My offroad 5x8 Cargo Trailer Camper Conversion
- Thread starter Jmanscotch
- Start date
Jmanscotch
is wandering
Nice, I’ll look out for some build pics.
Indeed man, we’re probably pretty shut down for this season, have wedding and house stuff to handle, but next year we’ll be down to get out some more and would be down for a meetup.
Jake
Man I hate hearing you’re selling! I’ll keep my ears out for ya.
Curious where you got your 2” lift shackles? I’m wanting to do the same thing. Spring over would change too much for me by way of relocating fenders, etc. the 2” lift might be the trick. Did it change the location of your wheel that much?
Curious where you got your 2” lift shackles? I’m wanting to do the same thing. Spring over would change too much for me by way of relocating fenders, etc. the 2” lift might be the trick. Did it change the location of your wheel that much?
That’s good to hear. Well maybe you’ll get the house for lower than asking!
My springs are the same as yours so should be an easy add. Did your bushings that came with the other shackles fit right up to the new shackles?
Shoot me a text and I’ll fire off some picks. Been in the garage now for going on 2 weeks straight.
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OverlandZJ
Expedition Leader
Hate to see you sell this, but i'm intrigued to see what you would build next!
I should have made more time and followed this build closer to real time, you would have saved me some grief on the 2in1 aerosol frustration I had.
Congrats on the engagement..
I should have made more time and followed this build closer to real time, you would have saved me some grief on the 2in1 aerosol frustration I had.
Congrats on the engagement..
Jmanscotch
is wandering
Thanks John. Thankfully the "for sale" moment sailed since the house we were reaching for sold. So it's going to stick around. It's just going to get put on hold for the rest of the winter though. Too cold and dark to work on it outside and too many financial plans to put even a couple hundred more into it.
Cheers,
Jake
Jmanscotch
is wandering
I considered going that route and my two main reasons I went with the Lock-N-Roll were:
- Less clanging around. The LNR keeps everything nice and quiet and while well setup pintle hitches might too, often they don’t on such a relatively “light weight” trailer.
- Theft deterrent. Most people have access to a ball hitch and often enough a pintle hitch. When I built this, it lived in my open back yard space and was easily accessible for anyone wanting to steal it.
A small part of me just thinks the LNR is cool too. Same reasoning I daily drive a Tacoma and not a Corolla: both get me there, the Corolla would be cheaper and simpler and I’d be fine with it...but I just enjoy the Tacoma over one.
I don’t have an regrets going for the LNR, though. Works great still and have had zero issues with this one. A little 3-in-1oil on the rotating shafts now and again and it operates perfectly smooth.
- Less clanging around. The LNR keeps everything nice and quiet and while well setup pintle hitches might too, often they don’t on such a relatively “light weight” trailer.
- Theft deterrent. Most people have access to a ball hitch and often enough a pintle hitch. When I built this, it lived in my open back yard space and was easily accessible for anyone wanting to steal it.
A small part of me just thinks the LNR is cool too. Same reasoning I daily drive a Tacoma and not a Corolla: both get me there, the Corolla would be cheaper and simpler and I’d be fine with it...but I just enjoy the Tacoma over one.
I don’t have an regrets going for the LNR, though. Works great still and have had zero issues with this one. A little 3-in-1oil on the rotating shafts now and again and it operates perfectly smooth.
Jmanscotch
is wandering
Also yes...it’s been a dang year! We got married, bought our first home and have renovated lots of it and are finally to a steady point on the house front, so I can start to shift my efforts towards finishing up the interior, electrical and some other changes...and do so in my heated garage now, score.
Before weather set in too bad, we did take it down to Silverton/Ouray for a long weekend. We went more for hiking that off-roading, so didn’t do any fun trails/passes with the trailer.
Before weather set in too bad, we did take it down to Silverton/Ouray for a long weekend. We went more for hiking that off-roading, so didn’t do any fun trails/passes with the trailer.
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OverlandZJ
Expedition Leader
Congrats on the wedding and new home!
Really admire the talent on this build..
Really admire the talent on this build..
I've really enjoyed your build. It's a new year now so hopefully you'll be able to get back to it. Your a New Hubby and a New House so Congratulations on everything you and your wife have accomplished this past year.
I am actually getting ready to start into building like yours and yours has made thinking about what needs to be done so much easier. I to am planning on the Patriot trailer.
I do have a couple of questions for you. Instead of the spacers and all for the wheels and clearances etc. why didn't you just cut the axle and lengthen it to your needs? Seems like a lot easier fix to me and then just buy the right hubs or even elec brakes and drums for the wheels you want to use.
