Trailer's here! (Was: Options list for built-to-order TTT)

[bobhenry]

I think that floor insulation would be nice; although my travel trailer doesn't have any, it barely has any wall or ceiling insulation. It could possibly be added under the floor plywood, from below after construction, fitting around the frame, without building up the floor and cutting into interior headroom... maybe worth considering, anyway.

I am considering putting insulation on the floor as well from beneath. But am curious as to stones hitting it. Also look at the Danzer trailer section on the previous page in Cargo Trailers.

I was able to insulate my floors with 2 full layers of 3/4 blue foam and topped off with a full layer of 1/2 osb. I did this to be rid of the wheel well humps inside. I was so easy and only took a couple hours to complete.

[bobhenry]

), .

I'm not fond of the idea of dual lighting systems (12VDC and 120VAC), since one is just extra all the time. Why not put in a converter or battery charger, and use all 12V lighting, especially if there's a shore power package which omits the AC lighting and saves money.

Dual voltage light

I built this one for Nitroxjunkie (Jeff) out of scrap and crap laying around. If you look carefully you can see the 120 volt bulb and base. At the very bottom of he fixture you will also see a small 12 volt bulb peeking out. I chose an on board battery for 1 reason. If I am out and need to change a tire of even just looking for an item in the trailer I simply flip on the 12 volt light or lights as needed. Stranded on a dark road I can turn on the "porch" lights and be more visible to passing motorists and better see what I am doing.

Here is mine it is a little easier to see both bulbs in this shot!

[brian_bp]

I think that floor insulation would be nice; although my travel trailer doesn't have any, it barely has any wall or ceiling insulation. It could possibly be added under the floor plywood, from below after construction, fitting around the frame, without building up the floor and cutting into interior headroom... maybe worth considering, anyway.

I am considering putting insulation on the floor as well from beneath. But am curious as to stones hitting it...

When I was considering added extruded polystyrene foam under my travel trailer floor I assumed that I would put some sort of protective panel under it, and drive a few screws up through the panel and foam and just into the floor to secure it.

It is somewhat common here for trailers which are used in winter conditions to have the bottom "foamed" (covered by spray-on foam). It seems to survive, but don't really know how well. Some of those trailers may not be towed very often, as they are used for long-term accommodation at remote sites.

[digimark]

UPDATE: I can add a "galvanized underbody with thermobacker", so I did. The trailer has been ordered -- I went with two 15"x24" horizontal windows, insulation roof walls and floor, 110V breaker box/shoreline/overhead fluorescent light/(3) 110V outlets, 12V battery box/(2) dome lights/roof vent/(2) 12V wall sockets, porch lights, E-track at 16" and "under window" 6' lengths, (4) D-rings in floor, white vinyl roof... Cool, eh? When it arrives in several months, I'll paint/stain the interior and add the bed platform, cabinets and floor cover.

(Original post continues...)

At some point I'm going to want to add a front wall cabinet with countertop, and putting the two electrical outlets (110V and 12V) at 34" should let them float just above the counter. The shoreline/breaker box and battery box will be against the front wall as low as possible and on the driver's side, to be hidden by the (future) cabinet.

All in all, it looks like I'll be well set up in both cargo and camping identities. I'll be placing the deposit later this week. Thanks for everyone's help. Of course once I take delivery I'll be looking to improve it, but I think this is the best I can do with a factory-ordered build. Now I just have to find a place to store it when not using it.

[southpennrailroad]

Digimark!

Let me tell you about how I purchased my trailer. I made payments to a Scottdale dealer in Pennsylvania. He then made the order and to save me $300.00 as he made arrangements to let me drive to Hagerstown to pick it up. My wife and I used that money on ourselves instead of spending it on Shipping costs. I know where BOWIE is and the drive to Hagerstown will excite you as you drive to pick up your future trailer. Find out if a trailer you like is built nearby. I know Cargo Trailers is built near eastern shore and I was even considering traveling there to pick it up but Danzer (Opps I just checked, and they are Now Closed/Out of business) was closer. I just felt using the money on a trip on us was a better deal.

[digimark]

...to save me $300.00 as he made arrangements to let me drive to Hagerstown to pick it up....

