Practical, affordable and well-engineered, the GT Campers Off-Road Touring Trailer is packed with all you need for surviving Australian bush track conditions.
Motor journalist-turned-budding entrepreneur Glenn Torrens has created his own line of highly unique tourers, designed through the conversion of Toyota HiLux utes. The current models on display are both equipped with a slide-out kitchen, a tub lid to keep out the weather and dust, and a roof-topper tent for accommodation.
DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
The trailers sit on a 100x50x3mm hot-dip galvanised chassis with stainless steel fastenings wherever possible for durability, and ride on a six-leaf underslung spring set with rebound springs, with a 45mm beam axle, similar to those found on cars.
As the axle position is predetermined, Glenn adjusted the drawbar length to achieve the 40kg ball weight, which makes it easy to lift and manoeuvre the front of the trailer in tight situations. Not that you will need to do this often, given that the GT Campers offers 90° articulation before metal touches metal.
Glenn’s familiarity with manufactured vehicle options helped him design a 20kg tub cover made from resin impregnated foam core fibreglass that’s strong enough to carry up to 400kg. Like all the opening apertures on the conversions, it is sealed with pinchweld rubber, assisted by nylon stops in each corner to curb movement during travel preventing dust from "walking" in under the seals.
EXTERIOR
A Bushman 35L fridge slides out from the passenger side on the front storage box, which has storage space accessible from the driver’s side and a flat slide for solar panels secured with tie-downs at the rear. Below the box are two pannier storage boxes — one on each side — for small items.
The back of the camper or the ute is sheltered by a stand-up batwing-style awning resting alongside the tent on the top of the lid. The main arm is raised with the assistance of a gas strut and it’s then simply a matter of grabbing the end rope and walking it around in a semi-circle. The whole process takes about 40 seconds.
The wing provides ready shade from an overhead sun. Glenn anchors it with his own two tent pole design he calls "Power Poles" which has a flexible nylon neck at the base to form a V. When two of these are clamped to the awning it is held securely in a modest breeze. Tent pegs over the nylon joints are required to anchor the structure to the ground (or on a log) in stronger winds. The ¾in galvanised canopy tubes are readily replaceable at Bunnings.
The tent is a Featherlite Front Runner double, chosen because it weighs only 41kg, parts are readily available and the rear window overhang is relatively small making way for the awning. The floor is 1300mm off the ground, not excessive by any standards, so access via the ladder is relatively easy.
HITS & MISSES
I liked…
Ease of use
Ready availability of parts
Simplicity of design – few things to go wrong
Value for money
I would have liked…
The capacity for more cover around the kitchen for really bad weather
Body Re-purposed vehicle dual-cab tub, dust sealed. GT Campers Hard Deck structural lid with GT Campers Bikini pop-up awning
Wheel/tyre 16x7in steel with 205 R16 (optional alloys)
Style Roof-top touring trailer
Dimensions
Box size 1500x1500mm (tub, approx.)
Length (hitch to tail lights) 3950mm
Tent size 1300x2440mm
Accessories
Gas cylinders 1x2kg standard
Water 85L
Cooktop Three-burner
Kitchen Removable slide-out with stainless steel tether on stainless steel C-channel runners; washing/sink tub; three drawers, cupboard and under-stove storage
Battery 1x100Ah deep-cycle wet cell, Anderson charging plug, isolator
