# New Trailer Setup (lots of pics) 2 Posts



## H2O-Fowl

I don't typically post here or any other forum for that matter but this one was so valuable in helping me get ideas for my trailer I feel obligated to post this message. I know I appreciated pictures when I was looking so this is picture heavy. I hope at least someone finds value in this post. You will not see any pictures of the outside as I fall into the camp of not putting anything on the outside that advertises what may be inside or what I do. If you are looking for cool pictures of the outside this is not the post to view. Having said that I think the trailers that have decals on the outside are awesome!

I tried to keep 3 guidelines in mind in the development:
1) I wanted to be able to use this to move furniture or other things so any shelving needed to be quick to put in or take out.
2) Portability - knowing that at some point you sell a trailer or upgrade I felt it was important not to drill a tone of holes into the exterior and be able to remove the "expensive" components.
3) While I did not want to take shortcuts, I wanted to stay inexpensive.

The trailer is a 6x12 Carry On single axle. The first thing I did was prime and paint (2 coats) the floor and a little up the wall. I used floor and porch paint as I was told this is quite different that simple exterior wall paint. I did think about replacing the luan with plywood but as you will see in the end I really did not need to incur the expense or the additional weight. Here are the before and after pictures of the paint job.


















At this point I treated the project as 2 sub-projects that being the structure and the electricity. Unfortunately this is not a V-nose but the nose does have a slight radius so I thought I would install a couple of shelves. I did not make them deep in fact I think they are about 16" at the center point but functional enough for my storage needs. The battery (more on that later) and the 3-drawer container can be reached easily from the side door. Also, I ran screws up through the container into the shelf to keep it stable.


















Next I installed the shelf holders. As you will see this is simply to hold a space for the 2x4 to drop into place. This system allows me to stick to my guideline of being able to use the trailer for other things, i.e. moving furniture. I run mostly GHG full bodies and a set of bags will fit on the floor, a set on the first set of 2x4s and then blinds on the top. I have a dozen Big Foots that will more than likely get tossed in the back and any silos I have are in bags.


































Finally, I added something to make use of the doors. Obviously PVC for the flag holder and stake holders. The stake holders are attached in a manner that they can be lifted off the door and carried into the field. If you look close you will see rope that has been secured to these as a carry handle. The dry erase board ... well seemed like a good idea to use as a map for the field or leave degrading notes about your hunting buddies.


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## H2O-Fowl

OK, the electrical system. Staying with the guideline of portability I felt that a deep cycle battery was the way to go. So inside the battery box are the battery, charger, 40amp fuse, small fuse panel and the wiring. On the outside is a unit with 4 female lighter plug ends, a switch with a small LED light so you know whether it is on or off and the male end of the charger. There are small brackets attached to the floor and the strap holds it in place. If I release the strap, I can take the battery box out easily. The switch on the battery box turns on the power to the outlets. as a result I can easily reach this switch from the side door on the trailer when it is fully loaded.










This next picture shows 2 interior lights. The larger one on the right was installed and is actually plugged in to one of the female outlets on the battery box so as a result it runs off the deep cycle battery. The one on the left I decided to leave connected to the wiring harness that is powered by the connection to the truck. There is also another light like this one at the opposite end of the trailer. Again, this allowed me to leave the trailer as close to the original state as possible.










The next picture shows the two 1500 lumen LED exterior lights. I attached 95-pound strength magnets to these as certain parts of my trailer have steel to attract the magnet. Keep in mind that aluminum does not attract magnets. This keeps them very portable so I can place them on the top side of the trailer instead of the back or use the pickup truck itself. You will see cords handing off the lights. While this does add some complexity staying portable and being able to re-position the lights was more valuable to me. These cords then plug into the battery box for power. Obviously I can and will easily tuck these cords up high along the top sides of the trailer. I will leave them tucked as long as I can continue to use them on the top back of the trailer.


















The last picture shows the ability to simply bring the lights in to the top back inside of the trailer. So essentially it is a quick flip down and inside. Again, I can leave the cords tucked along the top sides of the trailer but I was bring these into the house for the summer so I did not bother for the picture.










Everything was fastened with screws so that it can be removed or more likely replaced. At this point I feel the trailer is field ready. It was a fun project but more time was spent in the design so that minimal time was spent removing and re-attaching. I welcome any questions. I am taking the trailer to storage Wednesday so if you want other pictures You have until then or you will need to wait until Fall. Finally I want to thank everyone that has posted within this forum. It was so valuable and gave me ideas and insight to make this system something functional that I will use in the field.


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## gooseslayer34

I like how you set up the lights in the trailer. I may use this system. Also very nice trailer overall well done.


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## nodakoutdoors.com

Nice setup, very clean.


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## dsm16428

Nice set up!! :thumb:

I have the 6'X10' version of your exact trailer and while I did replace the luon wall board with heavier plywood , I am sure the Z chanell studs would have been more than sturdy enough to do exactly what you did. I didn't go full width with my shelves but rather, did a colapsible set up on each side where the shelves are hung by chains from the walls, supported by heavy barn door hinges and can be disconnected and dropped out of the way and locked down for when I need to transport something other than decoys and waterfowl gear. All my deeks are stacked on the left and front of the trailer and all my blinds (left popped up) on the right with about the same thing you did on the doors for tools, coats and decoy stakes. I haven't gotten around to setting up exterior lighting yet but will this summer. I have a box mounted up front with a small gennie in it and I will be running power for 2 halogen work lights on swivels off the back, top of the trailer in similar positions to your. Should light up a field great. I also THOROUGHLY spray undercoated the ENTIRE exreior bottom and frame of my trailer to give it some more road wear and rust resistance and to protect the floor from underneath from spray and salt, because if you look under your trailer, you'll see Carry-On only undercoats parts of the underside.


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## schnidy60

where did you pick up the 1500 lumen lights??


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## H2O-Fowl

http://www.amazon.com/1500lm-Tractor-Ve ... led+1500lm

Amazon - Lights by XKGLOW


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## PnR_Productions

This is an awesome setup! i'm going to steal some of these idea for my trailer this year!


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