Camper/Toyhauler Conversion

[JerryHawk250]

I finally sold my camper about two weeks ago. Now on to my new project. I've been wanting to do a camper/toyhauler conversation for a few years but need to sell my camper before doing so. I've literally had no one interest in the camper for a few years. All of a sudden it became a sellers market. New campers have gotten very expensive so the used market came to life. I literally had people waiting in line wanting to buy it. No haggling on prices on what I wanted for it. I made out very well on selling it. Now the hard part. Trying to find any cargo trailers over 20' long available. Due to Covid restrictions most of the factories are backed up for months. If you ordered one today it would take anywhere from 12 - 18 weeks. So there is one dealer I've been talking with since December of 2020. Back then he had 20 trailer loads on order. The day i sold my camper i contacted him to see what he had available. He only had two little trailers on his lot since January. He told me everything he had on order was sold and would have to place an order and wait 12-18 weeks. So I told him I'll look around for a few more days and if I didn't find anything I would order one. Within 10 minutes after getting off the phone he called me back. Told me he had a trailer coming at the end of the month. He said it may be more than you were looking for but had a 8.5.x28' Black-out edition coming at the end of the month that he forgot he ordered. So he sent me some pictures of what it will look like. It was exactly what i was looking for. He said he forgot about it so no one else knew about it. Otherwise it would of been sold. Put my deposit down and all i need to do is wait a little for it. I have just about everything in to start the conversion. The cheapest toy haulers start @ $30,000. This one will cost me $7200 plus another $4,000 for all the stuff like AC, HW heater, tub, stove, frig, holding tanks and so on. I'll be able to lay it out exactly how I want it for a fraction of the price. Most toy haulers I looked at wouldn't fit everything we bring when off road riding. I'll be able to fit the UTV, 4 wheeler and Hawk with room to spare.

[tknj99]

Damn, that thing is large enough to take a US ChinaRiders.Net tour and pickup riders along the way

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by tknj99

Damn, that thing is large enough to take a US ChinaRiders.Net tour and pickup riders along the way

One of the main reasons for doing the toy hauler is so that we can go meet up with some of the group rides that come up here on Chinariders. One trip will be with the guys in Arizona. There are all kinds of places that you can camp for little to nothing if you boondocking it. It will be completely self contained including generator.

[JerryHawk250]

I've been having parts for the conversion coming in just about every other day. Hopefully the trailer will come in before the end of the month so i can get started. I'll probably take a weeks vacation so i can get most of the important stuff installed like AC, tub, toilet, hot water heater and wired and powered up and of course beds. I have a friend that just retired who is so bored that he offered to help. Anything that will get him out the house. lol

[Jim Rogers]

Hey Jerry-- just curious as to what will you be using to pull that beast.

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by Jim Rogers

Hey Jerry-- just curious as to what will you be using to pull that beast.

2014 Ram 1500 w/5.7 Hemi. I'll have no problem pulling it. The camper i just sold weighs more than this will weigh once completed.

[Joe Schutts]

Don't forget to leave room for the heated floor Sauna and the hot tub...


Also the circular rotating bed...

[JerryHawk250]

Well I'm still waiting on my trailer. It should of been here a week ago. The dealer got a call from the manufacture and told him the trailer is built and been sitting in the lot for weeks. Only one problem. No floor. The factory is completely out of 3/4" plywood for the floors and don't know when they will be getting more. It's a custom cut length plywood and the plywood mill is only producing standard lengths. I'm in the construction business and know what they are dealing with. There is a shortage of resins which are used to make things like plywood, glulam beams and so on. Speaking with one of my lumber suppliers, he tells me it will be like that for a while. Anyway the dealer told me they gave him a couple of options. They could use an OSB floor which we both don't like or they could send it without the floor and I could install whatever I want. I need to get this trailer quick if I want it to camp in. I think I'll go with option B and pick up plywood from the local lumber yard.

[Boatguy]

Nice!!! I’ve built a couple RVs in my time like this. You’ll love the results being able to use higher quality components than the RV manufacturers use. They are building for profit.

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by Boatguy

Nice!!! I’ve built a couple RVs in my time like this. You’ll love the results being able to use higher quality components than the RV manufacturers use. They are building for profit.

Exactly.

[wheelbender6]

If I converted the back of my travel trailer to a toy hauler, I would lose the kitchen.
-I could still use the outdoor kitchen. it is mounted midship.

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by wheelbender6

If I converted the back of my travel trailer to a toy hauler, I would lose the kitchen.
-I could still use the outdoor kitchen. it is mounted midship.

We never used our kitchen in the camper we sold. I think once to boil some water. We always cooked on the outdoor kitchen.

[wheelbender6]

We used the microwave a lot. Rarely used the cook top or oven.

[JerryHawk250]

I just got some good news. My trailer will be here towards the end of next week. I guess I need to schedule a weeks vacation so i can get the main stuff done ASAP. As long as i have AC, Hot water, a tub and toilet installed so I can use it for Memorial day weekend, I good. After that I can work on it after work and weekends.

[JerryHawk250]

Well my trailer finally came in after all the delays. I got upgrades that even the dealer didn't even know about for the same price. I got the 7' ceiling height that i really wanted. Semi screwless with thicker aluminum sides. And best part is it did come with the plywood floors instead of the resin base OSB floors that i wasn't really crazy about. I'll have to make a 2 1/2 hour trip in the morning to go pick it up.