2013 Mirage XPO 6x12- Mt Air Express

Converting Cargo Trailers into TTTs

Re: 2013 Mirage XPO 6x12- Mt Air Express

Postby hankaye » Tue Jun 25, 2019 7:16 pm

Rainier70, Howdy;

I think you are doing an extreamly outstanding job with the new trailer. The lessons
you learned from the first are showing with this one.
:thumbsup: , :thumbsup: , :D .

hank
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Re: 2017 Mirage XPO 7x16- Mt Air Express

Postby Rainier70 » Wed Jun 26, 2019 11:46 am

Thanks, Hank! This build is considerably different since I built it as a camper only and not to haul the motorcycles. That alone makes a huge difference in floor plan and design possibilities. This one is just to keep me in comfort while adventuring.

One other thing that I have found very helpful is a shoe organizer next to the door. It's great for collecting all of the "stuff" that seems to go in and out and otherwise ends up on a counter somewhere. I have all kinds of things collecting in mine; binoculars, a weather radio, flashlight, hand sanitizer, wipes, levels, sunglasses, reading glasses, camera, phone, keys and on and on. :? Oh and occasionally a few shoes. :lol:

Image"

My magnetic mosquito net "screen door" is tied back out of the way next to it.
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Re: 2013 Mirage XPO 6x12- Mt Air Express

Postby brianjonesphoto » Mon Nov 11, 2019 3:06 pm

Hi Cindy
I just spend the time to read trough your build thread. Lots of good ideas. Thanks for contributing to the collective.

I’m leaning heavily towards a mirage trailer as they seem well built, readily available in the northwest and priced competitively. Besides the fake screws is there anything you regret about the way mirage builds their trailers? I will be doing a custom order so it will spec real screws.

Secondly I see you when with much bigger windows on your bigger trailer. I was thinking 22x30 windows, but only to save a bit of money. Now I’m thinking I should just do a pair 46x22 windows over the axles. Any experienced input would be appreciated.

For an 18footer do you feel 2 roof vents are needed? I was thinking of having 2 vents one possibly a maxxair mainly for the rain protection and maybe I’ll use your computer fan idea for the other.

Thanks for your time.




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Re: Mirage XPO-7X16 Mt Air Express

Postby Rainier70 » Mon Nov 11, 2019 7:41 pm

Over all I like the Mirage trailers. Like most trailer manufacturers the quality may depend on what day of the week and who worked on it.

With the new one we had to take it back to the dealer to have the rear doors aligned, one was set in slightly crooked so it leaked. They repaired it quickly. Other than that it has been pretty good. I do like that they use full box ribs. I think that they are stronger than the z or c ribs, and I like the plywood walls better than strand board.

Other things we redid: Paint the ribs behind the walls and undercoat the frame. Their paint on the frame chips easily, and the frame starts to rust quickly if you don't. We also replaced the scotch locks that they used on the wiring and lined the wire holders (washers) so that the wires don't rub. I pretty much consider those issues standard with just about every trailer manufacturer.

With both of our trailers we bought off the lot, because we needed it sooner than a custom build could be delivered. Mirage has good prices on their windows. I can't remember the size, if I remember I will measure them tomorrow. We bought our windows from Mirage and put them in ourselves. My husband is a retired welder, fitter etc so it was easy for us to put the framing in for the windows and the vents.

We are using a Heng fan in the front vent with a rain cover. The rear vent is just regular. The fan in the front is strong enough to push or pull air in or out of the other vent or the windows. When I am cooking I open the window behind the stove and put the fan that is in the front vent on reverse medium, so that it pushes everything right out the window. I don't have to use my extra computer fan for ventilation at all. I do like having both vents, but I don't use the one in the back as much. The one in the front is almost always open a few inches since it has a rain cover.
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Re: 2013 Mirage XPO 6x12- Mt Air Express

Postby Rainier70 » Mon Nov 11, 2019 8:20 pm

Yes, our windows are the larger ones. 46 X 22. I do love the large windows. They take up some wall space, but are well worth it.

