Testing the off-road capability...
Testing the off-road capability of the Trailer Toad on our first journey.
After completing a 4,000-plus-mile road trip, the jury is finally in on the Trailer Toad. The Trailer Toad took everything I could throw at it, including exploring the desert of Utah, experiencing hurricane-force crosswinds and tire blowouts, and tackling twisty grades and passes meant for much smaller rigs.
But let's back up a minute to explain how I arrived at using the Trailer Toad. I drive a Ford F-550 with a rather large Bigfoot slide-in camper that extends 3 feet past the rear bumper. I use a custom-fabricated 36-inch basket/hitch extension that moves the location of the hitch behind the camper to give me adequate clearance between the trailer and camper.
I had put aside six to eight...
I had put aside six to eight hours to set up and dial in the Trailer Toad for my unique application. Much to my surprise, I was finished in less than an hour.
This setup worked well for the 16-foot enclosed trailer I used in the past, which combined a distribution hitch and relatively light tongue weight. But as my motorcycle business grew and the need increased for transporting more bikes and products to events I do around the country, I began researching my options for towing a larger trailer.
The truck camper setup really fit my lifestyle, and with the extensive improvements I have made to the truck and camper lift system (StableLift), I had no desire to start over with a different tow rig or RV. After researching the pros and cons of different setups, I determined that the Trailer Toad seemed like the best option. There were a few sleepless nights after purchasing both a new 24-foot trailer and the Trailer Toad, hoping they were going to work together, but things actually worked out fine.
Here's the front of the Toad....
Here's the front of the Toad. Notice the kickstand!
With the deadline to leave for my first event of the year fast approaching, not only did I have bikes to prep, I now had a new trailer to set up as well as complete the buildup on the F-550. I hadn't even unpacked the Trailer Toad until two days before I planned to leave for the trip.
Basket extension with height-adjustable...
Basket extension with height-adjustable bar from distribution hitch.
I had put aside six to eight hours to set up and dial in the Trailer Toad for my unique application. Much to my surprise, I was finished in less than an hour. I simply bolted on the two fenders and split the distribution hitch so that the arms were bolted to the rear of the Trailer Toad and the height-adjustable hitch on the front. Both the front and the rear of the Trailer Toad are height adjustable, so it can be set up to meet the needs of virtually any setup. A distribution hitch is required for the Trailer Toad to work properly. Fortunately, it is compatible with most distribution hitch designs.
Here I am putting on the finishing...
Here I am putting on the finishing touches of assembly.
The first stop on my journey was at an industry event in the Utah desert. I only had GPS coordinates and very poor directions to find the "secret location." Once I arrived at the turn-off from the highway, instead of the location being a half-mile off the highway, I discovered I had 15 miles of rough dirt road still to go, much of which was tight switchbacks with a few gullies thrown in for good measure. Needless to say, negotiating a 53-foot, 26,000-pound rig through these conditions was entertaining. Once I arrived at the entrance to the location, I had a half-mile of sandy two-track to drive over. Then I had to turn the rig around and find a camping spot. Time to lock in the four-wheel-drive, engage the Eaton front diff locker, and hope that my Toyo Open Country M/T tires were up for the challenge. Encountering deep sand and not having to break out the winch was definitely an added bonus and allowed cocktail hour around the campfire to start that much earlier.