Advice/Suggestions on my trailer build?

PekingPorker

PekingPorker

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I am about to order my enclosed trailer, and I wanted to get suggestions from you all that have a trailer already on anything you wish you had done at the factory or features suggest are "must haves". Thanks in advance for y'alls ideas.

I know everyone always suggests "bigger is better" and the trailer I'm ordering is probably going to be used for the next 2-3 years until my boys are older and can stay the weekend at competitions, and I'll upgrade to a toyhauler. Plus, this size will fit nicely on my driveway behind my house. Here's what I've got so far:

Diamond Cargo 7x14 Tandem Axle
7ft interior
Walls insulated
2 roof vents (1 wired and braced for future A/C)
all LED lights
6 floor mounted D-rings
30-amp breaker with 2 4ft lights and 4 electrical outlets
Screwless Exterior

I plan on doing some more work on it myself like adding exterior outlets, RV style plug (if needed). Finishing the floor, painting the interior, adding aluminum cabinets/tables.
 
The main thing we did was think about what we couldn't do ourselves like put in a window, put in a door, that sort of thing. 4 things I would recommend if it's in your budget: Insulate the ceiling, add a window (or at least upgrade the door to the RV style with window), and if you ever plan on adding a water tank, have them configure the floor joists to allow for a 24" wide tank; we didn't think about that and it severely limited what we could put in for a tank. Last thing would be to add an awning off the side. Makes it so you won't have to setup a tent.
 
Thanks, I have gone back and forth with the window/RV style door. The added light helps a lot? Does your RV style door have a screen door?
 
One of the best things we did to our trailer was to put in rubber gym floor. It is easy to clean and helped with the insulation and killed some of the outside noise. But the biggest thing was it saved our backs. We used 3/8" gym floor and a mat and stood for hours working on boxes or prep or whatever. In our new trailer, we opted for 1/4" gym floor. We installed it with double sided carpet tape and it never moved, rolled smokers in and out of it all the time.
 
The first three would be on my definite list:

1) I would add the white vinyl (or aluminum) walls and ceiling and insulate the ceiling as well as the walls. The plywood will get real grungy in a hurry and you get will a ton of heat through an uninsulated ceiling.

2) Stabilizer jacks

3) Torsion axles

The 'would be nice' list:

4) Upgrade to the .030" exterior, their standard .024" is really light and will tend to get wavy over time.

5) Heavy duty rear ramp. Not sure what you plan to roll in and out, but don't put a lot of faith in the load ratings. They are based on ideal conditions. Unloading something heavy on uneven ground can tweak a light ramp.

I would have them do all the wiring you know you want. Pulling panels off to add an outlet is not a fun project. $50 for an exterior outlet is a bargain.
 
PekingPorker said:
Thanks, I have gone back and forth with the window/RV style door. The added light helps a lot? Does your RV style door have a screen door?
Click to expand...

We don't have a screen door, but there is a screen on the window in the door. If I had to do it again, I would add a 2nd window somewhere else. We have the vending window in ours but didn't want to spring for the glass, which means we can only open it up for a few months of the year otherwise it's too hot/cold. Having the natural light in there helps a lot.
 
MikeJ65 said:
The first three would be on my definite list:

1) I would add the white vinyl (or aluminum) walls and ceiling and insulate the ceiling as well as the walls. The plywood will get real grungy in a hurry and you get will a ton of heat through an uninsulated ceiling.

2) Stabilizer jacks

3) Torsion axles

The 'would be nice' list:

4) Upgrade to the .030" exterior, their standard .024" is really light and will tend to get wavy over time.

5) Heavy duty rear ramp. Not sure what you plan to roll in and out, but don't put a lot of faith in the load ratings. They are based on ideal conditions. Unloading something heavy on uneven ground can tweak a light ramp.

I would have them do all the wiring you know you want. Pulling panels off to add an outlet is not a fun project. $50 for an exterior outlet is a bargain.
Click to expand...

I agree with all of these. Especially the wiring. It's a lot easier for them to do before the interior walls are installed.

We had and RV-style door with the screen door on ours plus two sliding windows with screens.. Besides the natural light, opening the windows and door gave us great airflow on warm days.

Some sort of cushioned flooring is also great. We had rubber coin flooring in ours and it was easy to clean, non-skid, and comfortable when you are on your feet for a long time.

Think about tie-downs in advance as well. I sent the dimensions for our smoker to the trailer manufacturer and asked them to add tie downs so the smoker could be centered above the axles.
 
So I'll definitely insulate the ceiling, and go ahead and have the factory add exterior outlets.

Since I've never needed more than the standard electrical hookup in the past, how do you guys attached power to your trailer? The breaker box comes with a 25 foot lifeline, but I imaging the door or ramp would have to be open/cracked to connect the power. Should I go ahead at to an RV Style exterior plug?

