aluminum trailers and other questions

[alaska teardrop]

Aaron,

You found "The Book" right here. You just have to wade through it.

Incs., ibs., refs., b.s., pics, albums, links, the 'Hall of Fame' and ask questions.

[madjack]

as Fred sed...ain't no better book than right here and no better plans than the Generic Benroy plans at the top of the page...the techniques detailed there will allow you to build almost any profile TD you could want...if ya just gotta spend money, buy Steve Fredericks build CD...
...now for some VERY IMPORTANT advice...slow down grasshoppah, the race doesn't go to the fastest but he who thinks the most....don't let your enthusiasm(as good as it is) rule...we aren't going anyplace and will still be here, plodding along when your time comes around....
madjack

[mikeschn]

f ya just gotta spend money,

If that money is burning a hole in your pocket, buy one month of the semi-dedicated server for us.

Mike...

[CHUCKLEHEAD69]

mike how much is a month of service is i would galdly donate it to the cause please let me know.chucklehead69 out aka jude from tha bayou im in spot 32 for who knows what im talking about.ICG 2006 YAE BABY

[mikeschn]

The semi-dedicated server runs us $64.95 per month.

Mike...

[rmcelroy]

Aaron, I havn't discussed my Al frame here much because I took it on myself to think I knew what I was doing. Bear in mind everything I say is based on backyard engineering.

My goal was to build as light as I could. I basically didn't start with a "frame" I could hook up and take to the hardware store. I built a minimal Al angle structure around the floor, provided mounting points for the tounge and torsen axle to the floor and the Al and each other. Then built most of the TD body before it ever hit the ground.

I am counting on the TD body itself to do a lot of the work a normal frame would be asked to do, kind of a monoque system (I hope).

Time will tell if my backyard is overgrown with weeds.

Mc


You might not want to follow me to close on the interstate

[angib]

Mc,

I think you're dead right (though now I think I should have used another word than 'dead'....). There are two main needs for some framework under a teardrop:

1) To attach the axle to the body - the axle is a point load and needs to be spread into the body structure a bit - say over a foot or two.

2) To attach the tongue to the body - again, these are point loads and they need to be spread into the body (the walls, not the floor).

Everything else is just bullet-proofing - a sheet of 3/4" ply does not need 2" square tube run across it at 24" spacing just to be used as a bed - it doesn't need any reinforcement at all!

Andrew

[jagular7]

Aaron, welcome to the forum. I, too, am a Jeeper and camp when I wheel. I too had a Scamp. It was a 16'er with no bathroom. It weighed in at 2200# ready to go. Fine for my 92 Bronco, but not for the 4cyl/auto TJ. I too went looking for camper options based on weight, overall size, ease of senting up camp, and most of all, storage.
I sold the Scamp and am saving $400 a year for storage. Weight makes for a small camper, either compact or expandable. Pop-ups was a choice, but do to overall width required storage costs. Same for a 13' Scamp and any other small hardside camper. Although, a Compact camper would probably workout. Fleetwood has introduced a pop-up camper for 2 and is rather skinny in width and would probably work, but the cost is rather high for them new. 67" is their width, but in that width, they have some fat wheelwells covering the tires. They could make the camper a little wider, cover up the wheels, and maybe even have a slide-out for a better use of a camper for 2 (just my take on it).
I have a location at my house for storing a camper. It's a city requirement to hide trailers/campers from public view with a fence. My gate is 78" wide open. With weight, I want to be able hand handle the camper in the tight spot. Since I mostly camp/wheel with my son, a minimal 2 sleeper would be necessary. For ease of setting up camp, I want to be able to bring minimal equipment and have a weather proof sleeping area.

Thus choices were limited to a folding tent camper or a tear drop style camper. I went researching and found tear drops to be interesting. Due to time constraints, I went and purchased a commercial td mfrd by Pleasant Valley. Its a basic utility td, 4x8 in size, weighs 660# or so, and fits my needs somewhat for now.



Some suggestions, from camping several times now, a slightly wider width would be better as 4' is a tight space with a kid that likes to roll around. And recently my daughter has been coming so an extra bed space would help as I don't need to sleep in the tent. So I suggest a 5'er. To keep width minimum, tuck tires into/under the td. For length, the 8' is a little shallow as I don't have a full kitchen and do pack for weather. So a little more storage space for those weathering items would be beneficial. Plus, when breaking down camp and some items are dew wet, I'd rather not toss them into my bed area. You'll read more about that on this forum. A full kitchen is not necessary for me, but I would like 12v/120v setup. A lot of my camping is in an equipped campground, but there are times where I'm off the beaten path, so a little ground clearance and offroad handling would be best for me.

I've started collecting for my build. I've got a M101 military trailer frame to start with. It's 54" by 96" for a frame. The military axle, tires, suspension, etc will all be replaced for lighter weight. I prefer a trailer too with a parking brake. Many tds don't have such a brake, but you should look into that. Adjustable stands will help stabilize the camper with not-level camp spot.

My tow vehicle is a 97 TJ, stock 4cyl/auto, with 4.88s and lockers in the D30/8.8. I run 34" LTBs.


Hope this info is helpful.

[Aaron]

hey thankx guys i am out of town and have not been on in a while. i like the military frame option so much to absorb thanks

Aaron

[wolfix]

I too am looking at a aluminum trailer. I want weight to be a factor in my build. {When I decide what I want] I have not talked to a trailer builder yet, but I have pulled a aluminum Featherlite before and loved it.
I would buy the Featherlite model and cut off the things not needed for my tear, but I do want a dropped floor and I am not sure I want to deal with altering a factory setup......

Just out of curiosity, I have an interest in small trailers that look like their big brothers.... I've seen a few that look similar to the Shasta design..... Ok , here is what I was thinking..... Has anyone made a 5x8..5x10 trailer after the Airstream design on the outside?

How hard would it be to bend the aluminum sheets around the end radius's????

[angib]

Has anyone made a 5x8..5x10 trailer after the Airstream design on the outside? How hard would it be to bend the aluminum sheets around the end radius's?

Before worrying about bending the aluminum, you need to look at the overall design. For example, you now have to fit curved doors into curved sides, unless the doors are going to be impossibly low. Do you have plan for how to make curved doors? Will their curve be the same as the body's curve? And I haven't even started asking how you're going to do the hatch!

It certainly can be done, but it would take a really good sheetmetal worker (are they called that in the US?) and it might take him/her more than one try to get it right....

Andrew