Glenlivets 6X10 cargo toy hauler conversion

[Glenlivet]

Looks like it will work for you. Does it have any cap or cover on the inside? I travel on some really dusty roads, and it is always a problem to keep it out. That must not be much of a problem where you go?

I can turn the knob and close the valve halves, not a perfect watertight seal but ought to be enough to keep the dust to a minimum. Good point.

[Rainier70]

If it closes good and you still get a little, easy to just lay any old towel over it. That should take care of any seepage.

Nice idea to get a little extra cool air. It should work well for those that have a more "stealth" look and need more ventilation. I like the ability yours has to adjust how much air you want to come in.

I have used the marine deck plates for my stove pipe. While it doesn't have either a screen or a fan, either could be added to it. I do like the screw in plate to seal the hole off. I have an extra one that I had planned to put in the floor, but ended up using a small 1" one instead. I might look at putting it in and adding a screen to it when it is hot out.

This is an example of one. They come in black or white. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000A ... UTF8&psc=1

[MtnDon]

Where did you find that vent?

[Glenlivet]

That was at an RV shop, Cottonwood RV in Chilliwack. They had lots of them, I got the impression that it's a common RV part.

[Glenlivet]

The tongue is getting busier! I needed a place for the generator to live and as you know, a 6 x 10 is tight. I got tired of lugging it in and out. So this is a tongue cage for the genny to live in relatively safe from absconders and available for duties like microwaving, toasting, and general recharging without needing to be 'set up' all the time. Just plug'n'play.



A little machining, a little welding and a little drilling and painting and there it is. The platform board is captive and slides in and out in waxed ways, so it can be half slid out (or more) for refueling and it won't upset like the pic below shows, or slid right out and set the generator on the ground for extended uses like A/C. The generator feet sit in forstner bit drilled wells so the genny can shake a bit in operation but it stays put.



That's a bit of tongue weight these days but I used to carry the genny in against the front wall anyway (this is little change) and I do have airbags in the half ton T/V. Did a trip last weekend and it was fine. Now it's time to sandblast and paint the rest of the up front stuff that's starting to see a bit of corrosion creeping up.

[AZ_Desert_Rat]

Hi Glenlivet,
Long time no talk -- I like the genny cage , do you have any details you can share; I am still dragging mine in and out. Granted it is a small 1850, but it seems to be getting heavier!!

[Glenlivet]

Hi Glenlivet,
Long time no talk -- I like the genny cage , do you have any details you can share; I am still dragging mine in and out. Granted it is a small 1850, but it seems to be getting heavier!!

Hi John. Not much to say about the cage, it's sized for that Champion genny. The long side and the uprights are 1.5" 1/8 angle and the top and bottom are 2" 1/8 flatbar. The hasp is homemade 1" round stock with a 7/16 hole for the lock shank , and a piece of hinged flatbar with a 1 1/16 hole. I have an idea that there's bound to be a smoker cover out there that will drop over the whole generator/propane tank/battery mess with a decent fit. Time for some eBaying.
You're right, the generator does gain weight with the passage of time and becomes more work to heave in and out of the trailer. Someone should do a scientific paper on that.

[AZ_Desert_Rat]

I like the solar idea, but just have not made up my mind yet ... I am still dry camping and run the generator when I need to charge the battery. I changed all lights to LEDs and if I am a bit conservative, they will go 4 or 5 days

[CGRotorhead]

As a guy with the goofy idea that he should buy a cargo trailer that has a decent build and is made for packing stuff around, and if he just adds a few things so that he can not only haul his ATV around but can stay in it, his own home made toy hauler...
I almost laughed as I found this site to find that it's already been done a hundred times over.
Remember the old story of the ugly duckling and he finds out that he's actually a swan, and there are many swans! I mean just look at all the swans on this site.

Anyway, I have read some of the stuff posted on here and marveled that a lot of the things I have encountered on this adventure have been dealt with in exactly the same manner as I've done, (or done better than I).

Thought I'd share a few nuggets from my own build, and update as I go. So here goes:



The rear ramp door open and the bed all stowed away.



The ATV loaded and lashed down. Not much room to spare! The left rear and right front tires are held down to E-track on the floor by tire web. Good enough that race cars are transported with these things.
Besides, no room for tie-downs. I can get at the right front via the RV side door and the rear via the ramp door.



The bigger side of the bed. The table slides into it's holders, two 6" 1 1/2 angle iron pieces inset into the wood rails hold the four foot long table up by its middle. To get it out I just unhook the bungee, swing out the table legs, slide the whole table two feet to the left and it's down and ready to use in seconds.