Just a quick add: The screens on my windows slide also. So with the larger size they can be a handy pass through or an emergency exit if needed.
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Re: 2013 Mirage XPO 6x12- Mt Air Express

Postby BC Dave » Wed Mar 18, 2020 11:04 pm

Rainier70 wrote::...... It works well, and we were very comfortable camping in it last year. One of the "must do's" for this spring is the underfloor insulation. At times in the high mountains my feet froze even with some temporary foam flooring and rugs! :frightened:

One of the features I forgot to include in my pictures is my NuWay 2000 propane stove. http://nuwaystove.com/product-category/propane-stove/ It has keep me warm in some very low temperatures. And being a vented system it doesn't put any fumes or moisture into the camper.

Image

I have it set up so that it draws its intake air from outside through the bottom and its exhaust out the upper side wall. When traveling its pipes are pulled in and the openings which are 4 inch marine deck plates are closed to keep all dust out. You can see the deckplate plugs on the corner of the counter.

The heatshields behind the stove are insulated "air bake style" cookie sheets. They work absolutely awesome as heatshields!

And yes, the stove and taping do need a coat of high temp paint. My list of to dos is very very long!


Just checking in, don't hang here often; scanning through posts and catching up … nice to see your improvements!

Nice stove setup; sounds safe; good. Have you kept that running at night? I mostly turn my propane off at night and if I do keep it on its really cold and I have a window cracked
Floor insulation … AND shower and storage cupboards; im jealous but then again you have 24 more inches to work (& play) with.

Cheers bc d
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Re: 2013 Mirage XPO 6x12- Mt Air Express

Postby Rainier70 » Thu Mar 19, 2020 9:21 pm

BC Dave,
It's good to hear from you. Yep, I sure like the extra room in this camper.

Most of the time I run the stove before I go to bed and when I get up in the morning. That is more for fuel economy, and that I like to sleep cooler. But there have been some really cold nights at 7 to 9K feet elevation that I have run it all night. Or I may start it at 1 or 2 am if it is really cold when I happen to get up for other business.

With the air intake that I added on the bottom of the stove, if it goes out for some reason, any gases or fumes would go out of the camper. I also have a vent that is always open for fresh air.

I have done a lot of experimenting with the stove like blowing it out and timing how long the safety valve takes to shut it down at different temperatures. It shuts down pretty fast and every bit of the gas goes straight out of the camper. I will always be careful of any stove, but I am not worried about running this one if I need to at night.
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Re: 2013 Mirage XPO 6x12- Mt Air Express

Postby Gonefishin » Fri Mar 20, 2020 7:46 am

That's quite a nice home away from home, with all the ammenities. I think about an extra foot of width with a couple feet of length every year. Then I tow the old 6X12 around for thousands of miles, up and down the hills, in and out of tight places, zooming around in the wind, and decide its just enough space anyway. Old? Did I just call my trailer old? Its been exactly 10 years now, almost to the day!

I still have my Dickinson heater, the best thing I ever did to the trailer (Thanks BC Dave!) I run it all night when needed, which was often clear into summer last year, with no worries. I can adjust the flame according to how much heat I think I'll need, and I've gotten pretty good at guaging the right setting before bed. Only thing I've worn out is the pressure regulators that go onto the tank. I've gone through three of those.

I like the looks of that Nuway. Dual purpose. And the rest of your expanded home looks great. I wouldn't expect anything less. Starting to get the itch, even though I'm looking out at 5 inches of new snow. ❄ Won't be too long now though. The creeks should have plenty of water!
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Re: 2013 Mirage XPO 6x12- Mt Air Express

Postby OP827 » Sun Oct 11, 2020 9:59 am

Rainier70 wrote:No real need for a dedicated shower only area. A dual use for space is good.

