The Trailer is here...The trailer is here

Smokin and others,

So what's all the stuff you pack in this wonderful and useful piece of equipment to do the competitions. I've been toying with using a box truck or something similar for some time and working under a shelter/tent in accord with local temporary health guidelines. A legal concession trailer is right now beyond my reach.

Sweet, Russ! Are you going to paint the walls? What height is the pull down table? Can you leave the cot up? Is it wired already? How you going to mount the FECs? Wheel wells look like they'd get in the way of mounting things, IMO. My trailer is 7' x 16'. I love the pointy nose, got one on mine too. That extra 18" wide will be nice, I think. I'll have to take some photos of mine to show you this year's configuration. It's real different from 05.

Nice truck too! Heat in my trailer was nonexistent in Rockingham. Insulation and all. Heater running full out. I hope it's nice in Bentonville!

Jerry, I've cooked contests lite and with the trailer. Biggest advantage with the trailer is privacy and quicker setup and packup. In Hammond, everything was packed up and in the trailer 45 minutes after last turn in. Took a nap waiting for awards.

That's sweet Russ! But don't get up too fast if you sleep in the lower bunk. Please come back and post more pictures once it gets filled up.

quote:

Originally posted by Candy Sue:
Sweet, Russ! Are you going to paint the walls? What height is the pull down table? Can you leave the cot up? Is it wired already? How you going to mount the FECs? Wheel wells look like they'd get in the way of mounting things, IMO. My trailer is 7' x 16'. I love the pointy nose, got one on mine too. That extra 18" wide will be nice, I think. I'll have to take some photos of mine to show you this year's configuration. It's real different from 05.

Great questions

1. Yup, we'll do the walls, but we haven't decided what/how.
2. I put the table there (I can move it later) just to save wall space, since the bunk was there already. Pull down table is at my elbows. It's perfect for me, a little tall for Mrs. Smokin', but that's because of the bunk underneath. There will be zero bending over. We're also probably going to put a table inside for Mrs. Smokin'
3. The cot folds up on the wall. Look at the photo from the back and you'll see both the cot and table folded.
4. Wired already, have 3 plugs inside and two GFCI outside (1 front right, 1 back right). I've got an inverter/charger I'm installing this weekend.

The wheel wells were an issue, but with an 8.5' wide, that's what you go with. I'm going to put the FE's over the wheels for traveling, I'll put photos out when I get them in next week.

Jerry, some people can work out of a pick-up. The #1 reason is with my arthritic hands I don't want to load Friday when I leave the house, unload Friday when I get there, load Saturday when I leave the contest and unload when I get home.

The concept of loading food and drinks, get there and prep/cook is a HUGE advantage for us. The weather in Oklahoma is the 2nd. High Wind, Rains, etc, we just want to do a Poor Man's RV I guess.

Guess my military training gets me to putting lots of stuff in there. I probably have about 6 or 8 plastic bins, two tents (for the party outside the trailer). Tables, and assorted other stuff. I'll take some photos.

quote:

Originally posted by RibDog:
That's sweet Russ! But don't get up too fast if you sleep in the lower bunk. Please come back and post more pictures once it gets filled up.

Thanks John. Table down for Photo only, I don't want to pull a "you know who" and bump my head. When I'm sleeping the table will be up.

Oh and tell your teammate that the door is 6' 6" tall and no bumping of heads getting in and out.

Don't worry, our friend brings his own head protection these days. LOL

go to Lowes or wherever and buy one of those 18"x48" wire shelf units that are NSF rated. Cost 80-90. You can assemble it so that the back legs are off the ground by the height of those wheel wells and then put on the first shelf. I used 4 shelves instead of 5 and it works great. L brackets with hose clamps will hold the front legs to the floor. I used a straight wood connector to overlap the shelf against the wall and screwed above and below to hold it.

You can pretty much put the FE's anywhere for transport. I actuall have mine up front now but I also put a 900lb golf cart in the back. With the double axle it won't add much tongue weight up front. And buy some D rings to install in the floor and uses bolts and big washers underneath and then you can tie down to them. Don't trust the wheel locks to keep the FE's from moving.

p.s. I know the driveway is on an angle but you might want to consider a little more drop on your hitch. That sure looks back end tilted.

quote:

Originally posted by Ford:
p.s. I know the driveway is on an angle but you might want to consider a little more drop on your hitch. That sure looks back end tilted.

I'd just unloaded it from the truck, it's level now. Thanks!

can't wait to see the pictures! if I can ever get my trailer pit sold this is exactly the style what I've been looking at. looks good!

russ,
as my tattooed daughter would say "way kewl"
i like the cot below but think the others are right. watch out waking up fast!!!
on the wall fin ish have you considered the plastic sheets the bathroom make over guys use? almost seamless and look real ez to clean.
the only draw back to a trailer is what candy pointed out and that's the wheelwells. my fec has no rear wheels or legs so to change an auger shear pin i need timbers and a floor jack to get it out from under the hood. small price to pay once every 2 years or so.
again i love the rig and how do you like the chevy? i am still tossing between the dodge 3500 and the chevy. sure would like your thoughts
jack

Smokin is use to sleeping in small bunks like that. I believe he was in the Navy

Hey, Jack -- Go Chevy! Best thing I ever did for towing my trailer was buy a 2500 diesel. I've got lots of power now. Old truck wasn't setup to tow it, it could but it didn't like it much and I had a close call on I-40 in Memphis. Didn't tow the trailer again til I got the new truck.

Lazy Bones has a 8 x 16 trailer and they have a back door with an enclosed porch for the FE to ride in. Still roll the FE out on the ramp and put a canopy up for cooking. Since the wheel wells are up in the kitchen area, they did countertops & stuff that incorporate the wells.

Other than the built in storage unit in the nose of my trailer and the e-track along the walls, I've added nothing that I can't move around as whim hits me.

quote:

Originally posted by Fast Eddy:
Smokin is use to sleeping in small bunks like that. I believe he was in the Navy

Man you hang out with a guy long enough, you'd think he'd at least get it right. But he was a policeman so what does he know

It was Air Force.

the table and bed won't be down at the same time, never planned on that, except for photos.

About the wheel wells. You can have 8.5 wide with or 7' wide without. I took the extra width. Plan on putting the FE's when in tow, just behind the wheel wells.

As for the GMC, it pulled it great the first time. Has the towing option which I little truck didn't and the transmission definitely prefers the towing option. Got an amazing deal on it from a wholesaler. The bigger 2500 or 3500 would be good also. I love the truck, how it was built and the features inside.