Feb 18, 2016

VIPER CAMPER TRAILER by Predator


Well by now you've all seen I got rid of my last trailer due to well…mmm…..its gone anyway. 
So after searching the market for something different and something that suits my needs, I have found it !!!!….New on the market- and yep imported from China but rebuilt here using much stronger and studier components. 
Predator Campers out of Melbourne do 4 campers at the moment, but i grabbed a Viper II. Its taken some 5 months to get mine landed here, but finally picked it up last week. 
Basically its a roof top tent and awning on a tough little trailer. Simple and easy.  


Impressed with towing the little bugger so far, weighing in at a measly 750 kg dry- GVM is 1900kg in NSW. I drove from Taree-Canberra- Wagga, then back Wagga -Canberra-Taree, used an extra $14 in diesel on the way back, so I was pretty happy with that. This is one trailer that you could def tow over the high country, up the cape and do any beach without getting stuck. Its only 3.5 metres long but the storage inside is great. I honestly don't know how we will fill it all up !!!!!

It comes fully kitted out with all you need. Awning comes with walls, tent comes with wall and floor kit, Smev 2 burner stove all plumbed in, 65 litre water tank, LED lights, 12 v power through out the trailer, anderson plug, 100 amp AGM battery, stainless sink with electric pump, HD suspension ( king springs, shocks and trailing arms ), gal chassis and trailing arm- the list goes on. I ran spanners over it today and could count on one hand just how many bolts or screws needed nipping up. Talking about nuts and bolts. Except for several on the suspension, all other nuts, bolts and screws are stainless !!!……AND they use nylock nuts also…great piece of mind. 

MY LIKES….
…everything is simple and easy
…no poles to set up or to carry in the trailer
…all storage areas fully carpeted--NEATLY !!!
…decent hinges on all doors
…self supporting kitchen
…neat and tidy wiring, water and gas lines
…decent suspension- def over rated 
…water meter and easy to use fill point on top of trailer
…solid tent pegs and ropes
….if anything parts need replacing- they are readily available
…oversize stone guard with top supporting bracket for strength
…comes with a soft solar panel kit that plugs straight into the rear
…powder coated finish.
…solid doors and decent handles with same key locks
…even get a spare parts bag with extra pegs, awning parts and spanners

An update on the first big trip for the viper....we did around 5,000km, i would estimate 80% on either dirt, gibber or sand with a little water thrown in and I am suitably impressed. 

Towing the little bugger was a breeze and it was very easy to forget it was behind the cruiser. I normally go from Coffs to Bourke on my fuel in the cruiser alone - but towing the viper I did the same k's on the same fuel, and even on the sand-rock-dirt no notable difference in economy or power=loss. On the way back yesterday l fuelled up in Collarenebri went to Coffs via Grafton and then down to Taree on the same fuel with the viper behind me !!!!....

So the big question was what issues i had when we were away...

…..took a night or two to get used to the 90mm mattress,
.....a few stone chips and sand rash underneath
.....ummmmm thats it !!!!!!

What did I like about it…

....ease of set up... ( around 4min for the tent, foxwing and the kettle on )
...ease of pack up
...compact design
...towing 

So after several weeks in the outback towing the Viper- i am pretty impressed. As you've seen I have added a Fox-wing awning to make for a little more under cover area. These things are great, easy to setup, if theres no breeze i don't use the ropes, and when you add a side wall it gives a little more privacy. The fox wing bolted straight on with no modification at all, and i moved it all the way to the front - this way it covers the kitchen and all the way around to the back door. 

Kitchen works well, the Smev stove is a great thing to use- it’s only a two burner but thats all you need. Water pump is very quiet and doesn't pulsate or come on during the night as it tries to pressurise. And because the kitchen is self supporting there is no annoying leg to swing down or to adjust when you set up on un even ground.

There is a LED strip above the kitchen hidden on a door- but by adding a light above ( i use an ARB fluro ) for heaps more light under the awning. Since this trip I have added several external waterproof 12V outlets and have run strip lighting inside the tent. 

What else ....i found there was heaps of storage in the bins and drawers, l was going to add a drop down shelf somewhere but found there is enough room on the box of the trailer to stand things as you cook instead of putting them away all the time. Normally there are no poles to carry ( but with the fox wing i now have 4 alloy ones ), the front box as the storage area goes all the way through to the other side allowing for longer items.

I ended up covering the area between the tent and the box with some 2mm chequer plate with a rubber strip at the top on three sides. On the back, i put a 50mm rubber strip from the bottom up- this allows me to slide in tables or other flat items. 


Congratulations Predator Campers……..Every thing just works !!!!!…..














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