That's an interesting idea. It's $300 delivery. The closest P-A factory is in North-Middle Indiana near the Michigan line. It's about 600 miles between here and there, so 1200 miles round trip. At 26MPG diesel and $2.19/gallon going there, and 19MPG coming back, fuel costs would be about $120. Plus tolls and food, probably closer to $200,especially if I were to take a son (9) or two (7) with me. I'd still save a $100 on the shipping, and it would be an elegant proof-of-concept. Have to think about it.

It would be a no-brainer if the factory were in Hagerstown, as that's about 1 1/2 hours from here. But I have to buy Pace-Amercan because the local dealer is also a PC consulting client and she's giving me an at-emploee-cost discount.

[digimark]

I'm so excited! Order's in, don't know when it will be actually built, but its expected to be delivered by beginning of April. When it gets here I'm going to waterseal the walls, put gray in/out carpet down, and set up the bed platform with E-track brackets. I guess I also need to think about something to cover the windows with.

I want to install a CO detector and a fire extinguisher too. I also want to replace the porch light bulbs with amber ones.

Do people put molding along the floor when they put carpeting down?

I don't need to chock the wheels if it's still attached to the TV, do I? Only when it's detached...

[brian_bp]

...
I don't need to chock the wheels if it's still attached to the TV, do I? Only when it's detached...

Not unless you have a lousy tow vehicle parking brake, or are parked on a slope; depending on trailer weight, tug weight on the rear axle, and slope, it may be unreasonable to expect the tug tires held by the parking brake to have enough traction to be sure your rig doesn't leave before you do.

I've never chocked a trailer attached to a tug, and must admit that I often don't even both when unhitched if the ground is flat, depending on only the tongue jack and stabilizers (if used)... I've only used one trailer with a wheel on the tongue jack. You probably should chock whenever unhitched, but I'll admit that I don't.

I think it would be nice to have a parking brake on the trailer, and the Euro trailers all have them, but there's very rare here.

[bobhenry]

...
I don't need to chock the wheels if it's still attached to the TV, do I? Only when it's detached...

Not unless you have a lousy tow vehicle parking brake, or are parked on a slope; depending on trailer weight, tug weight on the rear axle, and slope, it may be unreasonable to expect the tug tires held by the parking brake to have enough traction to be sure your rig doesn't leave before you do.

I've never chocked a trailer attached to a tug, and must admit that I often don't even both when unhitched if the ground is flat, depending on only the tongue jack and stabilizers (if used)... I've only used one trailer with a wheel on the tongue jack. You probably should chock whenever unhitched, but I'll admit that I don't.

I think it would be nice to have a parking brake on the trailer, and the Euro trailers all have them, but there's very rare here.

Often the parking area is less than desirable and we jack the trailer into level if we are up on jacks we are not gong anywhere until we are ready. If I have a dead level parking area I will chock the wheels but usually we need to level the trailer and the jacks take the place of the chocks.

[digimark]

I thought the waiting was going to maim me, if not kill me outright. But my custom-built trailer arrived two days ago. Take a look at the pictures in my album, I'm so psyched!

Some notes on what you'll be seeing --

1. 6'x10' black Pace American CargoSport trailer. It has LED lights all around, a Dexter torsion axle, chopped a foot to fit in my garage leaving an inside height of 4'11", 12V and AC lines, lights, switches and outlets, completely insulated, a window on each side, porch lights, an outside AC outlet, E-Track on both sides and more.

2. The factory missed installing a cable hatch for the AC 30A shoreline, so the dealer will be installing one later. Also, the door holdback latches for the rear doors are installed in the wrong places and one of the over-rear-door LED marker lights popped off and has to be reinstalled.

Does anyone have advice about where the cable hatch should be installed? The factory would have put in a cheap round hatch, but since they goofed I want to take advantage of it and have the dealer install a larger square hatch so I can reach in from the outside and grab the cable.

3. Once we got it home, my wife and I screeted glue mastic all over the floor and laid a speckled dark blue indoor/outdoor carpet. I think it looks great. We have to cut out the D-Rings though.

4. A 5000RBT Fan-tastic Vent with the flat smoke lid (more clearance for the garage door) is on it's way for installation, to replace the factory roof vent.

5. I goofed and didn't allow enough room between the E-Tracks for someone to sleep, so unfortunately my plan for bunk-bed-like platforms is blown. But I think I can stretch 2'x6's across the top E-Track and put a cot underneath.

