Community Forums

myrvplans · 04-30-2014, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Papa_Jim

I really like your plans.

Regarding the outside steps:

1. How do you plan to store them when in transit?

2. Can you design a handrail? There's a lot of steps.

Jim

THE RETRACTABLE STEPS
Oh, another great question! And I think I’ve got a good answer. Utilizing part of my basement space I would like to install stairs that slide into the trailer. This picture might explain it better.

http://oi58.tinypic.com/fu95xh.jpg

Do you think it will work?

myrvplans · 04-30-2014, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burgman50

Fyi, there is a 33 ft Fleetwood bounder diesel (1993) on Craigslist for 4 grand. had a roof leak so will need a new roof as well as repairs inside. all systems supposed to work perfectly. might be a great candidate to gut interior and rebuild exactly as you want.

Thank you very much for your comment. Well, I considered gutting a new model trailer and that was an overwhelming task... I can only imagine what it would be like with an older model. And 33 feet?.... that's not an RV that's a Boeing 737. When I made the decision to undertake this project I said if I do it I don't want to cut any corners. So I worked my tush off for 8 years and saved my beans. With the money I saved and the bank loan I've got coming... all my chips are in!

glarnold · 04-30-2014, 06:19 PM

I like it. Good thinking. Think it could even be marketable and maybe make you a small fortune.

G L Arnold

glarnold · 04-30-2014, 06:23 PM

As for the steps - yes, that would work. Great idea.

G L Arnold

myrvplans · 04-30-2014, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scarab0088

WOW!!! The detail on the blog spot is amazing!

A few things pop-out looking at the renderings:
~Access to any space/voids under the floor is not shown, except for 2 small doors on the drivers front -> using an off-the-shelf cargo trailer with solid walls will prevent adding too many "bin doors" to the lower walls (interior trap doors?)
~The towing tongue is well above the top of the wheel boxes -> using an off-the-shelf cargo trailer would usually have a frame that is even with the bottom of the walls (goose neck from frame?)
~The tongue at this height will not work without a major lift on the tow vehicle hitch.
~The tongue jack is far out of scale...looking at it next to the 16" spare tires - that thing is huge!

Best luck

SCARAB0008, BIG THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENTS!!!

Access to the “basement” will be from the outside only. This will allow me to keep the insulation integrity around the living quarters so that heat and air conditioning stay in and sounds and most big creepy crawly things stay outside. The basement height is just equivalent to the height space I need to get above the wheel wells to have a flat floor wall to wall floor. It’s really a lot of storage space.

As for issues in adding “access doors” to the outside of an off-the-shelf cargo trailer. That’s actually a very good point for which I have been thinking about all day. I'm looking into that.

As for the towing tongue height and proportions in my renderings I think you are absolutely right on this one too. I didn’t see it (even after so many revisions to my renderings and model), but I do see it now. I’m going to have to get that fixed in the next set of renderings I get made. THANK YOU VERY MUCH for that!

myrvplans · 04-30-2014, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve N Sal

Welcome aboard and glad you joined us. Sounds like quite a project and I wish you the best to get it some. Be sure to PST pics of your progress. Good luck and have fun.

Thank you and I will post some pics of the build. I'm hoping to be on the road this year. If I was building a stick house I would have had this done a year ago, but a rolling home is quite an undertaking even one this small.... the considerations for things like weight, size, and materials can be overwhelming.

Francesca · 04-30-2014, 06:37 PM

Interesting project....

How tall do you anticipate the trailer being (road to rooftop)?

I ask because according to your specs, inside height will be 84" from the floor which is to be installed on top of the wheel wells.

myrvplans · 04-30-2014, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fl_Richard

I prefer an outward swinging door. - Much harder to kick in.

Thanks for the comment Richard. I posted a reply to someone else that raised this subject with my thoughts. Did you have an outward swinging door on your sticks house? I know that commercial buildings must have outward swinging emergency doors, but its because in a fire or emergency a crowd has a tendency to push forward and out. That's why there are the push bars on those doors.

Intothewild · 04-30-2014, 07:03 PM

I put a storm door that swings inside behind the cargo trailer side door and I have screen and glass

Superslif · 04-30-2014, 07:06 PM

Was wondering why the floor level is so far off the ground. I think you need to utilize all the room under the floor if your plans stick with such a high center of gravity for the main floor. I understand you have a 80 gallon fresh and two small storage doors. You said you would have a outdoor grill and I'm sure other items involved with traveling "full time".

Can the hot water heater, fuse box, gray tank, inverter, propane heater all be designed to fill that space and give you more storage space in your open concept living areas? Put a 20" x 40" storage door in that lower section for stowing maybe a outdoor chair, table, grill, tools......

myrvplans · 05-01-2014, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glarnold

I like it. Good thinking. Think it could even be marketable and maybe make you a small fortune.

G L Arnold

Well, I don't know if this trailer would be marketable as it's kind of deigned specifically to my needs. However, the numbers of solo travelers are growing, gasoline is rising-so small is better and I believe the successful RV manufacturers in the future will be the ones that are able to offer more customization while not charging a premium for it and are still able to stay in business. We are a world of personalization now in almost everything we do. Thanks for your feedback my future investor! :---)

myrvplans · 05-01-2014, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Francesca

Interesting project....

How tall do you anticipate the trailer being (road to rooftop)?

I ask because according to your specs, inside height will be 84" from the floor which is to be installed on top of the wheel wells.

Good question, and yes I'm looking for a 84" interior height. So if the interior is 7 feet, add 1 foot to get over the wheel wells, add 2 feet for the wheels on the ground, add maybe 6" for the ceiling area to run the a/c ducts and then another 1 foot for the air conditioner on top.... I would think I would be in the 11' 6" total height give or take a few. Is that how you would figure it? Thanks for your input!

stink · 05-01-2014, 10:47 PM

My DW and my first 5r had a very similar floor plan, just a queen bed above and in front of couch. We had looked long and hard for the rig as it had to have the large shower. I really like your rig for the modern look and strong sounding bones.

myrvplans · 05-01-2014, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Intothewild

I put a storm door that swings inside behind the cargo trailer side door and I have screen and glass

Thanks for the feedback. Yeah, I'm hoping to come up with a good screen-door interface into my idea for a door that opens inward. Somehow I think this will be one of those answers I figure out 3 months on the road.