Trailer Storage

[CID]

My small class C motorhome doesn't have much storage space, just a small 3' x 3' x 18" 'hole'. I'm single and was able to make do in 2018 when I took a 38,295 mile trip that spanned 7 months across the United States (including Alaska) and 14,000 miles through Canada, including Yellowknife. #drivin'.

But that was just a 'drive' trip, now I have the Talon and need more room for 'stuff'.

Best pic I have of both although the red '20 Talon has been replaced with a white '21 (the fastest color)(story elsewhere). The puny lil storage area is under the rear window.

Headed way up north for Yellowknife, Northwest Territory -

As all y'all know, SxSs have a fair amount of room underneath so why not put 'stuff' there?

Simple but sturdy corners, I used nylocks for final assembly so some neer-do-well couldn't disassemble it and steal my 'stuff' while I'm away from camp.

The 7' length was determined by the location of the two 15 gallon aux. gas tanks up front, one on each side -

And the clearance in the back, a guess and by golly -

Before -

After (half way on, like above) -

The doors had to get painted because they're not exterior plywood, I don't know if I'll paint the pine since I'm north of 70, the trailer is garaged and the pine will probably outlast me.

The doors folded a bit further after I cut the longish hinge bolts off. The Talon is about 1/2 a tire wider on each side than the fenders (parking limitations), necessitating the fender steps.

I got a little greedy with the dimensions and had to notch the far end for the trailing arms. I ended up adding 2" x 6"s to raise the Talon 1-1/2", it was just too tight to the box. It's 48" wide and 46" would have made my life a bit easier but prototyping has its pitfalls. I squeezed the height because I want to hide two 6 gallon boat tanks (upper left) inside and I'll still have to notch the doors for the handles and gas caps.

Six of these are holding it down ...

similar to this.

 

[Admin]

 

[JenElio]

My small class C motorhome doesn't have much storage space, just a small 3' x 3' x 18" 'hole'. I'm single and was able to make do in 2018 when I took a 38,295 mile trip that spanned 7 months across the United States (including Alaska) and 14,000 miles through Canada, including Yellowknife. #drivin'.

But that was just a 'drive' trip, now I have the Talon and need more room for 'stuff'.

Best pic I have of both although the red '20 Talon has been replaced with a white '21 (the fastest color)(story elsewhere). The puny lil storage area is under the rear window.
View attachment 261801

Headed way up north for Yellowknife, Northwest Territory -
View attachment 261804

As all y'all know, SxSs have a fair amount of room underneath so why not put 'stuff' there?
View attachment 261808

Simple but sturdy corners, I used nylocks for final assembly so some neer-do-well couldn't disassemble it and steal my 'stuff' while I'm away from camp.
View attachment 261806

The doors had to get painted because they're not exterior plywood, I don't know if I'll paint the pine since I'm north of 70, the trailer is garaged and the pine will probably outlast me.
View attachment 261812

The doors folded a bit further after I cut the longish hinge bolts off. The Talon is about 1/2 a tire wider on each side than the fenders (parking limitations), necessitating the fender steps.
View attachment 261815

I got a little greedy with the dimensions and had to notch the far end for the trailing arms. I ended up adding 2" x 6"s to raise the Talon 1-1/2", it was just too tight to the box. It's 48" wide and 46" would have made my life a bit easier but prototyping has its drawbacks. I squeezed the height because I want to hide two 6 gallon boat tanks (upper left) inside and I'll still have to notch the doors for the handles and gas caps.
View attachment 261818

Six of these are holding it down ...
View attachment 261820

similar to this.
View attachment 261822

@CID that's awesome man!! Are you putting a bottom in the box?

 

[CID]

@CID that's awesome man!! Are you putting a bottom in the box?

Thanks, Dude.

Because of tight clearances for the two boat tanks and rust concerns about trapped moisture, not at this time. If dust becomes an issue I'll buy a cheap Harbor Fright plastic tarp and use it since I can remove it to let things dry out. The Echo trailer bed has a sandy traction surface that will chew up some things so I'll have to pad stuff that needs protecting. ETA: I've since found that flattened cardboard boxes work great as a bottom and are quickly replaceable as they get torn up.

 

[JenElio]

Thanks, Dude.

Because of tight clearances for the two boat tanks and rust concerns about trapped moisture, not at this time. If dust becomes an issue I'll buy a cheap Harbor Fright plastic tarp and use it since I can remove it to let things dry out. The Echo trailer bed has a sandy traction surface that will chew up some things so I'll have to pad stuff that needs protecting.