6. Pace American stuck a half-dozen obnoxious large white stickers advertising themselves all over my black trailer. Looked like hell, so I took a few minutes and pulled them (slowly) all off. Looks much better now.

7. I want to put a caster on the tongue jack so it will be easier to roll into our garage, but the holes for a locking pin don't line up, so now I need to find a local metal shop to drill holes through the caster mount to match.

A lot of work coming between now and first camping trip May 16th. I want to work on front cabinets next.

[hunter535]

Hello digimark,

What exactly does a "galvanized underbody with thermobacker" consist of?

I am anxiously awaiting our cargo trailer to be delivered and I would like to insulate the floor from underneath as well. I am thinking of polystrene foam cut to fit between the crossmembers of the trailer chasiss but I am not sure how or what to use to cover up the insulation from underneath!? Or how to fasten the foam insulation - Construction adhesive, screws into the floor???

By the way, your trailer sounds awesome and the pics are even better. I look forward viewing future pics as well. What kind of porch did you have put in? It looks really nice lit up and throws alot of light as well!

I can't wait for ours to arrive. Suppose to be here tommorrow but as of Friday the dealer hasn't heard anything from the manufacturer.

Our tralier is a Cargo Express Pro series 7x14 vnose with dual axles & electric brakes, rv style door, 2 windows (just like yours), roof vent w/12v fan, stabilizer jacks and rear barn doors. We ordered it with no interior walls so I can insulate it and run the wiring myself to help cut down the cost. Hope that works!

Good luck with yours!

[digimark]

Hi Hunter! Welcome to the "club".

A "galvanized underbody with thermobacker" is (I believe) a galvanized belly pan and insulation between the floor and pan. I should crawl underneath to be sure. It may be hard to insulate the floor after your trailer's been built -- might want to send a message to the factory asking for their advice.

The porch lights P-A used were the same white plastic lights with switches you'd get at any RV parts store -- nothing special. But they did wire it with a switch, so even replacing it with a better fixture later was worth getting it now.

My trailer is a single axle without brakes. I'm pulling the trailer with a Mercedes SUV with almost 400 lb-ft of torque and disk brakes, so I'm hoping not having trailer brakes won't have been a bad decision.

[digimark]

Latest update:

The trailer is back at the dealer to fix some problems; the rear door holdbacks were put in the wrong location, so they have to be moved/adjusted, some trim is falling off and needs to be secured, the forgotten-to-be-installed cable hatch needs to be installed, the fan-tastic vent is being installed, an LED marker light is being secured, and the tongue jack is getting a wheel to make it easier to move around in our garage.

I'm really stuck on the cable hatch, and could use advice. The shoreline provided by the factory is coiled and hanging from an aluminium bracket mounted on the lower wall near the front street-side of the trailer, alongside the A/C panel. I bought a large rectangular access panel, looks like this:

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/it ... tches/1856

If anyone has installed something like this in the past, how did you finish out the inside so it didn't look like hell? It's a plastic frame and a hinged door, so once the hole is cut and the hatch is glued in, from the outside it will be fine, but on the inside... there's no garnish, flush plate or trim piece to make it look clean.

Or can you recommend something similar that comes with the interior trim needed? Thanks.

[edcasey]

I'm really stuck on the cable hatch, and could use advice. The shoreline provided by the factory is coiled and hanging from an aluminium bracket mounted on the lower wall near the front street-side of the trailer, alongside the A/C panel. I bought a large rectangular access panel, looks like this:

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/it ... tches/1856

That is a very common hatch used on campers. They never intended anyone to see the back side of it so there is no trim ring available. I don't know your plans for the interior but could you build a plywood storage compartment inside the camper for the shore cord to be pushed into from the outside like they do on commercial campers? My shore cord originally stored in a compartment under my refrigerator. That was before we changed the inside layout for the 593rd time.

[digimark]

Ed -- thanks for the advice. Since I am building a cabinet to cover it up anyway, the dealer suggested putting the hatch in the floor next to the AC panel. I was worried it would let water in, but she said it wouldn't, so I'm going to try not to over-think this one.

Still got to start working on the front upper and lower cabinets. My Kreg kit and screws came in today - ooh. More on that in a bit.