Well, I abandoned my idea of turning my little cargo trailer into a mini-camper, and bought, instead, a former Coleman pop-up that had been converted into a 7x10 full-height box. Since it lost its identity two owners ago, I had to get it weighed as part of the process of getting a new VIN assigned, so I took it over to the local waste transfer station. I could not believe it still weighs almost 1800 pounds, when it was rated at 1875 when it was a fully equipped pop-up! I mean, it no longer has the bedroom ends, the table and long couch have been removed, as has the little box right inside the door. So there's almost nothing still there and it still is almost too heavy, given that I have to add insulation, some sort of wall covering, and also a thin waterproof shell for the outside. The framing for the box is 2x2s (actually 1 1/2 x 1 1/2) and 1/4" OSB, which I wouldn't think would weigh that much. What gives, I wonder?
Does it really weigh that much?
- Thread starter DBinMI
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Sometimes the manufacturers stated values can’t be trusted.
OSB is a heavy material. It is not typically used in the sidewalls of RVs. A 4’x8’ sheet of 1/4” OSB weighs 32lbs. With the extra framing and the OSB it sounds about right for getting the weight back up that high.
If you still have the cargo trailer return to that concept. Resell the popup trailer.
bullfrog !
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lol!!! And people get mad at me for telling them to weigh and test drive before buying! t
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Ouch!
Tony's Dream
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If you have ever worked on a camper, you will see there is more styrafoam then wood in your walls. Everything is the lightest materials they can get away with. Almost everything is glued together.
I thought about building my own camper years ago. I wanted to build it like a house, solid and sound. It doesn't take much to be overweight.
I thought about building my own camper years ago. I wanted to build it like a house, solid and sound. It doesn't take much to be overweight.
DB, you are free to do what you determine is best, but if I were you, I would consider selling off the FrankenCamper and cutting your losses.
Those trailers (as manufactured) inherently do not have much (if any) ability to handle overweight conditions.
The axle, the springs, the spring hangars, the bearings, wheels, tires, and most importantly, the frame, are all going to be under stress if the total weight goes above the factory ratings.
When you add batteries, water, food, camping fuels, supplies, etc etc, I am sure it will blow right past the ratings.
Trouble waiting to happen. Or so it seems to me.
Those trailers (as manufactured) inherently do not have much (if any) ability to handle overweight conditions.
The axle, the springs, the spring hangars, the bearings, wheels, tires, and most importantly, the frame, are all going to be under stress if the total weight goes above the factory ratings.
When you add batteries, water, food, camping fuels, supplies, etc etc, I am sure it will blow right past the ratings.
Trouble waiting to happen. Or so it seems to me.
bullfrog !
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^^^ I agree, even stock small tire/wheel tent campers have a reputation of short lived tires when being towed at today’s highway speeds. Many owners carry extra spares on longer trips.
Considering that when towing a trailer on the interstate highways you will be often be in the far right “truck” lane the tires will indeed take a lot of punishment from the typically rougher surfaces in that lane.
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