ONE TOUGH TRAILER FOR OVERLANDING
4WDrive goes one-on-one with Mike Dorman of Schutt Industries to discover all the details on its heavy-duty, militarygrade XV-3 Trailer.
4WDrive: Can you tell us what Schutt Industries is offering for overlanders in your trailer line and some of the interesting highlights?
Mike: We have a new XV-3 trailer that offers 83 L (22 gal) of water, 48 cm (19 in) of ground clearance, and all the cooking apparatuses you need. There’s also an electrical system, lights all the way around and even a tent on top. Basically, it has everything you need to be out in the desert for a week at a time.
4WDrive: With its integrated compartments, can you tell us what’s behind door number one?
Mike: Behind door number one is a two-burner, cooktop with propane that’s in front of the trailer and it’s all plumbed in. Everything is plumbed through the frame rails including the wiring, electrical, even the water is routed through the frame rail so there’s no chance of damaging them when you go off-road. There’s also a sink that pulls out all the way with an on-demand water heater and there’s a receptacle on the other side to accommodate an outdoor shower, which has hot and cold running water.
We also Line-X the sides, top and inside the bed. This is a 100 percent aluminum trailer and the chassis and box is all put together with Huck bolts. Plus, it’s an Alcoa patented design and we do all our military trailers the same way. So, it offers 2,267 kg (5,000 lbs) of shear strength and tensile strength, and is much tougher than a weld, which allows the trailer to flex without worrying about cracking any welds. It comes with a ten-year warranty on the entire chassis and box.
4WDrive: You mentioned the military? How is Schutt Industries related to the military?
Mike: We are actually the world’s largest military trailer manufacturer. We’ve been at this for more than 20 years and been building off-road trailers for over 20 years as well.
4WDrive: I notice that the tires are pretty skookum. Are they a standard feature for the trailer?
Mike: The XV-3 will actually accept up to 37-inch tires. We recommend that you match the tires to the vehicle that you’re towing it with. If you’re running 35s or 37s, it’ll be no problem, just bolt them on. We can also interchange the hubs. So, if you have a Toyota we can put Toyota hubs on or if you have a Jeep we’ll put Jeep hubs on. This way you only have to carry one spare.
4WDrive: What’s the weight of the trailer?
Mike: The trailer starts at about 408 kg (900 lbs). With some added features, it’s about 635 kg (1,400 lbs). We have people with Subarus buying these so it’s really light to tow. The aluminum really helps save weight and it’s also built stronger than some other trailers on the market.
I see some overland trailers and the first thing I notice is they have a standard ball hitch, which is nonsense. We use an Extreme Overland Ball Hitch from Ark Industries. It allows you to articulate the trailer without the coupler coming off the ball. Sometimes a regular ball and hitch will just pop-off due to the angle of articulation. This ball hitch allows you to articulate 360 degrees. So, if you get yourself in that position, it won’t pop off the ball. It’s really simple to use.
4WDrive: Back to some of the other features and benefits. Will the trailer accept a larger, 20 pound propane tank?
Mike: We have two sizes of trailers. We have our new XV-3, and the XV-2, which comes with the 20-pound tank. We can also put it on the XV-3 but you would be surprised how long the five-pound propane tank lasts. Cooking and the hot water heater really don’t require too much propane and can easily offer a months-worth of propane.
4WDrive: Can you tell what is behind door number two?
Mike: Behind the second door is our electrical system. There are rocker switches, rack lights, as well as a water pump for the shower and faucet, and a spare switch as a lot of guys like to bring along air compressors.
What you’ll also find are the switches for rock lights, lights for inside the bed, reverse lights and the extra light on the rack that can angle backwards. Some other features in here include a pair of Odyssey batteries, a 120-watt inverter, and a battery maintainer that plugs into shore power to keep the batteries charged. It also has a solar controller to keep the batteries charged for weeks at a time.
4WDrive: Does the trailer come with a solar pack?
Mike: It doesn’t, but it's available as an option. Solar is popular and works really well. The good thing about this is it has a universal plug. This area also has a water fill and the water tank is a food-grade plastic tank and is positioned above the axle to keep the weight distribution low. It’s protected by an armour skid plate so there’s no need to worry about puncturing the tank.
This area also has an emergency brake and one for the parking brake, one for each side. This way, you don’t have to chock the wheels. 4WDrive: One of the features I noticed is the tonneau-style cover in the back of the trailer, what can you tell me about that?
Mike: The cover is all-aluminum and can support 227 kg (500 lbs). A lot of people like to sleep on it in warmer weather or when they have extra people.
One aspect I wanted to point out is these trailers come ready for every option. So, if you decide you want to buy the basic model then upgrade, you can. Every trailer comes pre-drilled and ready for several accessories. 4WDrive: I noticed the large brake lights at the rear?
Mike: Again, this is derived out of military use. If you don’t protect them or over-protect them, they will get smashed, eventually. It’s the same with the fenders. They are all replaceable and you can just take them off and put new ones on. It’s really easy to use.
4WDrive: Are the fenders sturdy enough that I can stand to get up on top?
Mike: Absolutely. You can walk around the entire trailer and even stand on top of the box. It’s very tough, and built to take punishment. We take these trailers on the Rubicon Trail, so they’re tough. 4WDrive: Does the racking system have adjustable height?
Mike: The XV3 doesn’t have an adjustable rack but the XV2 does. Upon purchase, you can always ask us to position it higher for you if you need more accessories in the box. 4WDrive: I see the trailer is outfitted with Rigid Industries' lights as well as a James Baroud Tent, some of the top brands.
Mike: We only use top quality manufacturers for all the accessory parts. 4WDrive: I noticed on some models that there’s a great big hunk of stainless steel on the inside of the tailgate?
Mike: This easily folds up and can be used for either meal preps or working on your parts. It just pulls out and offers extra table space to work on. 4WDrive: How large is the inside of the bed?
Mike: It’s 10 x 15 x 48 cm (4 x 6 x 19 in). A lot of guys put their gear in here for hunting or other activities. The total GVW is 1,586 kg (3,500 lbs). We can also spec it out with a heavier axle if you’re hauling more weight. 4WDrive: What size is the rear hitch?
Mike: The hitch is two inches so you can use it to haul a motorcycle or bikes with the proper racks and can support 136 kg (300 lbs). You can bring along anything you want with it. 4WDrive: It certainly looks like a well-designed and thought out trailer. Thanks for taking the time to show it to us, Mike.