Cargo Trailer Conversion walk through
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- čas přidán 10. 07. 2024
- This is my 7 x 14 ft aluminum cargo conversion. I spend about 2 months building this and have been adding and making small changes since. If you have any questions or comments please share.
I have taken a complete inventory of what my costs were during this build and have a list of products that I can share if anyone is interested.
For those people interested in Cost. Canadian Dollars
Trailer New $11,094.34
Construction $2,231.37
Exterior $171.95
Interior $2,569.95
Electrical $1,785.98
Grand Total $17,853.59
That PVC light tube is genius.
Thanks it was fun making something different.
You are pretty talented if you have no experience as a carpenter. I am a carpenter and that bed blew me away
Thanks very much for the compliment. Definitely not a carpenter but went to school originally for industrial design so that help a bit and CZcams for sure.
You thought of a great floor plan! Saved this so I can build similarly. The door in the V, and the open aisle, are definitely things that I want. Thanks!
I have high hopes of converting a cargo trailer into a mini camper / office lol. This build is VERY well thought out. I love the nose door placement and the privacy screen is also an excellent idea. Thank you for this!
Good luck with your conversion. It was a lot of fun and hope to do some other types of conversions in the future
Awesome build. Great Canadian ingenuity. Sliding doors are a great space saver as well. Happy Camping.
Thanks
There’s some clever ideas in this build. Nice job!
I think your conversion is great it is something that will keep you dry and safe while you rest I think you did a great job
Fabulous design - really well done!!! Enjoy ✨
I ❤️this!!! Great conversion! Great style! The crank bed is awesome! What a good idea to not have to rely on any type of electricity because if it runs on a motor, if the motor goes, no bed!
Very nice and cozy!
Thank you for sharing
I've never seen the door in the V before. What a great idea! Also love the light that you get through the back door.
Thanks for the comments
Wow, very nice trailer and well thought out. Great job. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for the comment.
Very innovated thank you for your input I just purchased a 20' cargo Trailer
Hey, very nice run down for your build, I appreciate the cost breakdown as well. Enjoy!
Love the door placement!!
Thanks so much for the bed idea. I don't more electrical in mine either, so this is great!
Very nice! That’s not bad at all! I like the adjustable pvc lights!
Awesome looking hunting trailer,,, I like how you have given safety a front row seat in ur build, Fire extinguisher, CO2 alarm,, escape window,, sturdy framework,, this is exactly what I'm looking for as a hunting trailer,, great work
Great build. Love the PVC light.
Thanks. Was quite a pain getting the LED strip through the pipe but it worked out well
Everyone does it different. LOVE IT... Great build!
Excellent job, and I like how you did the sliders and lights!
Love playing around with nonstandard pieces of materials when i can. Thanks for the comment
Great design, build and video.
You did a great job with this build. Really nice 👍🏻
Thanks very much
Why people waste their time putting a bottle opener on something like this is beyond me. Any self respecting drinker knows you can open a beer with a key, screwdriver, coin, nail clipper, fork, spoon, knife, and most anything with enough rigidity. Necessity is the mother of invention! Don't worry folks, I've been sober a long time now! 🙏💪😉 Really like your conversion. All the best to you! Mark
Space, space, space! Tons of seating and plenty of sleeping options too! Very well thought out and so practical. A little pricey but of course you started with a very nice cargo trailer. This thing could last you a lifetime easily. Your build looks nice and clean too. The cushions are nicely sewn and fit well, that’s something that many don’t quite pull off. I have that same ladder, same solar lights too. The dart board is a nice addition that invites other campers to socialize I’m sure. Just really a great job.
Thanks for the nice comments. I got lucky on the cushions as they were the exact size I needed so I didn't have to get those made.
Great job. Very well thought out 👍💪🤙
A great build. Enjoyed looking at what you have built, very practical and good looking. Jealous much. From Texas- Howdy
Thanks Randy
You have thought of everything! Really nice build.
Thank you. We are totally enjoying it. Hope to do a few mods this year on the outside
Very nice build! We are considering an upgrade and your video gave us some great ideas for a layout!
I am glad I could inspire you with some new ideas.
Very nice build I followed subscribed still trying to complete my build thanks for sharing
Nice build. Very well thought out. Happy trails. Oh I'll subscribe.
Beautiful job!
Brilliant. Well done. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve been searching for a bed lift that would work for me and have watched many videos. I’ve been wanting to do the hand crank to keep it simple but couldn’t figure out the best place to mount it. On the side of the bed. Great idea. I will have a ramp door so going to do it on the back side but I think that will work! Thanks.
