Cargo trailer conversion
Equipment
Has anyone ever converted a cargo trailer into a camping trailer. Would like some feedback on doing it. ........Thanks
My buddy and I have converted 5x10 to semi camping trailers, and now he's fully converting a 7x16 cargo, w/hot shower & toilet, kitchen, etc. All solar powered. Look up all the YouTube videos, lot's of great ideas.
Plenty of Youtube videos on it. Some nice conversions.
I remember a thread or two on this forum. Hasn’t been that long since I saw it and a Google search with Bowsite and cargo trailer outta find it.
During construction
During construction
I bought a cheap trailer on Copart that was wrecked and fixed it up. I had to re-do the interior frame as a bunch of the welds were broken loose and it was racked out of plumb. I super insulated it, 400w solar and 100w lithium battery- no genny. Gas for stove and shower. Shower curtain and pan is portable. Holds my quad, fold down bed.
I bought a 6x12 cargo. I wanted it for basic camping, leaving it o I can use it to haul things too. Here is what I did to it. Installed 2 sliding windows and a roof vent. Took off the interior plywood and insulated the entire inside including the roof with 1in pink. Put the wood back on and covered the seams with trim. I foam insulated the underside and painted it with 2 coats of exterior paint. Installed a ventless propane heater on the front wall with 2 tanks mounted on the front. Levelers on the back and 2 wheel chocks. Bunch of hooks on the interior walls. I use rugs on the floor, and have a large cot with an air matress for sleeping. I have stick on battery lights on the walls and ceilings, cheap and easy. I use my clothes bins for a table and simple cooking. I can fit an ebike inside if it snows or rains, and I use a fold up camp chair. Its simple, cheap and cozy to stay in.
Check into ordering exactly what you want for a shell. Ten years ago I spec’d out and ordered a 6’ x 12’ Cargo Mate with the following options:
- 6” over-height to accommodate my Polaris RZR (door clearance) plus give me and taller friends more headroom.
- Dexter single axle with the largest radial tires and tallest spring shackles to add clearance. It ended up with the same clearance as my stock F350.
- RV man-way door that has a secondary screen door for ventilation, key lock from outside plus flip lock inside and window. I did change out the opaque privacy window for a see-thru tinted window.
- ordered two 30” x 30” screened tinted windows that are vertically hung style. View and ventilation is nice. Unit came stock with the roof vent.
- ordered insulated walls and roof (1” of bead board insulation) covered with plywood on walls and metal on the roof interior. Nothing was painted so painted it with a high quality paint that I’ve since touched up a few years ago due to wear and tear from moving household and game heads to Canada, tons of hunting trips, etc.
- Got a fold-up screw jack for the tongue vs the fixed vertical screw jack that has vertical interference with a down tailgate of the truck for loading supplies, etc.
- Got rear stabilizing jacks that are simple pin style that allow a disconnected trailer to be easily leveled and stable when disconnected from the truck. Even allow you to jack up the unit to change tires.
- Ordered a spare wheel/tire with interior mount. It did not come stock with one.
- Got a lot of floor tie downs installed. Added 25 total large cup hooks myself to hang things up around the interior.
- got a bit of extra exterior rock guard diamond plate style trim. I helps as gravel roads and logging roads are tough on the trailer exterior.
The above options were “cheap” around a thousand bucks a decade ago. Heck of a lot easier and likely a better job to get them from the factory rather than cutting and adding them to a base trailer. I ended up exactly where I wanted to be.
And for camping I use a folding Swedish portable cot (steel frame and spring lattice with a 2” covered foamy I’ve had for twenty years. Add a small folding table sold as a rifle shooting bench, folding chairs, a bit of carpet, one burner Coleman propane stove, LED magnetic AA light that sticks to a roof screw. I did add a paper towel holder to the wall.
The interior lights are fine but the truck has to be in auxiliary ignition mode to allow truck battery power to the trailer. Also use a LED headlamp, miner style for lighting.
Good luck with your “conversion”. I sure use the heck out of mine.
I've been wanting to do this as well. Has anyone designed one to be shorter than the standaed height, with possibly some type of roof that lifts or cranks up to make it taller when set-up? I'd love to have mine be able to fit in a standard garage height but be able to lift the ceiling to standing height once it's in the woods and set-up.
Stick, You can get some pretty slick electric actuators that will lift your ceiling. These are cheap on eBay and Ali Express but they do need a controller so all actuators lift at the same time. Search Youtube for trailer bed lifts to see how these work and install.
The problem with these expandable trailers is how do you insulate the expansion section of them? I looked at those pop up campers years ago and the inside was essentially like a tent.
The advantage to building these trailers is you can double insulate them with the hard foam or spay on closed cell foam and the inside stays an even temp. One key, IMO is Adding a thin hard foam panel to break the thermal bridge of the frame makes a HUGE difference on the inside of the trailer.
I added sheets of 1/2" foam over the steel frame, taped all of the joints to seal and mounted 1/8" subfloor plywood as the finish. This foam keeps the hot frame from conducting that temp into the inside of the trailer. This is one top of the 1" and 1 1/2" I used between the frame members. If my trailer was taller, I would have gone thicker than 1/2'- I just didn't have the room.
Bruce.. you make important point.."Adding a thin hard foam panel to break the thermal bridge of the frame makes a HUGE difference on the inside of the trailer."
I've seen a couple metal stud fish houses where they neglected to do this. Distinct frost lines are result in sub zero weather.
I ordered mine with a roof vent, a sliding window on each side and a "camper" door so that it could be opened from the inside. Mine also came with 2 simple overhead lights that run off a battery. I simply use 2 cots which provides enough room to walk between them. I bring a stackable plastic shelving unit that I set up once at camp to put all my groceries, etc. on. Several cheap plastic night stands with drawers are a nice addition. I stack the coolers in the front of the trailer and cover each morning with my sleeping bag when I get up. This set up allows the trailer to easily be used to its full extent when it's not being used as a camper, and costs virtually nothing in time or money. P.S. be sure to inspect the caulking on the roof at least twice a year and add self leveling camper caulking to any caulk that is cracking or showing voids.
Just completed one. It’s basic compared to others but as mentioned, there are a whole host of YouTube videos to watch. I purchased a 7x16x7. Wished I would have gone 7x18 or 7x20. The only special order I did was having an rv door verses a door with a locking rail. Opted for the ramp door so I can haul my quad in the back. The advantage to building one is being able to include only what you want/need and ability to build it as stout as you need. Also, since you build it, you know where and how to access everything. The downside, it’s custom which means everything you do is going to take extra time. Nothing is perfectly square with these trailers and that compounds the build to. You can purchase any part a regular rv has direct online (rv windows for example). I’m glad I did it, probably won’t ever do it again, it’s stronger built than anything I could purchase and including the trailer ($10k) I’m in it about $18k.
Be realistic. Meaning get one big enough.
I wasn’t sure I would like mine and now my wife says she would use it….
Except I have it set up with a single bed.
If I was doing this again, it would be an aluminum framed box, 16’ long and 7’-8’ wide and 6’8” tall so I could get plenty of insulation in there and still stand (6’3”) shorter guys have it better in these trailers.
Or you could go to "Colorado Trailers" and order one that is already lifted, all steel frame and studs, insulated, has a 30a hookup, 12v LED and 110v interior and exterior lights, a roof fan, screened windows, and receptacles.
Then design the interior how you want it.
We are happy with ours.
From the back ramp
From the back ramp
Those Colorado trailers are nice. Mine was more of a see what I can do with a wrecked trailer off of Copart cheap with a shower, and fold up bed so I can haul my quad in there. I’m all in at a few bucks over $4k.
