Mobile Hunting Trailer Set Up

[dlist777]

I may have missed it, but did you insulate the trailer at all? It's tough for me to tell for sure...

Yes. Roof and walls. Not floor or ramp

 

[cmbetke]

Thats awesome! Sweet build and simple! My brother and I were about to do something very similar last year and out of no where we had some family friends upgrade their tongue tow camper and they gave us their 31' older wildwood with a single slide out. So we dropped the idea of a diy enclosed trailer. It does us real good!
This is sweet though! Nice job!

 

[Islandshooter]

Sweet! @DanO had a setup kinda like that at saddlepalooza. Makes my car camping suburban look like a hovel.

DanO had the mobile CONDO!!!!

 

[kyler1945]

Bumping this up. I have a deposit on my old beater truck, and I should clear just enough funds to get me into a trailer.

Questions for @dlist777 @flinginairos @DanO - y'all each have one of these rigs, and for anyone else's input I'd appreciate it as well...

My instinct is to go with a low roof height, so that I'm not killing my gas mileage on longer trips. A 5' roof height puts it below the top of my truck/camper top. I'm 6'3 - so even if I get the 6' tall, it's only going to have about a 5'8ish height inside after insulation and paneling. I could go to a 7' tall, but then it just kills on gas mileage(based on my limited experience with pulling heavy tall stuff).

So what would you all do? I don't plan on standing around in the thing. The idea is to have a place to keep gear dry, sleep in climate control, and maybe sit down to eat a meal if the weather outside just absolutely sucks. I've got plenty of options for covers to have a meal/fire/etc outside next to the trailer. I'm hunting, not kissing babies. Having said that, I wonder how annoying it would be leaning over inside it.

I'm thinking 6' wide x 5' tall x 12' long - Would want to sleep at most two people inside.

Double or single axle - it adds a fair amount of weight and cost, and I have no intentions of loading it down with thousands of pounds. My entire hunting/camping setup including my rokon might be about 500lbs.



So - Height, overall size, and single/tandem axle ???? and any other input is greatly appreciated.

 

[dlist777]

Bumping this up. I have a deposit on my old beater truck, and I should clear just enough funds to get me into a trailer.

Questions for @dlist777 @flinginairos @DanO - y'all each have one of these rigs, and for anyone else's input I'd appreciate it as well...

My instinct is to go with a low roof height, so that I'm not killing my gas mileage on longer trips. A 5' roof height puts it below the top of my truck/camper top. I'm 6'3 - so even if I get the 6' tall, it's only going to have about a 5'8ish height inside after insulation and paneling. I could go to a 7' tall, but then it just kills on gas mileage(based on my limited experience with pulling heavy tall stuff).

So what would you all do? I don't plan on standing around in the thing. The idea is to have a place to keep gear dry, sleep in climate control, and maybe sit down to eat a meal if the weather outside just absolutely sucks. I've got plenty of options for covers to have a meal/fire/etc outside next to the trailer. I'm hunting, not kissing babies. Having said that, I wonder how annoying it would be leaning over inside it.

I'm thinking 6' wide x 5' tall x 12' long - Would want to sleep at most two people inside.

Double or single axle - it adds a fair amount of weight and cost, and I have no intentions of loading it down with thousands of pounds. My entire hunting/camping setup including my rokon might be about 500lbs.



So - Height, overall size, and single/tandem axle ???? and any other input is greatly appreciated.

Height:
Funny, I went with 7 foot high. I agree you're not going to spend much time in it. But, I'd hate to not be able to stand up...that's just me. Also, the higher ceiling will give you more wall space to hang stuff (you can look at my pics I have all the walls crammed with crap and thats 7 feet). So, at 5 feet you'd be more limited with wall storage. Ii wouldn't go with 5 feet, I'd do at least 6.5. But, you will hurt your gas mileage so you have to weigh storage space + standing up vs. MPG.

Length
Mine is 6x10. I agree with you on 6x12. The extra 2 feet won't make it any harder to pull and it is nice to have the extra space. In fact, backing up a 10 foot trailer is (IIMHO) harder than backing up a longer one. You can't really see it start to swing. So, i think 12 feet for sure.

