6x10 Cargo Trailer Conversion. Heated and now with AC

Here is our 6x10 Cargo Trailer To Camper conversion.
We "finished" it back in 2017 and have taken it all over. At the time this video was uploaded we have been using it for 3 years and still love it!
We have Queen size bed and 2x 24”x 69” beds for the kids
The PROPEX furnace works great, we have used it in temperatures as low as 3 deg and it has kept the camper at the set temperature of 65 deg. Even before the solar was installed we used the heater for a week without discharging the batteries.
Nothing used in this build was sponsored.
I plan on adding AC at some point. For now, camping in Colorado we have had no need for it.
UPDATE 4/23/20
Started adding AC to the trailer. video coming soon
UPDATE 4/26/20
Video to AC setup • Custom Air Conditionin...

[@mjremy2605]

4:30 - OMG, that lake!! Turquoise blue, stunning! Where is that? Could you swim in it? Too cold? The Japanese call this 'forest bathing'. All green and blue tranquility, so lovely. Wonderful wood working skills. Loved the bed frames and shelving, very nicely done! Your kids will have priceless memories! Remember the old GMC Motorhome bunk beds that folded up against the wall? Gave kids a real sense of camping and adventure. Those were light and functional and not sure why we don't have those anymore in modern RVs.

[@shipdog44]

Good job and thanks for the video! Nobody ever shows driving on the trails with their trailer, nice touch. Enjoy!

[@davrelltien7416]

Toilet and shower in a tent. Nice solution

[@felixcat9318]

What a thoughtful and well considered build out this is. You've created a lovely, warm and comfortable Travel Cabin for your family to enjoy off grid camping, which is really neat and very nicely done. Subscribed.

[@mattinthehat22]

Nice trailer. Nice editing. Nice short video without 1/2hr of explaining. Awesome 1st gen Taco!!

[@oscarmike4596]

Thank you for the water crossing footage Loved seeing how it performed off road

[@RICKY760]

Awesome thank you for sharing! I am 70% done with my 6x10

[@MrJoey1570]

Love the woodwork and the carpeted walls!!

[@leem200]

Love it and if I had children this would ne perfect. It looks brand new still. Great design and it holds up.

[@kj5190]

Nice. I'm working on my 6x12 v-nose. 3 boys so I made fold down bunks on the sides. Fold down so I can haul my 6 kayaks as well. Working on my solar and ac before we take it out again.

[@tasaman]

Fantastic build. Saving for inspiration.

[@SmokyMountainBlessed]

This is great because it gets y’all out camping and exploring

[@justkeeponmoving7727]

You did a really good job.

[@Tsiri09]

spectacular and professional job.

[@kevinc5801]

Awesome picture at end

[@jamiesmith1343]

REALLY nice setup. Thank you for showing your rig. It's WONDERFUL, and looks like fun to camp in!

[@elizion6748]

i know im randomly asking but does anybody know a way to get back into an instagram account? I stupidly forgot the login password. I would appreciate any tricks you can give me!

[@billyhamza5066]

@Eli Zion Instablaster ;)

[@elizion6748]

@Billy Hamza thanks for your reply. I got to the site on google and im waiting for the hacking stuff now. Seems to take quite some time so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@elizion6748]

@Billy Hamza It did the trick and I now got access to my account again. I'm so happy! Thank you so much, you really help me out :D

[@billyhamza5066]

@Eli Zion you are welcome :)

[@carolynhogan6816]

Your trailer is awesome!

[@calebkimbrough9627]

Thank you!

[@supersnoopy73]

Great job! I don’t comment on much but that is a great design using all the space

[@rogerpedrosa1854]

wow cool set up

[@northamericansojourner4736]

Well done man. Thanks

[@stephenhunter6507]

Wow I LOVE this build. Mine will just be a 5x8x4 but I'd like to borrow some of your elements.

[@DavidHernandez-ft8gy]

Love it!

[@tedorrino3821]

Propex great heater. Worth every penny

[@calebkimbrough9627]

Absolutely! Love it

[@labcoattheater6161]

Nice job. I am starting a 5x10 in about 2 months. Trailer on order!

[@freedomring4813]

Tap the green circle and check mine out ,you might get some ideas.

[@michaeltablet8577]

Excellent!

[@johni6138]

Nice job. I'd like to do something like that. I like the auto carpet on the walls idea..seems like it would be good for soundproofing and insulation. Beautiful scenery, where is it?

