Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

When I finish my current project, a 6x10.5 vardo style foamie, which I’ll pull with my Ford Crown Victoria, I’m going to start my second project.

I recently bought a 2006 Honda Silverwing 600cc maxi scooter, and picked up a trailer hitch for it.

Inspired by recent threads here of the guy who built a micro teardrop foamie to pull with his vintage Vespa 125cc scooter - - I’ve decided to build a foamie to pull with my 600cc maxi scooter.

Overall weight still must be minimal, 150-200 pounds, hopefully.

I picked up a small motorcycle trailer this week. Including wheels and fenders, the trailer frame is about 48”x48” square and 120 pounds. I’ll extend the tongue a bit to accommodate it, but I plan on a small bare bones 6’4” x 48” foamie build, and I’ll keep the interior mostly bare. I haven’t decided on a design yet.

However the frame/ floor of this foamie must be untralight. Plywood is too heavy.

Any idea what I can use or build for a frame/ floor of this foamie, which I can rigidly attach to my metal trailer frame, but which won’t exceed 30 pounds or so?

I’ve considered a trifold aluminum ramp, but their weight is a little too high, as is their cost.

I just found this option on Facebook Marketplace.

The ad says:

“White fiberglass on both sides. 1.75 inch foam insulation 22 inches x 80 inches long. $9 each. R10 value. These are great for garages barns livestock areas few hundred available each panel is 12sqft. Pricing is firm at 75 cents per sqft.”

I asked the seller about their weight, and standing on them. He replied,

“Yes. They can be walked on I can jump on them leaning up I'm over 200lb. They don't budge … 20 pounds each.”

It’s heavier than I hoped, but it’s certainly cheaper than any other option I’ve found.

Still interested in any other input.

Those foam panels could work. You'll have to add some "hardpoints" to attach to the trailer frame but he price is right. Might make good wall/roof material too if you can glue securely to it. If you cover it with epoxy/glass cloth should be water tight. You could spline the panel joints. Doubt you'll be able to bend it though.

A pair of hollow core 24" doors. That would give you some framing around the perimeter to attach things to. Maybe a 3mm ply skin top and bottom.

Otherwise laminate your own torsion box style platform. Perimeter wood frame with foam core and 3-6mm skins.

I found a cheap titled/ registered mini motorcycle trailer frame on Facebook Marketplace this week that I’ll be using for this mini foamie camper build:

The frame without the tongue is about 48”x48” including the wheels and fenders.

I plan on extending the tongue two feet, and building a 6.5’x4’ Foamie on it. It will slope up to a height of about 4.5’ at the rear, and will be a rear entry.

This trailer frame is a little heavier than I hoped, at 95 lbs, but I can work with that.

Cool little trailer ! 95 lbs. not so bad at all eh !!!

GPW wrote:Cool little trailer ! 95 lbs. not so bad at all eh !!!

Yes, I’m pretty happy with it. It has a lot of potential. I just spent a half hour staring at it and looking at it all over. I’ll definitely extend the tongue 2 to 3 feet, and use the original tongue as a crosspiece over top the new tongue for the leading edge of the foamie floor frame. Then I’ll use five 1 1/2”x2” pine oriented longways for the floor frame. I just haven’t figured out yet what lightweight material to use as the actual floor to which I’ll attach the foamie structure.

But sometimes designing stuff is just as much fun (to me) as actually building it.

Also there’s a definite advantage of using a swivel hitch with a motorcycle trailer to allow the motorcycle to lean in a curve while the two wheels of the trailer stay on the road. Unfortunately I’m always looking for frugal options, and these swivel hitch upgrades all cost $150-$225.

I searched and searched and finally found a diy version of a motorcycle swivel hitch, using a Category 1 tractor top link inserted into the trailer tongue:

BrianInVA wrote: I just haven’t figured out yet what lightweight material to use as the actual floor to which I’ll attach the foamie structure.

Just use some of that awesome fiberglassed foam you found on farcebook. That will be plenty strong as you will only ever lie down on it, no walking.

rjgimp wrote:

BrianInVA wrote: I just haven’t figured out yet what lightweight material to use as the actual floor to which I’ll attach the foamie structure.

Just use some of that awesome fiberglassed foam you found on farcebook. That will be plenty strong as you will only ever lie down on it, no walking.

I thought it was closer but when I looked it up again, I realized it’s 270 miles away. 540 mile round trip. The gas would make it cost prohibitive.

If I took a sheet of xps and glued the Lowes fiberglass sheets they use for kitchens and bathrooms on each side, wouldn’t it be the same thing?

Brian , just a thought . Instead of gluing the fiberglass to the foam , you might consider 0.120" Chipboard ... It's inexpensive , very strong ( tested) and when done you can give it a couple coats of "the Mix" to completely waterproof it , and you're done ..

GPW wrote:Brian , just a thought . Instead of gluing the fiberglass to the foam , you might consider 0.120" Chipboard ... It's inexpensive , very strong ( tested) and when done you can give it a couple coats of "the Mix" to completely waterproof it , and you're done ..

Is that the rolls they use for job site flooring protection?

I suspect the FRP will be heavier than the factory applied skin on foam. GPW's reference to chip board is more like paper box material than the typical rosin paper.

GPW wrote:Brian , just a thought . Instead of gluing the fiberglass to the foam , you might consider 0.120" Chipboard ... It's inexpensive , very strong ( tested) and when done you can give it a couple coats of "the Mix" to completely waterproof it , and you're done ..

Finally found some untreated chipboard, in affordable quantities:

https://store.armyproperty.com/products ... -8457.html

Other online outlets expect you to buy ten times as many at a time, minimum.

The floor protection rolls are all water resistant or water proof, so I don’t think they would absorb Titebond.

Finally found some untreated chipboard,

If your going to take the time to build some grand .why in the hell would you use chipboard . A foam/ glass is strong will not rot chipboard wont absorbed the mix

saywhatthat wrote:

Finally found some untreated chipboard,

If your going to take the time to build some grand .why in the hell would you use chipboard . A foam/ glass is strong will not rot chipboard wont absorbed the mix

I’m just looking for a way to make a light floor. I’m hoping to do a floor with 1” xps covered with a chipboard version of pmf, which would accommodate my weight when I’m moving around inside the camper.

Frankly I’m not at all interested in taking on the fiberglassing method. I’ve never tried it and I’m not going to start with a current Foamie build.

might I suggest you take a small piece of chipboard and see if the mixed will soak in.
I thought you were planning to use those glass foam panels that sure would be nice, all you need to do is just join the two pieces together cut-out you're shape and you're damn near done.
if he was within a day's Drive of here I go get everyone that he had Could probably finish trailer pod probably ever 25 to 30 hours