Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I used door & window Great Stuff for most places and Dap door & window around the RV door frame. Partly because I had some DAP on hand and partly because the DAP cures to a still soft state. The Great Stuff door & window can still exert enough force to deform things IF it is trapped bewteen surfaces and IF it continues to expand. Which it can. The DAP stuff is approved and preferred by some vinyl window manufacturers, FYI. But I used mostly Great Stuff D&W, but was still careful. But I did end up with one spot in a rear door where some foam got trapped as it cured and it bulged the AL skin a slight amount. (That's what the expansion holes were supposed to prevent.)

Duplicate. Posting problems today with tapatalk.

Thank you for the response.

I made a mount for the spare tire. I'll see how this works at the end of the month; Spring Break in SE AZ.



It mounts to the two uprights that are a part of the A/C support on the left rear door. Bolts are not yet tightened; paint was still sticky.



I'm also working on a weather protection cover / box for the A/C unit.

Are you not concerned about having the tire there and not being able to swing the door all the way open?

Nope. But there are some compromises being made. We seldom open that door and if we do it is just a short time thing. I do have one of those door hold things that will permit the door to be held in a partial swing back position. The tire actually does not protrude any more than the A/C unit.

Makes sense. I guess this is another benefit of,getting out there and doing many "dry runs".

I completed the A/C cover box with just one small detail to be added. The box is basically 2 inches of foam, 1 + 1. The exterior is almost all skinned in the aluminum I cut out for the window. I was short a few square inches of metal so left the framing around the rear opening wood and painted that. It has a wood framework to give places for the screws to fasten. The foam interior was painted with semi gloss latex I had laying about. Almost a perfect color match for the white aluminum. I missed one piece of insulation; I'll paint that whenever I get around to it.







It is mounted to the metal rails I installed when I made the A/C support. The detail to be added are the spring loaded slide bolts that will secure the lid in the up, closed position; one each side.

MtnDon wrote:I made a mount for the spare tire.

Thanks for the picture. I have been working on a spare tire mount location, and have not found anything I like. Your door mount might just be the ticket. I need to insulate the rear doors anyway, so I will look at the frame inside during the process. I don't really care if it keeps my door from opening all the way...

Awhile back in a different topic I mentioned I was doing something to improve the thermal efficiency of out trailer. So here we are, ready to reveal the what and the why and the how.


Back when we were in planning stage we were adamant that we wanted a nice sized window so when we were inside we would have daylight and we would have a view. Sometimes we do camp where there are great views. Like this one..... Spring break end of March, beginning of April; SE Utah a few miles from the Buckskin Gulch / Paria slot canyon trail.



But we also knew the window was going to be a thermal hole in the side of the trailer. Heat pouring out in cool weather and heat pouring in, especially when the sun would be striking the glass. We are happy we decided to install the window. No doubts about that. However the heat gain / loss is another matter. So here is a solution.

First view...



Second view...



And a third view...



It's a window plug! Two inches of XPS foam. A 1x poplar frame around the perimeter. Silver mylar contact glued on the side that faces the glass. The same plywood we used on the interior walls facing in. A couple of barrel bolts to keep the plug in place when we want to block the light / heat. We can store it in the back of the truck at other times. Makes a difference. So yeah, all those with windowless CT's can say "I told ya so". But we have the best of both worlds.

Yes, this is a hiking trail!

MtnDon, Howdy;

Careful in those Slots ... don't want ya to be missin' any extremities ...

hank

I might have to first go on another diet.

It gets wider and deeper after some miles...

That is beautiful. I hike with a senior (over 50 that is) every other week with almost of our hikes in the Blue Ridge Mountains of VA with some being on parts of the AT (Applacihian Trail). While many of the views and other scenery have their share of beauty, I think your opportunities are perhaps more breath taking.

The Blue Mountains are very beautiful too. We love them; too far away though.