Trailer's here! (Was: Options list for built-to-order TTT)

[digimark]

I've asked about reducing the height of a new trailer to fit in my garage in another post. I'd like to use this post to ask your opinions of this option list for my planned Pace American Journey 5x8 or 6x10 trailer. What am I missing? What is purely fluff that I shouldn't waste my money on? I don't mind spending some money up front to stave aggravation later. Anyway, here's my list:

Either 5x8 or 6x10 with:

roof vent (maybe use with A/C mount later?)
12V dome light with wall switch
ramp door (for the cargo use benefits)
side door with flush-type latch so I can open it/lock it from the inside.
(3) 15"x30" windows, one on door side, two on the other side.
stab jacks.
(2) side vents instead of the roof vent to save 3" in height.
spare tire on tongue mount
vinyl floor, walls and ceiling
thicker walls and flooring
torsion axle instead of spring axle.
insulated floor walls and ceiling.
30A breaker box, cable hatch and shore line package. (The package includes flourescent lights and wall outlets/switches.)

What do you think? Later on I can think about cabinets, but with this we'd use cots and sleeping bags. Thanks. -Gary

[madjack]

Gary, I read your other post and this one...I don't know that thicker floor/walls would be of any benefit...insulation will help...a torsion axle, especially with a 22.5* up, start angle will reduce your height 4-8 inches but will reduce your ground clearance to about 8"s+-....the side vent will not carry as much air as a top vent and with the (opened)windows on both side may not be needed at all, in an either/or context........
madjack

[digimark]

I chose the 3/8" plywood upgrade over the luaun because I thought it would add to the R-factor of the insulation, and because I thought a thicker sidewalls would be a good thing, especially with up to four of us sleeping in it, pressing against the walls, or hanging equipment/shelving off of it. But I don't have a specific need for it -- just a general desire to get this purchase right and make a tight and solid trailer.

Does thicker sidewalls in fact add to the insulation value? Any chance we could inadvertently punch through a luaun sidewall?

I can see the side vents not being too useful with the windows... I can delete those.

[madjack]

Gary, luan is plywood made of imported hardwoods(nominally from the Philippines)...usually in 1/8 to 1/4 inch sizes...an upgrade to a thicker ply may be in order in your case(maybe...you will havvta be the judge)...the additional R value is probably minuscule.........
madjack

[digimark]

I looked into the cost of an RV-style door with screen but it's muy expensive. Is it possible to conveniently fit a screen to the standard side door opening? I suppose I could hang a flexible screen with velcro, but I'd like to set up something more sturdy.

[brian_bp]

Would the side vents be at the very top of the wall? That would be better for getting rid of hot air than windows at a typical height. A 12V fan over a side vent could be an effective low-profile alternative to a powered roof vent, and help a lot with cooling in hot weather.

I agree that thicker plywood will add little to insulating value. If there are inner wall panels (to cover insulation), then the thickness of the outer walls is probably not a structural concern, either.

It looks like it would have 12V lights, but no battery... that's fine for a cargo trailer which is only loaded or unloaded while hitched, but not good for camping. There's no need for the battery to come from the trailer manufacturer, but I would keep in mind that it needs to be added, if it is not already in as standard equipment.

I'm not fond of the idea of dual lighting systems (12VDC and 120VAC), since one is just extra all the time. Why not put in a converter or battery charger, and use all 12V lighting, especially if there's a shore power package which omits the AC lighting and saves money.

If there's a package of those strips in the wall as anchors for load-securing straps, that would be good to have for cargo use, and serve double-duty as attachment points for some future removable furnishings.

[slyeager]

There are a couple of guys on here that have made screen doors for the side doors. I'm sure they'll be answering soon.[/img]

[southpennrailroad]

I framed the inside face of the side door and then added a piano hinge on the left or same side as the door hinge and then built the wood screen door. here is my shot of that screen. It helps working for a window company

[digimark]

It's been some time since my last update on this, but I've made some progress. I'm kind of freaking out with the order -- trying to anticipate everything in advance is draining. I've settled on a Pace-American CargoSport 6'x10' CS610SA for spring delivery with the following options. The trailer comes standard with LED outside lighting, a torsion axle, 15" radials, 3/8" sidewalls, 3/4" floor, 12V dome light/switch and a side door with flush-mount latch. Can everyone comment and suggest additions/deletions/changes that make sense?

