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help me decide

PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2022 12:45 pm
by jsharp3679
Hello

I'm new this cargo conversion. I had a 30-foot travel trailer and was nice but too big. I'm looking to simple things down. Trying to decide between a 7x14 and a 7x16 trailer. I want to make a little toy hauler for the wife and I with 2 kayaks. the kayaks are only 11 foot long. We are looking for simple. Bed for 2 small kitchen and porta potty. Would you go with the 14 or the 16 foot. any ideas would be great. Pics would be awesome. I have looked on here and got some great ideas just not sure where to start lol

Re: help me decide

PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2022 1:57 pm
by bullchuck1
The longer the trailer, the more room you have to work with. You can't go back later and add 2 feet, if you need the room. Just my 2 cents. Iam build a 6x12 now as a learning experience. Then I will build a 7x16 if I can find a single axle trailer.

Re: help me decide

PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2022 5:38 pm
by Grummy
Oh fun! 7x14... You said smaller, then stay smaller! 7x14 is plenty for 2. And, 7 wide lets you design cross width sleeping. You can create an "extend.a.room" environment easily with either back door style (slightly easier and larger with a ramp door) or a side room under an awning.

Go too big now and you can never cut the end of it off! But you can grow easy enough via a ramp door patio room or side room option.

I got a 6x12 for two that i based on my specific tow vehicle max capabilities. Frankly the length of 12 is plenty enough but I sure would like that extra foot in width.

Re: help me decide

PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2022 7:49 pm
by Karebru
I'll vote for the 7x16. I'm happy with mine and never wondered, "what am I gonna do with these extra 2 feet?"
I'd like to do a 6x12 some day, but that's an entirely different animal.

Re: help me decide

PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 2022 3:01 pm
by januaries
I'm in your position: trying to decide on a size.

My first considerations are my tow vehicle, gas mileage, and towing safety. Do your two options generate any differences in these areas?

My second considerations are where we expect to go. At this point, I'm looking at long-distance road trips and national parks. This entails a slightly different set of needs than just weekend get-away camping or glamping resort locations. What about you? How do you envision your space being used? Will you be driving much on dirt roads, or worse? Will your expected campsites do equally well with both sizes? Do you have a place to store either size trailer at home?

Now, if all else is still equal between the two options, I start looking at layouts and living space. I want to have a place for everything before I start building. Water? Batteries? Solar? Sleeping? Cooking? Rainy days? Cold days? Hot days? Sick days? If the first and second sets of considerations aren't any help, then most people prefer a little larger space to a smaller one, just because elbow room is pleasant.

ETA: I use the "Sweet Home 3D" free program to model different trailer sizes and layouts. The learning curve is a little less steep than sketch-up. I've used this program with designing additions & remodeling to our home, and find it can give me a pretty good feel for the 3D space in a room.