Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I was looking at a trailer site today and noticed most factory built trailers have things inside and out that I don't need or want.
when I had a Travel Trailer there were things I never used like the oven, the shower (I used campgrounds)
I also don't like dinnettes I don't fit most and the ones I do seem to always be built over the wheel well.
I would like to know the reasons why you chose to convert a cargo trailer.
thanks I hope I get many replies.
Ol'Pete

I didn't go with a cargo, I couldn't tow one with my vehicle, but there are some very obvious advantages.

1. Water tight (a constant worry for most of us home builders)
2. 1/2 the work is done
3. You can be confident that it is structurally sound.
4. Clean slate, easy to design things to fit into a symmetrical space.

Every time one passes me on the road, I look enviously, and think... what if?

I went with the cargo because of the duel purpose. I need to haul a ATV and camp at the same time. It's lighter to pull, and can provide everything I need it to do for a fraction of the cost of most toyhaulers.

I was pretty unhappy with the quality of build available in a production travel trailer. Also my goal is to be able to camp comfortably in any weather with my main concern being freezing weather and the plumbing in a production trailer. We will be living full time in our cargo and will be spending alot of time skiing.
So here's my .02

Pro's-
Quality construction
Insulated to my specs
No exposed plumbing
Unique
Interior customized to fit your exact needs
Resale value

Con's-
Could cost more
Heavier
Time to build

I have a built off road Gen1 toyota 4runner. It only has a 4 cyl. motor. So i was limited by the weight i could pull. Looked at tent trailers, and other light trailers. But i had to think about a few key points:

- re-sale. One day i will be upgrading to a bigger truck, when i get sick of off roading. The cargo trailer will be a easy re sale. Take everything out and it will still be the same.

- waterproof. we are sick of tenting. Putting away wet gear. Also just the get up and go factor is alot quicker now.

- Multi purpose. Mine has a ramp in the back. So i can put a quad, dirt bikes, etc in and use it haul things around when i am not camping.

- Appliances. I would never cook inside my trailer, I also already own a good tent heater and other things that come stock on all trailers. Seems like a waste of weight, and money.

I am sure there are many more reasons but that is all i can think of right now.

No wood outside requiring constant upkeep. Aluminum skin on a cargo trailer.

Real Metal roof !!!!

the price and i built it the way i wanted it

1 piece metal roof, 15" tires, no plumbing (we use the campgrounds facilities except we do keep a porta-potty for those night time emergencies), OUR floorplan, better then a tent, Multi-use as a camper or a utility trailer, less expensive than a travel trailer, and we enjoyed the conversion process. You can do as much or as little as you want. From a full blown conversion to a air mattress thrown on the floor. It becomes whatever you want it to be.

Thanks for replies, Cost to convenience.

I agree I can get more trailer cheaper than factory built toyhauler and it will be set up the way I like.

I'm handicapped I don't walk well or stand too long I use a mobility scooter to get around it's a large one useage is kinda limited to outdoors.

The problem I have is when we want to stop and sightsee I would have to unhook my travel trailer install the ramps on the truck bed unload scooter and reverse the whole process when it was time to go.

with a Cargo trailer I could just lower the ramp door and go faster, easier and not have to decide if unloading, loading is worth doing just to see something.

Cargo trailer is a no brainer for me I keep telling people not to put off doing something BUT I'm not in a good place or state of mine to get my own started.

Like I said above I don't walk/stand well but I can do anything sitting stools chairs what ever so while it will take me longer to build one day build I will.

ol' pete

Just another reason , ol' Pete... Cargo Trailers are Happy living outside , and require much less maintenance than other types of trailers... Simple and Easy is better for us ol' guys...

I got mine simply because I can do more with it! I painted the interior and added carpeting and along with a twin bed and a little camping gear I have a nice, cozy cabin that follows me were ever I go. Take everything out and I load it up for swap meets. During the winter its a nice little storage locker.

My cargo trailer is left over from my days in construction before I retired: 6 by 12, with brakes.

I see it as a way to extend the camping season (teardrop camping in cold temps is a challenge), maybe from one season to almost three.

I'll use water in portable containers, a porta potty, LED lights.

Just got back from a weekend trip, 6 couples. My friends all had RV's with generators, furnaces and water heaters, I had my tear. We slept as well as any of them, but going to bed when it gets dark (and cold) and getting up when the sun comes over the trees makes a longer sleep than I can manage.

Still planning, though.

dave

In our case the CT sort of chose us rather than us choosing it.

I own a bare bones 95 Ford Ranger pickup that I rarely use anymore, and that only for hauling something, such as a bed we bought or some plywood, etc. Still, I have to maintain it, keep it insured, etc. The wife came across a local Craigslist ad for a 6x10 cargo trailer and asked would that be handier to have than the Ford Ranger? We got to thinking about it and decided it would be handier; enclosed hauling, storage space inside during the winter, much lower maintenance cost, etc. So we went ahead and bought it. Everything was fine until I stumbled upon this web site... then everything changed.

As others have noted it is a multi-use trailer, camping/hauling/storage, configured to suit us, built within our budget (no loan taken out to buy or build it), and it is inconspicuous on the road.

Don

Liked camping, wanted to get out of a tent, but couldn't afford an RV. Liked teardrops, but needed more room for two boys and stuff. Also, I like to hide inside and take naps, and a teardrop didn't have the stay-inside space I wanted. Then I came across the CTC sub-forum here, and a light snapped on.

Ed Casey made the argument for me that your normal RV is built very poorly, and I didn't want a maintenance headache. I scoped out 6x10 cargo trailers and with the help of a Pace-American dealer (who is also now a friend) I had a custom-built trailer made with insulation, electric, etc. that I've been slowly customizing further. My trailer now has movable bunk beds, some cabinets up front, a LCD TV panel, microwave, a door-mounted dismountable A/C unit, etc. And it doesn't have stuff that I thought would be hard to maintain, like plumbing.

Even now I can load the trailer up with Boy Scout chuckboxes and tents, help the Scouts get to the campsite, and then sleep in the trailer, warm and comfortable.

After all of that, it's still a cargo trailer, and still worth much more than a RV would have been worth in the same time period.