Width
If you're going to bring a 4 wheeler like I did just consider your width. If you have a super-wide 4 wheeler, 6 feet might not be enough to fit the wheeler and cram crap on the walls. Also, if you want to sleep 2, you can in a 6 feet wide. I can fit two cots side by side, but there is no room to move around them. I also go solo so that's fine for me. But, if you'll have company you may want to stretch and do 7x12. 6 feet is nice because it's usually just as wide as your tow vehicle which makes it easy to know if you're going to clear a tight space. But, 7 isn't a huge deal. It will probably be inside the mirrors if you drive a pickup.

Mine is single axle. But, all else being equal, double is better. Just the extra safety of knowing you'll have some margin of error if you get a flat / blow out.

If I was going to bring two people on a routine basis, I think I'd go with a 7 wide x 12 long x 7 high double axle. If it was only one, I'd do 6 x 12 x 7 or 6 x 10 x 7.

Finally, aluminum vs. steel is a consideration. Mine is aluminum which obv helps MPG and rust but hurts in price. I'm a big fan of aluminum trailers esp if you're not going to keep it inside.

Have fun man. Building it is really the fun.

 

[IkemanTX]

OMG.... I’m jealous I keep talking about building out an insulated trailer for trips!!!


................................................................................All climbing methods, platforms, saddle designs, and/or use of materials possibly mentioned in the post above are not peer reviewed for safety, and should only be used as an example of my own method. Do your own research and testing before becoming confident in any DIY solution to support your life.
-IkemanTx

 

[DanO]

Bumping this up. I have a deposit on my old beater truck, and I should clear just enough funds to get me into a trailer.

Questions for @dlist777 @flinginairos @DanO - y'all each have one of these rigs, and for anyone else's input I'd appreciate it as well...

My instinct is to go with a low roof height, so that I'm not killing my gas mileage on longer trips. A 5' roof height puts it below the top of my truck/camper top. I'm 6'3 - so even if I get the 6' tall, it's only going to have about a 5'8ish height inside after insulation and paneling. I could go to a 7' tall, but then it just kills on gas mileage(based on my limited experience with pulling heavy tall stuff).

So what would you all do? I don't plan on standing around in the thing. The idea is to have a place to keep gear dry, sleep in climate control, and maybe sit down to eat a meal if the weather outside just absolutely sucks. I've got plenty of options for covers to have a meal/fire/etc outside next to the trailer. I'm hunting, not kissing babies. Having said that, I wonder how annoying it would be leaning over inside it.

I'm thinking 6' wide x 5' tall x 12' long - Would want to sleep at most two people inside.

Double or single axle - it adds a fair amount of weight and cost, and I have no intentions of loading it down with thousands of pounds. My entire hunting/camping setup including my rokon might be about 500lbs.



So - Height, overall size, and single/tandem axle ???? and any other input is greatly appreciated.

I'm 6' 5" and went with 6' 6" height due to not wanting to kill gas mileage with 7'. I can stand up straight everywhere except where the vent and the A/C are. The insulation is between the ribs and the 1/4" ply doesn't eat up the height. I couldn't stand a 6' height. Also, consider if you will be doing bunk beds. 6' 6" is tight for the top bunk, 7' would give you more room there and 6' is gonna have you on top of each other.

I went 7' wide on both my first and second cargo trailers so I could put bunk beds across the back. 6' ain't cutting it for me. Even 7' is only 79-80" interior and I just fit ok. This was non-negotiable for me. With 7' wide you still don't need those extra wide mirrors and you can easily see around it.

First trailer was 12' long and I filled it up pretty quick. Could only haul one ATV. Second trailer I wanted at least 16' so I could bring two ATVs out West hunting. With an aluminum frame R&R trailer they have a heavy duty a-frame tongue on the 19' model so that made that decision easy. Can't say enough about the quality of my R&R trailer - made here in Three Rivers, Michigan.

The length you choose will also dictate whether you can get single or tandem axle. There are some models that offer single axle on 14', but over 14' and you'll get tandem. One benefit of tandem is with blowouts - not as disastrous as with single axle trailers. Downside is the number of tires you have to buy.

Some things need to be considered to help make your decision on size. Number of people sleeping, number of potential ATVs/motorcycles hauled, etc. Also, with a cargo trailer, try to keep it modular. Everything comes out of my 19' cargo trailer except one set of bunks that folds up along the wall. This allows us to use it as a cargo trailer, mobile warehouse, etc. Hit me up for more questions if you want, I went through the process three times now as I helped my dad outfit a 7'x12' single axle model.

