Cargo Conversion ...on the CHEAP

[d30gaijin]

Kevin,

Got the first tryout of our new inflatable mattress. My sister-in-law and nephew came to visit yesterday from out of state so we took the mattress out of the box for her to try. It has a built-in air compressor of the 110v AC variety but draws very little amperage so can be used in the cargo conversion if we have 110v shore power or it can be used from an inverter off a 12v battery. She spent her first night on it last night and pronounced it, "Very comfortable!" and she's picky about a comfortable bed, so that's a good sign.

Don

[kstephenson]

Don......great
I slept on mine for a year while living in AZ...... this is the same one I use in my trailer

Happy Camping

[GPW]

Sleeping bag and a pad is good enough for me , the wife wants thick and Fluffy ... Inflatable is a cool idea ...

Sorta' thinking of an interior like this ... 6'X12'... May be a bit more than I really need ...
Thinking a trundle bed instead of bunks ... ???

[GPW]

Thinking now , Less is More ... eliminating the shower and vanity sink , extra walls ...replacing bathroom wall with a curtain (decorative shower curtain) ... LIGHTER!!!

I could even go down to a 10' trailer ... saving some space and a little weight ... V nose would add a little extra space too ... probably tow slightly easier too ...??

[d30gaijin]

Sleeping bag and a pad is good enough for me , the wife wants thick and Fluffy ... Inflatable is a cool idea ...

Sorta' thinking of an interior like this ... 6'X12'... May be a bit more than I really need ...
Thinking a trundle bed instead of bunks ... ???

GPW,

Dude, that doesn't look simple to me. That's a lot of work and brings in more than a few technical difficulties, of course none of which can't be overcome. Still, based on your post in another thread about keeping it simple with the electrical, the sketch ain't that simple at all. But I say go for it! That is a great design!

My electrical may be a bit more complex but the rest of the conversion will be a lot simpler than the sketch provided i.e., cabinets, microwave, sink, toilet at the front of the trailer and a simple inflatable mattress in the rear. Initial storage of vitals will be in the Jeep Cherokee that hauls the cargo conversion. Cabinets built above inside the cargo conversion will come later.

Don

[GPW]

Don , that was an early sketch... I've now learned simpler is better ... All that wiring /plumbing is just more trouble than it's worth .. The more complexities , the more maintenance/trouble /expense ... Initially , I was looking to replicate a "home" environment ... but as it turns out , it's just overkill for camping .... and a lot of dead weight to haul around...

After selling my TD, The wife insisted on buying a travel trailer (Jayco FS 197) which is Cute as a bug inside , but waaaaaay more than we need , and turns out to be a maintenance nightmare ... the trailer falling apart faster than I can pay for it ... Grrrrrrr!!!!!! (poor design and construction) Buying that was a BIG Mistake ...

Since hindsight is always 100% accurate , I've learned now what I need is a well designed and constructed trailer with the simplest of accessories, that can be fixed/replaced easily and at little cost ... Seems like "RV" appliances are 10 times the cost , and dubious quality ... and the outside maintenance is designed for frequent dealer repairs ($$$$) ... It's a "game" designed for the rich to pay and pay ... keeping the dealers flush with cash ...
Now I've been going around talking to every cargo trailer owner I see, and all , whether a landscaping contractor , plumber , tradesman, have reported ZERO problems ... Even leaving them outside all the time ...
Now being an old retired guy , this is what I need , not some money pit "RV" ... A homey interior would be nice , but Now I've learned (the hard way) that all I need are the essentials items for basic comfort ... Good bed, AC, Igloo , a reading light , and lots of pillows ... Appliances are pared down to a simple (cheap) electric hotplate , coffee maker , and possibly a cheap microwave... Hibachi for outside cooking ... And the requisite porta potty too ... A cheap dorm refrigerator < 100USD does the same thing as an RV 3way reefer, and at one fifth the cost , and no worries about clogged vents ,leaking ammonia etc. ....
I should have known better after all the reading I've done here for years , but just had a serious case of the "Dumb arse" .... Better now ... especially since discovering cargo trailers ... Keeping it simple , but comfortable ... Best of all , with a cargo conversion , I'll be able to have all the comforts I need for Half the weight of my Manufactured TT... easier for the old 6 cyl. Silverado to tow ... and about a third of the price , and best of all , NO bimonthly trips to the dealer for ridiculously expensive repairs ... Funny how an RV dealer charges more for labor than my Doctor ...
Keeping it simple , and cheap ... that's Me !!!!

Still looking around for a used CT ... problem is , they work so well , nobody wants to sell them ... Travel trailers are for sale everywhere... most folks taking a big bite when they sell, them too... or try to sell them ... I think people are getting wise to the RV game ... Once burned ....

Sorry for all this verbal rambling , it's just very exciting to find something that really works well , and doesn't cost as much as a truck ...

[drcurran]

Thanks GPW - Well said!

[GPW]

Finding a used Cargo trailer around here is like finding arrowheads... Rare !!! And EVERYBODY's got one ... See them All day long .... None for sale ... even asked a few neighbors , whose nasty dirty CTs just sit unused in their yards ... No deal !!!
May just have to cash in and buy a new one ... (OK , I'm Thrifty ...read: CHEAP) ' From all the calculating , I think (?) I need a 6'X 10'-12' , V nose would be nice , tall enough to stand in (6'4"+ = me in tennies) , single axle ,spring suspension, side door .. and a good ROOF ... From what I can see that comes to about 2-3K USD depending .... Am I in the ballpark here or am I missing something ???
You guys know a LOT about these trailers , I know NOTHING , but what I've gleaned off people I've talked to around here, all who seem pretty satisfied... Any suggestions on what to , or not to include would surely be appreciated...

