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Horse Trailer to Toy Hauler Conversion

Dan's EB

Dan's EB

Not so junior
Joined
May 21, 2020
Member Number
994
Messages
125
Loc
Chandler, AZ
Inspired by other threads here I thought maybe someone might be interested in my latest project.

A little back story.

I had a 7x16 box trailer, I put some cabinets in and used for camping and to haul my rzr. there was enough room inside without the rzr but no room to sleep on cots with the Rzr inside. I sold the trailer and bought a 4 horse trailer. I came close to getting a 28 foot gooseneck enclosed trailer but the 8.5 width in front scared me off. with a short bed F350 I was worried about bashing in my back window if I turned too sharp. The horse trailer is narrower in front and built stronger than a box trailer. Better for what kind of dispersed camping I'm into.
anyway, this thread is to log the process of conversion and to gather ideas from more experienced folks to keep me from making expensive mistakes.

I'm starting with a 2000 CM 4 horse slant load trailer.

As you can see in the pics there are mangers along the drivers side and a tack room in the rear. Those will need to go.

IMG_20210125_153156 (3).jpg
IMG_20210125_153245 (2).jpg
IMG_20210125_171535 (2).jpg
 
I cut the mangers out and the rear tack room. Many cut off wheels and a few recip saw blades later the back was wide open. I think I may leave the slant wall and convert the side tack room to a bathroom.

IMG_20210128_164707 (3).jpg
IMG_20210129_121415 (2).jpg


I think I need to pull out all the floor boards to sand and paint them as they kinda stink like horse poop.

I have 14 feet from the back door to the slant wall to fit my 2 door Rzr that is just over 10 feet long.
 
The front has room for a sleeping area and some cabinets.

IMG_20210129_121431 (2).jpg
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The box on the left of the second pic is the tack room that I plan to make into a bathroom with the existing outside door and add an inside door, might have to move a wall or two depending on what size shower pan I can find.

So, any ideas, thoughts on what I should do with my blank canvass.
 
the overall plan is to add some cabinets for storage, have a shower and a shitter and a small kitchen. Don't really need a refrigerator or a stove, just a sink.

Ideas?
 
I was also going to convert one into a crawler hauler. The deal breaker was the overall width.

What is your plan for the rear doors? Remove and add a drop down?
 
Always liked the idea of using these trailers, flat deck with a dovetail would be good with drive over fenders
 
What's in the bump in the roof on the rear?
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Mr Stubs said:
I was also going to convert one into a crawler hauler. The deal breaker was the overall width.

What is your plan for the rear doors? Remove and add a drop down?
Click to expand...

Width is 80" inches inside . to skinny for a trail rig but just right for my SxS that is 63".

The bump on the roof is a hay loft. Thinking I may throw down some plywood and have a platform for watching the sunset.
 
thinking of four 6v batteries thru an inverter and some solar panels to run the stuff in the trailer.
Nothing is in stone yet. still planning and dreaming.
 
You're gonna have a hell of a time getting the smell out. You need a new floor at a bare minimum.
 
arse_sidewards said:
You're gonna have a hell of a time getting the smell out. You need a new floor at a bare minimum.
Click to expand...

Who cares? The horses were only in the back area. Isn’t that where your toys will be? Besides horse manure isn’t very smelly, so it’ll fade fast. I don’t think you’ll notice it.
 
Have a friend that converted one of those. Works perfect for him. I have looked at them before, the ones I saw seemed pricey for the initial buy in.
Look at the parking heaters for heat. I put one in my truck camper for boondocking and love it. This guy gives the best overview of them.

How long do you plan to stay out? Water, black/grey water, food storage ect eats up a lot of room and weight. Your probably going to want an awning of some sort.

I am guessing you will want some solar power to help with the batterys.

Do you have axle weights ect? Not being the weight police here, just being practical so you know about how much weight capacity you have to work with. My truck/truck camper fully loaded is 14k plus I pull a 14k equipment trailer with the toys.

Knowing weights will help you size your fresh water tank and where you may want to put the heavy stuff. Looks like those axles are pretty far back so you may need to juggle weights to keep your pin weight down.