 

[Islandshooter]

I'm 6' 5" and went with 6' 6" height due to not wanting to kill gas mileage with 7'. I can stand up straight everywhere except where the vent and the A/C are. The insulation is between the ribs and the 1/4" ply doesn't eat up the height. I couldn't stand a 6' height. Also, consider if you will be doing bunk beds. 6' 6" is tight for the top bunk, 7' would give you more room there and 6' is gonna have you on top of each other.

I went 7' wide on both my first and second cargo trailers so I could put bunk beds across the back. 6' ain't cutting it for me. Even 7' is only 79-80" interior and I just fit ok. This was non-negotiable for me. With 7' wide you still don't need those extra wide mirrors and you can easily see around it.

First trailer was 12' long and I filled it up pretty quick. Could only haul one ATV. Second trailer I wanted at least 16' so I could bring two ATVs out West hunting. With an aluminum frame R&R trailer they have a heavy duty a-frame tongue on the 19' model so that made that decision easy. Can't say enough about the quality of my R&R trailer - made here in Three Rivers, Michigan.

The length you choose will also dictate whether you can get single or tandem axle. There are some models that offer single axle on 14', but over 14' and you'll get tandem. One benefit of tandem is with blowouts - not as disastrous as with single axle trailers. Downside is the number of tires you have to buy.

Some things need to be considered to help make your decision on size. Number of people sleeping, number of potential ATVs/motorcycles hauled, etc. Also, with a cargo trailer, try to keep it modular. Everything comes out of my 19' cargo trailer except one set of bunks that folds up along the wall. This allows us to use it as a cargo trailer, mobile warehouse, etc. Hit me up for more questions if you want, I went through the process three times now as I helped my dad outfit a 7'x12' single axle model.

I have been in DanO's trailer, if it's the same one as Saddlepalooza, and it's almost perfect. The one thing I would add, as a guy that hunts out in Nebraska every November, ,is enough room to be comfortable in case of inclement weather. Tough to sit outside when there's horizontal snow blowing by!

 

[kyler1945]

Height:
Funny, I went with 7 foot high. I agree you're not going to spend much time in it. But, I'd hate to not be able to stand up...that's just me. Also, the higher ceiling will give you more wall space to hang stuff (you can look at my pics I have all the walls crammed with crap and thats 7 feet). So, at 5 feet you'd be more limited with wall storage. Ii wouldn't go with 5 feet, I'd do at least 6.5. But, you will hurt your gas mileage so you have to weigh storage space + standing up vs. MPG.

Length
Mine is 6x10. I agree with you on 6x12. The extra 2 feet won't make it any harder to pull and it is nice to have the extra space. In fact, backing up a 10 foot trailer is (IIMHO) harder than backing up a longer one. You can't really see it start to swing. So, i think 12 feet for sure.

Width
If you're going to bring a 4 wheeler like I did just consider your width. If you have a super-wide 4 wheeler, 6 feet might not be enough to fit the wheeler and cram crap on the walls. Also, if you want to sleep 2, you can in a 6 feet wide. I can fit two cots side by side, but there is no room to move around them. I also go solo so that's fine for me. But, if you'll have company you may want to stretch and do 7x12. 6 feet is nice because it's usually just as wide as your tow vehicle which makes it easy to know if you're going to clear a tight space. But, 7 isn't a huge deal. It will probably be inside the mirrors if you drive a pickup.

Mine is single axle. But, all else being equal, double is better. Just the extra safety of knowing you'll have some margin of error if you get a flat / blow out.

If I was going to bring two people on a routine basis, I think I'd go with a 7 wide x 12 long x 7 high double axle. If it was only one, I'd do 6 x 12 x 7 or 6 x 10 x 7.

Finally, aluminum vs. steel is a consideration. Mine is aluminum which obv helps MPG and rust but hurts in price. I'm a big fan of aluminum trailers esp if you're not going to keep it inside.

Have fun man. Building it is really the fun.

There's a second benefit to the short height - it would fit under carport or in garage out of the weather. Both of my carports are right at 7' entry height. I really hate to have to go hacking on them. But, from the looks of things you all prefer the height to stand up in.

Y'all have me thinking 7 wide is the way to go - I can then put a bed sideways across the very back of the thing, then one down one side, and leave room in front for sitting, eating, mapping, what not.

I'll look into aluminum, but man, that might blow the budget.

