Bunk Cover on Tractor Supply Utility Trailer

[Camping Cur]

Hi to all the TD & TTT owner/builders,
To be honest, after seeing the quality of the builds on this forum, and given my limited skills and tools, I had almost decided just to be content with checking out all the cool ideas and methods here and using what I could. But, since I had not seen anyone do just what I am doing (well, not exactly), I am taking a shot and hoping you all will be kind. I have had a Tractor Supply trailer (a 4X7) for several years now. We use it to haul stuff around and and it work well for that. It only weighs 400 pounds and has a marine plywood bottom. I took off the old OSB swollen sides and replaced them with 1X12 shelf pine boards. I wanted a "sleeper/cover" for camping since the tent thing is getting to be a hassle. All it has to do is provide a cozy bed area. We set up a screen room and do the kitchen chores in there. I wanted to make it removable in case we needed the trailer for stuff that would be easier to carry as an open trailer. The trailer (made by Carry-On, same as a Lowe's unit), has a 2 inch angle iron perimeter frame 9 inches above the floor. 4 foot plywood makes that 57 inches high, but I wanted to stand up in the middle at least. So I built a pitched roof that brings the interior height to just under 6 feet (about 69 inches). The angled front is swept back 2 feet leaving 5 feet of standing room. I got some chicken coop windows from ebay (and the butyl tape), and they look to scale at 14X21 inches. The next item will be the back door which I plan to make from 2X2 and the 5mm Luan. I primered it all then painted it with mobile home roof coating. The inside finishes will be very simple to keep it light and removable. A bed frame of 2X2 and a leftover piece of T-111 will about it. Rear vents will be 4X16 soffit vents. It is bolted down to the 2 inch rail plus I added some corner and roof wind braces. Trying to "keep it simple"...will see how this all works out, and...how our Kia Soul feels about pulling it down the road. The pics are in my gallery. Be kind

Mike

[Vedette]

Welcome to the Forum!
Remember....no two Teardrop Trailers are the same! Even the "Manufactured" ones, as they have all been personalized by their owners!!
H..l, mine is mad from a bunch of old car and truck parts I had laying around.
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[OP827]

Welcome! You are right, I personally did not see anyone did this kind of removable trailer top before, but I did not read all posts on this forum.
I think it is a cool concept and idea to still be able to use it as utility trailer, and you can probably use this top when the weather is not good for carrying cargo that should be protected from elements like furniture for example, so it is almost like 3-in-1!

[Camping Cur]

That is what I was hoping for, a multi-purpose rig. I framed out the door today (pics in gallery) and figured that a 36X54 back door opening would let me use it for cargo and make for easy entry and exit. I am going to use hinges for residential exterior doors that have a removable pin so that I could take it completely off for hauling long stuff. The same size window as in the walls will go in the opening (14X21). Three coats of paint are on now, so it is shaping up. I mixed the last 1/3 of the elastomeric paint with some exterior semi-gloss. Looks bright and shiny and is staying cool inside even with no roof insulation. Making my own door has been "fun", as many attest to on this site. Hoping it will come out OK. The outside is almost done. Will post pics when I get to hang it.
Thanks again for the many who take time to post such helpful info. My "caveman carpentry" is getting a workout!
Mike

[noseoil]

Yep, looks good to me. Form & function, the two elements of design. I was a bit concerned about how you were going to get in, but in your last post you said there was going to be a door, so all's well. Looks like a good way to go camping to me! A place to sleep out of the rain is always a good thing. You have lots of potions for finishing it & getting it more livable now. Enjoying the gallery!

[Camping Cur]

Just added the door, and today put an additional 2X2 on the inside door frame, and then attached 5/8" square pvc door stop molding and foam weatherstripping. The inside is also now painted. It shuts with a nice, solid feel against the foam. I will add a door sweep to the bottom next. If I could find some rubber molding that would work, I would add it around the outside of the door and let it close against the door frame. Any suggestions? I will add the pics to this post if I can figure out how! Thanks!

[pchast]

Looks a workable solution...

