Thread: Off Road Caravans

should also be noted that some have electric brakes. so tow vehicle may need work or there are standalone controllers available fitted to the caravan

I built a log burner from a LPG bottle when I had a tent on the back of my unimog, the heat was opressive.

Its a nice idea but you dont need much of a firebox, or at least maybe one the size of a fire extinguisher.

I put a diesel heater in my camper box. I can plug it into mainspower too, thats nice to keep the cab dry when I am not using it.The diesel heater uses about 1L per 24 hours on its lowest setting. I put its own tank on the outside of the box in the gap between the cab, so 10L running full time keeps the box toasty for over a week.

Originally Posted by Barefoot

You'd go broke doing regular standard service on them, let alone something "extra" like brake pads.

Not really. Drove them for 25 years, also owned my own for 8 years. Yes, the oil companies' 'fact sheets' say use fully synthetic oil from one end to the other. 2 grand later...

But the 1984 owners manual shows its straight 30 weight monograde diesel engine oil or EP90. from one end to the other. These trucks (and all the cogs inside them) were designed and manufactured in the days well before synthetic oils were a 'thing'. So that's what I used, and it worked perfectly well for me...and the 350 mogs the Army owned, and still does.

Throughout the 80's,90's and into the 00's all Army vehicle bays sported 44's of 1330 diesel engine oil and EP90. That's all. (yeah, and brake fluid and a bit of atf for the power steering).

Brake pads were something you needed to know a bit about. Try buying them off Mercedes Benz, and yes you had to sell a kidney prior to rocking up at the parts dept. But I managed a truck load of pads for about $600. And they lasted 6 of the 8 years I owned it. It helped have an engine (exhaust) brake fitted, as that reduced the need for an awful lot of foot brake use.

On many occasions I had passengers bail, as (with tyre chains fitted) they would go absolutely insane places. And lightly laden it would return 20L/100km. Not bad for trucking along the road at 8 tonne.

I’ve asked my dad to get me a few pictures of his setup, some may have seen him getting around the Mackenzie country,he takes his pest work on the road (and off road..) with a gooseneck trailer he’s had all setup with living quarters in the front half and room in the back for Side by Side or quad and all his gear. He’s run the setup for several years now often away in the middle of nowhere for weeks at a time and seems quite happy with it, most recently been doing work up the Macaulay and Godley rivers and he drags it through the river crossings etc no worries. Tows it with 4x4 Mitsi Canter Double cab truck

He imported it from the states, Double D Horse Trailers is the company that built it. He fitted it out though has a wee kitchen and toilet, shower, wood burner and the double bed up in the front. Enough room for SXS or quad and all gear in the rear half.

the beauty of a fifth wheeler is dropping home and being able to boogie off into town etc my buddies one has grey and black water storage.plus fresh water tanks, in back so can stop in one spot and head off to dump/refil tanks without having to tow main body.

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

Attachment 193843

He imported it from the states, Double D Horse Trailers is the company that built it. He fitted it out though has a wee kitchen and toilet, shower, wood burner and the double bed up in the front. Enough room for SXS or quad and all gear in the rear half.

That setup is pretty much the ducks nuts. A sturdy reliable Jap built prime mover and a Yank made 5th wheeler. An awful lot of Yanks spend an awful lot of time living in those fifth wheelers in some pretty harsh climates, so it will be well designed and constructed.

Looks like your old man has really got it sussed

Those aussie caravans are heavy, solid, but heavy, too heavy for a standard double cab ute especially if going off road a bit. Often they will put the utes over their GVM with only a little gear in them and tanks full.

An option is getting the road version and raising them, often as easy as mounting the axles under the springs.

Those diesel heaters are cheap to buy/install and run.

My mate has a caravan made by royal fair.
It's called a raptor.
He has done heaps of research and expos etc.
I must admit it was north of 130k but man what a bit of kit.
I was really impressed with the main bed lifting to the ceiling so immediately gained 2m of length.
He can put his tinny on the roof and quad on the back rack.
It has all the fruit like outside kitchen ect.
It is totally set up for 4x4 self-sufficient adventures.


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...You lost me at 'caravan, north of 130K'

We are at this stage in thinking at the moment, its almost the perfect timing for us in that I am lucky enough that I currently work remote (another 3-4 months anyway) so as long as I have internet I can work, we dont own a house having sold ours recently. Our last kid is in final year of HS and happy living in a POD on Grannys place.. Wife currently not working but happy to do any causal work.

Only downside is that we have been bouncing around short term rentals for almost 1 year now and both of us are looking for a base to call home, mancave and start purchasing more toys. living life.. only slight problem is we not 100% sure where to live.. So travelling for a few months and seeing if the house prices settle might just be a good option.

60 to 80k buys a 2nd hand offroader thats more than big enough for 2 adults and a dog. Been trolling trademe to find something..

Originally Posted by andyanimal31

My mate has a caravan made by royal fair.
It's called a raptor.
He has done heaps of research and expos etc.
I must admit it was north of 130k but man what a bit of kit.
I was really impressed with the main bed lifting to the ceiling so immediately gained 2m of length.
He can put his tinny on the roof and quad on the back rack.
It has all the fruit like outside kitchen ect.
It is totally set up for 4x4 self-sufficient adventures.


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You are right - it does look pretty cool

https://www.royalflair.com.au/our-range/raptor/

We like our Next Gen caravan.
Made in aussie

Looking to build a small off road camper but don’t want to till they confirm the new rules of self containment ie fixed toilet.

Just paint 'WC' on the door. Job done!