Carhauler to RV

JIMNLIN wrote:

When I looked "utility" "cargo" "car hauler" have basically the same GVWR for comparable sizes. My 7x14 cargo has 7,000lb GVWR, once you get to 16 or 18 ft you can easily get a 10,000 GVWR and it goes up from their.

I'm sure the OP knows about weights but many folks forget the 7k gvwr trailer doesn't have a 7000 lb of CCC.
Example one of my flatbed car haulers has a 10000 lb gvwr but weighs 2640 lbs leaving around 7k lbs of CCC....steel frame trailers of course.
The 18' 7k car hauler I had weighed 1520 lbs.
I'm sure a cargo trailer frames are about the same construction.

I will echo that, I have a 18ft 10K flatbed with beaver tail, registered at 10K GVW, empty it is 2,700 lbs..

On the flip side, my 1980s 26ft TT is 7K GVWR and empty weight is 4,500.. Plenty of cargo weight and has all of the standard RV items included in that weight..

Inspection mechanic mentioned that my flatbed is designed heavy enough that I could have registered it for 15K lbs.. But in doing so I would be required by the state to get medical card, required to have triangles and fire extinguisher and would be subject to random State Police pull overs and on spot inspection/weighing. Basically would have put me into commercial useage..

Personally, I looked at a lot of cargo trailers to do what the OP is considering.. To me, cost, weight and even looks all played a role in why I decided to not use on as a RV.. I didn't find cargo trailers to built any better than a RV, just different and that different meant that one would have to adapt and work around a lot of cargo trailer items.

For around $2K, I found that I could have a custom trailer frame built to my specs, basically taking a open flatbed trailer design and not having decking installed. Now I would have a fully registered and licensable trailer frame. Then build my floor deck, walls and roof the way I wanted to. No restrictions like working around existing cargo trailer framing or decking.

Just before I pulled the trigger on ordering the frame, I had found a old 1980s TT in the length I was wanting for $700..

The used TT price was right and gave me everything I needed including the frame and title..

It is shocking just how expensive RV doors and windows are if you are buying to retrofit.