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Category Archives: Tent Trailer
Starcraft Meteorite Suspension Upgrade
When I decided to remodel the interior of our camper, one large problem loomed – GVWR, or Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. The camper could not handle any additional weight and any improvement would push it over its GVWR of 1,180 lbs. A little investigation and crawling on my back led to the following discoveries:
- The axle had a capacity of 2,000 lbs.
- Each tire had a max load capacity of 590 lbs
So my limiting factor was the tires. 590 X 2 = 1,180 lbs. So… just put on bigger tires that could handle at least 2,000 lbs. Pretty simple. But the bad news was that a larger tire would not fit into the wheel well. Hmm. So what if I raised the trailer a few inches for more clearance above the axle? That would work. However, the axle was not a leaf-spring type axe, which would be easy to do. The trailer had a torsion axle, which meant no springs. With a leaf-spring one would simply move the spring to the top of the axle, instead of the normal configuration of under the axle.
After some measuring and brain storming, I decided I could unbolt the axle-to-frame mount and insert a large metal plate. But that would entail some cutting and welding of heavy steel, which I was not equipped to do. So I made some measurements, removed the axle assembly and drove down to a local welding shop to see if they could fabricate some plates… “no problemo,” they said.
I would also need to buy larger tires and wheels and new hubs to mount the wheels. Additionally I would now need a step to get into the trailer, longer stabilizer jacks, and a new trailer hitch. So while the welding shop was making the plates I drove to Arrow Trailer Supply in Colton, CA to purchase the rest of the parts.
A couple days later my plates were finished. All I would have to do is bolt each plate to the trainer frame and then bolt the axle to the plate. When I was done, the trailer frame was now 4” higher than before.
Old hub on the ground. New hub on the axle.
Old tire on the left is a 4.80 X 8. The new one is 5.30 X12. Also check out the cool white spoke wheel.
Tightening wheel with a torque wrench.
New stabilizer jack.
We had to install a new double step.
Total cost of the project was under $300.
1992 Starcraft
Scroll to the bottom of the page for links to our upgrades.
My first wife and I started taking our kids camping when each was 6 months old (they are two years apart). This included several weekends every year and a two-week vacation; usually in the Southern Sierras. And we slept in tents.
In 1992, when the kids were 4 and 6 years old, we bought our first tent trailer; a brand new Starcraft Meteorite for $4,300 out-the-door. It was the smallest trailer manufactured by Starcraft and the only one our four cylinder Dodge Caravan could tow.
And this is what it was, a tent on a trailer frame. We did not add a battery and never stayed in campgrounds with hook-ups (electric, water, sewer, etc.).
Manufacturers of tent trailers call them Folding Tent Trailers, and most owners affectionately call them Pop-ups. No matter what you call them, we loved ours from the very first trip. Easier to keep gear and clothes organized in a trailer than a tent. And much easier to keep small children clean versus a tent.
It had a small dinette with storage under the seats; a small sink with a hand-pump-faucet and 5 gallon water tank; an ice box that was too small to be of any use other than a place to store paper goods; two twin beds; and a two-burner stove that could be used inside or out. The interior was only 8 feet long, excluding the two beds that pulled out at each end of the trailer when is was popped-up. And now you know where half of PopUpBackpacker.com originated.
We were outdoor campers so I removed the sink for more interior storage and we spent our days and evenings outside, to include cooking. We slept in the camper at night and rarely spent time inside of it unless it was raining. Often my son, Joe, and I still slept outside under the stars in sleeping bags. The only exception to using the Pop-up during the day was during our yearly vacation, when I would buy a jigsaw puzzle themed to our camping spot, and we would complete the puzzle over the course of our stay. Since we were not a “jigsaw puzzle family” it became a fun family vacation tradition.
In 2002 I remarried. My new bride had never been camping before we met, and although she truly enjoyed camping, the Pop-up was a little primitive for her. So I decided to make a couple upgrades; add a 3-way (LPG, 120v, 12v) refrigerator and a battery to run the interior lights.
The Saturday I began the installation, Joyce took off shopping for the day, and I began the work. The refrigerator was a little larger than the existing ice box and I removed part of the cabinetry to get it to fit. As I sat inside looking at the cheap construction of the cabinetry, I started to think about how I would have designed the interior, and how much more functional I could have designed and built a tiny Pop-up. And then a sudden flash of inspiration hit me — gut the trailer and start over!
When Joyce returned home, the interior was an empty 8 foot long box.
Sharing my ideas with Joyce, we sketched out a new interior and spent the next 6 months rebuilding the Pop-up. As it turned out, we could have bought a larger used trailer for less money than we invested in the remodel, but the time together spent planning and working, and the sense of achievement with a job well done cannot be measured in dollars.
When we started this project, I joined https://www.popupexplorer.com/forum/ (also known as PUX) to get some ideas. Many folks there were very helpful, especially Oz & Us, EveryBodyHauls, Geodude, and ChuckS.
If you own a Pop-up and have never visited PUX, I encourage you to check it out. It is a great community, and even though I prefer to camp alone I have traveled to Colorado and even Ontario, Canada to camp with some of the friends I have met on PUX.
You can click on the 1992 Starcraft Meteorite Menu to see many of the upgrades we did to turn our itty-bitty trailer into a miniature full-featured travel trailer.
Camper Upgrades
Dual Battery and Dual LPG Tank Upgrade