Questions on putting in windows

[riggerneer]

I'm looking for windows and a door for my 5x8 cargo conversion. Any help out there?

[Prem]

riggerneer,

You may want to build your own door and frame (ask BC). Or, you can use a regular RV door and cut the door and its frame way shorter to fit. I have a 7' x 12' cargo trailer and I had to cut a few inches off of the 6' RV door I bought. Here are the BEFORE and AFTER photos:



If a teardrop door will do, check with Grant at www.teardrops.net (I just got edge molding from him.)

For windows, if you want them to be small and fit between the ribs (metal studs) without doing major surgery, Ebay is where I got mine. 12' x 18" is good. 12" x 24" might come down too low on your trailer's short walls. Just type in "RV window 12" in the Ebay search space. (Sometimes they aren't for sale for a week or two.) I got mine for about $65 each plus shipping. They were new. You can check with your local RV repair shops, but that usually comes up dry or super retail (like double Ebay) if they order them for you.

Good?

Prem

[meach4x4]

I'm looking for windows and a door for my 5x8 cargo conversion. Any help out there?

I ended up buying windows from Wells Cargo factory for my 5x8 V front. They are 15x30 with sliders and screens. I opted to go with them because our last TTT was a T@b, and we loved having a lot of windows in them. With two of the 15x30 windows and a vent fan, we get adequate light inside. Certainly, it is a lot less than the T@b, but it is enough to feel like you are not holed up in a cave.

Putting in the larger windows required welding in crossmembers on the verticle frame members to tie them together. I no longer have my welder, but I found a local portable welder guy to do it for $30 after I did all the cutting and fitting of the crossmember.

Wells Cargo also included a couple of spacers they build when they put these windows in their trailers. They made it easier to install the windows, and held the inner and outer walls apart. If you want to see the process and final results, you can go to my build thread which is in the Cargo Conversions forum under "My project a cargo trailer for back road camping"

I can't help you on a door, because mine had an RV door from the factory. It looks like Prem got that covered, as usual.

Gil

[Prem]

Gil,

A T@B???

Was it inferior to your cargo trailer? Why did you switch? (Other than for offroading...)

Prem

P.S. "...holed up in a cave." LOL My daughters call my cargo trailer "The Dad Cave." With those two small windows, my friend Guy calls it my "horse trailer."

[meach4x4]

Gil,

A T@B???

Was it inferior to your cargo trailer? Why did you switch? (Other than for offroading...)

Prem

The T@b was a really nice trailer, but it wasn't built rugged enough to do much rough road. You can modify one to do pretty good on forest roads, but it involves a lot of things like remounting the overhead cabinets, heater, air conditioner, etc. Whenever I used mine on dirt roads, it was a slow go.

We sold the T@b 2 years go when we decided to hit the road for a year. We used the cash to help pay for a '96 Dolphin motorhome. After a year on the road, we settled in our St. George home, sold the motor home, and bought the cargo trailer.

Advantages of a converted travel trailer:

1) Initial cost ($2,000 vs, $14,000) so if you wad it up on a mountain road, you are a lot better off. Also, if you are going to have to modify it anyway (see 2 and 3 below) it is better to start with a blank canvas.

2) Weight (850 lbs. vs 1,700 lbs) Sure, you have to add a lot of stuff to the cargo trailer to get camp ready, but if you are careful, you can keep it down below 1,200 lbs. After putting in just the items you need for the particular camping you are going to do on an individual trip, you will be quite a bit lighter.

3) Rugged construction. The T@b is not built for off road, or even lots of miles of washboard gravel road. It is too low and too fancy to keep from getting lots of rock dings and dents, that are not repairable with the T@b wall construction (glued up alumafibre walls.)

4) Versatility. Where the T@b is purpose built for short term camping on highways and byways, it is not a hauler. I have a goal for the cargo conversion to be able to take the bed out, and be able to haul cargo. Even with the bed in, I can carry a load of 2x4s, and lay a few sheets of plywood on top of the bed. Another way a cargo is more versatile is you can build it for how you use it. We didn't do a lot of cooking inside our T@b, although it did have the galley inside. The problem is you really don't want to fry up a bunch of bacon in a trailer that has the fuzzy carpet on the walls next to the stove. As a result, we did most of our cooking outdoors.

I bought my T@b fully loaded, with the queen bed U shaped setee, L galley, air, furnace, 12 v fridge, front window, screen door (joke), and extra room built by Paha Que. If I was doing it over, I'd go for the less expensive clamshell model, with the outdoor cooking (traditional teardrop style), 12 v fridge, no heat, no air, and no other options. The reason is that the furnace and air they put in the T@b is overkill. Plus, the furnace needs to have voltage to run. After a few days, the heat stops working. It would be less expensive to install a catalytic heater, and run with no drain on the batteries. As for air, it is silly to haul around an air conditioner in the winter. I'd rather use a portable unit in the summer, and then leave it home in the winter.

Gil

[meach4x4]

I'm looking for windows and a door for my 5x8 cargo conversion. Any help out there?

Riggerneer,

I forgot to add that if you want a great deal on windows, and you are able to go to Quartzsite, they have incredibly low prices on used RV windows at Gambler's RV Parts there. I saw some in there last year that were less than 50 bucks, and they looked new.

Gil

[Prem]

Gil wrote:

1) Initial cost...2) Weight (850 lbs. vs 1,700 lbs)...3) Rugged construction...4) Versatility...

