Enclosed trailer upgrades and modifications

[mustangmccance]

I have had a haulmark car trailer for many years, but never really did anything with it but haul cars. I built a 71 bronco that I want to haul but it wouldn't fit, I needed a taller opening. so I just bought a new 2021 NEO car hauler 20 x 8.5 with a 7 foot ceiling. I really like this trailer, but I want to make it better. I have been reading a lot and studying a lot online. there are some U tube channels and things, but no place to go that has a collection of pictures and ideas.



I know a lot of guys (and Lady's) on here have car trailers, and mobile garages for work play etc. I intend to do some documenting on here about upgrading my trailer, and I would like to see other people jump in and add pictures and ideas of what you have done to your trailers, what you like and what you don't.



so to start off, this is what i am working with.

 

[mustangmccance]

things I want to do


new aluminum wheels
do something with the floor, I have seen several options that I like.

vinyl
bed liner
epoxy garage floor coating.


add a winch
add shore power
build a bench and cabinets for the front
add etrack to the walls for organization




so lets see some ideas

 

[Falcon67]

Nice trailer

We ordered ours outfitted exactly as we wanted. None of that after a while stuff. If I add anything, it would be some E-track to the walls in places. Which I'd hate to do since it's nice carpet. Added some to the floor for various haling configurations (door car or dragster) We considered buying bare and outfitting - nah. It's 34' x 7.5, so not a small unit. Can live in it.

Bath package
Coin floor
Half wall carpet
Full insulation except floor
Air
Cabinets
Electrical outlets + house battery
External LED floods for track use

Only thing we didn't get and may add this year is a big electric awning.

 

[dcg9381]

I have a buddy with one of these.. Sorry, no photos, but we basically threw a breaker panel in it, added an RV power connector, insulated it with closed cell foam and added a 15K AC. After that, it's just a matter of finishing it out to taste, while keeping enough retainable space to haul whatever it is you need to haul.

One idea, google images of "21VFB interior" - this is a converted aluminum trailer done by Forest River.


The "best" option that I'd recommend (it's expensive) is "happijac bed" - these drop down from the ceiling and require minimum space, yet are a large bed when dropped down...

 

[MooreGarage]

Here is my motorcycle hauling trailer. 5x8 all aluminum EZ-Hauler by Alcom. Special ordered with trailer brakes, extra interior height (5'8"), roof vent and aluminum wheels.

Went with 5x8 to keep it as small and light as possible, because we are towing with a campervan that only has enough GCVWR left over after the RV build-out to tow about 2500 lbs max.

I've added front shelves, e-track, and the Pitbull Trailer Restraint system. Oh yeah, and painted the walls and floor. Also installed a 180W solar panel on the roof.

My van came with the factory tow hitch, but no brake controller. Wiring an aftermarket controller is a bit of a pain on the Transit, so I also installed the Tekonsha Prodigy RF brake controller on the trailer.

 

[unslow1]

I had to get a tall one also. Then 24ft to accommodate every car we have. I added a tongue toolbox for the stabilizer bars, sway control and misc wood. Then an electric tongue jack, inside toolbox and removable winch. I've had both the vinyl and coin floors. Those were both too slick for me. The last two trailers I ordered with a bare floor and did the epoxy. The list can get endless with stuff to add. Just keep in mind what that stuff weighs. That half wall carpet looks really nice but I had to go vinyl white because I have some really old cars that sling oil like crazy. Mine also has drip trays down the center.
This is the day I picked up my current one. You can see the loading lights inside. Those are really handy. It also has ramp lights that are above out of the pic.

http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af358/unslow1/Trailer6-4-14003_zps464696d1.jpg

https://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af358/unslow1/Trailer7-5-14006_zps8aab12bb.jpg

https://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af358/unslow1/Trailer winch 6-3-15 005_zpsgi3n17cv.jpg

 

[bigdave_185]

I’m doing the whole CCT idea

28 foot car hauler

Purchased $7800

Pulled the walls for insulation and window install


Believe it or not the vibe saw did great!