If you didn't, check out the bed videos that I posted.
I like how you spent good money for a very good trailer it will last many years. Very nice build with everything apparently you and your wife needed or wanted in a custom built trailer. Can see loads of hard work and loads of ideas to make it your very special - plus your wife’s- home from home. Again very nice Thanks for sharing
Thanks for the nice comments.
Thanks for the ideas.. you did great.
Most important that you can't find on a RV is LIGHT toy hauler and fits a kayak
. I plan on a 2500 lb(maybe 3,000lbs loaded with toys) 16ft +V including solar.
I am wanting a kayak /bike hauler too and storage of my expensive kayaks and bikes..
You have a really nice trailer conversion! Thank you for the taking the time to share it with everyone. I personally really appreciate it. I love elevator beds and this is the nicest I have seen. I am about to start a build and think I will go this way as well. The only thing I will do different is to use an 12V electric awning motor. I would be interested in knowing more about how you attached the roof rack for the solar panels. Maybe a short video on that? I have a plan for what I will do, but its nice to see how other people do things. Thanks!
Thanks for the comments. I just stayed away from the electric motor so that if I was running low on power when camping that I had alternate ways of getting my bed up and down. I plan on using the drill but also a small crank (manual) for choices. You are the second person to request this so I will plan on doing this shortly. Not sure if you saw both my other videos on the bed. V1 and V2.
Very nice job. You and family are really going to enjoy. Pat yourself on your back, well done. Safe Travels and God Bless
Thanks Glenda, We have totatlly enjoyed the build since we did it.
Love the front door. Really opened up more room
Thanks. Yes one of the best thing I did when purchasing it. I have only seen this once before.bthe only thing I need to figure out is when it rains at camp.
Very nice build
We need a part 2 for that bed build and set up of the pulleys! Love it and want to do the same!
Hey there, I have two videos about the bed. The Pully system has been replaced now. I found it was a good start but just not what I really wanted. Here is the video of that one czcams.com/video/bktiLsHAknc/video.html and here is the location of my new bed czcams.com/video/BzIKehEFsVk/video.html. Much simpler and can be raised with a drill or manually. The key for me on both of these was to not need to have a motor to move the bed thus not requiring more battery.
Nice build, ours is a bit smaller on purpose but I like a lot of your ideas!
I like this a lot. Nice layout.
Thanks for the positive comment
Awesome setup! Well thought out. Love the LED Light above your sink
Nice job thanks for your video . Sir.FLY ON THE WALL IN WASHINGTON DC.
A really unique place for the door.
Very nice build ! Back doors are great. The only option I’ve seen before that I like is having a ramp style door open up for an instant canopy, but it would require the space
Hey Tony thanks. Yes, it took me a long time to finally decide on the doors. Lots of positives for the other but like you said you need to have the space when camping. I think a smaller trailer it is a great idea.
Very nice. Practical and reasonable…
Nice work. I like bard doors too.
This is agreat set-up well done 👏 ✔ love the bed ideal 👌 caravans are getting so expensive that this looks like a winner to me.cheers from Perth Australia.
Thanks for the comments. Agree vehicles are crazy expensive these days. The biggest problem now is the price of gas to tow. I tried to keep the weight down so that helped a bit.
Dude, this is awesome 👌
Nicely done!
Very Clever! Great build!
Thank you
Cool set up.
I was about to pull trigger and buy 2 electric actuator to build my own bedlift until I saw your build, Both of your bedlifts are the simplest setup from the hundreds of bedlifts videos online I have watched.
Whats not to like, both your your bedlift designs require little material, investing less than $100, and simple hand tools most DIY'ers have on hand.
Thanks for sharing
Glad I could save you some money. V2 is definately smoother and simplier.
Very nice job!!!
Mad skills for sure!
The bed is brilliant!
Have V2 coming out soon.
I do like that you lift your bed with a hand-crank and not with an electrical motor.
Well thought out. Very nice. Loved the conversion. You did a great job on the build and the video. Enjoy !
Thanks for the comments.
Nice build
Great job I love the biuld
It's nice....seems your happy that's what matters
We did the same bench / bed setup as you did.
Good build 👍
good job have fun
Nice thanks for sharing
Nice job!
Pretty Cool
double beds is a cool idea
She's Purrdy...! smart designs.... efficient and light weight...
Nice. I wouldn't have put electrical where water from sink counter can drip down !! Enjoy the trips!
