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4x4 Vans For Prospecting


tvanwho

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Heres my $1,500 beater, i take it just about anywhere i need to go. My dad did this conversion from 5th wheel to bumper pull, just unbolted the 5th pin and made the hitch from a log trailer reach and bolted it back in place of the pin ,so it can be used either or. I made the frame under trailer for storage i have hauled 4 wheelers,motorcycles, drywashers etc. Pulls great its only 20 foot so it doesn't weigh much.

It still isnt overweight at bumper,axle raised a few in. For clearance,going to add an extra water tank also.

I keep telling my wife on our vacation camp outs we can use this trailer instead of our big trailer but she said shes to embarrassed to ride with me.

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No pic's of the interior...as you enter the door the 3-burner stove and sink is on the left, on the same side is a single width bed/couch. As you enter the door the very small toilet/shower closet is on the right then a shelf/cabinet and another single width bed/couch. In the rear between the beds is a small shelf/cabinet storage area. I am 6 ' in my prospecting boots and can stand without stooping.

Of course there is storage under the beds and some overhead.

I bought it used and it is the only one I have ever seen on the west coast...Plenty of room for me; and if my wife goes the thing makes into a queen bed...

I expect to get 7 or 8 thousand for it when I sell-if I ever do....

 

fred

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Here’s our rig, we find a spot to park our diesel truck and 24ft travel trailer for our base camp. Then we use the RZR to get around with our metal detectors, mining gear and whatever. Nice to have a UTV close by when hunting, especially when the weather turns bad. Plus getting from base camp to a prospecting area is a lot faster in a UTV than a full size 4x4 pickup and a lot less wear and tear. The RZR fits in the pickup bed when we are towing the travel trailer so we don’t have a large train traveling down the highway. It makes roughing it a little more bearable, especially for my wife.post-511-0-29148000-1422756047_thumb.jpgpost-511-0-54342900-1422756082_thumb.jpgpost-511-0-36914400-1422756098_thumb.jpg

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When the camel breaks down,I have to resort to my cj-5, or the yota. Got the cj through a labor trade with the best detectorist in my area...came with the hood ornament! (Any of yall know Jerry Culver?)

The toyota I picked up from craigslist for $900...had to paint it,was zebra striped! Not into new vehicles,although Im sure they are much more compfortable. Ray

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I have had several campers over the years, nothing terribly expensive, as all I have owned fit my needs at the time, and could handle the places I might go.  

 

At present, I have a cargo trailer, a whopping 12 foot long body, with a single axle that can be adjusted up or down in height, which is a nice feature for back unimproved tracks.  The cargo trailer has a drop down ramp door, so I can easily load/unload an atv, or motorcycle, or both. 

 

When I get to my camp spot, I back out the atv, set up a folding table on the inside of the trailer, as well as a folding military type cot, or more recently, a folding cot/recliner, which is nice for day or night use.  I have a porta potti, folding chairs, coat hooks in the trailer walls, and a camp stove I can use in the trailer or out.  The trailer has a side man door, and leveling supports at the rear of the trailer.  This little trailer meets all my needs for comfort, and the ability to sleep in the dry in all sorts of weather.

 

That leaves my pick up truck bed for my spare tires for both trailer and truck, water supply, a gas/electric portable freezer that I paid $50.00 for at a yard sale, which turned out to have cost the previous owner around $600.00 plus dollars...  My truck holds my more valuable items, metal detectors, and Honda 2000ei portable electric generator, for cooking, or lighting, or running a heater.  More recently, I have acquired several solar panels, as well as a Yeti 400 solar generator, some stringable camp lights I got for free when I bought my solar gear.  My camp lighting now consists of solar powered Litehouse 250 portable lanterns, which, besides lighting my trailer, are capable of recharging any cell phone, or e-reader...  

 

For the most part, my needs are all met, as I usually go by myself, or meet folks at a certain location.  I have just about decided now, that just because I have the money, I don't really need an expensive trailer with all the goodies, as the roads are usually rocky and crappy, and are not kind to the trailer body, and mechanical parts. 

 

In my photos I have posted here, shows my previous '92 Chevy, with the little white egg looking trailer, a '97 Casita, which is totally self contained, fiberglass body, which is prone to heavy damage from the sharp rocks in the back country. The other two photos show my cargo trailer with a '94 F150, that I have since sold. You will have to forgive the appearance of my little trailer, as I am either unloading or loading in this photo...

 

The nice thing about this little cargo trailer, is that it is handy for more local trips, for moving items, and storing things inside of it during the winter months...

 

One thing or two I just remembered is, you can drop the rear ramp to the level position, while supporting it with a spare tire on either corner or a home made support, which would be preferable, and you have a small elevated patio, where you can place a couple of chairs, AND if you are a little inventive make a patio cover over it.  I did see a cargo trailer locally, which had been made into a stealth camper, it had a retracting awning attached to it, just like any other r.v.... Those magnetic curtains you see on t.v., could also be utilized, if you chose to keep the ramp open at night, to keep the mosquitos out.  I haven't tried that, but I do keep the ramp up, but left open a bit at the top, so critters won't be wandering in, looking for a bite to eat.

 

Gary/Largo

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