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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11240

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Orkney Grey
An Anorak's Expedition Trailer
My wife and I were very excited this weekend to collect our new to us, purpose-built camping trailer, delivered all the way from Ireland by Wildrover66 of this parish to the LRO show at Peterborough:


Click image to enlarge



Click image to enlarge

Those that saw the advert will know that this trailer was built a few years ago by a chap called Wiggs over on Martin’s Discovery 3/4 forum. It’s based on an extended chassis Sankey MkIII Widetrack with a body constructed of composite GRP panels and aluminium extrusions. On top sits a 2.4m wide Howling Moon tent and on the side is a Foxwing awning. Inside is all mod cons with a fitted kitchen, microwave, water heater, blown air heater for the tent, twin batteries, 2000w inverter and a huge amount of storage space.

As is the way with these things, there are a few jobs to do and some changes that we’d like to make. This isn’t our first rodeo with regards these sorts of trailers though, having covered thousands of miles with a Desert Wolf Lynx in tow before children came along!


Click image to enlarge

Anyway, it all came flooding back over the weekend and we couldn’t help ourselves from planning on how we can make it our own with ideas for upgrading the storage arrangements and the lighting. Also, some of the wiring could be improved and there’s a large solar panel that needs mounting. No doubt all of that’ll keep me busy over the winter.

One of the first changes will be the wheels. As the picture shows, we collected it with my wife’s Discovery and I’ve got a pair of matching wheels for that to go on this week. Eventually, I’ll also get a set to match my Defender as that will also get used for some trips, too.

True to my anorak nature, I’ll share the details here Laughing Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia


Last edited by LandRoverAnorak on 27th Sep 2021 12:31pm. Edited 3 times in total
Post #921337 13th Sep 2021 7:45pm
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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11240

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Orkney Grey
Index
Post #921339 13th Sep 2021 7:46pm
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Smyles_



Member Since: 25 Aug 2018
Location: Copenhagen
Posts: 512

Denmark 2008 Defender 130 Puma 2.4 HCPU Cairns Blue
Glad you got different sets of wheels - was going to give you grief on IG but thought I'd wait for the inevitable Anorak build thread first. Thumbs Up
I assume the placeholder is your future contents page Laughing

Also, a microwave?! Mad Stuart


Cummins 130 Build Thread
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04 110 Double Cab - Black (gone)
58 130 Double Cab HCPU - Cairns Blue
Post #921352 13th Sep 2021 8:29pm
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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11240

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Orkney Grey
I've already got a full page list of minor (and not so minor) mods and tweaks in mind so thought I'd plan ahead a bit for an index Laughing

And yeah, a microwave is a bit mad but no more so than a heated tent Laughing Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia
Post #921357 13th Sep 2021 8:35pm
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Smyles_



Member Since: 25 Aug 2018
Location: Copenhagen
Posts: 512

Denmark 2008 Defender 130 Puma 2.4 HCPU Cairns Blue
Ooh, question: will you have an interchangeable towing eye so you can use a NATO hitch when towing with the 110? Rather a NATO hitch lover myself! Stuart


Cummins 130 Build Thread
Instagram

04 110 Double Cab - Black (gone)
58 130 Double Cab HCPU - Cairns Blue
Post #921358 13th Sep 2021 8:38pm
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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11240

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Orkney Grey
The trailer came with an adapter to convert the standard NATO pintle to a 50mm ball hitch, which is what is in use on the pic above. With the adapter removed, it can (and will) be towed with this:


Click image to enlarge
 Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia
Post #921379 14th Sep 2021 5:46am
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L110CDL



Member Since: 31 Oct 2015
Location: Devon
Posts: 10427

England 
Very nice Darren and will be enjoying the thread reading as it comes with all the mods that your going to do to the trailer Very Happy
Really pleased that your going to use the Nato hitch Thumbs Up 1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up. Keeper.


