A 12 ft. FEATHERLITE conversion

[Prem]

This weighed 1,250 pounds gutted (no spare tire). I added about 800 pounds with the interior done in wood (including a spare tire, solar panels, big 12VDC battery, steel futon, camping gear, food, clothes and rear, exterior galley box). It's all aluminum except the steel axle and steel wheels. It's called a 7-wide 12 footer, but it's really 6 ft. 7 in. wide outside x 14 ft. 6 in. long inside x 6 ft. 2 inches high. It was fun to do and fairly easy.

Before:


After:

[mikeschn]

Have you had it on the road since you've completed the mods. Does everything go flying? How about those books on the bookshelf?

Mike...

[prohandyman]

How about those books on the bookshelf?

I was wondering the same thing!

[Trackstriper]

Good looking conversion. Featherlite sure makes a nice trailer, quality, light and tough. Fine choice.

I picked up a 6x12 Pace cargo trailer last week so that I can do my own conversion. I noticed that you used two smallish windows mounted high on the curbside. This will give you nice privacy and let some light in. Having placed the windows in this fashion, are you happy with the result....do they let in enough light? Do you feel the need to be able to see out the windows while seated on the futon?

Nice clean work!



Bruce

[Prem]

Amigos,

1. Books don't go flying because they get bungie-corded for traveling. (Pivoting D-rings riveted into wall.)
2. Tows like a ghost. (Barely know it's back there.) At under 7 feet wide, don't need rear view mirror extensions. Can only see the trailer's fenders in the side mirrors of full-size van.
3. 12 inch (w) x 18 inch (h) windows fit perfectly between wall ribs (studs). Got them on eBay. Yeah, it's enough light because the 18 inch x 18 inch bubble skylight (inoperable) directly above the futon lets in 5 times more light than a window on a wall of the same size. One looks up at the sky, the stars or the trees when seated or in bed. Also, there are pull-down, car style sun shades on the two windows for privacy.
4. I highly recommend V-nose trailers for the extra interior space and for the reduction of wind resistance. And I highly recommend all-aluminum trailers. There are only a handful of manufacturers. I like Featherlite, Aluma or Worthington aluminum trailers. If I had it to do over again, and with deep pockets, I'd special order one with a V-nose AND a V-tail.
5. Sold the teardrop I made and used 4 years for $4,500. Bought the Featherlite for $4,250. Both are 12 feet long. Guess which one is lighter and has 8 times the functional volume.
6. Two small solar panels (unbreakable, Uni-Solar) on roof charge the battery thru a charge controller. LED interior lights draw almost no current. (All bought new on eBay.)
7. Crank-up white skylight/vent in front over desk lets the heat out when doors are closed, while side windows open and have screens for some cross ventilation. Usually only open one of the barn doors on rear. Gate-style, sliding latch at floor level holds the other closed from the inside.
8. One inch foam insulation in walls and ceiling.
9. Closet holds porta-potty, coats, broom, hiking stick and supplies on shelf.
10. 30-second, preferred method of cleaning upon arriving back home: electric leaf blower. (Only way to get the pine needles out of the screen of the crank-up vent as well.)
11. Seventh RV I have built/converted.
12. 3/16th (or metric equivalent) birch plywood on walls and ceiling finished with my mixture of bees wax and lemon oil. Smells sooooh good.

Front interior photo:


Prem

[mikeschn]

That looks like it would lend itself rather well to those rescue operations...

Mike...

[TheBizMan]

Does it have any kind of a galley? Whats the back end look like?

[Sam I am]

Wow! That's nice! It looks better inside than my house - well, almost!

[Prem]

It looks like this:



Prem

P.S. The back half of the aluminum box I sawed off. The other half is now the slider box under the futon for clothes. It has a drawer handle and there are felt strips on its bottom so that it doesn't dull the floor.

[Prem]

Hey Sam,

That's a *very* sharp and clean looking teardrop that you built. I especially like your interior color touches.

Prem

[Prem]

The rear:


Prem

[Trackstriper]

Prem,

Sounds like you've been at this trailer towing for a while. I'll be towing with a full-sized van also and would like to get some practical feedback from your experience.

Background: I need a trailer that I can take to a job-site (typically a high school or college football stadium/facility....I paint lines on running tracks) and be able to sleep in at night or rest in during the hot portions of the day without drawing much suspicion. I want something that will blend in, so a conversion cargo trailer is just right. I bought a 6x12 cargo trailer with 6" extra height five years ago, but it was like pulling a big parachute down the road. I seriously looked at the Featherlite 1610 at that time, beautiful unit, but was concerned with the overall width, kinda wide across the fenders...maybe I should have started there. Sold that trailer to my brother as he needed a cargo trailer. Been designing the "perfect" small travel trailer over the past year, but haven't gotten around to building it yet. Sometimes the "best" gets in the way of the "good", so I'm back at it with a lower height 6x12 to convert.

You mentioned that the Featherlite tows "like a ghost" which I assume to mean that there is little perceptible drag from the trailer, and it has a V-nose. I will assume that you have pulled similar sized conventional-front cargo trailers with your van. On this forum we have had a number of discussions about the efficacy of the V-nosed trailer design regarding drag. The Featherlite has a fairly deep V, while some other brands have a V that is sort of a joke. Although this is somewhat subjective, could you give me some additional feedback about how well the V-nosed works vs. the conventional when pulled behind the van. I know this is a special case and doesn't concern most of the gang who are pulling teardrops, but it applies to my particular situation. I could build a nose treatment for my new trailer if it seems like it might produce a noticeable gain. I would like to hear some real-world experience...I don't trust the trailer salesmen much in this regard. Thanks.

Bruce

[Eunice]

Prem brought this to the JSC gathering at Rusch. He does great work. I loved this trailer. I REALLY loved his big tear that he sold.
Prem are you coming down to Old Station Sept 5th?

[Prem]

Bruce,

You'll find most of the answers to your questions at:

www.nosecone.com

(find their coefficient of drag list on their site)

Eunice,

Yes I am planning on it.

Prem

[Prem]

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