Bug out trailer?

[Prepped123]

I recently was gifted with a small enclosed trailer. Measurements 7ft long by 4ft 6 inches wide the decking is gone and it’s solid blue. I spent the afternoon and late evening scuffing all the chrome parts up to paint and removing the remaining rotted wood. My question for everyone is I have a blank slate should I build a bug out trailer and what should I do? Thanks in advance for all input

 

[Proud Prepper]

A bug out trailer would be useful, especially to protect against weather and visual inspection. I would put biohazard stickers on it post SHTF and make it look like it transports dead bodies and such. Would you need to bugout if your in Wyoming?

 

[Brent S]

I recently was gifted with a small enclosed trailer. Measurements 7ft long by 4ft 6 inches wide the decking is gone and it’s solid blue. I spent the afternoon and late evening scuffing all the chrome parts up to paint and removing the remaining rotted wood. My question for everyone is I have a blank slate should I build a bug out trailer and what should I do? Thanks in advance for all input

Everyone’s thoughts and needs are different. I would just consider what would be most useful for you, both now and if shtf.

 

[jontte]

a blank canvas...,don't make it too heavy,try to multiuse every inch of space you have.

 

[brandx]

I recently was gifted with a small enclosed trailer. Measurements 7ft long by 4ft 6 inches wide the decking is gone and it’s solid blue. I spent the afternoon and late evening scuffing all the chrome parts up to paint and removing the remaining rotted wood. My question for everyone is I have a blank slate should I build a bug out trailer and what should I do? Thanks in advance for all input

How cool to get a free trailer. Even though it needs work. I would fix it up for sure and put in some shelves, taking care not to over load it, try to find out what kind of load it will take. Is there any info on it to identify the brand or anything? I would use it to store secondary supplies to resort to if indeed the time to get out of dodge comesl

 

[Mountain trapper]

For me the most important thing to do is to check out the mechanicals. I would suggest that you check the axle bearings on your trailer first. Most people tend to neglect the wheel bearings on their trailers. One of our fires this summer was started by a failed trailer bearing. (The same fire that destroyed one of our properties) Repack the hubs with a good quality lithium grease. Don't forget to check the springs for loose or missing nuts or bolts. Most trailers don't get a lot of miles on the tires, so they can be old and need replacing while looking new. There is a date stamp on all tires that will let you know how old they are and if they need replacing. Don't forget to check the spare too.
I suggest that you paint the trailer a netural color, not camo.

 

[brandx]

For me the most important thing to do is to check out the mechanicals. I would suggest that you check the axle bearings on your trailer first. Most people tend to neglect the wheel bearings on their trailers. One of our fires this summer was started by a failed trailer bearing. (The same fire that destroyed one of our properties) Repack the hubs with a good quality lithium grease. Don't forget to check the springs for loose or missing nuts or bolts. Most trailers don't get a lot of miles on the tires, so they can be old and need replacing while looking new. There is a date stamp on all tires that will let you know how old they are and if they need replacing. Don't forget to check the spare too.
I suggest that you paint the trailer a netural color, not camo.

Excellent advice here. That was the first thing I did with my vintage camper, new wheels, tires and wheel bearings repacked.

 

[Mountain trapper]

I knew a guy once who bought a used stock trailer. It looked good from the outside, but what he couldn't see was the floor was rotted out. The seller put down some rubber mats to cover the bad floor. So the first trip this guy took with the trailer loaded with horses the horses fell through the floor while traveling down the highway. Needless to say all the horses had to be put down. Just be careful when buying anything used.

 

[Maverick]

Living in fire country I have used my trailer, they are useful for emergency evac events. In a true SHTF/TEOTWAWKI if you ain't out in the desired location before such an event one certainly don't want to travel pulling a trailer after the event. Thing about bugout trailer the trailer needs to be ready 24x7 everything checked and double check, preferably stored in a garage out of the weather, keep the tires of the ground, all bugout trailers should have 2 spare tires, tire patch kit, two hi-lift jacks and bottle jack, portable compressor and an cordless 20-24v 1/2 inch impact wrench for the tires. There are nothing worse than getting a loaded trailer stuck/ditched/bottoming out in the back country without the tools to get you out or getting a flat tire when time is running against you.

 

[Prepped123]

A bug out trailer would be useful, especially to protect against weather and visual inspection. I would put biohazard stickers on it post SHTF and make it look like it transports dead bodies and such. Would you need to bugout if your in Wyoming?

I actually ended up in north Alabama for my job I would have to bug out here I’m to close to the army base.

 

[brandx]

I knew a guy once who bought a used stock trailer. It looked good from the outside, but what he couldn't see was the floor was rotted out. The seller put down some rubber mats to cover the bad floor. So the first trip this guy took with the trailer loaded with horses the horses fell through the floor while traveling down the highway. Needless to say all the horses had to be put down. Just be careful when buying anything used.

That just makes me sick.

 

[Prepped123]

For me the most important thing to do is to check out the mechanicals. I would suggest that you check the axle bearings on your trailer first. Most people tend to neglect the wheel bearings on their trailers. One of our fires this summer was started by a failed trailer bearing. (The same fire that destroyed one of our properties) Repack the hubs with a good quality lithium grease. Don't forget to check the springs for loose or missing nuts or bolts. Most trailers don't get a lot of miles on the tires, so they can be old and need replacing while looking new. There is a date stamp on all tires that will let you know how old they are and if they need replacing. Don't forget to check the spare too.
I suggest that you paint the trailer a netural color, not camo.

