Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Gotta love the bottom hinged A-frames

WizardOfOdds wrote:Gotta love the bottom hinged A-frames

Oh, that's cute! It looks like it's a 'home-modified' trailer of some sort.

Oh, that's cute! It looks like it's a 'home-modified' trailer of some sort.

Sharon,
Thanks for the reply, nice to know it did not go unnoticed.
It is actually an old commercial trailer, but it looks like very few were ever produced.
Try this link http://www.starling-travel.com/2012/10/13/the-dualcraft-chalet-the-first-a-frame-trailer/
and this one http://www.starling-travel.com/page/22/
I like bottom hinging because it gives the largest increase in height (over the closed height) at the floor edge while also allowing the hinge to be attached to the strongest part of the base - directly to the metal frame rails! That is why I gave that considerable thought and did some paper/computer designs many years ago. I decided to use middle front hinging on the Tip Top Tier Drop for other technical reasons. Never thought I would see a commercial trailer actually making use of the idea!

Don't think that your posts go unnoticed. Even though there are only about 32 posts on this thread, you have almost 5,900 looks/views at the time of this posting.

Keep posting and we'll keep watching!

Several 'Foamie' threads are discussing pop-up designs to which I will be adding some comments, but I decided to also post the referenced pictures here for the benefit of my readers. They illustrate a roof rise technique I used in several of my designs that avoids telescoping struts but requires the a lateral movement of the roof by an amount equal to the roof rise. It can be used with both Tier Drop (telescoping upper tier) or folding side panel schemes (like that below and most A-frames). It has been used in several other DIY builds (including a pickup camper - I'll add a link if I re-encounter it), as well as in this commercial trailer (Fold-N-Roll):



Notice in this trailer the lateral movement of the roof is used to create an overhang above the entry door in the open configuration.

OK, I have seen better photos, but here is at least one of the DIY builds I spoke of.

and here are two pickup versions



(If the dog can drive that truck, he probably can erect the top too).
which you can read about here
http://poptopcamper.freehostia.com/

Fold-n-roll roof going up:


Upper side walls going into place:

Great pair of videos! Thanks for the post.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, and a video is worth a hundred pictures, then imagine how many words you just saved me trying to describe this gem.

Oh, let me add this: Notice the elevation is actually propelled by the two black struts on each side. The rear panel pivots at both ends while the front panel pivots at the bottom and slides at the top. The black struts just rotate (pivot) with no sliding or telescoping required.

http://ithaca.craigslist.org/rvs/5600748675.html

greygoos:

That is a very one-of-a-kind build. Very interesting, I like the (etched?) glass and other unique features. Thanks for the post.

Ok, it really is not a non-traditional design, and it's not quite an off-road (maybe let's call it a rough road trailer), but it still is interesting for a traditional tear drop

The video below is a slide show of a refurb of a rare slick popup (1957 Ranger).
The trailer is interesting, but watch for the fleeting shots of the lift system, especially at the 2:40 time mark

WizardOfOdds wrote:Like to just browse pictures, try Photobucket. Here are some that I found interesting.
woodbox clamshell


a fabric top A-frame


a hi-lo vardo?


VW style pop top on Honda Element


mini-chuckwagon


drop-floor camper


hatch-foor clam-shell


ZigZag truck top

zig-zag tent top

Really great Thread! I especially like the zigzag roof RV, very similar to a foamie that I've got plans for. Thanks for sharing!

Ned B wrote

I especially like the zigzag roof RV, very similar to a foamie that I've got plans for.

I like the Zigzag configuration too. While building the (first version of ) Tip Top Tier Drop, I considered the half roof dormer configuration, like this one

because it reduced the effort needed to lift the combined roofs from the rear, but it also shifted too much of the weight forward of the axle. I also worried about highway lift, wind and rain the front edge of the top roof had to deal with when closed. In the end the gains did not seem to warrant the added complexity.

Notice the commercial trailer



has a solid roof and fabric sides. I prefer the exact opposite. But if you are OK with fabric sides, I think it would not be hard to build. For one, the fabric sides have no complex pattern to sew.

How are your plans progressing?