[@calebkimbrough9627]

John I thanks. Its a mix of different places some up in Colorado and some down south Louisiana

[@JonniesJourney]

Great job. You've got a great setup.

[@calebkimbrough9627]

Thanks

[@FortWildernessRicky]

Nice 👍

[@JurassicJordan808]

I have a trailer about the same size I'm actually thinking it may be the same make. Except mine has the ramp back door. I think I might do the same set up Except where the kids bed and couch are ill put a shower and a sink n cooker top. Great build looks cozy!!

[@calebkimbrough9627]

Shower would be nice. Im not a fan of a stove in a camper but in some cases it’s nice to have. Dont forget to have a storage area. The upper bunk is the storage shelf when driving.

[@ojorojo8283]

Did you install the side door RV style latch yourself? If so, would you mind letting us know where it was purchased from? Thanks for the great video.

[@calebkimbrough9627]

Ojo Rojo I sure didn’t. It was on the trailer when I purchased it.

[@mamamacgyver5401]

Thx for sharing. Where do you get all the parts you added, from the fuse box to the windows?

[@felixcat9318]

Fusebox is a Blue Sea Systems product, very good quality components.

[@marissaalfaro3648]

I love it

[@cbpuzzle]

Build a ply v nose box or foam and fiberglass v nose for big fuel savings and more storage.

[@margemargie9891]

nice.

[@anthonyfrank8200]

Great build!!! Do the trailers tires line up with the trucks lines?

[@calebkimbrough9627]

No. Trailer track is wider

[@brucenellis2780]

Where did you buy those jacks at the rear of your camper,, great idea !!

[@calebkimbrough9627]

etrailer.com

[@mico26az]

That's a great trailer thanks for sharing!! How much did it cost you to biukd ??

[@calebkimbrough9627]

I probably have $5k or less on it

[@Luckie-fm6np]

Great Build, waiting for the end of Armageddon to get a cargo trailer myself for the family of 4. Two questions if you don't mind: 1) Looking back would you keep the 6x10 or go up to 6x12? I'm looking at a 6x10 for the smallest and lightest footprint possible (while still being able to stand up straight) but an extra 2 feet could go a long way... 2) What lift kit did you go with for the trailer? Really want the same "offroad" capability in my build. \ Hope to see more vids on it.

[@calebkimbrough9627]

Hey thanks! 1) There are times that extra 2' would be nice for some storage, but then we hit some trails and I'm really glad we don't have that extra 2'. My main goal for this was to have a comfortable/safe place to sleep, haul our stuff, ability to go off-road, and light enough for my small truck to tow. I'm really happy with it! 2) This trailer came with a drop axle and, because it's a cargo trailer, had stiff springs. I installed a straight axle and just some springs rated for less weight. It keeps the camper from bouncing all over the place. I plan on adding larger tires and shocks. I will also be adding brakes. Don't need for road use, but I've been on some steep slick trails and the trailer has pushed me sideways.

[@K9River]

I have a 6X12, aluminum cargo trailer with a v nose. 1400# empty. 3400# completely loaded. I would love a Tacoma, but 3400 pounds would be a lot. Doable, but maxed out. A half ton like a Tundra would be good. I have a 3/4 ton and like the stopping power. It tows better, too, but a half ton with helper springs would solve that.

[@michaelfishkin4332]

Cool

[@CharlesButler]

Hi Caleb really liked your video, I have a couple of questions, I am really new at this so please bare with me. I purchased a 7x14 cargo trailer and it currently has solar, however, the previous owner only put 1 outlet inside. It has 1 12v battery, and 1500W Cen-Tech power inverter with a 3,000-watt surge. I would like to add 4 more outlets in the trailer and a couple of more LED lights. I am going to install an AC unit but that's it. No fridge, no TV, just 4 more outlets for Charging laptops, or cell phone, shaver, and possible shower. I do want to get another battery so i will have Parallel connections. The solar panel is so small its like a size of a picture frame mounted on top of the box in front of the trailer. Now I can plug the trailer to the RV outlet since it has a plugin from the outside. My question is do I need a bigger solar panel? Is my inverter big enough? I am only using the trailer 2 times per month. Thank you for your advice.