Self leveling 100% solids epoxy and Shark grit for anti slip




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[bigdave_185]

Then carpeted the walls

Sprayed some 1/4 alder panels with some sealer and clear for the roof

Installed of course


Then on to the king size bed frame


It will run up and down on a cable system yet to install, bikes will store under,

Bathroom shower and toilet, black and grey tanks, 50 gallon of fresh weather, instant water heater, and a kitchen up in the V

Heat will come from a briefcase diesel heater from our friends of joe China, and some couch beds for the twin boys.

Insta motor trailer for the family. Two years to this point.

I start to many projects and slow rotate as my mind allows


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[unslow1]

I helped a friend outfit a 46ft gooseneck like that several years ago. That trailer was great except trying to maneuver it around. He didn't go as far as the toilet and shower. Having AC, heat and a microwave was nice and saved a lot on hotel bills.

 

[OldNeons]

Very nice trailer OP! I'd look at rubber coin flooring with aluminum diamond plate on the ramp. If you plan to tie to floor a lot put a couple rows of e-track in the floor too (beware it collects dirt). Full chip epoxy coating might be ok, I personally would not be happy with only shark grip, it's too slick if it will ever be wet? Electric tongue jack is a great add on with its own HD battery. Probably the biggest improvement I'd recommend besides flooring would be plenty of LED lighting - inside and out. It's so nice for working, loading, hitching at nite..... enjoy your new trailer!

 

[nadogail]

In addition to the previous suggestions I would add a house battery and an inverter.

 

[jetranger]

We just got a 24' InTech. Ordered as we spec'd. Some things we ordered on it we really like so far -

In-floor fold up winch (hidden)
2 house batteries with solar panel on roof
Plenty of LED interior lights that are on the sides of the roof, not the center to avoid shadows
Tongue box large enough for a generator
Electronic tongue jack
Pre wired for two cameras - one for the RV and one for the F250

 

[unslow1]

I like that trailer it's very well lit. It gave me the idea of maybe putting a stainless steel plate on the walls where one of my cars slings it. I bought the solar panels for my roof along with a few lights I haven't hooked up yet. One of the lights is mounted to point down at the hitch. Two others aim at the ramp. A friend of mine has his on a key Fob. I thought that was a great idea. He uses his high mount ramp lights as additional reverse lights in the dark. Then also has a camera system. He has loads of down time in the pits to check out what other people have done. They run the NHRA schedule and often get stuck for quite a while away from home with time to kill so they do all kinds of neat stuff with the trailers.

 

[DJF3]

I've upgraded the lights in mine to LED. They are the grommet mounted back up lights found in most auto stores. Also added ramp lights front and rear. They are 6" LED light bars. I've replaced the yellow C channel on the ramps with Superglides. And an electric tongue jack.

 

[gregs]

What do they typically insulate these with? I have a older 24' that I am thinking of insulating. Was looking at the rigid insulation panels at the home centers.

 

[Montucky]

Here is my motorcycle hauling trailer. 5x8 all aluminum EZ-Hauler by Alcom. Special ordered with trailer brakes, extra interior height (5'8"), roof vent and aluminum wheels.

Went with 5x8 to keep it as small and light as possible, because we are towing with a campervan that only has enough GCVWR left over after the RV build-out to tow about 2500 lbs max.

I've added front shelves, e-track, and the Pitbull Trailer Restraint system. Oh yeah, and painted the walls and floor. Also installed a 180W solar panel on the roof.

My van came with the factory tow hitch, but no brake controller. Wiring an aftermarket controller is a bit of a pain on the Transit, so I also installed the Tekonsha Prodigy RF brake controller on the trailer.

I like that setup. I have a Moto van. So I’m the opposite I have the bikes in the van and use the van to pull the trailer. My trailer is a 22 ft and the transit pulls it real nice.

 

[bradpac]

E track on the walls is a really nice addition if you ever want to haul something other than cars. Also, tie down points in the floor in the middle as well, not just in the front or back. Adds a lot of flexibility to the trailer. Good lights are a must as well.

 

[bggrnchvy]

38' Continental 5th wheel, it has a kitchen, bath and bunk.



I added 400w of solar and an inverter, which is really nice for dry camping. We only fire the generator for the microwave or occasional use of AC basically.





The tongue was really dark so I added some lighting for both side and the propane/battery compartment. It's on different switches so I can select where I'm throwing the light if we do camp at park.