 

[kyler1945]

I'm 6' 5" and went with 6' 6" height due to not wanting to kill gas mileage with 7'. I can stand up straight everywhere except where the vent and the A/C are. The insulation is between the ribs and the 1/4" ply doesn't eat up the height. I couldn't stand a 6' height. Also, consider if you will be doing bunk beds. 6' 6" is tight for the top bunk, 7' would give you more room there and 6' is gonna have you on top of each other.

I went 7' wide on both my first and second cargo trailers so I could put bunk beds across the back. 6' ain't cutting it for me. Even 7' is only 79-80" interior and I just fit ok. This was non-negotiable for me. With 7' wide you still don't need those extra wide mirrors and you can easily see around it.

First trailer was 12' long and I filled it up pretty quick. Could only haul one ATV. Second trailer I wanted at least 16' so I could bring two ATVs out West hunting. With an aluminum frame R&R trailer they have a heavy duty a-frame tongue on the 19' model so that made that decision easy. Can't say enough about the quality of my R&R trailer - made here in Three Rivers, Michigan.

The length you choose will also dictate whether you can get single or tandem axle. There are some models that offer single axle on 14', but over 14' and you'll get tandem. One benefit of tandem is with blowouts - not as disastrous as with single axle trailers. Downside is the number of tires you have to buy.

Some things need to be considered to help make your decision on size. Number of people sleeping, number of potential ATVs/motorcycles hauled, etc. Also, with a cargo trailer, try to keep it modular. Everything comes out of my 19' cargo trailer except one set of bunks that folds up along the wall. This allows us to use it as a cargo trailer, mobile warehouse, etc. Hit me up for more questions if you want, I went through the process three times now as I helped my dad outfit a 7'x12' single axle model.

I hadn't intended on doing bunks, but if I end up going anything over 5', I'm gonna do 7' so that I have the flexibility of doing bunks. I don't think enough folks like me to fill up a trailer with that many folks.

I drive a rokon, so width isn't a huge concern, but either way, I'll be able to fit it or a 4 wheeler.

I'm thinking 7x12xwhichever height I go with is the answer.

Any pictures of your father's setup?

Are you guys doing the insulation yourselves, or did you buy it done already?

 

[kyler1945]

I intend on having it wide open inside, and all gear and essentials in totes. That way if weather is bad, the beds are folded up against walls, and a few fellows can hang out in folding chairs in middle of it.

I don't have a ton of crap that will be stored in it once at site - and anything that must be locked up can go in truck with camper top and be locked away tight.

 

[Wasp]

If I had it to do over I would get a 7x15. The difference between 6 and 7 ft wide is much more than you think. Also I was lucky and the plywood sides on mine were screwed to the metal studs. As I understand it some are riveted and it is all but impossible to take the siding off to insulate and put it back. Here are a few pics of mine

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

 

[kyler1945]

If I had it to do over I would get a 7x15. The difference between 6 and 7 ft wide is much more than you think. Also I was lucky and the plywood sides on mine were screwed to the metal studs. As I understand it some are riveted and it is all but impossible to take the siding off to insulate and put it back. Here are a few pics of mineView attachment 14687View attachment 14688

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

That pallet porch is pretty awesome!

Thanks for sharing. I think I'm pretty locked in on 7' wide after looking at all this.

 

[DanO]

I hadn't intended on doing bunks, but if I end up going anything over 5', I'm gonna do 7' so that I have the flexibility of doing bunks. I don't think enough folks like me to fill up a trailer with that many folks.

I drive a rokon, so width isn't a huge concern, but either way, I'll be able to fit it or a 4 wheeler.

I'm thinking 7x12xwhichever height I go with is the answer.

Any pictures of your father's setup?

Are you guys doing the insulation yourselves, or did you buy it done already?

I'll see if I have any pics on my phone and upload through tapatalk.
I did the insulation on my first cargo trailer, not a hard job and allowed me to check wiring, etc. On my Dad's and the new one we had the factory do the insulation and additional wiring. Some of that was due to not having the time and also their premium model is white interior and really nice. Didn't want to mess it up taking it off. In addition, they charged barely more than the cost of materials for me to do it. I've heard some shady places put cheap white foam insulation and not the good stuff so check first.

 

[DanO]

Dad’s 7x12 R&R

My old 7x12 R&R

Current 7x19 R&R (went in together with a hunting buddy on it)

 

[IkemanTX]

Y’all, this might have ruined my trailer plans....
I think this will get me by for a LONG time!
He has a full size memory foam mattress in there!