I am reworking an old boat trailer and running into similar issues on a smaller scale.

I am looking forward to your build.
 
+1 on the parking heater. Love it. Doesn't use much fuel and easy on the batteries.

I run 4 6V's, my only complaint is they really don't like cold.

Get a commercial/Residential sized solar panel. WAY more efficient than the 12V ones. Mine is 465W, 42V, the MPPT controller likes the higher voltage.

Showers eat a lot of water, fast.

My "grey tank" is a jug under the sink. Helps keep track of use. If your only boondocking, you can just run a hose thru the floor. But they you have water by the entry etc. My fresh tank is 30gal, it lasts a long time wo/ showers. I use a different 2.5G jug for drinking.
 
So the plan is to have some solar panels and 4 6v batteries, I don't know much about solar controllers yet.
An awning is a must.
I just got a shower pan and walls of of craigslist. I'll decide where to put it then build a bathroom around it. I'm trying to keep the slant wall but it's looking like it needs to be modified to fit the shower where the wife wants it.
Since the axles are set back I'm trying to keep the weight toward the back, like water tank, black and grey water tanks. I saw a 40 gallon fresh water tank on CL, might check on that.
Google says the GVWR is 12k depending on where you look.
I also need to plan for cabinets for storage of stuff.

I'm thinking about one of those on demand water heaters that run on propane and D batteries.

I started taking floor boards out. I think the one against the wall where the back end of the horses were is the most stinky. If I remove that one then move the rest over It should be ok on the smell, and there was some muck between the edge of the board and the wall. If I clean it all up, coat the frame and cross pieces with POR15 I should be good Plus I plan to cover them with plywood.

Here's a pic of 3 planks removed.

Floor boards.jpg


When I tried to park the trailer next to my house I found the roof is in the was. So I cut the eve and moved it back.

Cut roof.jpg
Facia board.jpg


Yea, watch out for the meter.
 
I have a rear door and frame from a toy hauler, probably tanks too, I'll get measurements if you're interested
 
Projectjunkie said:
I have a rear door and frame from a toy hauler, probably tanks too, I'll get measurements if you're interested
Click to expand...

Dang, I was in Tucson yesterday.
Yes that would be great. Might save me from making a new gate. Pics would be great if it's not too much trouble.
 
Solar controller, MPPT, yes they cost more, but they are way more efficient. Run higher voltage larger panels. Again more efficient.

I have an on demand HWT, not the one you mention, but probably similar. Its great for endless showers, sucks for everything else. You waste a lot of water waiting for it to heat up.
 
Well. since I have the floor out might as well install a lift kit since I have full access to the welds holding it all together. When I say lift kit I mean some rectangular tube I found at the metal store.

Lift kit.jpg

Got a couple of pieces of 3x8 rectangular tube, had to join them to make the length right. This makes a 5 inch lift on the torsion axles.
More to come as I do a little grinding and welding this weekend.
 
GLTHFJ60 said:
Planning on welding it all in, or drilling/bolting?
Click to expand...

Welding.
I read thru your trailer build thread and now I know why you asked.
Currently mine has a 3x3 square tube welded between the axles and the frame. I'm gonna cut those out and replace with 3x8 rectangular tube and add some bracing for the lateral load.
 
I started with grinder and a cut off wheel and ended up using a torch to cut the axles from the frame. What a total PITA that was.
IMG_20210213_191514.jpg
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Got the front axle in place and measured cross ways and every other way to be sure it was straight and square then tacked it in place. You can see the 5 inch lift here.

IMG_20210213_194652.jpg
 
The pics make it look easy but crawling around on the ground, grinding overhead with a 7 inch grinder and cleaning up the axles to get ready to weld freakin wore me out.

I'm happy with the progress though.
 
That's a lot of lift! Nice work dude. Grinding/welding overhead blows hard. Seems like that's the route I'm going to go as well.
 
is there no suspension setup on all horse trailers? guess that keeps them from getting "bounced" or something?

cool build. I like the chopping of the house to fit the trailer :laughing:
 
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