[@calebkimbrough9627]

Charles Butler an easy way to understand is to picture the battery as a water tank and the load is how much water is flowing out and solar is how much flowing in. In perfect conditions 100w solar into the battery and a 100w out (being used) should maintain. If you are using more but not for extended time the battery (tank) can hold for some time. The amount of outlets doesn’t matter its the amount of load on them. Charging a laptop shouldn’t pull much. The small panel you mentioned is probably only enough to keep a trickle charge. The inverter should be plenty for that. Im only using a 400w for that purpose and has been fine.

[@SuperBroncos33]

Thanks for the really fun, informative, well-done video! I am getting ready to order a 6x10 cargo trailer now and have some questions about the best trailer suspension. (No used trailers available unfortunately, but that does give us the advantage of ordering what we want.) • Torsion axle vs Springs? I can order with either. I notice that many of the beautiful little camper trailers on the market tout torsion axles. Other differentiating factors aside, any thoughts on which is likely to give us the best and safest ride as we tow (i.e. stability/least bouncing)? Talking to multiple trailer dealers has not clarified that for me. Trailer specs: Curb weight: 905 lb, GVWR 3500 lb with brakes, (Payload capacity 1995), axle capacity 3500 lb. We’ll definitely be adding some weight with the conversion and gear, but I want to try and keep total loaded weight under 2,000 pounds loaded. (I note your comments about modifying your trailer with shocks and softer springs.) • Axle clearance: With the torsion axle they offer clearances of 7, 9, 11 and 13”. Thoughts? I will be towing with a Rav4 AWD Adventure/Trail (towing capacity 3500 in the US/Canada) so want to be aware of the height profile. Likely most of or travels will be highway as we visit family and friends, but we do hope to do some dirt-road BLM boondocking. (I also note your comments about balancing suspension lift with trailer profile for towing.) It looks to me like the lifted option on the Happier Camper for example increases axle clearance from 8.5 to 10". Thanks for any thoughts!

[@calebkimbrough9627]

Sorry it took so long to reply to you. I really want to put some small truck leaf springs and shocks. Give a little more suspension travel. I installed lighter weigh springs cause im never close to what the trailer is rated to carry and it helps a lot with keeping the trailer from bouncing in the air when off road. There are some good torsion axles out there. Id recommend build the trailer, load it up with all the gear, water you will need and have it weighed. Then calculate the springs based off that. Im not a professional at all but I hope that helps some.

[@SuperBroncos33]

@@calebkimbrough9627 Thanks for the input

[@rockymountainroughridersofMT.]

Nicely done !!!!! Are those outside utility lights on the trailer solar or 12volt ?

[@calebkimbrough9627]

They are 12v

[@rockymountainroughridersofMT.]

@@calebkimbrough9627 Thanks, much appreciated.

[@grinch5x04]

Where was that water crossing. It looks like the road going up to Webster Pass near montezuma, but i know a lot of spots in Colorado look very similar.

[@calebkimbrough9627]

It was up around St Elmo

[@gregmacklem]

What is the inside height of the trailer? I am 6' 2" and want to be able to stand up straight. I want a shorter trailer but can't find one I can stand in.

[@calebkimbrough9627]

Its right at 68” in the center. Im 6’1” and yes I have to duck a little but its a small camper and im not really walking around in it so its not a problem. Trailer gets a bit taller once you lift it so weighing the two options of, it or a taller unit, this was the better option for me.

[@stephencostello1483]

🤙

[@tonynikon]

Nice job, but... How much time and money did you spend for the whole thing? I'm considering a tear drop or a small Falcon F Lite 14 and I'm reserching pro's, con's and so on.

[@calebkimbrough9627]

Not as much as you would think. Time was mostly spent figuring out the layout then making that work. I have less than $4k in the entire project. Including the trailer that I picked up used. Most expensive thing was the heater but well worth it.

[@CrusaderSports250]

@@calebkimbrough9627 people forget that you now have the space you want and any compromise was your decision, and if you find it not to your wishes you know how to change things, looks a good bit of kit with happy times built in.

[@moreno6claudia12]

Do you have a how to install the solar panel?

[@calebkimbrough9627]

Sorry, i dont. I was just bored with this quarantine and made a video of my build with videos and pictures I had. It wasn’t difficult though. Hardest part was getting the wires from panel to desired location after build. If building a camper, install the solar in the build process not after like i did.

[@wyattpaine5837]

what motor does that tacoma have? I want to do something similar

[@calebkimbrough9627]

w paine 3.4L v6

[@josephdowney4919]

I built a very similar cargo trailer conversion only I used a diesel heater instead of propane. Your title says you have AC now, what type of AC did you install?

