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Enclosed Trailer Features

Discussion in 'Information For New Racers' started by prm, Nov 3, 2019.

  1. prm

    prm Well-Known Member

    Lopitt85, couple of questions for you:
    Does the window AC unit run on a generator or extension cord power?
    How did you insulate?
     
  2. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

    Order exactly what you want. We’re going into the off-season, so a few weeks waiting on what you want isn't that big of a deal.

    Depending on where you order from, manufacturers have allocation slots in queue. If you want a X’ by XX’ trailer, they can look for that size of unsold trailer in their queue, add whatever options you want to the buildout, then, it’ll become allocated to you.

    All-aluminum is the best way to go. On a trailer that small, it won’t save a bunch of weight, but, it’ll never rust.

    I would never buy a trailer with a plastic roof cap (that round portion on the leading edge of the roof). The plastic gets brittle and can easily be punctured by branches and stones. Replacing that is a PITA.

    Be careful with some of the trailer groups that are scattered around Georgia. There’s some absolute garbage coming out of those places. Production of value/budget trailers almost always come from down there. Whereas the better stuff is going to be out of northern IN, southern MI, and northern IA. Just do your research, before committing to anything.
     
    prm and ricracer16 like this.
  3. lopitt85

    lopitt85 Well-Known Member

    PRM,

    It's a walmart special a/c, this model https://www.tclusa.com/products/appliances/air-conditioners/taw-05cr19 . Still has the standard 115v plug on it. I run an extension cord through my port that I made in the floor and I hook up to the generator or power at the track. The watts usage wasn't listed so I emailed the company. They said it only uses 448 watts. It runs just fine off my 2000 watt generator with plenty of power left to run fans, phone, lights, laptop, etc... should also power my tire warmers too, but I may end up picking up a predator 3500 watt inverter generator if they are priced right for black friday or post christmas sales.

    Originally I insulated with Reflectix only, which is a really good product, but I used it incorrectly. It needs empty air space between it and the heat source. I had stuck it directly to the inside of the trailer's exterior walls. I didn't feel like pulling it all down so I went right over it with regular rolls of fiberglass insulation like this https://www.lowes.com/pd/Owens-Corn...th-Sound-Barrier-15-in-W-x-32-ft-L/1000715536 . I put that on the sides and nose of the trailer behind the wood walls. I put foil backed foamboard insulation on the ceiling like what's used in construction, like this https://www.lowes.com/pd/Common-0-7...ded-Polystyrene-Foam-Board-Insulation/3365568 . It was only a days work for me and a buddy to pull the walls down, hang all of the insulation, and re-hang the walls. The only thing I have left to do is cover the ceiling with a thin sheet of white plastic (think similar to wood paneling).

    I'll see if I can dig up some pics
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2019
  4. lopitt85

    lopitt85 Well-Known Member

    Screenshot_20191110-123850_Gallery.jpg Window unit with a cover I made to protect the condenser find while driving.
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2019
  5. lopitt85

    lopitt85 Well-Known Member

    Lots of flex seal sprayed on seams to help with preventing leaks. Also helps with the ratty look, ;) 20191110_125001.jpg
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2019
  6. lopitt85

    lopitt85 Well-Known Member

  7. lopitt85

    lopitt85 Well-Known Member

    Here is the trailer with the Refectix before I added the fiberglass insulation
    Screenshot_20191110-130859_Gallery.jpg
     
  8. lopitt85

    lopitt85 Well-Known Member

    Here are the foam insulation sheets cut down to fit between the framing. Box cutter makes light work or it. Has 3M spray glue holding it up and some black gorilla tape as well. All of this on the ceiling will go behind some plastic sheet paneling soon.

    Screenshot_20191110-124201_Gallery.jpg
     
  9. lopitt85

    lopitt85 Well-Known Member

    Here's the hooks to hang gear and the bungees I use to strap them to the wall while driving. My shelving system is 3 shelves and the floor and hold all of my stuff. Its mounted to the wall with simple L-brackets.

    You see my main wheel chock mounted and some of the many anchor points I installed. Everything is bolted in with nutzerts from the backside. So when I get where I'm going (or when unused) I unbolt the chock and screw the bolts back in flush. The 2 sets of 4 bolts you see just in front of the chock hold two more of the harbor freight wheel chocks and easily allow me to reconfigure to my 3-bike load plan.

