Converting a boat trailer into a camper

I've never attempted it, but a quick search brought up several youtube vids on a conversion like you mention.

Sounds like a workable idea to me.

Once you get it loaded and drive it a few times you will figure out how much tongue weight you need. The scary part about surge brakes is that if the trailer starts to sway, you cannot use the brakes to straighten it out like you can with electric brakes.

If the floor of the utility trailer will extend over the tires, make sure there is enough vertical clearance so the tires don't hit the floor at full load + any suspension travel.

If the brake line is disconnected, you might have to rebuild the master cylinder and/or the brake cylinders. The brakes work like car brakes, but the trailer pushing on the trailer hitch is the foot on the brake pedal so to speak.

Scrub are you a fan of this guy?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3Iam7JELDM

I watched a youtube video on welding and decided I could install the angle iron frame on my boat trailer myself. My only welding experience was with a stick welder in high school shop class 20 years ago. I think I did OK with the wire welder.





I made a 13' long and 6'3" flat bed. It's ready for paint and deck boards now.

Thanks. I ground off all the paint where the welds were. I haven't checked on the brakes yet.

I'm on the opposite end of the state or I'd check out that axle.

I used a sanding disk to remove any rusted areas on the frame.




I put a coat of primer on it and 2 coats of flat black. Getting rid of that horrible burgundy color made it look a lot better.




I used 2x10's for the deck. 94 holes through 1/4" angle iron is a lot of drilling.




I was going to wait until this summer to start the camper build on the trailer. Since the conversion to a flat bed went so good I decided I would go ahead and at least get the camper shell built before I pull it to Tennessee in late April. I want to build a large tear drop shaped camper that will be tall enough for me to stand up in. I want the outside to look like an old barn or shed. I like the rustic look better than a modern style. The camper will have a storage compartment that will hold around 150 bow staves. The wood box will be the platform for my bed on the inside. I put a bow stave on the trailer in this picture to see how most of the weight will be positioned over the axles. I'm glad I went with a boat trailer. If the axles were any more forward I don't think it would have worked. I also picked up 2 new tires for it. That will be new rubber on all four wheels plus a spare on a rim.

I've been working hard on the camper portion of this project. I drew out a side profile and framed up the walls.








I picked up some old red oak barn siding. I trimmed the bad ends off, pulled out all the nails, and cut them down in width to 6" and under.




They were to thick to use so I decided to resaw them in half. I made a spring board to help hold them against the fence.




I put together a simple roller support to catch the boards.




4.5 hours later I had a nice stack of boards ready to be used as siding on the camper. I have 12 hours of work just in getting these boards ready to use.




I also had a huge mess.

Never saw the spring board that's awesome!
It's looking good so far I hope it turns out good for ya!