The first 8" of the bed is solidly mounted to the left wall and the rest swings up on a piano hinge. That gives me a place to store the two 4" thick 35 x 75 foam mattress pieces, side by side.



The other side becomes a bench. Swing the built in 2x2 legs out and unhook the bench and let it down off the wall. There's a bridge piece needed for the bed, that stays folded on its own piano hinge, for bench service.



For making the bed, unhook the bigger side, unfold its legs and lower it. The bridge piece is ready to drop into place. See the step where the bridge fits into the big side.



And voila: Wall to wall King size bed! (almost King size) That's a double wide sleeping bag rolled up against that window behind the netting.

Have a few more things done too, if people are interested.

hey do you have any more build specs/ dimensions for the fold down bed? And how is it mounted to the wall section?

[Glenlivet]

I marked the metal studs inside the walls and attached my wood runners with self tapping screws of the right length so they don't punch through to the outside. On the long side of the folding bed there are vertical braces to the floor near the wall and these bear all the down force, the runner just locates the bed. The short side folding legs are just 13 inches from the side wall and so they bear all the weight of the sleeper anyway, again the runners just locate the bed. The piano hinge screws and the self tappers are plenty enough. Slept two 250 pounders last year without a creak.

The mattress foamies are 4.5" thick each and the steady part were they stand upright is 9" deep for that reason. The bed's 18" above the floor to store coolers underneath and the fold up part is 36" to hold the foamies and not block the window when up. The other parts are made to suit the remaining dimensions.

[CGRotorhead]

I marked the metal studs inside the walls and attached my wood runners with self tapping screws of the right length so they don't punch through to the outside. On the long side of the folding bed there are vertical braces to the floor near the wall and these bear all the down force, the runner just locates the bed. The short side folding legs are just 13 inches from the side wall and so they bear all the weight of the sleeper anyway, again the runners just locate the bed. The piano hinge screws and the self tappers are plenty enough. Slept two 250 pounders last year without a creak.

The mattress foamies are 4.5" thick each and the steady part were they stand upright is 9" deep for that reason. The bed's 18" above the floor to store coolers underneath and the fold up part is 36" to hold the foamies and not block the window when up. The other parts are made to suit the remaining dimensions.

Cool thanks and did you use screws to hold the notched 2x2s together? Did you use any hardware to hold the runners to the wood siding?

[Glenlivet]

Good eye! The log cabined ends of 2x3 are glued n screwed. The laps are arranged so that the load they bear tends to push the inset ends together rather than pull them.
The runners on the walls of the 9" side have thin 5/8" vertical pieces in three places but the other side bearing less load I just screwed the runner to the wood.

[AZ_Desert_Rat]

Hi Glenlivet,
How is the summer going and more importantly, have you been out camping? I like the way you were going with your build and if you are like many of us, ideas and changes happen, and an evolution takes place... Have you thought of changes you want/need to make?

[sbshaver]

Love this build. If Hans Solo had a cargo trailer.

[Glenlivet]

Love this build. If Hans Solo had a cargo trailer.

Thanks! Make me blush, all embarrassed.

Hi Glenlivet,
How is the summer going and more importantly, have you been out camping? I like the way you were going with your build and if you are like many of us, ideas and changes happen, and an evolution takes place... Have you thought of changes you want/need to make?

Didn't spot this reply before, sorry AZ-Desert-Rat
I used the trailer plenty this summer and I hope I'm not done yet this year.
What would I reconsider?...

- 2 foot-itis. I'd get a 6 x 12 instead of 6 x 10. That two feet in the non-bed area up front when the bed is down would be really handy. I could have a camper style pump-sink and water supply, more room to get dressed or mill around. Yeah but then I'd probably want two MORE feet, that's how it goes.
- I'd get a white one. This is dark grey and it sucks up the heat in summer. There was one place the G/F and I camped this summer, a light sand gravel pit with mounds on three sides that was really a giant solar furnace, when I thought about it. Direct AND reflected sun coming at you from almost all sides. The A/C couldn't keep up. The dark skin of the trailer didn't help. Gonna paint the roof white, the sides, nah. Next time I'd buy a white one.
And avoid camping in solar furnaces.

Other than those points it's been pretty darned good to me. Love having a fridge that generates its own cold (yeah, physicists will shudder at that description) and it uses so very little propane. Ditto the Wave 3 heater, very little fuel consumption. Like not having to go outside to make my morning coffee. Things are well overall.