The generator compartment was bare bones and I didn't want to struggle to service it. I built a slide that doubles as an air gap under the generator.




We've since sold that generator and stepped down to a 4kW which fits a little better.

 

[unslow1]

I saw a trailer with that closet style wire shelving inside the cabinets. He had it cut to fit in grey with everything tied together with zip-ties so it couldn't move but was easy to take out by simply cutting the zip-ties. That is something I'd like to copy because weight is a concern.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Minimum:

• 12V lighting, inside and out (I recommend two 6V golf cart batteries)
• work bench and latching upper storage cabinets

If you are not going to do solar panels, I recommend a DC-DC battery charger. That way the batteries will be at their full potential after a road trip.

 

[Todd Baumann]

what is the brand name for the aluminum step shown in the one picture?
I really need one for mine and like the looks of that one.
Thanks

 

[mustangmccance]

I won’t be able to pick the trailer up till Friday but it was a factory option. I will let you know if there is any brand name on it when I get the trailer

 

[moab11]

Outfitted the interior of my 7x12, insulation in the walls and ceiling, 3/4" plywood on the walls, 1/2" on the ceiling, e-track on the walls, removeable eye bolts in the floor, floor is covered in Line-X. Large AGM battery in the front compartment along with AC and DC chargers, 12v fuse panel, amplifier for the stereo, and soon to be an inverter.
The chinese diesel heater I just added this winter and am loving it so far!

 

[MooreGarage]

what is the brand name for the aluminum step shown in the one picture?
I really need one for mine and like the looks of that one.
Thanks

If you are referring to the step in my pic, it is the Camco Adjustable Height Aluminum Platform Step. Rated for 1000 lbs. I'd post a link, but my post count isn't high enough yet...

 

[bigdave_185]

Outfitted the interior of my 7x12, insulation in the walls and ceiling, 3/4" plywood on the walls, 1/2" on the ceiling, e-track on the walls, removeable eye bolts in the floor, floor is covered in Line-X. Large AGM battery in the front compartment along with AC and DC chargers, 12v fuse panel, amplifier for the stereo, and soon to be an inverter.
The chinese diesel heater I just added this winter and am loving it so far!

How has your diesel heater worked for you? I have read meany posts about them almost being to much heat.


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[dfiler2]

What is this?
"The chinese diesel heater I just added this winter and am loving it so far!"

Just curious, have a friend building a camper/bike hauler.

Thanks

 

[moab11]

How has your diesel heater worked for you? I have read meany posts about them almost being to much heat.
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Because my trailer is relatively small, in milder weather it can get quite warm in the trailer since the heater doesn't shut off, just goes to a minimum heat setting. Otherwise it's been working great and can heat up and maintain my trailer down at -35c(did it as a test)

What is this?
"The chinese diesel heater I just added this winter and am loving it so far!"

Just curious, have a friend building a camper/bike hauler.

Thanks

These are all over amazon/ebay and are essentially a knock off of webasto/eberspacher. They use diesel fuel in a sealed combustion chamber to heat the core, then pass the living area air over the core to heat the air. They are also sometimes called parking heaters and are quite frequently used in transport trucks, motorhomes, sail boats, etc.

 

[mustangmccance]

I am getting a bit ahead of myself I am afraid. I am going to pick the trailer up tomorrow but I have already ordered a ton of stuff. I got a pretty good deal on a warn 8000 pound evo winch with synthetic line. I know it is overkill but I am going to be mounting and concealing it in my work bench so I don't want to have to replace it anytime soon. I am now planning the wiring and installation of all this stuff. I have a triangle shaped deezee toolbox that mounts to the tongue that I am going to put the battery in. I will run the cables along the frame and up through the floor to the winch. I have a solar powered battery tender that will mount to the top of this box to keep the battery charged and a quick disconnect with 30 foot quick connect jumper cables in case the battery should be inadequate. this battery will only be for the winch I think this is the best option as it will be easy to access and replace as necessary. any thoughts?


