trailers... 4x8 or 5x8

[dperry324]

Hello All!

I'm still planning my first build, and I have a trailer question.

My trailer needs to be 5 feet wide, in order to use a full-size mattress. I had intended to use the HF 4x8 trailer, but obviously, unaltered, that will not hold my 5' wide trailer. I had considered the option of building up the frame with 2x4's or 2x6's in order to raise the bed height up above the wheels, so that the floor can extend out over the wheels on each side. But this seems unsafe to me, by making the trailer too top-heavy and having too narrow of a wheel-base. Is this something that is generally done, or is it generally avoided?

This is my first build, and I'm trying to not make it too spendy. The next alternative I see is to get a 5x8 from Northern Tool, but that adds an extra $150 to the price of the trailer alone. I will concede that it should be more stable than building a 5x8 on a 4x8 frame, but is it also overkill?

I'd love to hear your opinions on this.

[Catherine+twins]

I built 5 wide on a 4 wide trailer. Okay, it was a tall trailer, and it was in high cross winds, but I found that it was not a good plan. (See below.)

As the commercials say, wider is better.



Catherine

[ctstaas]

Hi Dperry, 5x 8 or 10 sheets of plywood are expensive because they are considered special order so my first is 4x4x8. If you hold the width to 4' OD standard sheets of material will work for the roof. 4'-2" OD mean you will need to sheet your roof sideways and will need spars under the seams and splices. Al sheets do come in 5' widths and are not considered special order so no big price difference ( sold by the sq. foot and not weight). I am planning my next and i want a 5x5x10. It will be considerably more expensive mostly because of the plywood. I hope this helps.
Enjoy, Chris

[working on it]

Hello All! I'm still planning my first build, and I have a trailer question.My trailer needs to be 5 feet wide, in order to use a full-size mattress. I had intended to use the HF 4x8 trailer, but obviously, unaltered, that will not hold my 5' wide trailer....This is my first build, and I'm trying to not make it too spendy. The next alternative I see is to get a 5x8 from Northern Tool, but that adds an extra $150 to the price of the trailer alone

Welcome in! I have a 4x8 trailer, meant to be a 4x8 trailer....The problem I had was making it a 4x8 trailer, from a 4x5 (actually 50"x60") trailer. Although my plan was to use a derelict trailer I bought for $50 at a swap-meet (if only to transport a $50 minibike home), and I intended to keep it as light as possible, it and my plans/equipment/costs got way out of hand. I tried to build it sturdy, from good materials, and spent a little at a time, but every change in plan added more plans/equipment/costs (and weight). And then more problems cropped up, making me regret trying to save a buck, and using what I suspected to be true: a frame/axle insufficient for my needs/usage (the original "spindly" axle separated from the frame; I replaced with a heavy-duty 3500lb Dexter) . Hopefully, you can plan one and stick more closely to your plan than did I. My advice (from my experience), spend the big money up front, get known quality parts, follow your plans and don't experiment (I can't help myself from doing that!), and enjoy your build.

[bobhenry]

I have done both......

Chubby is 5"6" wide and 10' long on a 4 x 8 modified HF frame.








I chose to use 3 sheets vertical to build the sides they splice at the galley wall and at the reinforcement at the rear of the door opening. No one said they have to run horizontal


The barn is 5'-2" wide by 10" long built on a 5 x 8 Namco trailer.

[dperry324]

Thanks for the info everyone!

As my planning progresses, I'm leaning more an more towards a sleeper TD, on the HF 4x8 frame, and keeping it 4' wide, using a simplified benroy profile. Right now, I'm leaning towards using single full, unframed 4x8 3/4 sheets for the sides, and attaching them to the frame on the sidewall.

In a few months, before I start my build, I expect that my wife and I will be renting a TD for a weekend and testing it out. That way we'll be able to tell if the smaller size will be too claustrophobic or not. I am entertaining one idea of having a (mostly) plexiglass roof and wonder if that will help with any of the claustrophobia.

[bobhenry]

Yes Yes and Yes. You feel like you are outdoors.

[dperry324]

Yes Yes and Yes. You feel like you are outdoors.

Thanks, I just started another thread on this in the skinning section. But I will have to check out your build on this one so I can get a better feel for the build requirements.

[Kharn]

NT 5x8 would be your easiest engineering solution.
HF would require full wheel wells, full lift, or a partial lift and a partial well. I did the last one in my build because I thought it was the best compromise of cabin intrusion, height above ground, and storage box depth.

One advantage of the HF 4x8 with wheel wells is that you can go wider than 60" which would let you have an unmodified queen bed instead of a full. If you just want a full, I would go 5x8 and skip all the drama. My trailer is 60.5" wide on the interior, 62" exterior.

[be_a_jayhawk]

I had the same problem. I ended up spending weeks watching Craigslist until a cheap 5 wide went up. It was in bad shape except most of the bad I cut off anyway. Well worth the savings to get 5 wide.

[Woodbutcher]

Unless you camp alone, or are married to a super thin model, the 4 wide is pretty cozy. Most couples prefer a 5 wide, and they are much easier to sell when ypu build the second one.

[dperry324]

Unless you camp alone, or are married to a super thin model, the 4 wide is pretty cozy. Most couples prefer a 5 wide, and they are much easier to sell when ypu build the second one.

I fully intend to do a cardboard mockup to make sure that the 4wide is plenty bit enough. How big does a 2-person tent get?

[Kharn]

Well, what size bed do you use at home, and what do you sleep on when camping? We use a queen bed and have a queen air mattress for camping, so going 5-wide was the obvious choice for us.

To put 4' vs 5' in perspective, a twin is 39" wide, double/full is 54" wide, and a queen is 60" wide.

[KCStudly]

Unless you ... are married to a super thin model...

I fully intend to do a cardboard mockup...

A cardboard mockup of a super thin model? Should fit just fine!!!

Here's my tent capacity rating conversion factor for comfort: 2 man = one, 4 man = 2 plus some stuff and a little room to stand and move around.

+1, for me it is queen size at home, and a queen size TD.

[citylights]

+1, for me it is queen size at home, and a queen size TD.