After Overland Expo West this year I took a short detour to see a dentist (who turned out to be more or a dental monitor) in Phoenix. To get back on track I realized my route would overlap with a section of the Arizona Backcountry Discovery Route (Section 5 between Globe and Young to be exact).
As with most BDR's, the route was a combination of paved backroads and dirt FSR's. This particular section started off pretty mild and soon got rather intense since recent flooding had washed out certain sections. This one particular section put my trailer's stock socket-and-ball hitch to maximum articulation (if not a little bit past it). I've been putting off getting an off-road coupler for a while because I could never really justify one... now I can.
Entering the Wash:
Maximum Articulation:
Exiting the Wash:
For the most part the trailer preformed admirably. Being spring under meant a low center of gravity. The aftermarket axle has the same WMS width as the Jeep so it tracked perfectly behind the Jeep. Despite the overall size (compared to smaller M416 style overland trailers) I had zero issues other than the above pic (which aren't the trailer's fault) and one small dent (which I'll blame my spotters). One issue was the tongue did bottom out over some of the whoops. A quick remedy for this would be a skid-plate or a cheater-wheel built into the tongue to help it glide/roll over the whoop rather than drag. Probably something I'll add when I extend the tongue and add the tongue box.
If anyone has any question about the trailer itself or my thoughts on towing the trailer in technical terrain, feel free to ask.
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Both the Jeep and the trailer are running 255/85R16 Cooper Discovery S/T Maxx tires (roughly a 33x10 A/T-M/T hybrid). Jeep has a 2" suspension lift (and could probably use a little more in the back, or at least some airbags) and a 1" body lift. Trailer is still on the stock mil-spec springs and is setup in a spring-under configuration. When sitting on level ground the body-tubs of the Jeep and the trailer are at the same height.
As with most BDR's, the route was a combination of paved backroads and dirt FSR's. This particular section started off pretty mild and soon got rather intense since recent flooding had washed out certain sections. This one particular section put my trailer's stock socket-and-ball hitch to maximum articulation (if not a little bit past it). I've been putting off getting an off-road coupler for a while because I could never really justify one... now I can.
Entering the Wash:
Maximum Articulation:
Exiting the Wash:
For the most part the trailer preformed admirably. Being spring under meant a low center of gravity. The aftermarket axle has the same WMS width as the Jeep so it tracked perfectly behind the Jeep. Despite the overall size (compared to smaller M416 style overland trailers) I had zero issues other than the above pic (which aren't the trailer's fault) and one small dent (which I'll blame my spotters). One issue was the tongue did bottom out over some of the whoops. A quick remedy for this would be a skid-plate or a cheater-wheel built into the tongue to help it glide/roll over the whoop rather than drag. Probably something I'll add when I extend the tongue and add the tongue box.
If anyone has any question about the trailer itself or my thoughts on towing the trailer in technical terrain, feel free to ask.
-----
Both the Jeep and the trailer are running 255/85R16 Cooper Discovery S/T Maxx tires (roughly a 33x10 A/T-M/T hybrid). Jeep has a 2" suspension lift (and could probably use a little more in the back, or at least some airbags) and a 1" body lift. Trailer is still on the stock mil-spec springs and is setup in a spring-under configuration. When sitting on level ground the body-tubs of the Jeep and the trailer are at the same height.