I also have a 30 amp shore power adapter I will be installing with a small breaker box to run a couple outlets for my bronco battery tender etc. and possibly some 110v led lights.



my new wheels will get her tomorrow, and I have ordered the etrack and epoxy rock solid garage floor coating. so once I get the trailer I may start a new thread as a project thread to avoid cluttering this one with my progress. as of right now I don't intend to use this trailer as a camper or anything. just a mobile garage for my vehicles when I am going to shows or to do some trails and things with the jeep or bronco. bad stuff happens so I want to set this trailer up to be able to handle most of the minor stuff that might go wrong when I a away from home. the winch is for hauling the thing into the trailer when I can't fix it, and just to make it easier to get it in and out by myself.

 

[moab11]

Personally, I would try to stick to 12v lights run off of the winch battery. This way you aren't dependent on shore power to use the trailer. Plus then you can install a car stereo and even 12v chargers for you phone/go pro battery powered tools, etc. Having to find shore power or run a generator for simple things like this is a pain.

Install a 120v charger to top it off when you have shore power, let the solar panel keep it maintained when you don't. Lots of people outfit trailers and vans for various uses, so there is tons of info online. If you start with an eye towards expanding your uses, future upgrades are much easier.

 

[mustangmccance]

Personally, I would try to stick to 12v lights run off of the winch battery. This way you aren't dependent on shore power to use the trailer. Plus then you can install a car stereo and even 12v chargers for you phone/go pro battery powered tools, etc. Having to find shore power or run a generator for simple things like this is a pain.

Install a 120v charger to top it off when you have shore power, let the solar panel keep it maintained when you don't. Lots of people outfit trailers and vans for various uses, so there is tons of info online. If you start with an eye towards expanding your uses, future upgrades are much easier.

It has 4 39 inch LED light bars inside already which I think should be fine for the 12v light source. is there a way to use the trailer pig tail, and plug in a an extension to hook to the battery when I am not hooked to the trailer. the 12v lights are already wired, if there is a way to power them with the wiring already there that seems a much simpler way to go. . put a 7 pin receptacle like the one pictured into my trailer box, then when I unhook my trailer I can just plug it back into this receptacle. when the trailer is hooked up it can still run off my truck battery. what do you think?



I think I answered my own question. this seems pretty simple just wire the receptacle hot and ground wire to the battery and it should be easy peezy. thanks for the suggestion it will have the added benefit of keeping dirt and **** out of my trailer connector when it is not in use.

 

[Snapped-off]

I kept mine simple, just e track and d rings. If I had kept it I probably would've customized it a little more. I think some of these nice trailers cost more than both my vehicles. [emoji16]

 

[DocParker]

Outfitted the interior of my 7x12, insulation in the walls and ceiling, 3/4" plywood on the walls, 1/2" on the ceiling, e-track on the walls, removeable eye bolts in the floor, floor is covered in Line-X. Large AGM battery in the front compartment along with AC and DC chargers, 12v fuse panel, amplifier for the stereo, and soon to be an inverter.
The chinese diesel heater I just added this winter and am loving it so far!

moab11 : That's a very sharp looking interior! Did you Line-x the ramp also?

 

[moab11]

It has 4 39 inch LED light bars inside already which I think should be fine for the 12v light source. is there a way to use the trailer pig tail, and plug in a an extension to hook to the battery when I am not hooked to the trailer. the 12v lights are already wired, if there is a way to power them with the wiring already there that seems a much simpler way to go. . put a 7 pin receptacle like the one pictured into my trailer box, then when I unhook my trailer I can just plug it back into this receptacle. when the trailer is hooked up it can still run off my truck battery. what do you think?



I think I answered my own question. this seems pretty simple just wire the receptacle hot and ground wire to the battery and it should be easy peezy. thanks for the suggestion it will have the added benefit of keeping dirt and **** out of my trailer connector when it is not in use.

Is the trailer coming with some sort of battery for the interior lights already? Or are they powered off of the 12v wire of the 7-pin harness? If the lights are powered from the harness, then what you propose will work, however you will need to manually re-charge the battery somehow.

What I did was have the 12v line from the harness go directly to a Ctek D250SA DC/DC charger then from that to my battery. The battery then powers everything in the trailer. The nice thing about this setup is that the truck automatically charges the battery while I am driving (the charger needs to see 14v to start drawing power) and also prevents me from draining the truck battery while hooked up and the truck is off(like at the track or trail head). The D250SA also has a solar panel connection built in as another charging option.