Also, I was thinking of adding stabilizer jacks myself after I say cpw's thread on him putting them on his trailer.
 
PekingPorker said:
Since I've never needed more than the standard electrical hookup in the past, how do you guys attached power to your trailer? The breaker box comes with a 25 foot lifeline, but I imaging the door or ramp would have to be open/cracked to connect the power. Should I go ahead at to an RV Style exterior plug?
Click to expand...

Ours had a hole in the floor with a swivel cover on it right below the breaker panel and I would just drop the shore cord out that and use heavy duty extension cords to extend it (almost always needed). An RV style exterior plus would be nice, but not mandatory. If it's cheap to add I would do it. When it was wet bringing the shore cord into the trailer covered in mud or just water was a bit of a pain.
 
One thing we did I wanted white aluminum walls to spendy. We went to Sherwin willams paint Store and got white epoxy paint. This stuff holds up very well very shiny and very cleanable.
 
PekingPorker said:
So I'll definitely insulate the ceiling, and go ahead and have the factory add exterior outlets.

Since I've never needed more than the standard electrical hookup in the past, how do you guys attached power to your trailer? The breaker box comes with a 25 foot lifeline, but I imaging the door or ramp would have to be open/cracked to connect the power. Should I go ahead at to an RV Style exterior plug?

Also, I was thinking of adding stabilizer jacks myself after I say cpw's thread on him putting them on his trailer.
Click to expand...

I think they will put an access port in the floor, but for my $ I would go with the inlets that they offer. I'ts just less hassle to connect vs. trying to clear a path the the access port and drop the cord through. You are always going to need an extension cord anyway unless it is a comp at an RV park.
 
Why not start with a used toyhauler to begin with? Electrical, lighting, windows, hvac, plumbing, beds, etc are already done.

We do injections outside the trailer so we never have to worry about a squirter. Boxes are assembled inside out of the wind.

I looked at both but it made zero sense to me to sink a boatload of $$$$ into making a cargo trailer work when a toyhauler is already 98% there.

YMMV.
 
Roof mount AC, insulate ceiling, RV side door, a sliding window with screen on each side, crank up roof vent with fan, and more outlets. We have 4 and it isn't ever enough. I think they charged us $45 for each additional double outlet.
We did Herculiner on the floor ourself rather than pay the $900 factory wanted. Cost us about $300. I like it for several reasons, biggest is that it seals the floor and allows you to scrub the floor and rinse with hose. We also painted the walls with semi-gloss latex.
Rear stabilizers are almost a must.
 
Remember, with a water tank, you would need some way to hold the grey water. Another point of interest, water weights 8.34 pounds per gallon at 20 degree C at one atmosphere, so 40 gallons will weigh somewhere in the neighbor hood of 350 pounds. Coolers with meat and ice, smokers, charcoal, clothes, beer, equipment tables, knives, etc all add to the weight and their location makes a difference on tow-ability. Consider the cost of gas when transporting this weight.

The weight of the trailer plus what ever you put in will be the weight that the axles see. Don't over load and make sure there are brakes on the beastie.
 
If I was doing my trailer over... I would go the full 8.5 ft wide, 7 is fine but 8.5 provides a lot more room. I would DEFINITELY do an RV style door with a window AND a screen door.

Other things I might suggest. I use two rows of E-track around my trailer... makes it really easy and versatile for tie-downs. AND if you you think you're going to do an A/C some day... just do it now...

Many have talked about a pass through in the floor... Mine has a port that goes out the side wall. Very easy access that way, easier than under the trailer.

Nordy
 
I would say the AC is a must have, we sleep in our trailer plus on 100+ degree days it helps even with the rear door open to make it comfortable while working inside. I don't have wall insulation but need it. My trailer has been a ongoing project. I ran all my electrical in EMT conduit, its exposed but looks neat and I have already added and moved a few things. I put a 12' counter with sink in mine, then added grey and fresh water tanks, then added a hot water heater, the list goes on. Next I am going to build two sets of bunk beds that will fold up out of the way. I recently added a fold down 4' aluminum shelf opposite of my counter top that can be moved and latched on to the exterior wall if needed.
 
AC is not optional in Georgia. A cargo trailer without a cooling unit is a perfect solar oven.
 
We are looking to buy a smaller trailer about the size of what OP is getting AND a decent used truck to haul it. Any recommendations for basic requirements (engine size, towing capacity, extra braking, etc) for a truck for hauling such a trailer would be appreciated.
 
Last edited:
Tires. Don't go for the cheap Chinese bias ply tires. Opt for some 10ply radials if you're going with 15" wheels, or some LT tires on 16" wheels. The bias ply tires a lot of these trailers come with from the factory will not last you 3,000 miles.
 
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