Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Michael S. from the Netherlands is going to build a teardrop to pull behind his trabant... How light can he make it? Buford? Rik? :

Mike...

P.S. If yahoo doesn't let you see the picture, then click on the link...

http://www.geocities.com/draisinenl2/cabrio.html

I would think that using 1/2" plywood and a light weight frame. Someone said and I think it's Rik that the chassis I posted should weigh about 109 lbs. If so what ever 3 sheets of plywood would weight and the top. I say should weigh much over 500lbs.

Bufordt

What if you used 1/4" plywood on the outside, and 1/8" plywood on the inside. You could insulate it that way, and it gets cold in the Netherlands!

Then 1/8" skin on the ceiling, and thin aluminum on the outside.

Of course the floor would have to be a little heavier, since the frame wouldn't be much more than a "t" frame like you are planning on your next teardrop.

I've kinda gotten spoiled by the full frame of today's trailers. But I'll bet you could make a frame like a T@B.... which looks like a v shaped frame, tied together with the axle.



Mike...

You could do that. If weight is the problem. Just all this talk about insulation just doesn't hack it with me. Wood it self is an ok insulator for these type of trailers. Warm air rises. So you would want to insulate over the top but why on the sides. I've heard people say it's also because of noise. You have to sleep with the window open.

I'd say 1/2 plywood would be enough insulation. But Rik is the one to ask about that. He has all the info.

As for as chassis goes. Build it light. No need for a heavy one unless you are going to run 90 miles an hour over the desert. climb rocks , jump cars, etc. I'll bet you that 90% of the people who build these chassis with all the hardware and extra's don't even take them off the road.

You could use the midget trailer frame and build on top of that. It's light weight.

Bufordt

That's what we need. A t@b on this board. Who was the couple who got so rudely taken off the other board. Someone should find that post and e-mail them. If there e-mail is still good. Bet they would be welcomed here.

Bufordt


But I'll bet you could make a frame like a T@B.... which looks like a v shaped frame, tied together with the axle.



Mike...[/quote]

"Just all this talk about insulation just doesn't hack it with me. Wood it self is an ok insulator for these type of trailers. Warm air rises. So you would want to insulate over the top but why on the sides. I've heard people say it's also because of noise. You have to sleep with the window open.

I'd say 1/2 plywood would be enough insulation. But Rik is the one to ask about that. He has all the info."

I, for one, am all about insulation. I used to have a 2000 Hunter Shadow Tear and that thing had NO insulation on the sides, just 1/4 inch plywood and aluminium. The top wasn't much better, 1/4 inch plywood, and some house insulation, thin and sparse at best. In ALL conditions, it condensed up like crazy. In warm weather, the doors and windows got wet and i had to keep a towel with me. In winter, the whole SIDES got wet and made me very wet and uncomfy, and also the underbed storage areas got so wet they had some standing water. I think Insulation is SUPER important, and thats why I got rid of that damn thing, I was sick of all the condensation and lack of storage.

Ok,

I stand corrected.

Bufordt

You do realize sftiggee that the camp-inn has 1/2 or 3/4" side walls with no insulation in the walls don't you.

Or at least the two that I have seen are like that. You may have ordered yours with insulation in the walls.

Bufordt

[I, for one, am all about insulation. I used to have a 2000 Hunter Shadow Tear and that thing had NO insulation on the sides, just 1/4 inch plywood and aluminium. The top wasn't much better, 1/4 inch plywood, and some house insulation, thin and sparse at best. In ALL conditions, it condensed up like crazy. In warm weather, the doors and windows got wet and i had to keep a towel with me. In winter, the whole SIDES got wet and made me very wet and uncomfy, and also the underbed storage areas got so wet they had some standing water. I think Insulation is SUPER important, and thats why I got rid of that damn thing, I was sick of all the condensation and lack of storage.[/quote]

I've never heard of that before. There's a lot of people that camp in teardrops with un-insulated sides, and they don't complain about condensation. Winter camping, of course, is a different story. So are really cold nights.

My larger teardrop has plain, un-insulated 3/4" walls. I hope I don't run into a problem with condensation.

No, I'm not going to build a new teardrop if there is a problem. I'll just figure out how to glue some insulation to the inside wall.

Mike...

P.S. I also hope that the furnace helps dry up some of the condensation, but time will tell. I figure maybe 6 months. :laughing4:

P.P.S. Hey Mike B. Don't you have a hunter? Do you have these condensation problems?

sftiggee wrote:"I, for one, am all about insulation. I used to have a 2000 Hunter Shadow Tear and that thing had NO insulation on the sides, just 1/4 inch plywood and aluminium. The top wasn't much better, 1/4 inch plywood, and some house insulation, thin and sparse at best. In ALL conditions, it condensed up like crazy. In warm weather, the doors and windows got wet and i had to keep a towel with me. In winter, the whole SIDES got wet and made me very wet and uncomfy, and also the underbed storage areas got so wet they had some standing water. I think Insulation is SUPER important, and thats why I got rid of that damn thing, I was sick of all the condensation and lack of storage.

sftiggee

You get that campinn trailer yet. Sure would like to see pic's.
Bufordt

mikeschn wrote:P.P.S. Hey Mike B. Don't you have a hunter? Do you have these condensation problems?

My Hunter is newer than the one Jolene had (2003 versus 2000). The sides are 1/2" plywood and the roof has plenty of insulation. Last year about this time, I spent a night in Elko, NV and the overnight temp got down towards freezing. I had some condensation on the sides but none on the roof.

Take a tip from the mobile home builders. Consider the area of the country you will be using the trailer in, then insulate accordingly.

Mike
Hayden Lake, ID

Ah, so with solid 3/4" sides, I could get some condensation if it got cold enough. Well enough, I'll take along an extra towel just for the walls!

Mike...

I would think that if you're running a heater you wouldn't have any condensation. But you would probably have to crack open a window or roof vent to make sure you had enough fresh air.

Living in Northwest Indiana ... I'm sure I'll have a chance to test mine in the winter months.

Wild Mike

Ah, you're right. The heater should dry up the moisture in the air. Where was my head? Duh!!!

Mike...

Searching through the archives of this forum I found this subject. I am the Michael That wants to build a teardrop behind his Trabant.. A Trabi is only allowed to tow 300kg unbraked and 400kg braked. So there will be some counting be done before she will be build.... For me its a longterm project as I have to many unfinished project at the moment.... A good friend of mine build a absolute lightweight caravan some years back. I tested the caravan 2 years ago for an article in the magazine of the dutch Trabantclub. This trailer is about 3 meters long and 1,5 meters wide. She only weights 220 kgs empty. I put some pictures online

http://www.geocities.com/draisinenl2/simplicity

He also has its own site in dutch only at:

http://www.tante.nl/zzhugo/index.html

regards and enjoy the pictures...

Michael Staats