Gadget Mans Adventure Trailer Photos

[Gadget Man]

Pete;
I promise you will be my first call if I ever decide to sell. We are planning on spending 4 or 5 nights in the trailer over the 4th of July holiday.
We will have to see just what my wife thinks of sleeping in the trailer, come Monday I may be taking out one bed and buying another motorcycle.

I did have some time tonight to paint the back ramp. I bought a quart of Deck and Porch paint and the grip sand to add to it.
A quart was just perfect for one good thick coat. I was thinking white, but chose battleship gray at the last moment.
It turned out great. It's real grippy.









Ya know Guys...I'm starting to think I'm done with this rig.

Gadget Man

[pete42]

If you're done building, you have given us all a trailer conversion level to shoot for.
and the ramp looks great also.
while I'll never reach your level anything I get will be fine with me.

Last couple weeks I have been to two doctors; three times another one scheduled for Thursday 6/28/12
I have dislodged a rib it hurts from my back under my right shoulder blade into my right arm.
I have been missing a lot of sleep and taking a lot of pain pills on top of that now my right hip-joint is hurting
which makes walking hard to do.

I'm off to a retirees luncheon would like to stay home but since I'm the one who set it up I guess I should go.
we have 24 people attending and I'm the youngest(70) lots of old F##ts.
but like the group here their a bunch of good people.

If we don't hear from you enjoy your trip over the 4th and be safe.

pete

[Gadget Man]

BKcreation;
You asked about how I did the chain set-up to make the ramp into a patio for sitting on.
If you look back at page 12 of my build postings (dated 4-22-12) there are more pictures of how I did the chains.
I had this same set-up on our last toy hauler camper, and it worked so well, I figured I'd do it again on this one.
The back wall of the trailer is framed with 3 or 4 inch square box steel, so I knew that was plenty strong for the upper eye-bolts. The bottom ramp is framed with 2 x 1 square stock. If it's strong enough to drive a 800 pound motorcycle on, it will be plenty strong enough for 2-3 people to sit out there on it.
I don't think I would ever have more that 4 people on there anyway, because there is just not enough room.

I used a string to make a straight line from Point A to Point B. The ramp already had the lift cable, so I sort of just stayed right below that cable. If you buy chain with smaller links you will have more room for adjustment. First you have to raise up the back ramp to make it level with the floor of the trailer, then figure the stick-out length of the eye-bolts you choose measure that total length and make your holes. The chain clasps at each end make hooking it up a snap. I did leave 3 extra chain links on each chain, "just in case"
I use a scissors jack under the back of the trailer to support the rear end when it's not hooked to the tow vehicle. When I hook up the chains it ramp is level every time, I don't have to mess with wood blocks or jacks in each corner when I'm parked at a campsite. And nothing to touch the outside of my ramp door and scratching it all up.

You will have to be the one to decide if your ramp is strong enough to stand on, but again if it will hold up a 800 pound motorcycle it will hold a couple of people and big cooler of beer. Just think that some of these trailers are for hauling cars inside, that ramp must be super strong.

Good Luck

Gadget Man

[cam_tx]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!
I have seen so many good ideas here. It is hard to decide what to tackle 1st.
My cargo trailer was originally setup to haul motorcycles. It had a few trips as being a massage trailer. Used it for camping as is a couple of times.
Now I am in the starting phases of redoing it all.
This weekend I will start will all the insulation of the ceiling and walls.
Now I want to be able to haul the motorcycles or my side-by-side and still camp, with a bit more comfort.
I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for all the pictures. They have really helped in my planning.

[pete42]

Mr. Gadget man I just spent the past hour, hour and a half going through all 16 pages of your post.
I copied a whole lot of pictures things that I may use when my 7X14 foot trailer gets here next month.
being in the state of health I find myself I know I won't be able to approach your level of buildmanship.
with my brother's offer to help; he is a lot better at wood working than me, I'll get it done.
we may be the oldest pair to do a conversion 70 and 72, the build speed will be more turtle than rabbit like.
but no matter how long it takes I have done the biggest part by buying the trailer.
it is all aluminum 7X14 footer by R-N-R in michigan
ramp door,
RV door with screen,
two sliding 22X30 windows,
4 corner jacks,
fixed entrance step,
AC unit, power cord & panel,
6 tiedown rings (I will install them when I figure out where)
electric brakes,
10 foot awning
double axels

thanks for your inspiration
pete

[Gadget Man]

Pete.
That sounds wonderful. I cant wait to follow along with you on your build.
I hope you post lots of pictures.

I have been pretty bad about posting anything in the past couple months.
We have slept in the trailer about 10 nights this summer.
I rigged up tie downs for my motorcycle and have built a
PVC pipe rack system to haul my 2 kayaks in the trailer.
Ill post pictures soon.

