Pics of my cargo trailer/camper conversion

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Jkoht

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 24, 2017
Posts
275
There has been some interest in seeing my current project of converting my enclosed cargo trailer into a camper. I have a 6 x 14 x 6 aluminum v nose trailer . I've been making modifications to it all summer in order that I can use it as a cargo trailer primarily for my atv, but also use it as a small camper. I'll list what I've done to it so far starting from the outside and then moving to the inside:

Welded new stabilizer jacks on the rear corners
Welded a 2" receiver on the rear for a bike rack or cargo rack
Bolted a fold away camper step beneath the side man door
Welded a 12 x 36 rack on the tongue to hold 2 propane tanks and a battery box
Cut in three 12 x 24 windows that can open in the middle
Cut in a dry vent with screen and flapper with a dc powered fan for exhaust/air circulation
Added a dc light to the outside wall
Added a 120v light to the outside wall wit dusk to dawn auto eye
Added 1 120v gfci outlet in a weatherproof box to the outside wall
Clamped a 5' antenna mast and powered tv antenna to the tongue
Installed a magnet mesh screen door on the man door
Added 1 120v light inside
Added a dc battery capacity gauge
Added 2 120v gfci outlets inside
Added 3 dc lights inside
Added a 20" tv on a swing arm wall bracket to the front nose wall
Mounted a propane Mr Heater little buddy heater
Added a dc outlet inside

My last project to do this weekend is to cut in 2 powered fan skylights to the roof and tie those into my dc source.
In case you're wondering how I sleep in here I bought the Disc-o-bed xl bunk bed cot system from Cabelas so that two people can sleep inside. I have a folding camp table for now and am not sure that I'll be adding anything more permanent than that. I basically wanted a place to sleep and get in out of the weather. I figure for cooking to use the quick connect T on the propane tank outside and just run a grill or whatever underneath a pop up awning.
 

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Some more pics
 

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fun project.
Do you have a converter on board, or some charging system?
Just an extension cord for the line voltage I suppose?

Couple comments...
I'd be careful about putting too much weight on that hitch carrier.  Trailer looks very lightly loaded, and loading that thing down with a bunch of firewood might unload the tongue quite a bit and set up a sway risk....

The other thing....Isn't that battery sticking out a good ways past the sidewall of the trailer?  Hard to tell form the angle of picture, but seems like it could be a bit precarious hanging out there
 
blw2 said:
I'd be careful about putting too much weight on that hitch carrier.  Trailer looks very lightly loaded, and loading that thing down with a bunch of firewood might unload the tongue quite a bit and set up a sway risk....

The other thing....Isn't that battery sticking out a good ways past the sidewall of the trailer?  Hard to tell form the angle of picture, but seems like it could be a bit precarious hanging out there

Brad, maybe the weight of the propane tanks and battery will offset that a little. Also, look at the 2nd to last picture. You can't see the tray at all unless it's behind the fender.
 
I have a 100 watt dc inverter that will power the tv or a box fan off the battery. I don't have a converter because im running them as two independent systems. To charge the battery I have a trickle charger that I use to keep my atv topped off, but it has a quick connect pigtail. I found another one of those pigtails, added some more wire to it and brought the end into the trailer so I can plug the trickle charger into it when I'm on solid power. I don't plan on using the cargo carrier on the rear much except for maybe putting a cooler on it so I can access it easily if I want to stop at a rest stop and make a sandwich. I'm more thinking that if I get to a backwoods location I'll put the generator on it once parked just to keep it off the ground. Another reason I added that receiver was because where I park it normally the tongue goes into some brush and I can't push it back to get it out, so now I can clip a tow strap to it to pull it back. The front rack does extend out but not beyond the wheel well. The wheel well sticks out a good 14" and the rack sticks out 9-10". It's angled the same as the front of the V and I'd have to be virtually 90 degrees for it to rub my bumper.
 
Rene T said:
Brad, maybe the weight of the propane tanks and battery will offset that a little. Also, look at the 2nd to last picture. You can't see the tray at all unless it's behind the fender.

Look again.... it can be seen and sticks out quite a ways.... likely no further than the fender, but still it's out there ready to catch road debris, trees, stray bicyclists, etc.... :eek:
 
Nice job. I've thought about something like that for when not Snowbirding and going out dirt biking. Always lots of room for Solar panels too.
 
blw2 said:
Look again.... it can be seen and sticks out quite a ways.... likely no further than the fender, but still it's out there ready to catch road debris, trees, stray bicyclists, etc.... :eek:

I see it now Brad. I thought that was something laying on the ground at first. Thank for calibrating me.
 
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