The while at home I have a Ctek MUS7002 to charge/maintain the battery from shore power.

 

[moab11]

moab11 : That's a very sharp looking interior! Did you Line-x the ramp also?

Thanks, I spent a lot of time planning this one out and applied a lot of the ideas I had from my old trailer. So far I am loving it, and have some ideas for the next trailer I build(hopefully not for a long time though).

The ramp is also Line-X'd, then I covered it in some ski guides to protect it better from snowmobile carbides and give some traction. Unfortunately I don't have any good pics showing that right now.

 

[mustangmccance]

Is the trailer coming with some sort of battery for the interior lights already? Or are they powered off of the 12v wire of the 7-pin harness? If the lights are powered from the harness, then what you propose will work, however you will need to manually re-charge the battery somehow.

What I did was have the 12v line from the harness go directly to a Ctek D250SA DC/DC charger then from that to my battery. The battery then powers everything in the trailer. The nice thing about this setup is that the truck automatically charges the battery while I am driving (the charger needs to see 14v to start drawing power) and also prevents me from draining the truck battery while hooked up and the truck is off(like at the track or trail head). The D250SA also has a solar panel connection built in as another charging option.




The while at home I have a Ctek MUS7002 to charge/maintain the battery from shore power.

ok, I have it planned, and the first stage implemented. I used my power probe to figure out that the lights work off the auxillary post of the 7 pin plug. so my idea will work. so first I had this tongue mount toolbox that I bought for my other trailer I decided to mount the battery for the winch and the 12 volt lights there, this way it is easy to access to replace, and to hook up my quick disconnect jumper cables.



then I mounted my 7 pin receptacle.

I temporarily hooked up a battery tender with aligator clips, when my military terminal kit gets here monday I will permanently mount this. the battery tender has both sets of connectors that come with it, and this will allow me to easily swap between the solar battery tender, and the 110 version. then I hooked up the positive and negative wire to the battery from the 7 pin plug in temporarily just for testing purposes. all the wiring will be cleaned up and made permanent once I get everything laid out. the winch wiring cables are just long enough to get where they need to be. I will mount it once I get the floor done. but it works

 

[Spencer Was Here]

I like your idea of plugging in your trailer plug to your tongue box. I personally would have chosen a different location for the plug, where it would be less likely to be inadvertently damaged, but I think you have a solid idea there.

 

[mustangmccance]

Next decision is where to mount the solar charger on the top of the box or to the front of the trailer.both sites have pros and cons. Opinions?

 

[wake74]

Mine's not a close to as nice as some others on here, but it serves the purpose, and goes along well with the low budget track rat theme of the track car. It gets used 4-5 weekends a year as a place to sleep at the track. Started as a used 20' Pace with the upgraded axles, think I paid about $3200 for it. Added: 30 Amp service, LED lights, outside 120V outlet and 30 Amp RV connector, Winch, insulation, epoxy floor, plywood on ceiling, small bench in the front E Track, small window etc. Not as nice as what you get if you want to spend $20k for a fully outfitted aluminum traler, but it works well for my needs. A couple of various in progress pics, bigger TV, missing the window, one doesn't show the roof top AC:

 

[crusinlumb]

Here my 44ft Race trailer, that has a bed in the nose, shower and a sink.

The only modes I have made was installed lights under the tongue since it was dark, and some

Aircraft track instead of E-track as a tie down sys

Could see paying that much for it when I got this for a lot less


https://www.uscargocontrol.com/Airline-Track-12-Aluminum-Finish-Logistic-Track


Just install in sections.

We will be adding a fridge, cook top and I’ll be plumbing LP in the trailer. Absolutely love it and can’t wait to take it out.

Also need to find a toy to haul in it

 

[tfalk]

What floor epoxy did you guys use and how slippery is it when wet? My current trailer has black/white vinyl floor and it's a skating rink. Picking up a new ATC 22 foot enclosed in a week, want something for the floor that you don't take your life in your hands when it's wet... Going to E-track the full length on the floor and a couple of pieces in the nose to hold the spare tires, tent, etc. Also looking at maybe doing ceiling cabinets in the front, shoreline and adding LED lights to the ceiling as well.