Thrifty Alternatives ... Building Foam TDs

[GPW]

Steve, not meaning to put down anybody ... I’m just Too OLD to be constantly chasing down maintenance issues ... A GEEZER!!! If I build something , I want it to last , pretty much on it’s own ... It’s like the old bumper sticker... “ I’d rather be Camping!!!”
Plus , the entire RV industry has so aptly proven they Can’t make anything with conventional materials that will last ... Just trying to think “out the box” here .. Left outside , the two common things that seem to survive is Foam and Aluminum... Odd , because most solid plastics don’t seem to do as well.. maybe it’s the Air in it ?
So for old Geezers who want the trailer to outlast them , it’s logically either a Foamie or an Al cargo trailer ... probably with the benefit going to the cargo trailer ... But then again , they can be expensive for something decent and not a “big wind dam” ... Foamies are more of “your Basic” style of camping trailer ...

IMHO , the wooden TD guys have done a a remarkable job of making perfect little Beauties , that really belong in a Museum and NOT out in the snow...

It’s like my wife said ... “ cars last outside, why don’t trailers? “ Perspicacious woman , the wife ...

[Wobbly Wheels]

Another big advantage of course is cost. A few sheets of ply and a trailer frame cost a bit but not nearly as much as a new rig.
Foam is even cheaper and it's far more easily shaped by anyone, even kids. That means that building this way has the potential to get more people out camping. Even if they try it and don't like it, they aren't making payments on a trailer that they're not using.
Some folks don't give any credibility to something unless it's 'professionally built' so there's no reaching them, but I have something of an audience now for my build. I live in a lane that's a pretty popular route to walk to the beer & wine store and some local shops. I get people coming down the lane all the time to see my dogs and to check on the trailer's progress. Of course, we get to talking and the have a realization that it's pretty easy to build this way and that anyone can do it.
I'm starting to get the box closed in now so the eventual shape is visible...and I seem to get more people coming by to check it out.

From one neighbour I get the usual "why don't you just buy one ?" comments. She's always been wealthy and is more a 'hoteler' than a camper, so to each their own. Two of my other neighbours are now thinking of building trailers for themselves.

All things considered, I think my trailer has cost me more in beer than in materials so far - both to pay for parts and as 'coolant' while building. That will change when I start glassing though (shooting for next weekend !)

[GPW]

QUOTE: “ Some folks don't give any credibility to something unless it's 'professionally built' so there's no reaching them” ... that’s TRUE !!! We call them RV’ers ...

[GPW]

W2 , anxious to see how the glassing goes ... that should be a pretty Nice skin !!!

[Wobbly Wheels]

Picking up the first gallon of resin today.
Stay tuned !

[pete42]

There's always someone who when told what you are doing says "why?"
"I could stay in a lot of motels for that price".
to which I reply how many times have you said I think I'll go moteling next weekend?
granted I have stayed in motels and will again I'm sure.
like the bumper sticker says "I'd rather be camping" never saw a sticker that said
"I'd rather be moteling"

pete

[linuxmanxxx]

Pete I can drag my little box over to RV park and stay many nights there to equal one motel night. These can make a cross country trip affordable that some people could never make in the conventional motel way.

[GPW]

Having a small trailer gives you a feeling of Freedom ... King of the Road , wind in your face sorta’ thing ... to go anywhere, see everything , not having to depend on a motel for your rest (or pay the big bucks ) .. Kinda’ like the Harley guys except we have a Nice bed to sleep in ... ...and the wet bar is much Cheaper ...

[Ratkity]

There's always someone who when told what you are doing says "why?"
"I could stay in a lot of motels for that price".
to which I reply how many times have you said I think I'll go moteling next weekend?
granted I have stayed in motels and will again I'm sure.
like the bumper sticker says "I'd rather be camping" never saw a sticker that said
"I'd rather be moteling"

pete

Also no bedbugs.. or fear of bedbugs... Or or or.. fear of other things unseen! *looks around, paranoid*

Hugs,
Ratkity

[Ratkity]

oopsie, double post!

[theWolfTamer]

Having a small trailer gives you a feeling of Freedom ... King of the Road , wind in your face sorta’ thing ... to go anywhere, see everything , not having to depend on a motel for your rest (or pay the big bucks ) .. Kinda’ like the Harley guys except we have a Nice bed to sleep in ... ...and the wet bar is much Cheaper ...

My hope is to combine both but without the darned Harley! I'm hoping to make something to tow behind me while I do stuff like this


So I can stop doing this


Bike handles like crap when loaded like that. Most of my riding/camping is in the mountains so there's no way to avoid it. Lodging up there is often more than what you'd find next to the slab (interstate). Now I'm trying to figure out a slide out single wheel design. Something I could pull out with minimal setup. I've been doing a lot of research and have revised the image in my mind about 10,000 times since I first posted.

[GPW]

WT, still can’t imagine how a single wheeler would work ... Got any sketches ?

[theWolfTamer]

Nope. I can't draw for sh--um crap. However use this type of trailer chassis:


Add the body of choice? This is the final built on that frame.


Here's one that's a cargo trailer (I think)


There are tons of cargo one wheeled ones, but no camping trailers.


A guy on one of the motorcycle forums I am a member of came up with a two wheel design. Turns out he's a member here too. Here's his thread: http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=46688. It's the only hardsided camper trailer I can find for a motorcycle. A while back he offered the plans for some small price as long as when you built it you advertised for him or something like that.

I like his idea however I've seen two wheeled trailers on motorcycles in action on the kinds of roads I ride. They spend as much time on one wheel as two which is why I like the one wheel design. I probably won't be doing this:


But it'd be nice to know I could. Now I can't find of pic of what I've seen only this


Which doesn't show how much more unstable that looks to be. The pull behind pop-up trailers weigh around 500 lbs. After doing some research, my single wheeled version would have to be closer to 300 lbs or below. The bonus would be if I could make it so that it stretches similar to the way Papa Yolk's does. So I'm talking about a small weekender type on a single wheel chassis that may be able to stretch for sleeping.

[Wolffarmer]

I also belong to the International Brotherhood of Motorcycle Campers. A bunch of them pull those camping trailers and yes some of them are rather large and heavy. Some people pull the same ones behind small cars. Our website is IBMC.org. I bet the IBM Corporation hates us.



But I have seen some smaller ones also. And some very light cargo trailers. I have yet to see a single wheel trailer though.

Randy

[Wobbly Wheels]

A couple thoughts as I read your thread wolftamer...

First, there's a fella online (Croatian ?) that did a comparatively HUGE trailer to tow behind his touring bike. I'm not suggesting that's what you're looking for, but he built with styro and epoxy/glass to keep the weight of a big trailer within the bike's power to pull it.

Secondly, I would seriously consider KC Studly's Poet Creek Express build here. I think the pintle hitch he fabbed up would be a great way to get the heel angle you're looking for in a single wheel trailer, but with two wheels on the road. That would simplify your build considerably by eliminating the need for a slide-out over a single wheel.
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