Complete Guide To A Cargo Trailer Camper Conversion
Cargo trailer camper conversion is not a daunting task, but it is a challenge. There are complications. Extensive planning and meticulous attention to detail are warranted.
Most people will err at some stage and have to review their strategy. But it can be done, and one need not spend a fortune. In this comprehensive guide about cargo trailer camper conversion, we shall discuss all the essentials and mantras you need to steer clear of a crisis in the making.
Let us begin with a short glimpse of what can happen.
Beginners Guide to Cargo Trailer Camper Conversion
Let us take a small cargo trailer, say seven feet by ten feet. A 7×10 cargo trailer has seven square feet of space inside. The indoor height is usually around seventy-five or six feet and three inches.
You can convert this trailer into a camper, complete with a bed for a fully grown adult, a bathroom, and a galley, including all essential utilities.
This video has been included to clarify the topic. Credit goes to Brian Rogers
‘Video is not the main content of the page’
Brian Rogers has a fantastic walkthrough of his cargo trailer camper conversion, highly recommended.
The galley can have a grill or cooktop, ice chest, air conditioner, faucet, small sink, access to the bathroom, and cabin vents. A foldable table can be included, which can be complemented by two aluminum chairs.
There can be a side cabinet. You can have a full-size bed with a six-inch mattress, maybe memory foam. You can have standard power outlets, the lighting of your choice, but preferably light-emitting diodes, charging ports, and more.
The bathroom can have a compost toilet. It can be a wet bath. You can choose a fourteen-gallon tank. There is enough space for a storage rack and also a paper towel holder.
The grill or cooktop has to be a pull-out version. The sink and faucet must be folded down. The cutting board can also be retractable.
You can choose a custom or readymade recreational vehicle door. This usually comes with a screen and windows. Do not forget insulation. Insulation panels will suffice.
You can get screens if you want more viewing pleasure. With all such installations, you are staring at a total weight of around two thousand and two hundred pounds.
Of course, there are many options for each of the essentials and accessories you will consider. For instance, if you choose a seamless torsion axle roof with a two-tone exterior, you will gain an additional six inches of height. Six inches of extra headroom can be a lifesaver for taller people, and it also means roomier interiors.
A seven-by-ten cargo trailer may appear too cramped, and it is indeed so if you consider the typical range of sizes for recreational vehicles or the more luxurious campervans.
It is slightly difficult to buy too many accessories in smaller cargo trailers, so you will have more liberty if you have a larger one. However, that will also mean you will spend more, and the weight of the camper will also be substantially greater.
Cargo Trailer Camper Conversion from Nothing
Let us consider a situation in which you do not have a cargo trailer to begin with. Yes, cargo trailer camper conversion is still a relevant wish and an entirely pragmatic option. Buying a recreational vehicle or a campervan is not necessarily a better proposition in such cases.
The campervans listed at reasonable prices are rarely worthwhile.
Recreational vehicles priced at nearly a hundred thousand will be somewhat worthwhile. If you spend more, you can expect some of the finer vehicles. You can complete a cargo trailer camper conversion for much less than a hundred grand, actually a fraction of it.
Frame
To begin with, your cargo trailer camper conversion needs a sturdy and reliable frame. You may be aware that cargo trailers have metal roofs, which is a significant attribute. It would be best if you chose a reliable heavy-duty chassis.
This shell can cost you around three thousand to four thousand dollars. You can choose the specifications you like. The shell is like a blank slate.
You will be able to decide what goes in, on, and with it. The scope of customization and the freedom to choose allow you to control your costs. You need not factor in gray and black water tanks, and you do not have to account for a complicated plumbing system.
You may not need multiple drains connecting various outlets. You can choose as simple a design as you want. But begin with a tough shell. Do not compromise on the chassis.
Size
Pick a decent-sized cargo trailer, one you can haul easily with your vehicle and which will not trouble you in any way. You must not feel cramped, and yet you do not need too much shoulder room or headroom. Clever installations can ensure legroom.
There is no dearth of retractable, fold-down, pull-out, and recessed fittings for campers.
While you can skip the different kinds of tanks and other elaborate installations that take up much space, you cannot do away with plumbing entirely. You can have one channel that will connect your sink to a water line. You may also need an inlet if you do not carry any tank, not even one for your drinking and routine washing needs.
Excluding other tanks is helpful as you can have a larger living area.
Planning
Cargo trailer camper conversion is a creative exercise. You have the freedom to choose the practical and the discretionary features. You can have as many or as few accessories as you want.
