I've been thinking of putting a small living quaters into the front of my enclosed trailer. Has anyone else done this? I would like to know where is the best place to look for parts. A couple small windows, fresh water tank, pump and heater, nothing real extravigant. I just want it to use a couple times a year in warm weather, and have a place to take a shower, and I don't want to lose much floor space. Any advise or experience would be helpful.

Thanks, Tyler

 

Most of those things can be bought from an RV dealer or from a salvage yard that has RV's. I looked into all of this before but with a 48' Drop Deck moving van but decided against it. mostly due to the trailer having airbrakes (very little resale value) if infact I could sell it. I think brand new windows from my dealer were like $150cdn or so but this was many months ago so my memory might not be too accurate.

 

Dodgeguy, I understand what your saying 48'. I've just got a 9000# 24, swing doors. I figured I would have well under $1000 in what I am wanting. But that wouldn't take to many nights in a motel for pay for its self, not to mention being right there where you want to be. I didn't really think about what it would do to the resale, do you guys think it would help it? I have searched the internet for rv parts and so many different places came up with not much of the kind of stuff I was looking for. I guess some day I could go to elkhart and look for salvage and surplus places. I'm sure people have done this themselfs out there.

 

In an enclosed car trailer if it's done right (looks good) it would be nothing but a good thing for the resale value. I understand where your coming from though, as function is the most important thing, what I was going to do was convert the first 20' of the trailer into a Living Quarters with windows, sink, shower, toilet, stove, master bedroom, couch. Mind you this was an un-finished trailer so I would have had to buy the vinyl covered panels cupboards. By the time I had all this figured out, the conversion would have been worth more than the trailer lol

What I really suggest is to price out the stuff you want and see if you figure it's worth it. The reason we didn't go that way is because at our drag strip we would need everything we have in our TT so anything less than a full Living Quarters wouldn't cut it.

What kind of stuff are you having trouble finding? The actual parts you need or dimensions etc

Also what are you using the trailer for? and how much floor space can you actually give up?

 

For just basic livin quarters the shower holding tank and water tank could be a problem you need to look under your trailer to be-sure these tanks can be mounted with out modifying the frame or having the tanks and valves hanging down too low

Warm weather camping mite need a A/C also

I added a small livin area to my 44 ft enclosed trailer but decided not to add any type of water system...I use a porta-potty....and showers can be taken at campgrounds or truck stops

Camping World is a good place to start checking on prices
http://www.campingworld.com/

Do you have a generator !! are you camping in a campground !! most campgrounds have a full shower/toilets/washing machines so that campers that camp without these can still live a civil life

 

Dodgeguy, I know what you mean there about not wanting to put more money into the coversion the then the trailer was worth. I guess maybe what I really want it more of a sleeping quaters then a living. Just with the shower, sink a few cabinets and pick up a piece of vinal flooring. I don't want to really give up say much over 6' permantly in the front. Some buddys and I are going to TN to go 4 wheeler riding this spring, and I thought a shower with a few conviences of home would be nice. Talking about the resale I don't know how much demand for that type of trailer is out there, but I guess you could always take it out and be original again pretty easy. I don't want to put much into, as this would probably only be used very few times a year. I'd just buy a camper if it got into the $1000's. I just thought this would be a cheap and easy way to have one unit semi-self cantained for just weekend trips like that. And my dad is into the street rods pretty big, so it would be nice for swapmeets or shows that type of thing to. So what did you do instead of the conversion on your trailer?

Pappy, I think you did about the same thing to yours as I have in mind for mine. Except for the water. I think I can put the shower on the left side in the front, run cabinets w/sink accross the rest of the front. Put the fresh water holding tank, heater and pump under the sink. Use a porta-pot, so no black water. Just get one of the blue pull tanks under the trailer for the shower and sinks grey water. What I was looking for is a place to get a plastic fresh water tank, pump and windows? I think I can use a electric insta-hot water heater, They heat the water as it goes through the pipes. ALso on the curb door, can I put a camper latch into it so I can close the door from the inside. It has the hinged bar latch now, I think the door could be cut to a camper style latch, but I'm not sure exactly how they're designed.

Thanks guys for your advise, and experience.

 

Water heater, water tank and pump all under the sink? I don't think so. The instant water heaters are only good for 2 gal. of hot water then be ready to wait for 2 more gal. Washing dishes a couple times and 3 showers uses up 50 gal. of fresh water for us. I would guess maybe 15 gal. per shower if you hurry. To add a heater you will need a propane tank so might as well add a 6 gal. rv type hot water tank.. I start thinking of all the cost of the parts you will need any maybe a used small travel trailer would be cheaper, easier, and better? Dad could haul it to the swap meet.
Now to do it real low budget think of this. Fresh water tank mounted above the shower, pour warm water into it and let gravity feed the shower head. You can buy a shower base at home depot for cheap.
You start mounting water tanks, propane, heater, bed, water heater, pump, fill outlet, plumbing pipes/traps/dump valves, toilet, and all the other stuff it takes your going to spend some bucks and be in for a major project. Well over your 1k budget but if you use the trailer alot and will be keeping it for along time do it right. Then you will have a uique trailer you made the way you wanted it, and you can't buy that. So up to you if it is worth the cost and time you will need to put into it. Good luck, dave.

 

The money isn't really an object. I just was after something that I wouldn't have a lot of money in. It will only get used like I said very few times a year. Plus I don't need any more trailers sitting around, running out of room under roof as the way it is. You know what I mean there. I just don't have alot of time on weekends. I only able to get away on weekends a handfull of times during the summer. So 5-6-10000 for a travel trailer, would kinda be a waste for no more time I have to use it. Don't get my wrong I would love to be able to go somewhere every weekend, but my schedule doesn't allow that. I don't think you know the type of water heater I'm talking about. These are electric intended for home use not RV. So a 25-30 gal tank wouldn't fit under a custom built cabinet with the pump? I figure in 2 weeks working evenings a couple hours it could be done.

Dave you know of any good places on the net to check prices for the things i need?

 

If you don't mind a little extra work, sometimes you can pick up a donor trailer fairly reasonable. Either older or damaged. As far as water heater, you can't beat the LP gas style found in campers. (small, zero clearances, fast recovery)
JC Whitney has a section for RV's etc. Sorry, I don't have web address.
Good Luck,
Rick

 

Thanks Rick, I didn't know about JC Whitney having RV parts. They have everything else, most things are pretty cheap too. I'll check them.

Thanks again.