[drcurran]

Suggestion - 6 X 12. I don't think you will find too many who get a 6 X 12 and after it is completed say "you know this is really too big" but. . . . I think you might find some with a 6 X 10 who feel they are a little cramped. OK just my .02 Best of luck!

Dan

[GPW]

DR, Thanks !!! That's what I need to know ... got a dumb dog and a cat too ... Extra real estate can't hurt eh ... not much price difference from what I've seen

[drcurran]

Always glad to throw in my .02 - remember worth just what you paid 10' vs. 12' is not like you are choosing between going 10' and say 14'. I think you will see very little, if any, towing difference. A suggestion I heard someplace on this site was to tape out the floor space say on your driveway for a 10' and a 12' and see how quickly "stuff" fills up that space. Good luck keep us posted. I'm going to get started on mine any day, week, or month now.

Dan
(the dr is for Daniel Raymond not Dr.)

[kstephenson]

I agree the 6 x 12 is probably gonna work out the best.
Appreciated the Keep it Simple talk too......alot of people get too complicated in these things and I think that takes the fun out of this hobby of ours. Sometimes this forum turns into a science class.....haha

[GPW]

For what I need it for , extended camping in somebody's driveway , several days to even several weeks (depending) I made a long list of stuff I'd like to bring , but as the days go on , the list keeps getting shorter and shorter...
On previous "Mandatory vacations" , we've just bought what we needed as we went along .. (urban camping, the wife just LOVES shopping )... food, clothes , books ,ice, water ...etc. etc. Why haul it ? Why haul cabinets around , when a couple well planned shelves would do, and my many one dollar re-cycle Wal mart grocery bags (got 12, all can be rolled up in one bag for storage as they're used up ) ... Seeing where these CT's can easily carry a payload of > 1500lbs.+ Don't think I'd EVER come even close to that ... Even thinking of just painting the walls , no moulding or other such trivia... Insulation of course... easy enough for me to do , although those sprayed on insulation jobs do really help to integrate all the trailer and makes em' quiet too ... Used to have that done on Kustom Vans , some time ago ... Worked Super .... all depends on what they're getting for a foam job these days ...

[d30gaijin]

GPW,

Hey that's a lot of excellent advice based on your experience and I truly appreciate it. We're new to the trailer camping. We bought a Jayco 165 Feather Sport last year and have had it out a total of four trips. It works well for just the wife and myself but it is a bit much for my 4 liter Jeep Cherokee to haul up into the mountains of Idaho and I don't want to invest in a bigger rig to haul it just yet, hence the 6x10 cargo conversion. The Jeep hauls the cargo just fine. I also have a Harley Davidson that we'd like to take up in the mountains to cruise around with but don't want to ride it all the way up their and have to tent camp (getting old ain't for sissies). So again, hence, the cargo conversion.

What I am doing is learning a lot here thanks to folks like you sharing your experiences with us. Please keep the comments, experience, and thoughts coming.

I am going just a bit elaborate on the 110v AC electrical but water will be minimal initially (cold water only hand pumped from a 5 gallon container under the sink, the sink will drain to a 5 gallon gray water tank, also under the sink). Toilet will be a small "Passport Potty" stowed under the sink but in-use in a potty/shower type tent outside. Eventually we hope to add a tankless water heater but that is down the road. Lighting will be 12v but haven't decided on what it will be just yet beyond the single overhead 12v light that came with the trailer. Might even go with what you suggest i.e., LED flashlights hung from the walls for the time.

Again, please keep the minimalist thoughts coming because, as you note from your experience, simple is better.

Don

[GPW]

D30, as a Jayco FS 197 owner , be SURE to have the paper thin roof inspected by your dealer EVERY 6 Months!!!!!! Right after my warranty ran out , it started to develop de-lamination ... Factory refused repairs, said it was my fault for not having the trailer regularly inspected by the dealer (every 6 months) although I inspected it myself and kept it clean and waxed, as suggested by the dealer... Dealer repairs are RIDICULOUSLY expensive ... $5000 for roof repair , who knows how much to repair the front cap de- lamination. And the factory told me that I should have had the roof re-sealed EVERY year by the dealer ... at a cost of $1200.00 each time (not mentioned at the time of purchase) Read the fine print !!! Caulking /sealing is NOT covered by the warranty ... I figure after we have the front cap repaired , we will have spent the price of the trailer again in just repairs ... Trying to sell a 3 year old trailer , I found out now it is worth less than I still owe, even though we used it once and only ran the AC and radio ... GRRRRR!!! Just a big Money pit ... Parts from the factory are silly EXPENSIVE for what they are, dealer charges as much as a rocket scientist , together it's a great plan to stay in your pocket ... Just a maintenance Nightmare !!! I know I've said this all before , but I'm still P****d off about this ...
Hope you have better Luck than I have ... That's why I'm going with a cargo trailer , which is Made to live outside ... curiously enough.. and the simple appliances will cost one fifth of what RV ones do ...