think most of us want to do that."

hey, hey there, watch out what you assume. just kidding, I will be the first to admit I am not like most. I have already brushed a tree with my door and step.

congrats on the new trailer.

highdesertranger

Thank you.
I am more worried about climbing out of Denver, CO heading west on 70 let alone tackling the north face of the Eiger in my little minivan.   I think most of us are in the same boat. Just getting along best we can. 
I don't think I would do too well by myself deep in a forest. For some reason I like the idea of the desert better. Been out there many times. I think my favorite spot is that plain in front of Cliff Dwellers under the Vermillion Cliffs in Arizona. 
So it is a Sasquatch attack or the hills have eyes
I think I'll stick a little closer to town

This has been interesting  and more food for thought while planning a trailer.

I guess Im not in the "most of us" category. I dont plan for serious offroading/4wheeling with a cargo trailer, but on the other hand, dont want to be handicapped right out of the gate on where Im able to go. No, dragging a trailer offroad may not be ideal, but if your outfit can do it, I see no problem. Ive had mainly 4wd vehicles all my life, in the past, I used the 4wd quite a lot, but in later years, it wasnt needed per se most of the time, but it sure makes a difference if and when you want to go interesting places. A huge part of camping to me is going interesting places, most of which get more interesting after the first few rough spots thin out the number of people that can get to them. Solitude. Stunning vistas. Grizzly bears in the Rockies, remote Indian ruins in Az, all that sort of thing. 


 So, I think I like the idea of a heavier duty frame and axle, but perhaps not quite to the upper limits of a particular size. Im thinking 6x12 or 6x14 single axle of heavy type with brake would do what I want. I hope I can get what I want and still be able to pull it with a 4runner with 6 cyl. The frame probably needs to be heavier than average for the single axle and size due to needing to carry an H-D motorcycle (620-ish lbs) and sidecar (200-ish lbs) in the rear area with ramp door, lowering bed over them, and kitchen/bath areas forward of that. The balance/weight distribution will be important, and may stress the frame more than most lighter uses. The same general characteristics that help with offroad uses seem similar to my intended use, with the exception of I dont want extreme ground clearance as some offroad type trailers have, perhaps just a few inches better than average. Ive already figured having the same wheel type and size is desirable and not hard to do.

with what you are describing I would go with a dual axle. manufacturers are going to want to top out a single axle right around 3500 pounds. highdesertranger