[@calebkimbrough9627]

I have a video on it. I used a LG 5000 btu window unit under the bench.

[@dingoeezee4862]

how heavy is this trailer? can it be moved by hand into a tight space without killing my back? ive watched a lot of vids on these but yours is one of my prefered builds id like to try to duplicate. what springs and shackels did you use to raise it? how well does that ac work and do you think it would be enough for the desert? very nice thanks for sharing

[@calebkimbrough9627]

Thanks! I haven't weighed the trailer yet. If I take the batteries out the front you can move by hand, not sure with the ac now. To raise this trailer, I took out the drop axle and put a straight axle. The drop axle hung down and would drag on rocks all the time. I went with 2500 lbs springs vs the 3500. The trailer would bounce all over and you would have to drive real slow on rough roads with the 3500, now its no problem. I have plans on installing shocks as another project. I'm currently installing new wheels and tires so stayed tuned for that. The AC has been working great. It has only got up to 92 deg here in the deep south with humidity at 95% (Feels like 100+) or more and it will keep it in the low 60s with no problem. When I head back West ill see how it handles Moab, don't think it will be any problem.

[@tdlchef2011]

where did you get the lift for it?

[@calebkimbrough9627]

tdlchef2011 I took out the drop axle and put a straight axle. Got the parts from my local trailer parts house.

[@paulnorberg3869]

It looks as if your lead acid batteries are being vented into the living space. Is that true? Have you experienced any issues with that?

[@calebkimbrough9627]

There are vent holes in the floor of the battery compartment and its sealed when bunk is closed. I didnt plan on making the video when I built the trailer so some of the pictures used may not have been when i had it all completed. But good observation!

[@sashav8489]

Are campgrounds pretty accepting of this? This is exactly what I was looking for! Just beds inside so it's the optimal camping experience with a few luxuries of home!

[@calebkimbrough9627]

So far yes. We mostly go on BLM land but have been to a few campgrounds with no issues at all. Actually people in the camp ground love to take a look at it.

[@hikerJohn]

What brand trailer has that wide side door?

[@calebkimbrough9627]

Its a continental cargo

[@robertrook2714]

Love the idea but wish you would talk and explain as you go..

[@calebkimbrough9627]

I didnt plan on making a video when I built it. But got stuck at home during covid and did the best I could. I didn’t realize how many people would want the plans for it.

[@hgdon-homeiswheretreesare-9239]

Nature is wonderful thing: it takes care of itself.

[@dougrogillio2223]

What are the type & spec's on your rear stabilizer jacks?

[@calebkimbrough9627]

They have a 29 1/8” lift, rated at 2500 lbs. zinc coated. I got them from etrailer.com You can search their site with this Item code: MJSQ-2500B for all the specs. They work really well. Very happy with them. I wish the handles were removable but I could customize that later if a really want too.

[@dougrogillio2223]

Thank you so much. I was on the same site perusing them yesterday.....until my eyes crossed.

[@paulelliott682]

I HAVE AN OVERLANDER IDEA. INSTEAD OF PUTTING THE PULL-OUT FIELD KITCHEN INTHE BACK OF A SUV USE A 6X10 OR 6X12' TRAILER. IT WOULD EASILY HOLD THE REDARC TRAILER ASSIST, REDARC POWER SYSTEM AND THE FIELD KITCHEN. MY ? IS, WOULD IT WORK ? REDARC EDITION HAULMARK TRAILER ?

[@calebkimbrough9627]

Thats a good idea. I would think it would. I would see about the measurements

[@brianswezey724]

Very nice for your needs . I just have a dog and cat so my sleeping space is limited to me and a small girlfriend when I find one. If you want you can tap the blue circle with the B in it and watch the updated video of my conversion camper.

[@jamesreichert]

It says now with AC. Where and what kind? 12v, mini split, window AC??

[@calebkimbrough9627]

Its a 5000 btu window unit. kzbin.info/www/bejne/b52rZmCombiFpdU

[@calebkimbrough9627]

Sorry 6000 btu*

[@MiloPerrotti]

Why lie int the Heading? wheres the AC? That is the only reason i watched! I waited till the end, rude.

[@dennisburrill3260]

He didn't say he was going to show the AC everyone has different expectations

[@calebkimbrough9627]

I have a video with the ac. Take a look in my video’s section

[@Light84736]

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[@ellekimbrough6827]

Hey cousin. I might need help converting mine!!!