I was thinking a dark Grey or green color. Does anyone have any thoughts on what to do with the inside ? I was thinking a 12 volt system with a small solar tender on top.

 

[Maverick]

You can use expanded sheet rsd stainless or carbon steel below the decking to add strength, tac weld it to the frame then lay the decking on top of it, make sure the decking is treated wood, bolted down to the L-frame of the trailer provided you have L-frame, all the cross beam supports ought to be aluminum c-channel, if you need to add height to the trailer you can put the leaf springs on top of the axle instead of below it.

 

[Prepped123]

I will try to get on tonight and post some pictures of it. I believe some of the cross members of it are aluminum it’s a really light built trailer so it will need some more beefing up to make it safe to use off-road. Thanks for the tip about the leaf springs I hadn’t thought of that definitely wouldn’t hurt.

 

[Dani]

I knew a guy once who bought a used stock trailer. It looked good from the outside, but what he couldn't see was the floor was rotted out. The seller put down some rubber mats to cover the bad floor. So the first trip this guy took with the trailer loaded with horses the horses fell through the floor while traveling down the highway. Needless to say all the horses had to be put down. Just be careful when buying anything used.

I'm sorry here but isn't the flooring one of the biggest things that you would check on a trailer besides the frame, axils and tires BEFORE you load in animals to transport? Yes, the seller was deceitful when covering the rotted floors with mats, but how hard was it to lift up a darn rubber mat to check? Not hard to replace a wooden floor either. That guy was an idiot! He learned a life lesson the hard way . . . sorry for the rant but that just gets my blood flowing hot.

 

[Mountain trapper]

I'm sorry here but isn't the flooring one of the biggest things that you would check on a trailer besides the frame, axils and tires BEFORE you load in animals to transport? Yes, the seller was deceitful when covering the rotted floors with mats, but how hard was it to lift up a darn rubber mat to check? Not hard to replace a wooden floor either. That guy was an idiot! He learned a life lesson the hard way . . . sorry for the rant but that just gets my blood flowing hot.

I absolutely agree with you. You're right, the floor on a stock trailer is very easy to inspect and to replace. I think the original owner never cleaned the manure out after any trip and the combination with the urine, the floor and the metal supports rotted out. Its unfortunate but I think the guy bought the trailer just on the surface looks alone. Whenever I buy something I crawl around over and under everything. Partly because of this incident I am much more careful with the maintenance of all my trailers. Just thinking back on this "accident" I still get the chills.

 

[Duncan]

A trailer as a 'bug-out' vehicle? It depends. If hard times (however you define them) arrive, you probably have determined whether you're going to shelter in place or go somewhere else. If you're planning on sheltering in place (which is my approach) you wouldn't be bugging out, so why waste time and money preparing for something you're not going to do?

If you are planning on bugging out, I'd hope you have a bug-out place in mind and it's not going to be much more than a tank of gas away from where you are. That being the case, I'd think you'd want something a little less noticeable and a bit more nimble to get you from Point A to Point B. A high-ground-clearance vehicle able to carry you and your family and enough stuff for a day or two would probably be enough.

if you don't have a place to go to, you're not bugging out, you're a refugee.

Admission: I moved to a rural location so that we could shelter in place, and have no 'prepper-type' reason for a trailer. But I do have a trailer, a Lance 1575, which is for going on long-weekend or maybe a week's worth vacation if we can find someone to take of the chickens. But that's not prepping, it's just fun and relaxation.

 

[lonewolf]

a bug out trailer would just be a hinderance in the narrow(one vehicle wide) deep country lanes where I live, its also something else that could get attacked if someone wanted to.
if we have to bug out, don't expect to because of my rural location, it will be on foot as the filling stations will be empty post SHTF within 24 hours, and the roads will be full of abandoned vehicles which have run out of fuel or have been damaged in a road traffic accident making travel impossible-even with fuel.

 

[Brent S]

I agree with the point about if you don’t have a place in mind to bug out to then your a refugee. Just hitting the road without a plan isn’t wise. As far a a camper goes, I look at it as a toy mostly, but it does have the potential to be an emergency backup. If your house flooded badly or burned at least it’s a place to keep you warm at night. I could see pulling it in an emergency bug out but only if you left early before the roads are jammed and while there are still gas stations open and well before anyone started to get desperate out there. One thing is you could use the camper to carry a lot of stuff, and if bugging remotely at least you have camp set up as soon as you pull in. There is a lot to consider, like carrying extra fuel and do you have a good four wheel drive vehicle to pull it around obstacles. I think any tool or toy can be an asset with the mindset of adaptability and improvisation.

 

[lonewolf]

being a refugee will be fatal for most of the masses, even bugging out in a camper-depending on the size- would only give limited options, unless you've got caches along the way or at your ultimate destination then your limited to how much the camper can carry.

 

[tmttactical]

To me and that is just me, the value of a camper is to be parked at you BOL. If you have to haul this around then it's value is greatly diminished. It is very difficult for many to judge just when it is the right time to Bug Out. Guess wrong and the camper is a liability. I also agree, no destination , refugee. If you can't trust your BOL to store supplies, then you may have the wrong BOL.