2017 SnoWest "ULTIMATE" Project Trailer #3,

[tadder52]

http://www.caliberproductsinc.com/snowmobile-trailer-accessories/Grips.php

Anybody used these products? My lowly own two place I have one sled on it 90% of the time. With my Super Clamp the sled seems to walk forward or back a couple inches no matter how tight I get it. I'm thinking put these to help pull the sled up on there and then mount one ahead and behind the carbide to help lock it down.

Thoughts?

 

[Reg2view]

Have used them on multiple sled ramps/doors, multiple trailers. They are ok, much better than nothing. You can still get rot where they fasten to the deck, of course. Would they stop some sliding - maybe. Sounds like you need a skid superclamp for an open deck. On my enclosed and truck bed, I use a 2x4 mounted to a piece of flat plywood under the track/between the lugs, to keep the lugs from folding as the sled sits, bounces, or is strapped down. You could fab something up with aluminum, too, alla the tri-fold, rev-arc ramp accessory. Caliber makes a rubber track lug saver, I have one given to me from them, it's nice, but pricey for what you get if you have to buy it, and it still needs to be mounted to a base unless you're only using it in an enclosed. On an open trailer, there's always the concern of anything spitting out the back or side if it's not well secured. The skid superclamps are nice, but far from cheap.

 

[Reg2view]

Christopher, great trailer ideas, and comments by others. Few more questions:


1. How do you carry/hang straps with the trailer is empty? Every see these to keep the inside Purdy? http://pitproducts.com/collections/hangers/products/strap-track


2. Any reason the jack isn't electric, given the power you have onboard?


3. Couldn't tell from the pics - is there both an inverter and a converter for ultimate power flexibility? Sorry if it was already discussed in the specs. Since you carry a generator, maybe it wasn't a requirement.


Thanks to you and Mirage for sharing.

 

[christopher]

Christopher, great trailer ideas, and comments by others. Few more questions:


1. How do you carry/hang straps with the trailer is empty? Every see these to keep the inside Purdy? http://pitproducts.com/collections/hangers/products/strap-track


2. Any reason the jack isn't electric, given the power you have onboard?


3. Couldn't tell from the pics - is there both an inverter and a converter for ultimate power flexibility? Sorry if it was already discussed in the specs. Since you carry a generator, maybe it wasn't a requirement.


Thanks to you and Mirage for sharing.

1.
Because I know each of these prototype trailers is a short term trailer for one season's use only, I don't do a lot of interior customization as I would if I was keeping it for the long haul. PitProducts has a TON of great stuff I WILL install on my FINAL TRAILER that I keep.

2.
I asked for an electric one once, and they suggested I stick with the manual crank. As above, on my final trailer, I WOULD get the electric.

3.
There is only an 120vAC to 12vDC converter mounted in the trailer.
I use shore power for AC or my little Honda EU2000 for AC.

 

[christopher]

FIRST USE UPDATE:

Lets talk about the new changing benches.

So last Friday we took out the trailer for its first run in the snow.
These new fold down benches were VASTLY BETTER than I expected.
While I really liked the couches from the last couple of trailers for sitting down in and RELAXING, there is just no comparison to how useful these benches are for GETTING DRESSED!.

The benches are ROCK SOLID.
So sitting on them and going through the process of gearing up was a breeze. Each person folded down one bench and used it for suiting up and changing back out at the end of the ride. And all of us positively loved them.
Home run slam dunk best new feature in the trailer!

I need some time to look at the walls for mounting, but if there is a way to put in a 4th bench, I am going to strongly suggest it!

 

[meathooker]

love the new trailer! the benches are awesome.

i sold my trailer to a buddy without the couch so we're making benches like that to replace - glad to hear you like them.

for the heater issue i put a programmable tstat in ours and have it set to come on to 55deg around 3. that way when we get back it decently warm and then crank it up to 70 when you get there.

and i agree with above you're going to tear that hinge cover quickly. UHMW is nice and will hold up well. you can round the leading edge easily with a router to make a smoother transition.

 

[christopher]

love the new trailer! the benches are awesome.

i sold my trailer to a buddy without the couch so we're making benches like that to replace - glad to hear you like them.

for the heater issue i put a programmable tstat in ours and have it set to come on to 55deg around 3. that way when we get back it decently warm and then crank it up to 70 when you get there.

and i agree with above you're going to tear that hinge cover quickly. UHMW is nice and will hold up well. you can round the leading edge easily with a router to make a smoother transition.

So you installed a manual switch that just turns itself on based on the time of the day?

