Project camper disection.

[katoranger]

This old camper followed me home yesterday. Traded my 4x8 trailer for it. I would like to make an enclosed trailer from it to haul bikes, kayaks, and garden tractors inside for shows.

After pulling it home 70 miles it discovered that it pulled well, but the wind drag is huge. Since I will likely need to do quite of bit of structural repair I think it may be best to strip it down to the frame and start from building it back with a smaller more aerodynamic box that will suit my needs. Think 6 feet wide and not sure if the I need the full 24 feet of length or not. Also make it about 6 foot tall inside so that I can stand.

That sure make the air from the yukon flow around the body better. I was getting an indicated 8mpg pulling it at 60mph on the flat.

I may reinstall the AC unit and the fridge into the finished project so that we can still use it like a small camper.

[katoranger]

A few more pics. Including the traded trailer I have about $200 in this. I think that I can recycle most of the siding into the new design and the good sections of roof. The front and rear sections of roof are really bad. It has been trussed with 2x4 on the inside to keep it from collapsing.

[FastDoc]

Looks like a worthy project!

You and Buford will be busy for a while...

What about a toy hauler? Part dedicated living space and part garage, converted to living space when toys are out at the destination?

[FastDoc]

As far as drag goes what about a lower roofline? Maybe angled? How much stuff can you eliminate to bring the weight down?

[katoranger]

A toyhauler is the inspiration without the fluff. I think I want to build it large enough for the buggy to fit it the back. Angle/lowered roofline is a good idea. The front section of roof needs repair anyway. I was thinking to vee the front also.

To keep tonque weight I would move the fridge and AC forward. We don't need heat, stove, shower, sinks, I am on the fence on the toilet. Beds would be of the flip down variety. I don't think the weight of the trailer contributed to the mileage as much as drag. The 8n on my 16 ft trailer was heavier and I was in the teens for mpg. Buford will have to hold the tape measure and we will find out how much we can lower the roofline and make it narrower. I plan to remove most of the windows and the rear door. Will build a ramp door for the rear. Only need windows up front.

Remove the cabinets and the excess interior should be an easy 500lbs. The a smaller body and am sure we can get into the 3000lb range. That will give me plenty of axle capacity for gear.

[katoranger]

Specs says that it weighs 4260 dry and the body is 8x24. I think I would like to make it 6.5x24 long and about a foot shorter in height. The reduced body weight along with not much interior should get the overall weight down.

[katoranger]

This is more along the lines of what I want to end up with.

http://www.doityourselfrv.com/yes-ca...-got-bunk-bed/

[Weldangrind]

A hillbilly toy hauler is the first thing that came to mind for me. My Dad built one out of a similar trailer. It's not pretty, but it's functional.

Rather than lowering the roofline and wedging the front, perhaps you can just fashion a cover from the front top edge of the trailer, over the propane tanks and battery. That added wedge-shaped cover might create a lower drag.

[katoranger]

The is an idea too. I think step one will be to gut the interior and see what I have to work with. If the walls seem to get flimsy then I plan to build smaller, but stronger to support the weight of items inside. I am sure the floor was not intended for 600-800lb tractors. With the length I can easier fit 3 of them in there.

[FastDoc]

I thought about a High/Lo design or a 'convertible' (think Coleman trailer) but both would be too hard to design and the convertible would forfeit security and maybe ridgidity.

[katoranger]

After some research the vee front is off. Most say it does not help. Best is to reduce frontal area. I think my idea of lowering and narrowing plus a curved roof at the front. Teardrop would be best for aero. Might be able to clamshell the rear door and curve it down to reduce rear drag.

[kohburn]

v front helping depends on the height of the tow vehicle. anything full size it won't help noticeably.

only way to really reduce drag is to make it fit into the wind shadow of the tow vehicle. The less of an air gap that exists between the tow vehicle and the front of the trailer the better. so if you have a pickup, a bed cap can actually help reduce drag.

also the air coming off the back of the trailer. check out the latest tech on semi's

[2LZ]

This is going to be a very cool project! Good luck!

I have a '97 Fleetwood (Coleman) pop-up trailer with one of the bad ABS roofs they got sued over. The entire trailer is good, even the tenting for the most part, BUT the roof is sagged and all cracked up. I'm thinking of gutting the whole thing down and making it a flatbed for hauling the quads. I just hate to trash all the good interior and all the functioning appliances.

[jct842]

I wonder if steel studs along with poured liquid foam for walls would work for a rebuild of a camper. foam that has been poured with steel or alum reinforcing is light and strong.

[Weldangrind]

Originally Posted by katoranger

I think step one will be to gut the interior and see what I have to work with.

I agree. If you can fortify the walls with either more studs or some light gauge square tube steel, you can add considerable strength to the structure. As well, you can add steel to the frame for extra rigidity, since the manufacturer was trying to do everything to keep weight down.

My Dad extended the frame behind the trailer to create a deck, and one quad rides there. He cut the back wall out, and then welded in a square tube steel frame around the perimeter of the opening. That gave him a sturdy point to attach barn doors that he fabricated, which gives him a large opening. He removed everything on the passenger side of the trailer, which allows him to carry two more quads inside. The left wall of the trailer still has the shower, toilet, furnace, sink, cupboards and his bed. Once the quads are rolled out, his buddies can sleep on cots in that space. It's ugly, but quite functional for hunting.