Back in 2016, we happened upon the Wee Roll MPV trailer, a tough, customizable US$3,000 toy hauler/camping trailer. More of a road tourer than an off-roader, the trailer was a bit out of place at Overland Expo East, but its "shark cage on wheels" construction certainly wasn't. Company founder Tom Cofaro was overflowing with information about his build quality, and he seemed intent on applying it to an off-road model. Now he's done just that, launching the Wrangler X, a burly, big-tired jumping off point for off-road adventures of all kinds.
Camping trailer sales have been on fire of late, and that's opened the way for all kinds of new models with stunning aesthetics, more and more amenities and options, and higher and higher price tags. From rolling bomb shelters with all the comforts of home, to gorgeous retro shells with the latest technologies, you can easily spend as much on an unpowered trailer as on a camper van or performance sports car.
Wee Roll is one of the newer companies that have gone in the polar opposite direction, decoupling the camping trailer from all those modern amenities and offering something that is simple, completely customer-upgradable and about as cheap as you can get without building it yourself.
Cofaro prides himself not on how many comforts he can stuff into a visionary rolling sculpture, but on how strong he can make his simple, boxy trailer while still offering it at an affordable price. With past trailers, that's meant doing away with wood framing and securing the cage-like steel tube frame together with structural steel backer plate before insulating it and skinning it out. Drop in some diamond-plate stone guard up front and you're still starting under $4,000.
Like other Wee Roll models, the 5 x 8 x 4-foot (1.5 x 2.4 x 1.2-m) Wrangler X starts with a metal cage frame, only this time Wee Roll relies on aluminum tubing in place of steel. Cofaro explains that he switched to aluminum to cut down on weight and eliminate any possibility of rusting. The trailer is skinned out in aluminum paneling, and the front and lower sides fortified with diamond plate.
To cap off the structure, Wee Roll drops a wrapped-edge aluminum roof atop the frame "like the lid on a metal cookie can." The overlapping roof edges ensure leak-free integrity. The walls and ceiling are insulated, before the interior aluminum paneling or optional birch paneling is secured into place.
The Wrangler X's 15-in steel wheels stand firm inside of 31-in Ironman All Country M/T tires. Those wheels are cushioned by a Torflex torsion axle suspension, with an axle hanger better isolating the frame from the vibrations of the road.
Access inside the Wrangler X is guaranteed to be easy for people, gear and toys, thanks to the dual 42-in (1-m) side doors and full-size lift-up or swing-out rear door. Each side also has a 30 x 20-in (76 x 51-cm) window with screen. Several colors of powder coating are available.
Beyond that, the Wrangler X's build sheet is as simple as you'd expect from a $6,495 off-road trailer. Wee Roll adds basic electrical framework and 110- and 12-V outlets, along with an air conditioning port up front. The trailer weighs 810 lb (367 kg) and has 19 in (48 cm) of ground clearance.
Wee Roll offers a number of add-ons, including a $295 roof rack, $350 front stargazer window, $50 solar prewiring and $295 electric brakes. From there, the Wrangler is really a blank canvas for owner customization, a sturdy rolling framework from which to build up the adventure camper or toy hauler of your dreams (or at least your budget).
We suppose it's all a part of keeping its overhead and prices down, but Wee Roll doesn't have a big album of beautiful action shots from the High Rockies or red rock desert. It does, however, have a number of nice step-by-step build photos. We've included a batch in the gallery for those interested in seeing more of the construction.
Source: Wee Roll
