Wild Camping... With a Trailer!

Campervanman

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Hi, I run a 1991 Talbot Express with a newly fitted tow hook for pulling a Motorcycle trailer. The Missus and I have only been out with it twice this year and find it a different kind of ball game when Wild Camping. Obviously it is the security issue with having something which is at risk from theft. Do any of you also pull a trailer and wild camp? I'd like to discuss and find tips and suggested precautions to take while out there. Much is common sense but often it is the simplest of things that get overlooked.

Discuss!

CamperVanMan
 
Apart from all the obvious restrictions regarding length of the outfit, I would say you are more likely to attract the attention of the Police with the bike on tow, they'll guess the van is probably occupied when you're attempting a bit of stealth camping.
 
think you could say i pull a trailer. why not get an enclosed trailer. lots of french have them . m,bikes boats all the junk they cant get in their van goes in the trailer some are like travelling wardrobes . its their way of getting around the 3,500kg law. you would have a lot less bother with a closed in one . something like a lynton load lugger. makes a nice spare room as well .
 
Maplins do a solar powered PIR spotlight. I mounted one on the back of the van on a swivel. When we park up at night I point it at whatever is on the back rack. It comes on when anything bigger than a dog approaches the back of the van and in the dark is very bright!!
 
Not quite the same but we have a scooter on a rack. I dont leave it on the rack but just park it behind the van. If I think It looks a bit dodgey I just put a bloody big chain round the front wheel and attach it to the rack on the van. Most times I dont bother as we tend to be somewhere safe and remote. Can you not somehow chain the bike to the van or trailer? Surely if someone tried to nick it while you slept you would hear them anyway.
 
We fit the hitch lock to the car trailer when parked and attached to the van. We have also fitted close shackle locks to the pins that hold the aluminium ramps in place as they were vunerable to metal theft and would have left the car stranded on the trailer. We had the holes in the ramp and trailer drilled out to take a larger bolt so that these could be drilled to accept the locks. When on sites we also fit a wheel clamp to the trailer wheel.
 
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Thanks for the comments so far!

Good points Byronic, strangely the law is probably the most worrying, I'll need to look into the length of outfit as I have no idea what the regulations say regarding this.

Alan, an enclosed trailer would be lovely but price and extra weight put me off, I even considered some tarpaulin covered box made at home but would have been a bit too much hassle.

Norris, I like the idea of a PIR spotlight on the back, will look into that.

Barryd, I do use a big chain, surprising how much weight there is in that alone! I chain the trailer to van and bike to trailer and the bike always has a proper cover over it. The only problem with this set up is that there is no way for a quick get away if Boy racer turns up with his mates during the night... and I wouldn't hear them cos the wife and self are both profoundly deaf, which is why the PIR idea is good as I might be able to rig some visual warning to it to operate by bedside.

John, I've looked at hitch locks but did not think to fit one while trailer is hooked to tow bar. I've always though of them to be fitted while trailer stands alone.
 
Ideas and trailor

Campervanman,As long as you leave enough length of chain,when hitched to trailor and camper,then you can still ...'drive off' if needed,just make sure it's rapped around the vital area and locked,perhaps the other end wraps around trailor chassis and then up to bike frame and locked that end,then bike,trailor and camper,all together (leaving enough for turning camper/trailor),the same applies if bike OFF trailor,except no quick getaway,of course.
The maplins light is a good un,i'll have to remember that one,excellent .
I prefer not to put wheel clamps etc,because of the need for a getaway,if needed ( perhaps if on a sight) then an extra precation for the camper ?
I have seen fibreglass trailors,secondhand (mainly used by taxi firms,these days) as low as £400,which is a great buy,especially when you can fit bike (dry) and other kit inside ,like gennie etc...... Ebay
 
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