I REALLY want one that I can control from my phone.
Enough so that I THINK I might install a Cellular WiFi Hotspot in the trailer.. Time will tell.

As for the diamond plate.
I may well have been WRONG about my assumptions on that!!

 

[Solarguy]

So you installed a manual switch that just turns itself on based on the time of the day?

I REALLY want one that I can control from my phone.
Enough so that I THINK I might install a Cellular WiFi Hotspot in the trailer.. Time will tell.

As for the diamond plate.
I may well have been WRONG about my assumptions on that!!

We installed an inexpensive programmable t stat in our Mirage, we program it to come on before we return, nice to have the trailer warmed up when you arrive. It works great.

 

[christopher]

We installed an inexpensive programmable t stat in our Mirage, we program it to come on before we return, nice to have the trailer warmed up when you arrive. It works great.

Which one did you use?

 

[christopher]

UPDATE on the new prototype Rear Ramp "Snow Flap".

Yesterday I was able to get the new prototype trailer out on it's second adventure. This time we had a full load of 5 sleds in it.

Note, NO PROBLEM getting 5 long track mountain sleds into a 28ft Mirage trailer. Didn't even have to stack them in sideways!
But if your plan is to haul 5 on a regular basis, get the 30 footer. that extra 2 feet we had 2 years ago worked GREAT for putting all the gear bags up front in the nose cone... But in a pinch, the 28 works JUST FINE!


Now, about that new snow flap.
As those of you who have been following along with this review know, I was a bit skeptical about this new lightweight aluminum diamond plate flap actually standing up to the carbides of the sleds going over it. And while this is only trip #2, so far this thing is absolutely outperforming my expectations!

The flap is working perfectly.

Closeup of the effects of the carbides on the Aluminum Diamond Plate.
here you CAN see that yes the carbides are cutting into it, but NOT is any particularly deep manner.

Super Closeup showing little more than surface "Scratching" of the aluminum.

Snowflap in the UP position showing that the flap is doing its job of keeping ALL the snow and ice OUT of that rear hinge!

Showing NO SNOW or ICE on the HINGE!!
This is nothing short of fabulous.
Sweeping and knocking out the snow and ice at the end of the ride has been a PAIN IN THE BUTT for years.

Right now I am absolutely LOVING this new feature!

 

[christopher]

Part of my agreement with Mirage is to keep a "Logbook" of comments, thoughts, impressions on their trailer to turn into them at the end of the year for them to use on next year's sled.

Even after only TWO outings, I am going to break protocol and contact them on this snowflap and suggest they consider making this available to users RIGHT NOW and not wait till next season.

ya, I like it THAT MUCH.
I want this on the FRONT RAMP AS WELL!!

 

[srt20]

clean those sleds off before you put them in there.....haha

 

[Reg2view]

Flaps available on Pit Products now, many different lengths. Don't know if they are the same gauge you're running.

 

[christopher]

clean those sleds off before you put them in there.....haha

DREAM ON!!
Load up, haul em home, MELT THEM OFF IN THE HEATED GARAGE.

I only clean them if they are staying in the trailer OVER NIGHT and we are using the trailer heater to melt them.

 

[Blk88GT]

If you melt them off in there, where does all the water go? It doesn't look like there are drains, so it would try to run out the back hinge?

 

[christopher]

If you melt them off in there, where does all the water go? It doesn't look like there are drains, so it would try to run out the back hinge?

I don't know.
But if I burn the heater and warm up the trailer, and let it run for a few hours, everything seems to melt off and the water goes somewhere.

 

[Solarguy]

Here is the programmable t stat we use to have a warm trailer when we get back from a ride. Fairly inexpensive $30 Canadian.

 

[christopher]

Here is the programmable t stat we use to have a warm trailer when we get back from a ride. Fairly inexpensive $30 Canadian.

Some manner of automation is absolutely on my list!

 

[Solarguy]

So, thanks to Christopher and all his great posts about his Mirage trailers and custom features he does we bought a new Mirage trailer 2 seasons ago. While the trailer has not been "perfect", no trailers are.
It's a 26' blackout extreme snow that we added many options to. Man doors and windows both sides, amp, sub woofer, flat screen, extra shelves, etc etc.
The trailer works very well for us and Mirage was very good to work with during the build. One improvement we did was replace the vinyl
Propane cover with a hard plastic, took a bit of trimming around the jack but works great and looks good too. Also did a 6" tongue extension to provide more room between the trailer and the tow vehicle. We tow with a 2008 F 550 Earthroamer, it has rear storage
and the extra space is needed and allows a for a full jackknife when turning around. Thanks again to Christopher for all the ideas!

 

[Solarguy]

More photos