1. The standard overall height of the trailer is 88", and my garage opening is 80", so I'm having the trailer reduced in height by 12" to fit. (They will only reduce the height in 6" increments.) Being able to store it in the garage means I don't have to pay to store it elsewhere. And this requires the standard roof vent to be deleted because it adds 4" to the overall height. I'm having the roof vent rough-in installed anyway, so I can add a vent or fan later if desired.

2. R7 Polystyrene insulation in the walls and ceiling, with a lauan ceiling overlay required for the factory insulation. Is R7 enough? (I don't think I have the option of something different.) And do I need to worry about insulating the floor somehow?

3. (3) 24"x15" horizontal windows -- two in the side opposite the door and one in the same side as the door. Can anyone suggest how high on the walls these should be?

4. Drop-down stabilizer jacks.

5. Spare tire, tongue-mount carrier and cover.

6. A 30A 110V AC breaker box, shoreline, cable hatch, (2) 110V wall receptacles, a 4' overhead fluorescent light and wall switch. Does anyone have any advice where these should be mounted? I'll be adding some cabinets against the front wall later (probably in a year or two). When the factory installs AC wall boxes, are they usually flush mounted? Can they install one in the front and one in the side near the rear doors?

ANyone know where the proper place is to put the shoreline connector? Is it usually on the driver's side wall, or the side door side?

7. A 12V porch light and wall switch.

8. Should I also get a 12V battery box and whatever is needed to run the 12V lights? (I might add a 12V roof fan later on, if I solve the "where to store it" problem.) I wouldn't need any converters or inverters, because I wouldn't try to run 12V stuff off of 110V or vice-versa. If the campsite has 110V then I'd use that, and if it doesn't, then I'd be using the 12V lights off the battery.

9. (2) 7' strips of E-track along both sides. The bottom row at 18" and the second, higher row at 44"". The idea is to use E-track lumber brackets to create a sleeping platform at 18" from the deck and to use the rest of the E-track when serving as a cargo trailer only.

10. (4) floor-mounted D-rings.

Once we have the trailer, I can set up the bed platform, paint the walls and ceiling, and so on.

Anything else I should do? I so don't want to receive the trailer and be going, "oh I should have done this" later. -Gary

[southpennrailroad]

Digimark

I face mounted 1x2 on the inside face of the door jamb making the door a bit smaller and built a screen door that then is opening outside. Full screen door. Did the same for the back door.This allows me to even in the full sun in and just using a O2Cool fan and slept during the mid day sun in y trailer. See my shots in the above site.

[digimark]

Thanks SPR for the screen door info. I'm looking forward to doing that, but initially we'll probably just velcro some screen material up for now.

Currently trying to figure out where the shoreline power connector/cable hatch will need to go...

[southpennrailroad]

Did you check out this page?

[brian_bp]

Services - including water supply and wastewater drain, plus that power inlet - are normally on the driver's side. This matches the configuration of typical campsites, assuming that you back in (except in pull-through sites).

[brian_bp]

I think that floor insulation would be nice; although my travel trailer doesn't have any, it barely has any wall or ceiling insulation. It could possibly be added under the floor plywood, from below after construction, fitting around the frame, without building up the floor and cutting into interior headroom... maybe worth considering, anyway.

[southpennrailroad]

I think that floor insulation would be nice; although my travel trailer doesn't have any, it barely has any wall or ceiling insulation. It could possibly be added under the floor plywood, from below after construction, fitting around the frame, without building up the floor and cutting into interior headroom... maybe worth considering, anyway.

I am considering putting insulation on the floor as well from beneath. But am curious as to stones hitting it. Also look at the Danzer trailer section on the previous page in Cargo Trailers.