Clayton.
Post #921501 14th Sep 2021 8:13pm
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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11240

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Orkney Grey
Thanks Clayton. I've barely had chance to look at it since bringing it home but hope to get some time over the weekend. Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia
Post #921506 14th Sep 2021 8:21pm
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L110CDL



Member Since: 31 Oct 2015
Location: Devon
Posts: 10427

England 
Good thing in a way that you have to wait until next weekend as i think that once your out looking and sizing up what needs to be done, i don't think that you wont get indoors until it gets to dark to see Laughing 1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up. Keeper.


Clayton.
Post #921511 14th Sep 2021 8:34pm
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Timcat



Member Since: 20 Jul 2016
Location: Malawi at the moment
Posts: 1003

United Kingdom 2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 SW Indus Silver
Nice bit of kit that Darren.
Post #921636 15th Sep 2021 6:39pm
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Ianh



Member Since: 17 Sep 2018
Location: Essex
Posts: 1695

United Kingdom 
LandRoverAnorak wrote:
The trailer came with an adapter to convert the standard NATO pintle to a 50mm ball hitch, which is what is in use on the pic above. With the adapter removed, it can (and will) be towed with this:


So what does the nato pintle to 50mm ball hitch converter look like ? Is it a bespoke fabrication? I’m intrigued so would love to see a pic or two LRA

Actually, would that not be a nato lunette to 50mm ball hitch ?
Post #921638 15th Sep 2021 6:55pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16809

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
I'm afraid I'm going to go into nit-picking mode on terminology here!

This thing is a pintle:


Click image to enlarge


This thing is not a pintle, it is a lunette:


Click image to enlarge


A pintle and lunette together make up a coupling.

It is likely therefore that the trailer came with an adaptor to convert the NATO lunette to suit a 50mm ball, not the pintle.
Post #921641 15th Sep 2021 7:12pm
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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11240

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Orkney Grey
Yeah, you're absolutely right. A senior moment, I'm afraid Rolling Eyes

I'll get some pics of the adapter tomorrow. Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia
Post #921660 15th Sep 2021 8:42pm
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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11240

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Orkney Grey
Ok, here's the adapter that converts the lunette to a 50mm ball coupling, which I believe was built by forum member RLD (Ray):


Click image to enlarge

As you can see, it comprises a cylinder that's a snug fit within the hitch ring, that's then clamped in place between two substantial steel plates. The 'tongue' at the right hand end slides into the skid that exists on the underside of the A frame, which takes the lateral load.

It works very well, with noticeably less clunking than if using the standard jaw. I understand that it was built originally as a get-me-home if the tow vehicle ever broke down, so that the trailer can be coupled to a recovery vehicle but I know that Matt, who I bought it off, used it all of the time. The extra length it adds to the A frame does make reversing slightly easier.

For our purposes, we'll use it with my wife's D4 for regular camping trips, which saves having to engineer a NATO coupling on that vehicle. When we eventually go to more rugged places, we'll use my 110 and then revert to the standard coupling.

In the not too distant future, I'll get it and a few other parts shot blasted and re-painted! Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia


Last edited by LandRoverAnorak on 16th Sep 2021 12:50pm. Edited 1 time in total
Post #921681 16th Sep 2021 7:27am
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Ianh



Member Since: 17 Sep 2018
Location: Essex
Posts: 1695

United Kingdom 
That looks like a very robust well engineered and constructed solution. Thanks for taking the time to take pics and explain how it performs LRA.

Having non nato pintle equipped vehicles being able to tow a nato lunette equipped trailer is a real advantage for the scenarios you point out. Hence my interest as I have a penman.

I’m wondering if it needs some level of approval to be covered in the case of an accident , I’m expecting this to be a grey area as a tow bar setup on a vehicle, be it for a nato pintle or 50mm ball in the majority of cases needs type approval ( noting some exceptions for earlier n1 defenders) however I’m not sure if there is a type approval for a trailer, so would this addition be seen as part of the trailer which I think it could be, or would it be seen as part of the towing vehicle tow bar setup?
Post #921707 16th Sep 2021 12:33pm
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