That's sweet! That's a great DIY idea 👍

 

[CID]

Not wanting to drill dozens of holes through my new trailer's powder coating and every trip having a potentially different gear load, I wanted moveable tiedown points. This is what I came up with. I put a couple of layers of duct tape on the top piece so it won't chew up the paint any more than necessary.

An example of how they'll be used.

The first 10 'top halves' I made by hammering in a vice. Hammer, trial fit, hammer, trial fit ... It took forever. When it came time for a few more, I came up with this idea. Once I got the angle ground right, I just clamped in the vise, bent til it hit on the vice jaw, rotate piece, bend the other side and did all 10 pieces, 20 bends, in about 10 minutes. Very happy with the labor/time saving gizmo. The 18" handle bent the 1-1/2" x 1/8" steel strap like butter.

This angle -

 

[CRob8348]

Looks like you put a little thought in to this By the way, I love your signature quote!! Single guy here too.

 

[CID]

Looks like you put a little thought in to this By the way, I love your signature quote!! Single guy here too.

Single ROCKS.

I changed the F word to 'hell' for the family friendly version.

 

[CID]

A few follow-up photos showing the Talon on the trailer and why I could/should have made it 2" narrower but you don't know those things when yer prototyping and why I'm including so many photos and measurements.

The end panels are 48" wide, 11" tall across the middle 2' tapering down to 9" tall on the sides (side panels are 8-1/4" tall, the doors are 3/4" thick = 9"). Please note that this is too tall and I had to add 2x6s to all 4 corners to raise the Talon but I wanted room for the two boat tanks inside, I got caught between a rock and a hard place.

Front - (51" I.D. across tires) (and flush with the A-arms)

Right front -

Left front -

Rear - (52" I.D. across tires) - showing that I had to notch for the trailing arms (expected) but that went away when I raised all 4 corners.

Left rear - (also showing 1/2" Trail Armor trailing arm skids)

Right rear -

Side view-

 

[oldfortyfive]

Nice....I did something similar. Had friend make me a coffin looking box that I slide under my p500.

 

[CID]

No matter how much storage you think you have, it will fill up. Just home from a 3 month trip and the box was a huge success IMO.

 

[CID]

More info - the original box location was determined by the A-arms in front with the Talon's Dirt Road Fabrication bed extender/spare tire positioned all the way back against the raised tailgate - I couldn't go further back to help control tongue weight with a full load of fuel. On the first part of my trip I came up with a way to move the buggy back, extend the tailgate holding straps. This would give me much more wiggle room when carrying a full fuel load, 47 gallons at this time.

All I had to do was extend the holding straps with additional holes at 2" on center.

1-1/2" x 3//16" strap cut to length for 4 extra holes (3 was probably enough but ya never know that). Always round yer corners, it looks better and you won't gouge yerself when you forget they stick out now.

Painted all pritty 'n s*** -

Original rearward limitation and good for 250 lb. TW without fuel up front.

New rearward limitation -

This newfound mounting freedom raised another issue, now the box was too far forward to allow mounting the two 15 gallon gas jugs tight to the A-arms. I had thought that I had the box as far back as was possible while still not hitting the back edge when loading. But any gain would be worth the effort so I jumped in thinking I'd be lucky to gain 6" rearward but, much to my surprise, I was able to go back 17" - that's huge when you consider the Talon's engine is in the rear and any rearward movement behind the trailer axle would be A LOT.

This is how the back edge of the box sat before moving it and why I thought I'd be lucky to gain 6". Doesn't look like it but 17" worked. This is loading, the Talon is up against the fender steps so it goes straight up from here.

This shows that I have about another foot before the front edge of the box will interfere with strapping the 15 gallon jugs to the A-arms. I'm at 250 lbs. tongue weight here (my target) with 17 gallons of gas and 7 gallons of water, lots of room to move back for adding 30 gallons and keeping the 250 lb. TW (RV limitations).

 

[oldfortyfive]

I have a friend in the aluminum welding business and he made this for me. I slide it under my P500 once on the trailer.

 

[CID]

Full fuel load plus 7 gallons of drinking water and my HighLift jack resulted in 210 lb. tongue weight, a bit light but this setup towed well; I can always move the Talon forward if necessary. Remember my driving force - the RV's recommended tongue weight is 350 lbs. and most class C's have scabbed on frame extensions welded in place by weldors of unknown certifications. I want as much cushion as safely possible.

It looked like this -

Cleared the tailgate using only the first of 4 holes I added. Tonight I cut off one of them so I'll stop snagging myself so often.

 

[PJon]

nice work there CID.