Trailer Build - Week Twenty-Eight - June 18, 2017

I finally got around to ordering the cooler for the galley area.  I dimensioned the space around a Coleman Steel Belted cooler which cost approximately $130.  I found a similar one for approximately half the price on Amazon and it fit perfectly.

Cooler in Galley Area Drawer

Cooler Drawer Extended

Cabinet Clearance Passenger Side

Cooler Cabinet Clearance Driver Side 

Overall View

I needed to make the receiver tongue for the trailer; I originally was going to get a multi-directional receiver hitch but but I didn't want to spend $250 for it at this time, so I moved forward with the $30 option of purchasing 28 inch long 2" x 2" x 1/4" thick square tubing and a 2" ball coupler.  This will work just fine for most uses until we really want to do some serious off-roading; I can just purchase or make that attachment later.  I made my coupler tongue just long enough to so if I ever get into a jack-knife situation or tight turning condition, the bumper of the car will hit the tongue in lieu of the battery box.

Multi-directional Off Road Coupler +/- $250

28 Inch Long Square Tubing with Holes Drilled

Tongue Coupler Fit-up

Tongue Coupler Fit-up - View 2

2 Inch Ball Coupler Attached

I will disassemble the coupler, paint the tongue black, get some chains installed and this part is complete.


I need a relatively accurate cutout for the solar cable entrance through the aluminum sheet, so to get an accurate dimension I string lined across the front sheet to get the offset distance from the front sheet to the cable entrance.  I also need to take out some of the aluminum at the star gazer opening so I can clamp the aluminum sheet through the curve.

String Line to Measure Cutouts for Next Aluminum Sheet

Measuring for Solar Panel Electrical Connection

Taped off Area for Cutouts

 I want the top center sheet above to overlap the front and back sheet to address the natural flow of water off the roof, so I trimmed the back sheet to length and installed it before the top center sheet.

Trimming Top Back Sheet to Length with Router

Top Back Sheet Installed

The back top sheet ends just before the vent opening so the riveted seam will not conflict with the vent lip, and I should get a good seal.

Back Top Sheet Ends Just Before Vent

Preparing for the Last Top Sheet

Top Sheet Installed and Solar Panel Leads Run Through

I knew that cutting the top sheets to a 5 ft width would present it's problems for alignment, but I couldn't get aluminum sheets longer than 10 ft (cut in half) nor did I want to waste 3 ft off the edges by using a 4 x 8 ft sheet of aluminum.  I will thoroughly caulk under the edge trim, and the edge trim will fully cover the offset.

Slight Drift of Top Sheet (Drivers Side)

Drift of Top Sheet (Passenger Side).  Will Trim with Router.

Trim will more than cover the offset

Solar Panel Cables Through Roof

Caulking under Panel Joints Before Riveting

Added Caulk to Each Rivet Hole before Riveting

Excess Caulk Protruding from Seam

Joint Rolled after Caulking

Rivet Layout - 3 Inches On Center 

1/8 Inch Rivets being Installed

Once I complete installing all the rivets, I will caulk the heads so moisture cannot penetrate through the shaft area of the rivet.

Roof Rivets Complete

Another View of Roof Rivets

The sheet layout landed a seam at the star gazer window location.  Although there will be a ridge at the interface of the window and the aluminum, I figure the window can hold the aluminum in place verses having a full width seam somewhere else on the trailer.  I will just need to assure I have sufficient caulking around the window frame.

Since the seam landed in the 2 ft radius curve, the sheet didn't want to lay flat, so I clamped and held the seam in place while I riveted the area in the curve.

Seam Bowing Up in the 2 ft Radius Area

Front Edge Seam by Star Gazer Window

Rivet Layout at Star Gazer Window

Avoid Rivets under Trim

I trimmed out the excess aluminum at the vent area and the solar panel cable entrance to finish the installs on the roof.  I used a butyl rubber sealant around the perimeter where the screws will be placed and this butyl will seal up around the screws.

Butyl Sealant at Roof Vent

Another View

Install Complete

Vent Trim Ring Installed

Interior on the trailer is complete with the exception of installing shelves in the sleeping quarters cabinets, installing 1 trim piece and the TV; time to get the trim on and complete the galley hatch and battery box.