You can plan add-ons as you go. You may want some cool features, such as a dry rack for outdoor use and a deck, or you may choose a more elaborate design to make a luxury camper.
At the core of your cargo trailer, camper conversion should be a composting toilet, a reliable propane system, electric burners, solar panels, and potent batteries. You need an energy-efficient heater and air conditioner. Don’t go for furnaces. Avoid gas-powered appliances if you cannot carry a large propane tank.
A cargo trailer is usually smaller than the chassis or shell for a camper or recreational vehicle. You may not have enough space or provision for two propane tanks, and you cannot operate on one. You must have a battery pack regardless of how many propane tanks you have, so one of each would be a better strategy if space constraints are unavoidable.
Safety
You must ensure overall safety and optimum operational condition for all appliances. If you are unsure, avoid a rooftop water tank. The windows should double as fire escapes. They are designed to be pushed out and effectively disassembled.
Smoke detectors and monitors for carbon monoxide are essential installations. Be careful when you are working on the wiring and mounting. Please get an electrician to get these tasks done.
Unless you are an electrician, plumber, carpenter, or professional installer of appliances of various kinds, it is best to let the technicians handle the nitty-gritty of cargo trailer camper conversion. They will not charge you much, and the job will be neat and reliable.
You will still save a whopping sum compared to spending nearly a hundred grand on a quality camper.
Considering the various components discussed in this guide to date, the total cost of cargo trailer camper conversion should not exceed ten thousand dollars. Some people will be able to ensure all the discussed components and keep the cost within seven thousand dollars. Such investment includes heavy-duty flooring, an aluminum roof, and all major systems.
Stepwise Planning for Cargo Trailer Camper Conversion
Take note of where you stand now. Do you have a cargo trailer, or will you buy the chassis? Your subsequent options will depend on this answer.
What kind of a camper do you want? It may be a simple one with capacity enough for two adults. It may be for a family of four.
You may not want an entertainment and recreational console, but you may want some luxury features, including such consoles. Begin with the basic chassis and then proceed to the next step.
- Measure the square footage. Factor in the height, then. Ensure you have enough space inside. Now, decide how much space you need to be available with various essentials folded up, stowed away, rolled back, or pulled in. This will allow you to develop the square footage of space you can assign to installations that cannot be retracted or maneuvered. Cabinets, for instance, need dedicated space. Tanks will need dedicated space. Even a bed will require a bit of dedicated space when it is folded up. You cannot expect the space needed to be minimal. The mattress alone will take up a few inches in thickness and several feet in length.
- Now that you have the numbers at your disposal list all the essential components you must install in your cargo trailer for it to become a camper. Do not forget nonessentials, but you can assign them much less significance. Once you have all the valuable items on the list, check out your options and calculate how much space they will take at their respective installation places. This is necessary as it will help you to plan the layout. Many people recommend creating a layout and then working on this step. It is futile to prepare a design when you do not know what kinds of components you will have to make space for. Only the experienced designers and, of course, the manufacturers of recreational vehicles can come up with a layout beforehand since they know the components that can be fitted into the shell to conform to their floor plan and overall design.
- The layout should be practical. Forget what is ideal. Do not long for an elusive space when it is impossible to attain. Do not think about systems you cannot have for obvious reasons. Manufacturers of recreational vehicle manufacturers cramp in too many pieces, which is partly why things turn messy in due course of time. It would be best if you kept your cargo trailer camper conversion simple. You do not need too many elements in your camper. Ensure the basics and the rest will fall into place. Try to pack in too many components, and you will fail to create a workable layout. Remember that the design is something you will have to live with throughout the camper’s life unless you are thinking of an overhaul. You can change a faucet or a foldable part in an instant. You cannot change the layout anytime you choose.
- Finalizing the layout and creating the components’ shortlist would be the last step before you go shopping. Then it is only a matter of buying the right stuff and installing them, preferably by professionals. If you are installing the various components yourself, ensure you are familiar with the processes and that there is no problem with the installation. Some of the weakest elements of most installations are the screws and nuts, bolts, and seals. Whether it is adhesive or you are nailing something into the woodwork, hooking up a few electrical systems, or bolting chairs into the heavy-duty floor, the joints and attachments are where the whole apparatuses are at their weakest. If you go wrong with these, things may fall or come apart over a short period of use.
There is a more straightforward option for cargo trailer camper conversion. You can hire companies to complete the transformation or use your own cargo trailer.
You may choose to buy one, perhaps upon the company’s recommendation. You will get to choose every custom feature, and the designer will work on everything before their engineers and technicians start on your cargo trailer camper conversion.