Right on. My reasons for getting one also. I would only add 5) super low maintenance exterior. No sanding and repainting or revarnishing every year or three.

And, IMNSHO, you chose just the right size for what you intend to use it for. Smaller is better, but especially for offroading.

I too would rather cook outside, even in snow. No kidding about bacon.

One time I took my 35' bus/motorhome down a washboard road in southern Baja trying to get to Cabo Pulmo from La Paz. No speed made any difference. It was a bone shaker. The screws in the bathroom walls ALL unscrewed themselves and started falling on the floor. They were #10 - 3/4" sheet metal screws. We got about 10 miles and turned around. I put all the screws back in twice. About 50 of them...without a screw gun. I put glue on all of them the last time. Not nice.

Quartzsite rocks (14x).

Prem

[meach4x4]

Gil wrote:

... One time I took my 35' bus/motorhome down a washboard road in southern Baja trying to get to Cabo Pulmo from La Paz. No speed made any difference. It was a bone shaker. The screws in the bathroom walls ALL unscrewed themselves and started falling on the floor. They were #10 - 3/4" sheet metal screws. We got about 10 miles and turned around. I put all the screws back in twice. About 50 of them...without a screw gun. I put glue on all of them the last time. Not nice.

Quartzsite rocks (14x).

Prem

I was driving a washboard dirt side road in Canyonlands National Park las year. Like you, I could not find a good speed without shaking everything. When I hit the pavement, and got up to 50 mph, there was a very loud whistle from the dash over in front of my wife's chair. She looked at it, and the windshield had dislodged from the frame, and was about to fall out! I drove to town and bought a tube of silicone and then pushed the windshield back in as far as possible, then recaulked it. Eventually, I had it replaced, after a rock hit it. The gasket was torn up pretty badly.

Gil

[meach4x4]

...One time I took my 35' bus/motorhome down a washboard road in southern Baja trying to get to Cabo Pulmo from La Paz. No speed made any difference. It was a bone shaker. The screws in the bathroom walls ALL unscrewed themselves and started falling on the floor. They were #10 - 3/4" sheet metal screws. We got about 10 miles and turned around. I put all the screws back in twice. About 50 of them...without a screw gun. I put glue on all of them the last time. Not nice.

Quartzsite rocks (14x).

Prem

I was driving my Dolphin 35' down a washboard dirt side road in Canyonlands National Park las year. Like you, I could not find a good speed without shaking everything. When I hit the pavement, and got up to 50 mph, there was a very loud whistle from the dash over in front of my wife's chair. She looked at it, and the windshield had dislodged from the frame, and was about to fall out! I drove to town and bought a tube of silicone and then pushed the windshield back in as far as possible, then recaulked it. Eventually, I had it replaced, after a rock hit it. The gasket was torn up pretty badly. I never felt confident going off highway in it until the windshield was replaced.

Gil

[mdvaden]

Wow, excellent job!

Thanks Gil

I am going to change my approach to match what you did. I notice you used steel frame above and below the window cutout. Did you weld it in? Or, use screws?

I have the Z studs in my walls and the 1x1" O.D steel tubing fit just right. I did weld it in but brackets could be made to do the same thing. I removed the outer screws and shimmed the siding before I welded.

Wells Cargo told me when they install them on their 5x8 trailers, they put the window cutout just below the top rail (about 4" above where yours are.) How high are your sides? Mine are only 5' 6".

The nice thing about doing it yourself is that you can put them anywhere you want to but I am sure they would as well if a move was requested. I just eyeballed it to find the location I liked. My dad had his put in on his new trailer and they are down from the top of the wall a bit but the trailer is a lot bigger than mine. My walls are 5' 3" from bottom to the start of radius and just over 5' on the inside.

Do you have any finished shots? (Inside and out would be great!) Excellent shots, very motivating.

I have several shots of it but only a few during construction if that's what you are looking for. Those shots are all in my album.

You've convinced me to wait until the windows are in to mount the bed, since I'd just have to take the rails off to do the windows and insulation. Backup... Rethink... Better than redo!

At least you figured that part out, I sure didn't. I have taken mine apart several times since the window install/insulation project. Once to wire in fender lights, once for the electrical, and once for the porch light with one more once to go Windows, Wiring (including porch light), insulation right down the line.

Have fun and please, Post Pictures!

Slick looking window install.

Maybe I missed it, but what do you tie-down if anything, where the metal strip is along the wall across from what looks like bunk cots?

How do you fasten the TV & Microwave in your trailer?

[dog812]

My trailer is 5x8
I am in canada. Got my window from a place in alberta for $100 shipped. But had no inner trim ring. Had to get another from a local (free) and make it fit.. but worked out great.
I used a sawzall to cut my hole.. started a little smaller then kept cutting away around the edges till it fit.. your hole does not have to be pretty the outside flashing of the window will cover it.

[Blotto Bros]

Just installed my 4th window (not all in the same trailer). I did come up with a helpful tip though. Remove the window screen and open the window before you install. This allows you to better manipulate it from inside AND when you get it just as you want it you can use a couple clamps to hold it in place while you get the first couple screws in.

[Treeview]

What caulk/sealant are you using between the outer flange and the siding?

[roadinspector]

What caulk/sealant are you using between the outer flange and the siding?

Butyl putty tape is probably the best to use. IMO

[Treeview]

After reading this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=49699&p=924308&hilit=butyl#p924308

I'm suspicious of how well butyl tape will work in the long run.

Tom