    The black box in the top left of the 1st pic turn on my rear facing flood lights that make night time packing a breeze. And the AA battery powered light switch below it is nice for quick lighting when not hooked up to a power source

    20191110_125754.jpg 20191110_125831.jpg 20191110_125904.jpg Screenshot_20191110-124220_Gallery.jpg
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2019
  10. lopitt85

    lopitt85 Well-Known Member

    My cots, air mattress, chairs and carpet are kept on the top shelf. Plenty of space for 2 cots when a buddy crashes with me. I use a space heater when its cold.

    I do want to put a window on the door which is a really easy install.

    P.S. the time to do any wiring mods or upgrades is while its gutted. That's when I cleaned all contacts and applied dielectric grease, re-routed the previous owners wiring to avoid pinching wires, added in my rear spotlight switch, etc...

    20191110_125403.jpg 20191110_125701.jpg 20191110_125537.jpg
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2019
  11. prm

    prm Well-Known Member

    Thanks for sharing!
     
  12. lopitt85

    lopitt85 Well-Known Member

    No problem. If you asked me what are my must have for any trailer I use going forward it would be

    -ramp door
    -a/c
    -insulation
    -shelving
    -hooks and bungees for the hanging leathers
    -pitbull TRS (on my christmas list) to retire my straps
     
  13. prm

    prm Well-Known Member

    That’s pretty close to what I’m thinking. I live out East so I’m leaning towards an aluminum trailer to avoid rust and maybe two axle. The extra capacity may be useful for other tasks. Depends on how good a deal I can find as well as I do need to keep the cost reasonable.
     
  14. TurboBlew

    TurboBlew Registers Abusers

    I guess I dont get the "need" for a ramp door if youre not a landscaper or machine mover using it 10 times a day.
    Long term thats the #1 area where the frame rots out 10 yrs down the line. 1 or 2 bikes... a foldable aluminum works great.
     
  15. lopitt85

    lopitt85 Well-Known Member

    For me it's a convenience item that I dont want to give up. I've done portable ramps into truck beds, into open trailers, and into enclosed trailers. I like being able to just lay down my rear ramp and roll in and out. No need to place a ramp, secure it so it doesn't move while loading or unloading, strap it down, remember to bring it, worry about tipping/rolling off the ramp. When I use my trailer to move large heavy items, furniture, lawn equipment, help friends move...we just carry it up the ramp rather than trying to step up into a trailer. I can get heavy ass shit in there on my own with a dolly.
     
    beac83, prm and ducnut like this.
  16. lopitt85

    lopitt85 Well-Known Member

    Dont know if you want to do your own work but I got my trailer for $1500. Put probably $700-800 into it and it's the way I want it.

    I've seen people selling trailers they started the camper conversions on for not much $$$. Matter of fact, a week after I bought mine a lady listed a 6x12 v-nose with RV windows and lighting installed for only $400 more than what I paid, and it was almost brand spanking new.
     
  17. G2G

    G2G I feel the need


    That floor is going to be slick as shit when its wet out.
     
  18. lopitt85

    lopitt85 Well-Known Member

    I've actually dealt with rain a few times already. I have my carpet down when I'm "docked" at the track so I didn't have any slippery issues. And when I didn't have my carpet down I just placed a towel on the floor at the side door to wipe my feet on. So far so good.

    The ease of cleaning the floor makes up for it. I just let the ramp down and use my leaf blower at home. And a quick sweep with a collapsable broom at the track
     
    G2G and KneeDragger_c69 like this.
  19. lopitt85

    lopitt85 Well-Known Member

    For trailer features I just added this to mine. The idea is like shore power with boats.

    I'm not affiliated with the company at all. I just used it and like it so figured I'd share.

    Install was easy. Just a 2" hole saw. It comes with a gasket but I added some trailer caulk as well. And I added some wood behind the trailer's sheetmetal so I had more/larger clamping force without worrying about stripping the screw hole.

    After that I spray foamed the space around it and covered the hole with a white plastic cap that I made.

    I got it from amazon. https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GCP1-16...uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

    20200323_192205.jpg Screenshot_20200324-122552_Gallery.jpg
     
  20. Tas

    Tas Well-Known Member

    This thread is great!

    Going to buy one very soon and have gotten great advice from Those who have already done it.
     

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