Also. You pretty much stripped the trailer (which made it easier to see how the trailer is made and will make it easier to plan as well. So it kind of seems that a plain trailer with out the side door would have been cheaper since you pretty much built for add on doors anyway. Do you feel you may have wasted some money by buying the trailer with the door already in it?
In hindsight, what would you have done differently in your build that would have saved you some time and/or money?
I hope your able to get back to your build soon so we can vicariously continue to enjoy through your efforts.
I am actually getting ready to start into building like yours and yours has made thinking about what needs to be done so much easier. I to am planning on the Patriot trailer.
I do have a couple of questions for you. Instead of the spacers and all for the wheels and clearances etc. why didn't you just cut the axle and lengthen it to your needs? Seems like a lot easier fix to me and then just buy the right hubs or even elec brakes and drums for the wheels you want to use.
Also. You pretty much stripped the trailer (which made it easier to see how the trailer is made and will make it easier to plan as well. So it kind of seems that a plain trailer with out the side door would have been cheaper since you pretty much built for add on doors anyway. Do you feel you may have wasted some money by buying the trailer with the door already in it?
In hindsight, what would you have done differently in your build that would have saved you some time and/or money?
I hope your able to get back to your build soon so we can vicariously continue to enjoy through your efforts.
Jmanscotch
is wandering
Thanks, I’m glad the build thread is still offering some insight and ideas for folks. I’ve meant to get the trailer inside and start the galley/interior finish, life’s just thrown in a couple curve balls...as it does, so hopefully soon.
To your questions:
Axle: I have plans to buy an appropriate Dexter axle that fits the exact width I want and has the right hubs. The spacers were a quick and easy fix so I could focus efforts and funds on the rest of the build. I don’t mind that it was a short term fix...sometimes you need some time and use to really figure out what you want in the build and often it means redoing something. After some time using the trailer, I’ve realized I might actually want trailer brakes (originally I didn’t need them or want them). It’s not that the need for them has been shown, I just think they’d be an improvement to an already good setup (and mostly for some icy/snowy situations for added control) . So when the time comes, I’ll source a new axle that fits all the needed requirements....one of which is going to be a new tow rig. I’ve had the Tacoma for nearly 4 years and am ready to try something new. I’m actually in the process of selling it so I can fund its replacement (teaser: its a Lexus...)
The side door:
It seemed like a good idea at the time; buy the trailer with it and save money. As it often happens, plans change along the way and the single door idea lost to dual doors and due to that, the stock side door did become a waste and a hassle.
After cutting the entire trailer apart and reassembling it, the ONLY thing I had regrettable cosmetic and some genuine fitment issues with was the outter aluminum skin in the area around where that door was. It still bugs me, so that’s definitely a regret in hind sight.
As far as any other regrets/lessons:
Trying to save the stock rear door was a colossal waste of time and energy.
Other then that, we really have had very few little things to tweak on it thus far...so nothing else I can say was a long term thing that I hate. The first trailer we built helped us learn a lot though, so it was easier to be confident in decisions this go around.
Good luck as your get started on your build! My main advice is: know what is really is you want from the build, how you want to use it and what you need it to do. Be honest with yourself. Whether that means you’d like it light and simplistic and cheap or robust and full of features. Know what your goal truly is...and build THAT confidently without much compromise. It’ll save you hassle and money.
Let me know if you start a build thread, I’d love to follow along!
Cheers!
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Hi. Well I found the perfect trailer. A 5x8 Wells Cargo. older 2000. (sturdy fabrication) Already has the 3500 torsion axle. So I started tearing the inside apart getting ready for a door on the passenger side. I was wondering where you got your side door? You said you had dimensions of what you had to install for a frame. Would you share those with me? I am thinking of building my own door to get it a little larger but am not opposed to buying one. Thanks.
Mil T
Mil T
Jmanscotch
is wandering
Perfect, a nice well built Wells Cargo would be a great starting point.
We got the doors from Challenger and had a great experience with them. Fairly priced and great product so far. You’ll have to decide what door you want to run, then the website will tell you the rough opening it needs for framing.
We got the 805 teardrop series doors. They have many options: windows, left side or right side, colors, etc. https://www.challengerdoor.com/
I want to say our doors were something like $600 shipped for both, single door would be about half that. We could’ve made our own, but unless you’re going for an ultra simplistic door, it can add up quick and might still be a point for a leak. We were happy to pay a little more and get a great built door that took a little work off my plate and was finished nicer than any door I could craft.
Jake