Hey man, great looking trailer build! I just happened to click on this thread without even looking at the username on it until someone mentioned Post Falls. Lol, I knew that truck and trailer looked familiar in the first post. I just started planning my own cargo trailer conversion too. I'm glad to see someone else not only from the area, but a fellow Frontier owner has one. Mind if I ask where you bought the trailer from?
5x8 Cargo Trailer Conversion
- Thread starter davidshourd
- Start date
davidshourd
Adventurer
hey there neighbor! I got the trailer at Huber Trailer in Liberty Lake. I checked at all the trailer dealers around the greater Spokane/CdA area and they were the only ones who carried Mirage trailers. made in Nampa, ID and from my research of the cargo trailers I personally looked at they seemed to have the best quality. trailer sales are kind of a joke, they must have a HUGE mark up on those things so shop around and play the "the dealer down the road has one for XXXX$ less" card. they want the sale and will negotiate. I had mine custom ordered with the side RV passage door, double barn doors out the back, roof vent, side windows, and color to "match" my truck. ended up being the same price as one they had on the lot with no windows, no side door, no vent and just the rear ramp style door (more expensive option). was delivered in 2.5 weeks. since then its bounced up and down all sorts of roads loaded with gear and the bikes. no wear or tear to speak of beyond some scratches and dings from trees and rocks. Let me know if you want any help with your build, a couple lessons learned along the way that will save you some time. good luck!
Thanks David! I'll definitely check them out. A few of the builds that have caught my attention have been using Mirage trailers and they definitely seem to be good quality. I'm hoping to be able to get started this winter so that'll leave me lots of time to do some wheeling and dealing with them. I never say no to experienced help, so I'll probably take you up on your offer when the time comes if you aren't too busy.
rangerdogg
Adventurer
Hey David great build looks awesome. I was wondering what the inside of trailer height is and was wondering if you could take a pic of how the awnings are attached. I have a 5x10 for construction and have been looking for something like that when it rains if I need to work outside and cut stuff . When you get a chance thanks
davidshourd
Adventurer
Rear Opening: 52"w x 54"h
Interior Height: 62"
Interior Sidewall Height: 56"
The back awning bolts directly to the back plate of the back wall, its an 1/8" plate. the awnings have an extruded aluminum back bar that accepts 1/4" bolt heads, allows them to slide side to side and adapt to mounting position. I foam tapped around the awning and sealed it with some sealant as well.
The side awning is a bit more complicated due to the slope of the side of the roof it is mounted too. I added a 1/4" aluminum angle with a 2" leg and a 4" leg on it. that bolted to the steel roof frame, through bolt. this brought the mounting surface of that 1/4" angle to a near vertical position. from there I used some self taping bolts through the back of the awning and into the 1/4" aluminum. everything sealed with foam tape and more sealant.
no good picture of either of these on hand. but here is a pic looking down on the side mounted awning. I will try and get some better pictures this weekend.
Interior Height: 62"
Interior Sidewall Height: 56"
The back awning bolts directly to the back plate of the back wall, its an 1/8" plate. the awnings have an extruded aluminum back bar that accepts 1/4" bolt heads, allows them to slide side to side and adapt to mounting position. I foam tapped around the awning and sealed it with some sealant as well.
The side awning is a bit more complicated due to the slope of the side of the roof it is mounted too. I added a 1/4" aluminum angle with a 2" leg and a 4" leg on it. that bolted to the steel roof frame, through bolt. this brought the mounting surface of that 1/4" angle to a near vertical position. from there I used some self taping bolts through the back of the awning and into the 1/4" aluminum. everything sealed with foam tape and more sealant.
no good picture of either of these on hand. but here is a pic looking down on the side mounted awning. I will try and get some better pictures this weekend.
Attachments
rangerdogg
Adventurer
Thanks man and I saw its a arb could you tell me which ones you got because all there measurement are cm or something else and I can't see those pics for some reason. Also was wondering if the dolly you use for trailer is from harbor freight? And if it is how's it hold weight
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davidshourd
Adventurer
I will need to put a tape measure on them. I do recall that the dimensions of the actual "tarp" portion of the awning that they provide on the web sites (ARB web site) is about 4" narrower than the overall length of the bag it fits in.
The dolly I used was one I made up on another project I was working on. made up of 2x6's nailed together with two 2x4's running perpendicular on the bottom. I used the 600# capacity casters. the steel ones with solid hard rubber smooth tire.
rambrush
Adventurer
Do you have a picture of the throw bolt that locks the cabinets in place and how it attaches? Also the latches that lock in the bed panels. Yet another question is how do you support the middle of the bed? are there legs that fold down?
davidshourd
Adventurer
the bolts that latch the cabinets in are just throw bolts. you can just see them in the attached picture, upper right. like this link: http://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/32841074?fromRR=Y
since the cabinets gravity down on the cabinet clips you pretty much just need to keep them from popping up. I used three rows of the clips for the cabinets to clip onto that are about 4" narrower than the cabinets. so with all that surface area they can not tilt side to side or slide sideways due to the friction. they have been down some bumpy roads and no issue yet. other then they really get seated into the clips after a bunch of bouncing around, takes a good amount of force to pop them out.
same latch is used for the bed. I used a small 3/4"x3/4" aluminum angle on the edge of the bed for the latch bolt to slide into. then just a little square of foam tape (single sided sticky) behind the behind panels to make sure they don't flap around.
when the bed is folded down there is three loose 2x4's that support across the width of the trailer. on the wall I made some small receiving gussets that the 2x4's slide into. when the bed is up the 2x4's can either say in place and be used to strap equipment too or just pulled out and strapped down to the floor.
davidshourd
Adventurer
got my rims and tires! just waiting for my adapters to remove the fenders and rework those to swallow the new tread. slightly larger... the tire shop happened to have a used (100miles) tire of the same size and VERY similar pattern that they sold to me at a price I couldn't refuse. so I put that on one of my extra rims and now have a spare for my spare. that will work great if we end up taking the girlfriends pathfinder out with the trailer and still be able to toss a spare tire for the trailer in with us. where as when I take my truck I will have one spare between the truck and trailer (already under my truck), and worst case is the trailer stays behind and I take the tire off the trailer.
davidshourd
Adventurer
I got the Timbren rubber dampers installed over the weekend. fabricated a little bracket to straddle the frame rail and welded it off. we shall see how the ride is. might have to put in some longer shackles to open up the gap a little. but we will see once we have the final tire/wheel combo on and bounce around on a back road a bit. I know timbren makes a full axle less system so my hope is that this will be a bit of a middle ground and improve the ride of just leaf under axle suspension.
then I started on the mounting of the tool box fenders. fabricated up these brackets out of some mild steel tube and 1/4" angle brackets. turned out VERY stout once the tool box is bolts up to it.
I have not attached the lower inner fender yet, waiting to get the final wheel adapters to mount of the tires. then the lower inner fender will slide out just enough to cover the entire tire. this will result in about a 4" gap from the inner fender to the side of the trailer that I will get some diamond plate to close up. took most of a day to scheme up how to mount these tool boxes, but I think now that I have done one side the other side should go on pretty quick.
Great build, my neighboro works out of a 5x8 enclosed trailer. Been looking at it for awhile thinking of possibilities. This might of just put me over the edge. Would like to know your final height, and how far off the ground your floor wound up. If you have already stated, sorry for missing it.