Gadget Man

[Gadget Man]

OK, Here are some before and after pictures of how I'm hauling (2) 12.5 foot Wilderness Systems sit on top fishing kayaks inside my Adventure Trailer.
The first weekend we went out I wasn't fully prepared so we could only take one. I simply laid it on the floor and tied it down to some anchor points I had screwed to the floor it worked fine. The kayak didn't move an inch in a 140 mile trip.

The next trip, I was still didn't really have anything made up to haul both Yaks. I remembered we had some 2" PVC pipe "contraptions" at work. They were originally built to hold up a banner at a Home and Garden show we were exhibiting at. The entire plan was abandoned at the last moment, so the half done frameworks were laying out behind the dumpster at the office. I couldn't see them going to the landfill, so I thought I'd try to build a 2-place kayak rack out of them.
I brought them home and started to measure and cut. I had to make a run to the store for a couple more 2" "T's". and some couplers. I made a simple "H" shaped rack that would hold the two yaks stacked on top of each other and strapped to the floor.
It worked just as planned, but then I started to think of where the heck am I going to store this monstrosity when I'm not hauling the yaks.
I already have a nice covered rack on the side of the garage where I store them when we are not using them.

Hauling the kayaks in the trailer was one of my original intentions from the first day I started to design the trailer. I wanted to have a simple web sling that would hook to the walls and hold one up above the other. They only weight 65 pounds each so I knew it was possible. With the strap slings, I could simply unhook them and easily find a place to store the straps inside the camper when not being used.

Well today I dove in and started to drill holes in my trailer again. I used all stainless steel hardware for everything that will be outside. I had some 2' wide nylon strapping laying around, so I fired up the sewing machine and made 2 custom measured straps with snap hooks on each end and some rings sewn on to hold a rubber bungee strap.

Check out the pictures, it will all make more sense when you see it.









My brackets are bolted straight through the 1" wall studs with 1/4 inch stainless bolts.
It may not be the prettiest looking on the outside, but I know it's the strongest way to do it.











Gadget Man

[pete42]

once again your solutions are well though out the rack looks like it will work
but the SLING works better, easy to store
I will try to post pictures when I get my trailer I've never posted before
this month is going to be a long one topped off with last minuit mad scramble
off to williamsburg, va and then to michigan to get trailer then trying to
come up with the layout so I can hold two mobility scooters and still spend
the night sleeping while on the road.
mad scramble but a good scramble.
pete

[Redgloves]

Last month I invited myself to Gadget Man's Cargo Trailer while in the area.

The conversion is wonderful to see in person. Planning and workmanship are top notch!

Thanks for the tour and conversation.

Jean

[Gadget Man]

Pete;
I think the easiest way to post pictures it so open up a http://www.smugmug.com account. ($30.00 per year)
It's so easy, I up load all the pictures from my camera to my Smug mug account and they they have it all figured out from there.
You simply copy and paste the pictures from your smug Mug albums to your forum posts. They have 3 sizes of pictures to post, I always use "medium"
I feel it's well worth the $30. just for the ease of use.

I'm sure there may be better ways for people who are better on the computer than I, but this works the best for me.
I have several "albums" posted on Smug Mug under "Gadget Mans Photos" There are over 1500 Adventure Trailer photos there.

Gadget Man

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

Gadget Man

If I ever get my OTTCT done and outta my driveway "which seams doubtful" & it won't fall apart driving down the road ?

One of my first trips will be up to see you in Elk River, to get the EXTRA - Special Gadget Mann Treatment on OTTCT

Keep up the great work


http://overthetopcargotrailer.blogspot.com/

[Gadget Man]

Greetings all.
It's been over a month since my last post, we have been enjoying the Adventure Trailer, slept 4 nights in it over the long Labor Day weekend.
The latest things I've added are a couple of inside tables.
There is one smaller table in the back, this doubles as a night stand for my Wife. When We lay the Jack-Knife sofa beds down, we sleep sideways across the 7-foot wide trailer. She sleeps against the back wall since she is always in bed reading before me. she wanted a spot to put her book, glasses and water bottle so I came up with these removable table ideas. They have a single leg that stands up in a permanent mounting plate screwed into the floor.
They can be removed to make room for the Kayaks or the Motorcycle.

The front table is exactly centered between the two sofas so we could sit and eat or play cards, it can spin to be long or short when you sit on the sofa.
As in these small campers, storage space is always a premium, so I had to figure out where to store the tables when not is use. So one is strapped to the wall in the bathroom and one strapped to the wall next to the desk cabinet.
The pictures will tell the whole story...



















I store the legs in the upper cabinet on the right side, they fit perfectly and really don't take up any room.

Gadget Man

[pete42]

still improving your already great trailer
sounds like fun over Labor day.

pete

[Gadget Man]

Pete, So where are you on your build?
I read once that you ordered a trailer, but then canceled the order? is that correct?

Gadget Man

[gregert12]

I love your build thread. I am trying to model my trailer off of yours.