Has anyone used these plans?

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Has anyone used these plans?

Postby greaper007 » Mon Oct 30, 2017 11:08 pm

https://www.johnsontrailerparts.com/sho ... odel-10al/

I'd like to build a new tiny trailer and I'm not satisfied with the current offerings. I'd like an axle with brakes, I'd like something longer than 8 ft so I could fit the family inside, and it needs to be able to be towed behind a minivan with a 3,500 lbs limit (definitely going foamy).

These plans seem to satisfy a lot of these needs. I could just buy a utility trailer and go to town with an angle grinder, but I'd still need to change out the axle. It seems like it would be cheaper to just build what I need from the outset. I also don't know how to weld and even if I did, I'm not sure if a trailer would be a good first project from a safety standpoint.

Thoughts?

Also, would it be possible to extend the length on this trailer by a foot wider and 4 feet longer?
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Re: Has anyone used these plans?

Postby aggie79 » Mon Nov 06, 2017 7:04 pm

I have those plans but have not built the trailer. The plans are well done. I too was thinking about extending the length and don't think that would be a big deal structurally. Likewise, I don't think widening the trailer would affect the trailer as long as you keep the weight in limits with the design.

Keep in mind that eliminating the top rail will affect the structure; however, the stiffness/rigidity of the trailer shell should make up some if not all of the difference.

The biggest stumbling block of this design is that the platform framing is metal angle with the outer perimeter with the angle leg up. I believe the plans call for a 2" x 3" x 1/4" angle with the 3" dimension "flat" and the 2" dimension vertical. I like for the trailer sides to extend below and cover the framing, so to build a trailer on this design, I would need to build up the depth to account for the 2" leg which adds quite a lot of unneccessary weight.
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For build info on our former Silver Beatle teardrop:
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Re: Has anyone used these plans?

Postby greaper007 » Tue Nov 07, 2017 6:10 pm

Thanks for the reply. I'm trying to build a big trailer that would sleep 4, but I'm having a hard time figuring out the chassis. Landscaping trailers are fairly affordable, but they're also heavy and overbuilt for what I need. I'm not sure what a custom trailer would cost, but I think it would be considerably more than one of the big manufacturers.
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Re: Has anyone used these plans?

Postby swoody126 » Tue Nov 07, 2017 6:26 pm

check/haunt CraigsList for a TENT TRAILER FRAME

i see them periodically in the $350-$500 range

they typically will be made of lighter weight materials and frequently come w/ stab jacks, tongue jack & a spare wheel

sw
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Re: Has anyone used these plans?

Postby aggie79 » Thu Nov 09, 2017 9:11 am

greaper007 wrote:Thanks for the reply. I'm trying to build a big trailer that would sleep 4, but I'm having a hard time figuring out the chassis. Landscaping trailers are fairly affordable, but they're also heavy and overbuilt for what I need. I'm not sure what a custom trailer would cost, but I think it would be considerably more than one of the big manufacturers.


It has been several years ago, but I had a custom from built for my teardrop. I supplied the coupler, torsion axle, wheels, stabilizers, and receiver (to mount a bicycle rack at the back of the teardrop which I have never used). The welder supplied the steel and fabricated the frame for $750. It was up to me to get the frame registered and licensed.
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For build info on our former Silver Beatle teardrop:
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93503
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Re: Has anyone used these plans?

Postby dmdc411 » Sun Nov 12, 2017 4:12 pm

Aggie79 hit it there, registering can be a pain for a homebuilt trailer. I used the Northern Tool landscape trailer with the angle facing up. Set my floor inside the frame, and bolted the walls through the side of the angle and the floor. Sandwich in the frame. It's amazingly strong! But, I can't weld on the frame anymore, other than the tongue. If you want to make your own frame, you "could" buy a cheap registered pos off craigslist, scrap it, use the registration for your own homebuilt. I have one just for that now! Keep it legitimate, won't matter.

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