Excited to build teardrop

[Sara]

Hello, Thank you so much for creating this site!! I got this idea to build a teardrop when I retire in a year. I bought Tony Lathams book and then found a number of kits on line. I plan to buy a kit. My 2019 RAV4 can tow 1750 pounds so now I'm trying to figure out if I can build a 5x10 or should stick to a 5x8. My daughter and I are looking forward to visiting national parks out west with the dogs. I can't wait!

I bought a 200 watt jackery portable solar panel. I'm looking at the biolite 1500 battery for the camper. It weighs less than 30 pounds and I'm thinking although it may be overkill for the teardrop, it's a good backup battery if there is a power outage and I need to keep the frig running for 20 hours.

Any thoughts on the size battery I need for a teardrop with a fan, some lights, and maybe an instapot or small electric stove.

[QueticoBill]

Welcome! Lots of experience here to tap. And we love seeing drawings and progress photos.

[working on it]

...I'm trying to figure out if I can build a 5x10 o r should stick to a 5x8. My daughter and I are looking forward to visiting national parks out west with the dogs. I can't wait!

After a decade of camping in my 4x8 squareback, I wish I'd built it longer and wider (the junk frame I used was only 50" wide x 60" long at first, but I added to the length, not width). I've only camped solo, without even taking a dog with me, and have struggled with lack of storage, door placement, and wished I had a couple more feet in length, where I could've placed a porta-potty (it always storms when I camp, and I hate going out into it at night).

The narrow width of my trailer isn't a problem, and is actually a benefit: it'll fit into the garage bay I reserved for it (a 6' wouldn't), it is narrow enough so that I don't need extra-wide trucker mirrors on my pickup (or even on my X5, if I ever tow with it), and if you travel off-road, then narrower is better (tracks in the car's footprint, and bushes on the trail won't scratch it).

Also, I built my trailer when I was 61-62 years old, and more flexible and my knees still worked back then; be sure to account for aging as you design or build your trailer, and make your doors taller & wider for easier access (mine are neither, and it's a chore to get in or out of my trailer, now).

Whatever you decide on, have fun building it and camping in it. I actually enjoyed the building process (and modifying it, later) as much or more than actually using it (but, that's probably just me, I've always got a project going...I'm "working on it").

[tony.latham]

A 5 x 8' will really limit your galley and you'll have no room for a headboard–-or much storage--inside.



Tony

[nevadatear]

If you can do 5x10, fo4 sure go for it.

[saywhatthat]

to me, a kit is a huge waste of cash All kits I have seen cost more in the end when you add shipping, and their mark up .as easy as these are to build . Whatever form of build you use. easy to make larger are smaller. put some tape on the floor that will give you a feel for the sides are lay sticks on the ground