Afternoon Kent, Mark here. Hey awesome job on the build.. As of to date, I like your build the best! You used your space by far the best to your abilities!!! I am "HIGHLY" impressed Sir!.. As I am considering a build myself as I approach retired and came up with the same idea 25yrs ago, but life get's in the way at times. That and now Lrg Teardrop and smaller campers are "WAY" too expensive and not roomy enough.. I may have questions later on. Again AWESOME job!..
Thanks for the great comments. We had a popup before and loved it but decided we wanted something easier and custom. I like to come up with ideas. Got to say watching all kinds of tiny houses, vans, RV and boat videos really help with the ideas. Feel free to ask questions any time.
@@liveandbreatheeasy I tent camp now, but I have a Bluetti AC200P power station to power my cpap, fan and or milk barn heater in cooler weather.. Plus I only camp in State forest as the cost is cheaper, and I do Bigfoot research here in Indiana obviously, lol...
One question is, what are you towing with and what would you suggest if something else?.. Mark (aka Hoobilly)
@@squatchnindiana3419 Hey there Mark. I have a Ram 1500 but with my setup you could definitely tow it with less as the main trailer is made of aluminum which is much lighter than steel. I haven't weighed it yet but I am sure it is under 4000lbs and I made sure I had breaks on it too which makes a huge difference.
Outstanding!
Thanks very much
Nice…take me with you!
VERY cool
Really nice build! Lots of great ideas for my build. I plan on doing a retractable bed also. Looks like you did a great job designing the complete build. Would love to see a bed build video. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks. I did a short video on the channel of the bed build. I am currently trying something else out that I saw on CZcams that might be better but not sure since it doesn't use the crank idea which I liked.
@@liveandbreatheeasy Thanks! That would be great. I'm playing around with the 12v Harbor Freight wench build I saw on the first bed build I ever saw. Guy in Alaska made one and it looks like the simplest one so far.
Looks good! Interested to see what you'd change after using it a few times.
Hi there, we have used it about 20 times so far and I have to say there are only a couple minor things that I would change in the sense of build. The layout we love as everything is in the place we wanted it and is very practical. We had many years of camping in a popup trailer so coming up with the basics was easy. One thing i would consider if i was to build the benches again would be to make the space between the wall and the hings wider so that the back pillows wouldn't affect opening them. I am just finished v2 of the bed lift system a video will come out on that one. Build quality could be better but I am hard on myself. Thanks for asking.
Brilliant
Nice!
Very nice very well done but as an idea for your bed remove the handle from your pulley system remount the bolts and use a power drill for your up and down so I can take my
Great work! Very thoughtful. We made a similar trailer this year for our family of five. Aren’t these diy trailers awesome- choose your own adventure.
Forsure. Love doing small updates on it too.
@@liveandbreatheeasy You should check out our trailer vid. Very similar except we wanted to carry 5 bikes inside. We are currently planning our next trailer- do you mind me asking where you sourced your cushions? Best! AD
@@adventuredad1180 I was actually really lucky and the cushions came from Amazon. They were exactly the size I needed and since they are designed for outdoors I figured that they would stand up to the abuse etc. Little pricey but I figured if I tried making similar it wouldn't be that far off. Not my thing. www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01MYH6XH2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
@@liveandbreatheeasy Ha! Now I know why I liked them. We used the same ones. We did have modify a few which wasn't hard. Very comfy- especially for a dinette mattress. I was hoping maybe you had stumbled on a less costly alternative.
Cool deal
Very cool
Thanks.
You just made me a liker of a V nose for the most part I hated them but putting the door there made lots of room in the rest of the trailer. And smart, also pantry near the kitchen part. The bed would be an issue because it would be climbing over my wife to get up to go to the bathroom or if I get a leg cramp. I guess I could go out the back door. I would have to make a larger door in the back and maybe move the bed toward the kitchen part of the trailer. I very seriously thought about building a cargo winter house using an 18' plus tongue trailer we would only eat sleep and watch a movie or tv show Inside, mainly visiting relatives while we were in Florida. I want my property in the mountains to be our home. 73
Thanks for the comments. Yes the V nose this way uses the space much better. The was put at the end so that if it wasn't up we still could sit and eat. I agree that climbing over your spouse is a pain. With something that elevates like this, I am not sure how else you can get around this unless you chewed up more space and had your head and legs go length-wise in the trailer.
