Questions about Cargo Trailers

[doris s.]

My husband and I looked at Tabs over the weekend, way to much money. So we are debating whether to build a cargo trailer conversion. I have a few questions for about the trailers.

Which trailer brand are the best quality?
Are double axle trailers more stable on the road than single axle. We are looking at 7 x 14 foot trailers, some are single axle others double.
Are the floors insulated by the manufacturer?
Where can I buy RV windows in Maryland?

We have built a teardrop but looking to build something bigger for family camping (we currently have a pop for the family).
The conversion trailer look roomy and they are already enclosed, that's a plus, no starting from scratch!

Thanks in advance.

Doris Keil-Shamieh

[wtcreaux]

Doris,

Welcome to TnTTT!! I would recommend going through the various posts multiple times......I lurked for many months before I pulled the trigger.....My first inclination was a teardrop but found this part of the forum and haven't looked back......the BEST part of cargo conversions is "make it yours".....what worked for me may not work for you but may lead to a variation that does ........best wishes and please post questions BEFORE spending money (I now see better ways of doing what I did and could have saved money, if I'd only asked )

Most importantly - ENJOY THE PROCESS


Wtcreaux

[Rainier70]

It is hard to answer what brands are the best. Cargo trailers are manufactured in many different areas and I have only seen some of those that are here in the intermountain area. Usually the most bang for the buck is in buying one that is manufactured somewhere not that far away from you. You will need to investigate what is sold in your area, or what is shipped in.

Some things to look at and think about: what will you be towing it with? Do you want to stay under a certain weight? 6 feet wide is easy to see around, is less expensive, and is usually lighter. 7 feet wide is still not too bad to see around, is about a $1000 more, and usually has brakes included. One HUGE advantage of the 7 ft is that you can design your beds to run sideways. Most 7 wides have double axles with brakes. The double axles are for the increased load weight limit. There isn't much difference that I know of on towing stability between single and double axles unless your load isn't balanced. Double axles are easier to get your heavier stuff over the axles. Remember that all that you add to the trailer in the way of cabinets etc will add weight and on a single axle there may not be much of a weight load before you are over weight in a 7X14 Brakes are always a good idea. No matter what size trailer it will really cut into your gas mileage.


Look at the ribs and general construction to get an idea how well it is built.

I will add more to this when I get a minute more. I hope that this helps some.

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

Doris
if you want the best CarMate trailers, they are

Good luck

Jerry

[doris s.]

This is very helpful. I am going to tow with my Ram 1500 so I was thinking that a 7ft wide would be fine.
Rainier the beds placed across is a great idea for space saving!
Over the Top, thank you for the advice about the Dexter axle. I will take a look at the CarMate brand trailers and see what they are charging for a 7 x 14. A 12 foot trailer may be big enough however my husband wants to make it like a toy hauler. So we can bring our bicycles and maybe a motor scooter along.

Thank you.

Doris

[Rainier70]

There really is no substitute for going through all of the pages of the CT forum here. Unbelievable amount of info available.

More things to think about:

Talk with the dealer or factories about having things like vents, windows, and RV door put in. I haven't been impressed with how any factory as insulated the trailers. I think that the owner can do a better job. Plus it is handy to have the walls open to do the wiring etc.

Personally I like the metal ribbed CTs. I think that they hold up better over time. The walls are welded to the frame. Many of the wood framed walls have warped 2x4s and other problems etc.

Usually the plywood on the interior walls is a necessary part of the bracing. Plan on removing it and putting foam sheet insulation and your wiring in, but put the plywood back on. You can put something decorative or panel over it, but if you use another sheeting instead, make sure that it can fulfill the job of bracing as well or better than the plywood.

If you put windows in yourself, do a lot of looking in the files here at how people have done it. You can get ones to fit between the ribs, but odds are you will want a wider one. Plan on bracing and framing around it. Same with a ceiling vent.

Lots of options on floor coverings from paint to wood laminate. Some have also gone to the thick foam interlocking tiles for the insulation factor. A few have insulated their floors, but not many.

You will want a side door. Some people get a trailer that already has an RV style door handle. If not, then look at how others have locked the cam rod back and added a door handle/lock.

You need to decide if you want a ramp or barn door style. The ramp is easy if you want to load bikes etc all the time, but the barn doors are easier to make a galley in the back or to get to things under the bed. We went with the barn doors and use a portable ramp of when we want to take our road bike.

