Finally finished our homebuilt RV!

[Bamaman]

So sometimes we fantasize about buying some sort of tallish gooseneck trailer shell and going from there. Currently we prefer to pull with a pickup truck since it serves as the local transport without having to pull a vehicle.

No CNC skills - but have tools and skills for building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, woodworking, vehicle repair, lite upholstery. Some welding available from a relative (limited by time).

I always thought that a used aluminum fifth wheel horse trailer would be great to modify into a RV. They're so low to the ground with torsion springs, and they're not 13' tall like our big 12,000 lb. fifth wheel trailer with aerodynamics of a brick. Many already have small living quarters in the front that could be easily expanded in the unfinished rear.

And aluminum horse trailers are very well constructed and tow extremely well.

 

[folivier]

Horse trailers sound like a good option. But could you clean them enough to get the smell of urine and feces out?

 

[Fermion]

Horse trailers are built much better than a typical RV and are usually aluminum. I agree on the urine though...I think I would go new instead of used if going that route.

 

[old medic]

DAMN YOU BOTH.....Bamaman and Fermion... LMAO....
Like I need any help with finding project's to dream up....
We have been going back and forth about a TH vs MH and pull a trailer, and building one has also been on the table... almost bought an old GMC MH with the front wheel drive. But never had the idea of a horse trailer cross my mind... And living near the Tryon International Equestrian Center... theres plenty around here.

 

[NW-Bound]

Horse trailers sound like a good option. But could you clean them enough to get the smell of urine and feces out?

Horse trailers are built much better than a typical RV and are usually aluminum. I agree on the urine though...I think I would go new instead of used if going that route.

New is definitely the way to go here.

But while building things is always fun, I am too old to even contemplate doing something like this. Chances are high that I would not be able to finish the job, even if I could overcome my wife's cries of "Are you going insane?", and threats of divorce.

 

[Fermion]

I think some of the bigger horse trailers actually come with living quarters for the owners. This makes me wonder if a lot of the work in building the "RV" has been done for you. The horse area could be turned into a bonus room, or workshop, toy storage, etc.

Like this, but newerish

https://www.thetrailerplace.com/horse-trailer/2004-bloomer-new-generation-3h-lq-gn-11117/

 

[Breedlove]

Check Ritchie Brothers auction at the end of the month they have a 1971 Eagle MH up for auction ....I wonder what it will go for . Looks like an old Greyhound. Might be a neat project
If cheap enough.

 

[Fermion]

Check Ritchie Brothers auction at the end of the month they have a 1971 Eagle MH up for auction ....I wonder what it will go for . Looks like an old Greyhound. Might be a neat project
If cheap enough.

Hmm, an RV almost exactly as old as I am. I wonder if it has any aches and pains...

 

[old medic]

Hmm, an RV almost exactly as old as I am. I wonder if it has any aches and pains...

UGH... Then I have a few years on you then... aches and pains are one thing... leaking seals on the other hand....
I looked up several and DANG there are some nice ones out there...

 

[Breedlove]

You can get some real bargains at Ritchie . A friend bought a small dozer for his farm for
12,000 . Put 1700. Into it and he is happy.

 

[Koolau]

I think some of the bigger horse trailers actually come with living quarters for the owners. This makes me wonder if a lot of the work in building the "RV" has been done for you. The horse area could be turned into a bonus room, or workshop, toy storage, etc.

Like this, but newerish

https://www.thetrailerplace.com/horse-trailer/2004-bloomer-new-generation-3h-lq-gn-11117/

Yeah, we had a "horse woman" at w*rk. She was in the horse "business" on the side so could write off her elaborate horse trailer with built-in human quarters. I honestly don't think "horse people" worry too much about the smell but YMMV.