Ever Think About Building Own Cargo Trailer?

[McDave]

Hindsight being what is....and all. By the time you've taken all steps backward to retro-fit a pre-manufactured CT with the stuff like Insulation, wiring, windows, etc., etc., you could actually come out ahead starting out with just a flatbed frame.
Wall and ceiling struts, roof and wall skins and some hinges is really all your getting. But, then you are forced to compromise and work around things like wall and roof cavity space for insulation, pre determined interior width and height, overall shape and size, placement of frame and support members, poor quality factory workmanship, design and materials, etc.
On the other hand, few of us posses all the design, engineering and production skills and facilities to start from scratch, and end up with a quality, purpose built unit in a timely, affordable manner. If we did, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I believe the phrase "Jack of all trades, master of none" applies well here. So the process has to be it's own reward. You will learn something, and grow and evolve as a person, hopefully anyways.
You start with a chunk of coal. But with enough time and pressure, and cutting and polishing you end up with a diamond.
If you look close enough there will still be flaws, but overall, brilliant and dazzling with a value that is beyond it's weight as a commodity. And you will have a pretty nice trailer, as well.

No retreat, No surrender

McDave

[dales133]

I think cargo type trailers are alot cheaper there than in Australia so if i was going to go down that track id definatly consider building from scratch if i went that route.
As someone already said if you search truck body and coach building suppliers youll find all the door hardware ect that you need.
Decent aluminium supply places usualy cary a range of jam and body extrusions to.
If you have even basic welding skills you could just order a trailer and weld the "house" frame up yourself

[aggie79]

I've been looking at doing a cargo trailer conversion for a while. With all of the modifications to a factory CT, I've also thought about building the CT itself.

My limiting factor is lack of space to build.

I don't have it handy - will need to get on the computer - but I did find a supplier for the aluminum door extrusions. Let me see what I can dig up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Okay - here's the site that I was talking about. They have just about everything kind of part or material to build a cargo trailer: http://www.mirageinc.com/aluminum-extrusions. Another local supplier is Redneck Trailer Supplies. They don't have door extrusions but they have roof bows, aluminum, etc.

[flboy]

I have thought about it, but I do not have the garage space to build the shell and get it all dried in. Buying the shell is nice since I can finish the job in the back yard all dried in.

I am not so sure it would save too much in any case. Buying the Steel and all the aluminum at retail prices... really better off just ordering the shell most likely... unless you just want to say you built it from the ground up.