Need some help with turning this old camper into a trailer.

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First of all, is it even a good idea to use the existing square tubing to make a 16 ft trailer?  The tubing is 5"x2"x1/8".  It is a 70's something model camper frame.  I pulled the actual cabin off the frame this past Sunday.What I planned on doing was doing away with the tongue, widening the axles by about 16 inches, and cutting the braces out and using 3x4x1/4" angle to replace them.  I'll cap the front and back with either some more tubing or some channel.  I just can't figure out how I should make the new tongue.  I was wanting to make a wrap around tongue but since the frame is already made with square tubing, I don't know how I can really do that without putting it under the tubing which would make it too low.  Any ideals on that?To sum it up, currently the trailer is 64"x 22'.  I want to widen it to around 78" and make it 16' in the cargo area and then I will put either an angle or pipe rail for support.  Here are some pics as it sits now.Last edited by Stainless; 03-31-2008 at 10:03 PM.
Reply:So if my math is correct 22' minus 16' equals the 6' that needs to be removed. I will suggest taking an equal amount off the front and back ends, or there abouts, that way, you don't need to relocate the spring hangers, unless you were going too anyway. That may allow enough remaining after taking the entire original tongue off. Then you can start fresh with the tongue that you want.The other option as I see it is to keep the tongue as is, even if the coupler is bad, they are easy to replace. Then cut it to 16' and relocate the axles accordingly. Attached ImagesCity of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Hmmmmmmmmm....I not knowledgable enough to give ya a straight answer for you, but this is what I am doing to a camper I have......I have a nice pop-up camper that only needs the cables replaced and a good cleaning. Since no one wants to give me $200 bucks for it I am hacking it up. It is a 10 foot pop-up.  I am narrowing it down to 4' x 4'. I am going gut the camper and cut 1 foot beyond each corner so I can pretty much keep the corners. I am going to narrow down the the axle alsoLooking at yours I would keep the front tongue section with the angle braces to each side.DanMy instructor said someone will catch on fire during class...He wasn't joking!!
Reply:Thanks.  I'm going to chop the whole trailer down the center and widen it 16" too.  Axles and all.
Reply:Stainless, I have almost the same camper frame, except that mine is made with channel. I tossed around the same questions and I think I've decided to keep the tongue as is, cut the extra off of the rear, and re-locate the axles. As far as the width, I plan to install crossmembers on top of the frame rails and use those to widen to 8'. The tires will end up underneath with small wheel humps. I plan to take pics, but I worked outside all winter and I'm not starting any extra-curricular B.S. until it's nice out. Where is the popsicle smiley?The one I have may be wider.Last edited by daddy; 04-01-2008 at 10:07 PM.Reason: cause I can.
Reply:After trying to figure out exactly what I wanted to do I think I've finally decided that investing all that time in a 16' isn't the way to go with what I've got to work with here.  I'm afraid the metal may have some weak spots in it from rust.  I think it will be ok making a single axle 10 footer or something but not what I had in mind to begin with.  That's ok, it will come in handy for something and when I'm done I'll have an extra axle laying around for a future project.  I'll post some pics for the heck of it when I get it done.