Trailer building...anyone??

[S&S_Work_Saws]

So I needed a trailer years ago and didn't have much money at the time. I scored a $150 camper. Stripped it, added a deck and a gang box, some paint and lights and for the next 10 years had a great trailer for hauling materials. I just recently sold that trailer for $1,200. Not bad for my original investment.





So now I'm back in the market for a trailer but have decided Id like to go gooseneck or fifth wheel this time and I'd like to locate or build a 32' ish flatbed. Anyone ever had any luck building that big of a trailer from scratch or modifying a fifth wheel camper? As of right now I have two options. A fifth wheel camper or a gooseneck car hauler that got the box partially burnt but the frame wasn't really affected. Either way the box will have to be stripped off of the frame and a flatbed deck installed. Both options are super cheap as a starting point.
Any experience anyone or opinions on which route to take??

 

[Yukon Stihl]

Going off the pictures I would pick the box trailer. It’s a Tridem which is nice.
Striping it should. Easier and better scrap value for disposal

 

[Mack 880]

Just out of curiosity, are you going to be able to insure the trailer after you build it?

 

[redline4]

@davidwyby

 

[Bill G]

The one you built looks excellent. I have never known campers to have that great of frames but I guess I must be wrong.

 

[davidwyby]

Whichever has the taller heavier frame. Usually RV frames are flimsy. How much weight you gonna put on it?

 

[Mad Professor]

I've got an S10 bed on a smallnboat trailer.

 

[Dustin4185]

Whichever has the taller heavier frame. Usually RV frames are flimsy. How much weight you gonna put on it?

This! RVs are train wrecks!

 

[Dustin4185]

I would go with the box trailer. RVs are sketchy when they’re new! The box trailer looks like it was at least designed to haul some weight. I’ve built smaller utility trailers, and modified several other trailers, but never one this big.

 

[LAWN BOY]

I built a utility trailer out of a speed boat trailer last year.
That one you built and sold look pretty dang good.
I agree with Yukon Stihl that you should get the box trailer rather than the camper.
I agree with Bill that I have not known campers to have very heavy duty frames.

 

[thompsoncustom]

What are you doing with the trailer? If building a car hauler I would make a tandem axle tilting airbag trailer wouldn't be hard to build and could be made out of a parts trailer you find and if your someone that likes building things I assume you'll enjoy designing it.

If your loading it down with 10k+ for heavy equipment than a triple axle would be a better approach.

 

[jblnut]

I have built a few trailers over the years and a few of them have been out of camper frames. A camper frame is not nearly heavy enough to haul much other than a side by side or two. The couple camper trailers I built were going to be used for exactly that.

I helped built a 36’ triple axle gooseneck a while back and we started with a trailer house frame. That worked very well but was still a relatively light trailer.

It all depends on what your time is worth and what you’re going to haul. If you’re looking for a project I’d say go with the enclosed trailer. It’ll be way more sound when you’re done as it was likely built to haul some actual weight when it was new.

Have you looked at factory built gooseneck flatbeds ? I recently purchased a 32’ straight deck with tandem 12k axles for $7500 that is in pretty nice shape. Not a lot of rust anywhere and brand new tires. Not a bad buy in my book.