Boat trailer converted in to hauler?

[MarylandMark]

Anyone ever done this?

My boat sits on my lift most of its life. I was thinking since I have it, it is rated for good weight, etc; how hard would it be to have a flat bed built on it with side posts or some thing along those lines?

Could do double duty vs buying a utility trailer.

Old pic of boat on trailer- 2 bunks and the nose thing bunk.

 

[Sydwayz]

You might could haul a couple of 4 wheelers on it, but that would be it. The center of gravity would be way too high to haul a car on it or similar.

You will be so far into it ($ wise), that you could just buy a decent used single place car hauler or landscape trailer.

 

[MarylandMark]

I was thinking a couch, fridge, mattress, etc. Nothing long term or heavy duty. My truck sits pretty high on stock 20" rims and kind of sick of loading/unloading stuff on it. I had an enclosed 12 x 8 but sold it a few years back.

I think you are right about the $$$- figured I'd ask. 12 x 8 landscape "home made" is around $1K IIRC which isn't bad. Trailer- one of those things great to have when you need it but sits there and rots when you don't.

 

[Ratickle]

I was thinking a couch, fridge, mattress, etc. Nothing long term or heavy duty. My truck sits pretty high on stock 20" rims and kind of sick of loading/unloading stuff on it. I had an enclosed 12 x 8 but sold it a few years back.

I think you are right about the $$$- figured I'd ask. 12 x 8 landscape "home made" is around $1K IIRC which isn't bad. Trailer- one of those things great to have when you need it but sits there and rots when you don't.

But, if you convert it, you will definitely need it as soon as it's not there. Laws of nature or something....

 

[MarylandMark]

I was thinking like a box that fit over the bunks- like an upside down U sort of. Then rails like a stake body truck and maybe some heavy duty ratcheting straps to hold it to the bunks.

I'm moving soon and the idea popped in my head. Plus I'd like to get some more miles on my boat trailer- nothing worse than sitting there rotting away.

 

[Heavyhauler]

Mark,

You could use some 4x4's and long u-bolts to attach them to the frame to get a surface leveled up and then put a floor on them that would suffice to haul furniture, but by the time you get it all put together it will be heavy if you take it off in one piece. If you need a enclosed trailer, I have 2 of them sitting here, and you are welcome to use one if you want to take it back with you in August when you are down here and you can return it next time you come back to the beach.

 

[sledge]

12 x 8

12' bunks? Torsion axles?
3 sheets of 3/4"x4x8 spread across the bunks. Use at least 1 perhaps 2 12-16' long 2"x12" in parallel to the bunks as additional supports and to screw the plywood down to. Ubolts/L brackets, whatever you come up with to hold the 2x12s down. Remember to strap cargo to the trailer. You might be able to throw a small sheet down forward of the bunks also, if you're concerned about tongue weight.

 

[Buoy]

Is it just me, or does this have "redneck" written all over it.

I need to see pics of this when you get it completed.
Preferably with you standing in front of it wearing a wife-beater, with a PBR in hand, and a ball cap.:sifone::biggrinjester:

 

[Ratickle]

Is it just me, or does this have "redneck" written all over it.

I need to see pics of this when you get it completed.
Preferably with you standing in front of it wearing a wife-beater, with a PBR in hand, and a ball cap.:sifone::biggrinjester:

That's what I was thinking. Just buy one of those per-fab storage barns and mount it to the trailer.

Or, this arch/tent type car storage top may do the trick....

 

[Tony M]

It's A Hilly! Billy! Trailer . Load it up And Truck it Good Buddy!

 

[Ratickle]

Anyway, after thinking about this on a serious note. If I were going to really consider it, I would have a welded aluminum framework built with an aluminum floor which bolted with ubolts , onto/around the main rails, and the floor above the bunk system.

Light enough for a couple guys to lift, doesn't raise the center of gravity that much, and protects the original purpose of the trailer. Probably would cost as much as your $1000 cheap trailer, but would make a true dual-purpose system.

 

[Sydwayz]

I think U-Hauls are only $50/day. I'd stick with that route.

Or move out to the country like us. I've got a dozen trailers, 3 skid-steers, an excavator, 5 farm tractors, a backhoe and lots more--all a phone call and a few miles away.

 

[scottc]

Most expensive U-Haul trailer is a 6X12 @24.95 per day. And no maintance needed.

 

[MarylandMark]

Most expensive U-Haul trailer is a 6X12 @24.95 per day. And no maintance needed.

Yea- that makes the most "cents" but figured I'd ask. Figured Bobcat had already done this a few dozen times on the fly after a triple header softball game or some thing

 

[Geronimo36]

I was thinking like a box that fit over the bunks- like an upside down U sort of. Then rails like a stake body truck and maybe some heavy duty ratcheting straps to hold it to the bunks.

I'm moving soon and the idea popped in my head. Plus I'd like to get some more miles on my boat trailer- nothing worse than sitting there rotting away.

My buddy did that once with his 38' Scarab trailer.. Silly'est lookin thing I ever saw! He is a carpenter and built a flat-bed on top of the bunks which he used to move one of his Nova's... It was pretty scarey but it worked and was a short distance. BTW, he said he would never do it again.

For what you're looking to do maybe it's possible if you have the wood laying around.

 

[sledge]

Geez guys, here I am hoping to see Mark pull up to his fancy new neighborhood with 3 story houses and elevators with his homebuilt-redneck-trailer conversion......

and you guys are convincing him to do it right....where's the fun in that? Heck...we could've had a Gino-esque story..."all my stuff was strapped to the deck....but I forgot to bolt the deck to the trailer"

Y'all are laughin' and you know it! :rofl:

Just having fun with you Mark! :biggrinjester:

 

[MarylandMark]

Just having fun with you Mark!

Of course!! I was furniture shopping when this idea came to me. They want $300 to deliver a washer/dryer. They can fit in my truck but my truck sits up high and was thinking I could figure this out on my own.

I don't want to build it myself- thought someone here may have done this before. Me and tools don't get along very well- end up paying 3X as much. Fix what I broke while trying to fix what was originally broke and then the stuff I broke p1ssed off after I broke what wasn't broke to start with.

I'm getting a moving company to do the dirty work. I went from a full house to a RV to a condo so only have a few rooms worth of stuff these days plus the guy that owns the moving company owes me some money and this is the only way I'll get it.

Side story- I know a few that own self storage units- funny how many people will store $2K worth of crap for 3 years at $150/month.