Off-road Standup Teardrop Ideas?

Lets captures all those good off road construction ideas here...

Moderator: Sonetpro

Off-road Standup Teardrop Ideas?

Postby quietas » Thu Feb 25, 2016 1:01 am

I've been lurking for a while and I was wondering if anyone has built and off-road standup trailer?

I live in Alaska with all the weird weather than entails. Mud, rain, snow, and wind are a common occurrence in the same afternoon. I'd like somewhere warm where I can take my shoes off without getting mud on my bed. This will be towed behind a lifted Jeep with frequent trips off highway through mud, rivers, rocks, and mosquitos.

I've looked at the Widget as a base to start with. I would need to enlarge the wheel wells to accommodate the 35" tires I run on my Jeep and either a torsion or Timbren style axle. Also since it is high I'd need to build it with as low of a center of gravity as possible so batteries and water storage would need to be low.

I'm shopping ideas right now and looking for a donor trailer. Anything spring to mind?
quietas
Teardrop Inspector
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2015 3:52 pm

Re: Off-road Standup Teardrop Ideas?

Postby angib » Thu Feb 25, 2016 8:38 am

As well as building a standy, consider building a drop-floor. Here is a vintage trailer with a neat all-metal drop-floor mechanism:

drop-floor-4s.JPG
drop-floor-4s.JPG (65.58 KiB) Viewed 6019 times


And here is a drop floor all in wood:

drop-floor-anim-2.gif
drop-floor-anim-2.gif (106.08 KiB) Viewed 6019 times


drop-floor-anim.gif
drop-floor-anim.gif (159.75 KiB) Viewed 6019 times

In case it needs explanation, the blue cleat/strip inside the static frame is removable - it is easy to design drop floor systems that are impossible to build and by unscrewing the blue strip, the whole drop floor can be removed for maintenance or repair.

Alaska may mean too much dust to allow a moving device like this to be used, as it would need some care to seal from dust.
User avatar
angib
5000 Club
5000 Club
 
Posts: 5783
Images: 231
Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2004 2:04 pm
Location: (Olde) England

Re: Off-road Standup Teardrop Ideas?

Postby Socal Tom » Fri Feb 26, 2016 8:49 am

I've thought of a drop floor before, but I planned on canvas sides. It could be held UP buy slide bolts on the inside , a flange and gasket underneath could seal it. If its not warm the fabric would be more tolerant of in level ground.
Tom
Socal Tom
Donating Member
 
Posts: 1347
Images: 12
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2008 9:21 am
Location: San Diego Ca
Top

Re: Off-road Standup Teardrop Ideas?

Postby angib » Sat Feb 27, 2016 6:37 am

It's a shame that the way I created those animated GIFs, one goes up when the other is going down!
User avatar
angib
5000 Club
5000 Club
 
Posts: 5783
Images: 231
Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2004 2:04 pm
Location: (Olde) England
Top

Re: Off-road Standup Teardrop Ideas?

Postby Socal Tom » Sat Feb 27, 2016 8:57 am

I think I watched them too long. They are laughing at me.[GRINNING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]
Socal Tom
Donating Member
 
Posts: 1347
Images: 12
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2008 9:21 am
Location: San Diego Ca
Top

Re: Off-road Standup Teardrop Ideas?

Postby quietas » Sat Feb 27, 2016 4:43 pm

I've been pondering using an older M101 with the sides cut off as the trailer base. I'd cut the sides off, swap axles, and remove the big front stand.

Or there are the 5x8 utility trailers with the angle iron L-beam style sides that could be cut off for a flat trailer base.

Also, I was thinking about 2x2 framing, 1/4" plywood skin, and a layer fiberglass. Too heavy perhaps?
quietas
Teardrop Inspector
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2015 3:52 pm
Top

Re: Off-road Standup Teardrop Ideas?

Postby S. Heisley » Sat Feb 27, 2016 7:14 pm

angib wrote:It's a shame that the way I created those animated GIFs, one goes up when the other is going down!


I think that's good! That way, what you don't notice in one, you see in the other. :thumbsup:
User avatar
S. Heisley
Super Lifetime Member
 
Posts: 8769
Images: 495
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 10:02 am
Location: No. California
Top


Return to Offroad Construction Secrets

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests