Enclosing a HF 4x8 trailer

[redkow97]

Please talk me out of this, or confirm that it's a decent idea.

I started to think about enclosing my Harbor Freight folding 4x8 on the 14 hour drive home from the Herrin Compound in GA.  Because it was late January or early February, the roads near home were covered with salt dust, as was my bike when I got it home.  Upon uncovering it this spring, it was a crusty rusty mess - no real damage, mind you, but a hassle to clean up, and something I'd like to avoid in the future.

So, as a 14 hour drive is likely to allow, I began brain-storming ways to enclose the trailer in the future.  This would be extra beneficial to me now that I have a hitch on my car, because I would previously sleep in my wife's SUV (the new SUV doesn't have a hitch yet).  I can easily fold down the seats and fit an air mattress in the SUV, but no way I can sleep in my car - so sleeping in the trailer is an appealing option.

General thoughts:

Weight is a huge factor here.  The trailer capacity is 1100 lbs., and i'm definitely going to have a 150 lbs. bike on it, and probably 250 more lbs. of cooler and canopies.  Everything else should fit in the car itself, but that is already pushing half my cargo capacity, and adding towing weight to the corolla...   I figure sides/roof/frame need to weigh 250 or less.  Preferably under 200.

With this in mind, the plan would be to get 4 sheets of some sort of thin paneling (the type of stuff that was in my parents living room instead of drywall).  use two 4x8 sections for walls, one for the roof, and cut one in half for the front and rear.  If aluminum sheeting is affordable and light-weight enough, I would consider that as well.

The roof and rear section would be removable.  Then I can load/unload standing completely upright, install the rear section, and slide the top onto the whole contraption.  I figure securing it with box latches, or even ratchet-straps is sturdy enough.  Because it's going to have to be thin paneling, I expect to build a ladder-frame for the sides and roof.  That would be out of 1x3's or possibly angle-aluminum.  That's all just to add some rigidity and ensure it doesn't collapse under wind-loads while towing.

If I'm going to do this, I would also try to find some cheap (scavenged) RV windows and I'm thinking the door from a pop-up camper would work.  Initially, I had planned to put the door on the rear section, but I think it makes more sense to frame it into the curb-side.

Then I install some simple battery-powered LEDs on the bottom of the roof, and I have a nice little space to sleep on an air mattress, with full weather protection, and windows for a cross-breeze if I want.  I can also throw a tarp over the top and stake down the corners to create covered space for shoes, etc, or just stick them under the trailer in a tupperware container (which is where my riding gear is stored anyway).

 

The plan is also to NOT sacrifice the folding functionality, so it has to come apart relatively easily.  Wing-nuts?  Cotter pins? I would store the sides and roof in my garage or shed, then fold up the trailer like always...

 

Am i nuts, or does this sound like an okay plan?

[Bad324]

So I'll read this whole post later but before my Dad bought our enclosed 6x12, he turned our jet ski trailer in to an enclosed trailer just big enough to fit his ElectraGlide in to for when he would trailer it down to Florida for the winter

[redkow97]

I'm really just not sure how much weight it will add...  And windows won't be light either.  I'm going for sparse, efficient, but not shoddy...

[Tonik]

I think you are going to be way over weight. I realize you want to fold it up, but you can get a brand new single bike enclosed trailer for a grand.

[redkow97]

6 minutes ago, Tonik said:

I think you are going to be way over weight. I realize you want to fold it up, but you can get a brand new single bike enclosed trailer for a grand.

Yeah, but then I have to store it somewhere. 

The new tow vehicle will pull 5,000 lbs., so a 6x12 v-nose would be totally doable at some point, but I'm not sure where I would keep it.  I can fit a car through the gate next to my house.  I assume it's 8' wide. 

[Bad324]

you can make work if you just want to fit the bike in it and some stuff around it. To make it camp-able I'm with Tonik, would be too much

Edited June 16, 2016 by Bad324

[JackFlash]

 

A sheet of 1/2" plywood is 40.6 lbs, 3/8" 28.5,

and 1/4" 22 lbs.

I'm also considering building sides and a top

for my 5 X 10.  It's good for about a ton of weight.

.

 

[2talltim]

To me it sounds like a terrible idea. Those HF trailers are great for what they are but if you start engineering something like this I think its going to be a bigger pain than it's worth.  

[RHill]

Know where you are coming from with this, twice I've been transporting with my open trailer in terrible conditions with tons of salt buildup after the snow melted off.

The removable top is an interesting idea, but I think you would lose a lot of the structure and have to come up with some good securing methods to make up for it.  Ratchet strap around could work but that just seems like a lot of work for what it is(whole project is as well, but the ratchet straps are a continuous use thing).  Just to throw out a slightly different idea, what if the front half of the roof was permanently mounted, while the rear half was removable?  Give you more structure on the front and sides, while still giving you better access inside.  You could probably get away with U channel on both sides acting as guides for the removable section of the roof.  Add a single strap to maintain the distance between the walls so the roof couldn't fall or be sucked out.  Depending on the wood thickness you go with, may have to add ribs for rigidity.

Think the disassemble requirement will make this a very difficult project.  Similar to the saying "cheap, fast, high quality....you can only have 2", you are looking for strong, light and modular.

 

I just went with a $30 tent takes about 10 minutes to set up on a bad day. Only drawback, it takes up space in the car.

[Bad324]

also, in the event you are doing it just for snow and salt, why not just have an option available to add plywood front and sides. Won't completely solve it but would certainly help

[RHill]

https://akroncanton.craigslist.org/for/5649377857.html

 

damnit, I keep trying to link a photo, but it disappears.  Anyway it is a 4x8x4' enclosed harbor freight trailer.

Edited June 29, 2016 by Isaac's Papa
Removed a photo. Can't fix the real issue. Poor Ryan. :(