@@liveandbreatheeasy I would put two twin beds and have maybe a foot between to get in and out. I slept in a motor home that had beds on the sides but the beds were very narrow not a comfortable sleep. I guess my idea have a back door to go out. With tear drop trailers you have two doors one on each side that's another project I don't want to get into. My ideal would be a front bed and a rear bed and the door out the side. My wife cannot stand my snoring and hers can keep me awake if I'm not really tired. A seven foot wide trailer is really not wide enough but easier to haul. 73
Clever.
Glad the bed is far enough away from the refrigerator and the inverter., because they put out magnetic fields that are harmful to the body. Nice bed lift. The rear door idea makes a great second exit Nice place for the front door, too.
I just found this video. Super clean build!! Lots of innovative ideas. I love the PVC LED lights. What do you do for showers during your trips? I’m considering a build like this and am weighing the costs and fitment of creature comforts. Would like to travel out west for a couple weeks at a time and I’m sure we would spend most of our time outside of the trailer, but I need to consider livability. Love your front door placement but would be concerned about leaks when towing through a rainstorm. Any issues?
Thanks, Joe. We haven't had any problems towing in crazy rainstorms yet. I think having the door down the side probably would have the same issues if any because the rain would be going down the side hitting the seams too. With regards to showers, we typically are at campgrounds so far. I didn't want to take up the space for something we wouldn't use that often. I was thinking about having something out the back like many van lifers do by using the barn doors but time will tell on that one. For me it was being able to go inside if it was raining for extended time.
Would love to see some details on how the bed is constructed.
I will put a video up soon on it. I am actually redoing it right now slightly differently. Will see how it works. I will put that up too.
I really love the crank up bed. I'm not understanding how the crank works. One crank pulling up all four corners equally. Can you share some detail as to how you did that bed mechanism? Thanks..love it
Thanks. Funny alot of people seem to like the crank bed. I have actually come up with another simpler version. Here is a more detailed video on the bed. czcams.com/video/bktiLsHAknc/video.html As well my new version. czcams.com/video/BzIKehEFsVk/video.html
Great design, if only that door at the back had three parts!
Just found this. Great ideas that I plan to copy. Can you tell me what the inside of the ceiling is. It appears shiny with no mounting screws.
This was done at the factory for me but it is basically plastic sheets that have been attached with glue and two-sided tape for the overhang.
Love the bed, doing a 6 X 12 conversion, where did you get the pulleys?
Home Depot and princess auto in Canada have them. Really stable.
Just found your Chanel and noticed you have same trailer I just bought and is being built. I am sure I will have questions for you once I watch your videos!!!
That's great. Hope you enjoy it.
@@liveandbreatheeasy do you plan on any videos of construction such as insulating? I would like to how you made a roof frame for your solar and how you attached it to the trailer. Vacuum outlet is brilliant. I bought a marine mini hatch but I think the vac outlet would have been cheaper. I am doing same thing for shore power. Simple extension cord through floor.
@@jacquesbeaudoin9706 I actually got them to insulate it because by the time I did that I wasn't really saving much. The railing for the solar panels was really easy. I used the screws around the top to fasten the track down. I used u channel from home Depot and then just square pipe for the cross member.
@@liveandbreatheeasy I will have a better sense of everything when I physically get the trailer in about 4 weeks. I have no idea what the roof looks like and the edge from outside or the inside. Thanks.
My same make trailer us a 7x12 and empty weighed 1680lbs. I have begun my conversion. What was your final weight?
Hi! Great idea! Who of us does not want to enjoy a long and happy life? Just think how wonderful it would be if we could live forever in health and happiness! We could spend more time with loved ones, travel the world, develop new skills, grow in wisdom, and learn thoroughly about whatever interests us, to our heart’s content. Is such a desire unnatural? Is that desire impossible to realize? What do you think about it?
Very nice setup. How long will the cooler last on the battery system with no hook ups?
Thanks. All depends on the sun. Without, I can run it for 4 days plus days. Chest type fridges are much better for using less electricity.
Well done man. Very well thought out. How tall is the trailer and can you stand under the bed?
Thanks. The trailer is 7 feet. I am 5'10" and can't stand straight up but close withe the new bed I made. Another video on my channel.
Very 👍🙂
What material is on the ceiling , Shinny ? Nice and well planned out. Thanks for posting.
The ceiling is made up of plastic sheets. I don't know the brand as I got the trailer manufacturer to put it in.
Useful video. What gauge did you use for the exterior of your trailer?
Good day, Not sure as i was not the one who built the shell itself
Be ready wig solar lights. Hey have only last 1.5 yrs. I have a dozen of them in my camper and on my building