How are you securing the box to the trailer?

[noseoil]

Not sure if there's room to add a threshold at the bottom of the door opening, but usually a sweep works with a threshold to seal against water. Can you fit a small board with a bevel at the bottom of the opening & have the sweep seal against it? Your home center store will have a selection of sweeps, thresholds etc. in their door department.

Side note just for fun: A thresh-hold comes from a word which came from the times of dirt floors many years ago. In winter, there was straw put down on the dirt, to make it warmer inside. They needed a way to keep the straw inside & the cold outside. A "thresh-hold" was a board slipped into the bottom of the door opening, to keep the straw in from going outside as the door was opened & closed.

[lrrowe]

I love it when old words and sayings are "brought to life" (explained in today' s terms). Many have some very interesting backgrounds.

Thanks noseoil.

[Camping Cur]

Thresh-hold!! Love it! Picked up a 36" door sweep for the bottom today. Should help to keep out rain and dirt. It has a wide rubber (3/4") bottom. Added a "safety hasp" after reading a post about a door with a lock like mine that kept opening while going down the road! Should keep it secure, plus the tailgate goes up when in transport mode, then becomes a step when set up. I cut it down to 16" when I first got the trailer. Here is a shot of the door seal. Can't see any light all around except at the bottom. The sweep should solve that. Maybe I won't need the extra seal around the outside perimeter?

I bolted the the bottom 2X2 (pressure treated) in 8 places around the 2 inch steel angle that the cover sits on. Then 2 bolts through the 2X2 just inside of the door. Should stay put in transport (I hope). I used the nuts with the plastic inserts to minimize loosening. I can reach them from inside. If I cover the inside with luan, I will have the bottom 12 inches separate from the top portion in order to access the bolt heads. A friend gave me 3 pieces 12"X 84 and I am thinking of the luan door skins (very light) that are 36X84 to do the top section inside. No waste and easy to install. Next is to install a water proof electric box to feed the shore power into. One outlet on the opposite side will give me a place to plug in a heater or fan. Outside corner trim is on and caulked and painted. Starting to shape up! The maiden voyage is soon!!

Mike

[Camping Cur]

Here are a few pics, inside shots coming as that progresses.

[Camping Cur]

This door sweep with a wider (3/4") rubber should do the job of keeping out the water and crud. Here is a side shot showing the profile. Hope that it is not too high. Read all the posts I could find on wind resistance affecting tow experience. If it turns out to be too much for the hamsters to pull, I may cut down the front and angle it down from the second "rafter". I hate to lose our "Vista-Cruise" front windows!! And...am loving the stand-up room in this micro-trailer. Maiden voyage soon! Better to find out before I do any inside work.

[Camping Cur]

After much thought, decided that a build on a 5X8 would work better for us, especially the entry/exit from the bed area. So...just sold the micro-camper and a nice young guy and his dog are the new owners. Came out with the cost of the trailer and materials covered, but the build time will have to be chalked up to experience! Will add pics of the new build soon. Also will post separately the type of trailer I am going with next.
Thanks for all the great posts and pics!!
Mike

[OP827]

Wow, that was quickly made and sold, congrats.
Let us know what kind of new design you come up with, I have a feeling it will be quite original.

[Camping Cur]

Yes, the quick sale surprised me too. The new owner called today and said he had people asking about it when he stopped. The new build will be on a Carry-On 5X8 from Tractor Supply. I posted in the chassis section as why the trailer was chosen over the identically priced one from Lowes. The shape will be similar in some respects, but hope to have a sloping flat roof starting with an angle from the front toward the back, then sloping up to 6 feet high at the rear entry. Should be better in the wind, but the other one was not as bad as I thought it would be. The new owner pulled it for 2 hours home with a Honda Element and he said it was smooth sailing. May use aluminum or ??? for the outside this time. I guess the FRP panels just won't hold up to the suns rays? I have been reading all about them and thought they might work, but mixed comments here, as well as on the website of Crane (Mfr.), suggest not using for exterior applications. So...here we go again! Mike