I know of several showers that are nothing more than a full surround curtain hung in the main walk area with a tub to stand in. I used the medium sized mortar mixing tub for my shower for several years. My curtain surround has elastic in the top hem and hangs from four small cup hooks in the ceiling. When done I move it to its "home" against the wall. I did have the tub there to let it drip into until it dried. The tub was also nice for wet boots and waders to drip in.

I also used an outdoor shower enclosure for a lot of years. They work too, but I enjoy showering in where it is warm now!


Hi Cindy,

Your build gave me more inspiration for how to build my dual use shower and common area. Thanks for sharing your experience, I enjoy reading your posts and your building skills and ideas are great. I have three questions about such shower pan and its drains. Since I am also doing dual area floor, I am thinking of installing several drains due to similar shallow (1/2"-3/4" deep) shower pan. I am also placing foam mats on the floor around the shower pan. I wonder 1) where did you buy your shower pan drains and 2) would you do several drains again or a single drain would still work? I am actually thinking of four drains in each corner of the pan and then connect them under the floor into a common drain to a portable container outside, but this looks like a lot of extra work and could be an overkill, so 3) what do you think of how many drains are enough for roughly 28"x30" frp shower pan?

I am thinking of putting some wooden slats or other material draining mat to make the shower floor flush with foam floor around since it is a dual use walking area.

Thanks,
Oleg
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Re: 2013 Mirage XPO 6x12- Mt Air Express

Postby Rainier70 » Wed Oct 14, 2020 2:33 pm

It all depends on how and where you camp. If you are crafty in leveling you could get away with one or two drains. I almost always have my camper slightly high at the front. That puts my shower water draining to one of the two drains at the back end of my shower. It doesn't need much of a slant.

In my first CT I had one drain in the middle of the back edge of the shower that I used most. As the water ran to that back edge even if the side to side slant of the trailer was a little off to one side or the other the water would drain out the center back drain before it got high enough to come up the side that was low. Then I would just use a squeegee to chase the water out of the low corner. My leveling would have to be way off before it could ever top the side, but that is a possibility.

If i had to choose I would do two drains in the back corners, it is basically what I use now. The only time my water would go toward my forward drain is if I am briefly parked with the CT still hooked up to the truck, and on a slant that is forward.

I used small sink drains with no overflow holes. They were kind of hard to find but inexpensive.

Hope this helps.

This is the first time I have been back on here since sometime in June or July. We have been out camping since then. We may be back out now and then, so if I don't respond in a timely manner I hope you understand.
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Re: 2013 Mirage XPO 6x12- Mt Air Express

Postby Rainier70 » Wed Oct 14, 2020 2:39 pm

Glancing back a page I see that many of my pictures are now sideways. I wonder what changed on the forum. Oh well I will see about editing them later. :?
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Re: 2013 Mirage XPO 6x12- Mt Air Express

Postby OP827 » Wed Oct 14, 2020 6:22 pm

Thanks Cindy! I wish you great camping and safe travels with your trailer!
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Re: 2013 Mirage XPO 6x12- Mt Air Express

Postby Rainier70 » Thu Oct 15, 2020 12:10 pm

I forgot to mention that once I have the camper leveled and set up, I just put a 5 gal bucket under the drain that the water will slant to. It is usually easy to tell where it will go even though the slant is fairly minimal. Plus I keep a rubber plug in the drains that aren't in use. I was going to connect them all, but haven't yet and probably won't as using a bucket has been very easy and simple.
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Re: 2013 Mirage XPO 6x12- Mt Air Express

Postby OP827 » Thu Oct 15, 2020 5:46 pm

Rainier70 wrote:I forgot to mention that once I have the camper leveled and set up, I just put a 5 gal bucket under the drain that the water will slant to. It is usually easy to tell where it will go even though the slant is fairly minimal. Plus I keep a rubber plug in the drains that aren't in use. I was going to connect them all, but haven't yet and probably won't as using a bucket has been very easy and simple.


Thanks for that detail, I did not think of it! It could be a solution for me too.
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