Taj Mah-Al (6 x10 CT Build)

[hankaye]

Al Swope, Howdy;

Liked your write-up about your experiment in camping...
Although I did hear the first few chords of 'Dueling Banjos' when you were discussing the
locals.
When I pick mine up it will be on the way to a rendezvous with some friends
from another forum one devoted to wingless wet flies. We'll be gathering
at a fellow members campground in Mt. So I'll have a floor, just won't have a floor plan,
plenty of time to work on that while I'm not fishing or learning something new.

hank

[Al Swope]

Some updates...
My buddies mom painted these images on my cabinet doors. After the paint dried she used steel wool to make them look like they were painted a long time ago. I am pleased with how they turned out

[Al Swope]

I got my electrical system started. I cut off my spare tire carrier and welded expanded steel on the tongue. I used this water proof tool box for my battery and wired in a 7 pin plug to charge it from the truck. I used a length on 10 gauge solid copper to tie the battery ground to the trailer frame.


Inside I put this Blue Sea Fuse panel. I used 10 gauge house wire to tie it to the battery.

[Al Swope]

A little celebrity add on. My buddies James and Beth gave me this fan that was previously installed on the CrowsWing Tear drop. It worked perfect in my CT, very generous, I couldn't be happier. It is wired to the fuse panel with red/black 12 gauge speaker wire.

[Al Swope]

I also added this LED light above my counter top.

[BC Dave]

Good work; great deal on the trailer; you could have gone camping in it as is! (I'm envious); although it would benefit from some windows for light & ventilation. I bought a new 6X10 in 2008 paid about 2300; and spent some time designing and building a winterized one that has sat in high elevation central BC since and used extensively. Best little investment of time & dollars ever spent.

So it was a 12yrold trailer used for moto transport; what sort of road ware did you see on it; rust chipping tires etc? Also did the pressure washer dent the aluminum siding or did you strip any paint off?

Cheers BC D

[dustboy]

Love those Forest Service stencils! I'm going to get those tatooed on my chest.

So where did you move the spare tire to?

[ywhic]

Coming along.. I used the same Bluesea fuse box.. handy having neg/positive in 1 spot..

The 4 lights I have all run to the trailer vertical metal supports for the NEGATIVE lines with 3/4" self-tapping #10 screws..

Heres a pic of my front 'cargo light'.. note the WHITE wire for ground above the light going RIGHT.. its aligned with an upright and screwed in.



And like you I too am running 10 ga wire to the battery box..

I ran my battery wire (from the battery box on the tongue) to a side terminal though and put a 30 amp fuse on it.. that then powers the bottom half of my box and has the fuse protection as well in case there is a short between the battery and the fuse box..

This early picture of mine shows a 20 amp in it on bottom left corner.. but I got a 30 amp for it now..

You may want to fuse the + side of the battery like I did..



Keep in mind every 'cargo light' you add is approx 3 amps draw..

[Al Swope]

So it was a 12yrold trailer used for moto transport; what sort of road ware did you see on it; rust chipping tires etc? Also did the pressure washer dent the aluminum siding or did you strip any paint off?

Cheers BC D

The vinyl decals have proven very difficult to remove. I went to a vinyl sign shop and they gave me some unlabeled solvent that works, but still requires a lot of scrubbing. The paint came off in several spots

[Al Swope]

Love those Forest Service stencils! I'm going to get those tatooed on my chest.

So where did you move the spare tire to?

Hah, never thought of a tattoo!
This is my plan for the spare tire. I am going to weld this to the frame on the drivers side. It will be out of the way. I had it on the tongue but that turns out to be valuable real estate when camping.

[hankaye]

Al Swope, Howdy;

Just my opinion and it's free so ... I've had to change tires a few times and the last place I want to wrestle
with a spare is with traffic whizzing by me within, on more than one occasion, a foot of the white line on
an interstate. That said, were it me I'd find a place for the spare on the curb (passenger's), side or the rear
of the trailer.

hank

[lrrowe]

Good point Hank,
I too think I will built a rack for the spare on my CT right behind the fender; but on the right side. But in my case, the soon to be ordered awning upright might be in the way, and I have plans for a side mounted table which also might be in the way.

So I an thinking out how to make this mount and not hinder these issues noted. Maybe a swing away approach?

[Al Swope]

Good point Hank,
I too think I will built a rack for the spare on my CT right behind the fender; but on the right side. But in my case, the soon to be ordered awning upright might be in the way, and I have plans for a side mounted table which also might be in the way.

So I an thinking out how to make this mount and not hinder these issues noted. Maybe a swing away approach?

You guys might be on to something...I could add a small table that would saddle over the spare. You would throw it on when you get to camp!

[lrrowe]

Good point Hank,
I too think I will built a rack for the spare on my CT right behind the fender; but on the right side. But in my case, the soon to be ordered awning upright might be in the way, and I have plans for a side mounted table which also might be in the way.

So I an thinking out how to make this mount and not hinder these issues noted. Maybe a swing away approach?

You guys might be on to something...I could add a small table that would saddle over the spare. You would throw it on when you get to camp!

Here are the rails I am going to use. Others have used them extensively.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RV-TEARDROP-CAR ... 58c1fcd56e

And here is a link where MtnDon posts his use of them. Go about 1/3 of the way down on this page.
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=63086&p=1126971&hilit=+Table+rail#p1126971

[lrrowe]

Good point Hank,
I too think I will built a rack for the spare on my CT right behind the fender; but on the right side. But in my case, the soon to be ordered awning upright might be in the way, and I have plans for a side mounted table which also might be in the way.

So I an thinking out how to make this mount and not hinder these issues noted. Maybe a swing away approach?

You guys might be on to something...I could add a small table that would saddle over the spare. You would throw it on when you get to camp!

Here are the rails I am going to use. Others have used them extensively.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RV-TEARDROP-CAR ... 58c1fcd56e

And here is a link where MtnDon posts his use of them. Go about 1/3 of the way down on this page.
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=63086&p=1126971&hilit=+Table+rail#p1126971

I just corrected the second link.