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

Doris

If you want cheap go to the trailer showroom :-))
Get something from douglas Ga

Jerry

[roadinspector]

Doris,
Welcome!! I am currently building a toyhauler myself. 7' wide is a great width to work with, It gave me 2" short of a queen size bed. Mine is 7'x7'x16'. I really like the extra headroom too. We don't feel so cramped when we have to get out of the weather. The best advise I can really give you is to read as many post as you can. Save pics and make notes on what you like from the different builds. I spent several months lurking around before I started my build. When you start looking at different brands, check out their construction with the approach of what you want to do. For the most part all CTs are very durable, some more than others. Look into their wall construction, some use wood for studs, others use different shape metal studs. What did they use to attach the plywood to the studs. The different builds are great, you will see the different problems of each and how it was dealt with. As stated, please feel free to ask questions. There is lots of info to draw from.

Congatulations on your decision to build a toyhauler. If you would like to see my toyhauler CT the link for it is below in my signature. I am currently working on wiring and hope to have that pretty much completed next weekend.

Goodluck and welcome to our hideout.
Earnest

[72FJ40]

As you mentioned a 14' length, I would advise double axle. It will be easier to manage the weight, they are more stable, and it will have brakes. Read the threads, do some research on a few trailer brands, and go look at a few to compare. I spent many hours doing this before buying. Have a 10' single axle and a 12' double axle. Both are Wells Cargo. W/C is a top quality trailer; for a cargo, you can't beat them. My 10' is a '97 model; no rust, no leaks, no problems of any type.

One suggestion from buying a number of trailers of different types (6' utility to 20' car hauler). Pull the trailer you are considering before buying it.

[mezmo]

No experience with these, but if I were to be doing
a CT conversion, I'd look at these builders. At least
from what I've seen on the web they seem to be quite good.

RnR:
http://www.aluminumtrailers.org/
Legend:
http://www.legendmfginc.com/
Someone is doing one now on here:
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=56025
This seems interesting:
http://fibertechservicesinc.com/trailers.php

I'd also consider having the builder install any windows and
entrance doors. It'd probably be worth it if you consider what
it'd take to source your own and install them. Then custom
outfit the interior fittings yourself as you want them.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[jwhite]

Here is a great link [url] http://www.trailershopper.com/ [url] I wanted a trailer built and this is where I found the most info about trailers and cost for each thing I wanted, I went with a 7x7x16 I think if I were to do it again I would go to 18 or 20ft but I still like the size and 2 axles is the way to go, I park my golf cart over the axels and it tows perfectly if it's to far back it pulls ok but sways some.
I think it's worth the money to have a RV door with screen and windows installed from the factory, if I were doing it again I would have them also install a cut out for a window AC and I would have a generator door installed on both sides of the front v nose so I could run the generator from inside without having to drag it out and run drop cords.
I also would like to have a better bathroom with a RV toilet and holding tanks,I am in a situation now where I can leave my trailer at a gun club for as long as I want and with a portable toilet I have to manually hand dump it.
I would also get the stabilizer jacks installed from the factory they were well worth the 50.00,

[glennsheila]

We went with Diamond Cargo, built in Douglas, GA. They were nice people and easy to work with. We really like the 6'3" standard inside height--it's a great feature.
We've been very pleased with this cargo. We just finished our conversion, but we're happy with it so far.

[doris s.]

Lots of great advice here. Rainier, thanks for letting me know about the plywood on the inside. I had no idea it is part of the structure.
I saw lots of post about insulation and no one seemed to be insulation the floor. I guess it would be hard unless one raised the floor a few inches and insulated between.
Good advice about having the factory put in the rv door, windows, and fan vent. Messing with the original structure is risky.
I'm going to take a look at all the builds posted for some ideas.

Thank you all,
Doris

[b.bodemer]

Doris,
I went with a Stealth trailer.

Most companies will match competitor pricing on windows and doors. I had my windows and RV door installed and would do it again that way. Had a cargo door installed too. Well worth it and all areas stay dry, even in heavy rain!

Have fun looking and planning your new project!
Barb

[doris s.]

Thank you Barb for the info.
I was wondering if anyone has ever installed insulation over the plywood on the inside then covered the insulation with a decorative board such as wainscoting?
I was looking at the trailers and they are quite expensive. Do you know what the cost difference is between a cargo conversion and a standy teardrop? My husband and I are trying to decide what would be most economical to build.
Have a nice holiday all!

Doris