DIY trailer question

[Hubert-TNT]

I am planning to build a trailer and have been working off the plans from Tony Latham's book. I will tow the trailer with a Subaru Outback and won't take it off road. The plan in the book uses a #9 Torflex axle with a 22.5 degree down starting angle. I am wondering if I would be better off with a 10 or even 0 degree starting angle for my use. The galley counter height in Tony's plan is 44" and I would very much like to reduce that by a few inches if I can. What would you recommend?

 

[scowan]

Used 1932 Ford wire rims and tire diameter was 29 inch.Wanted to keep height low and like you wasn't sure of start angle.Decided to use a torsion flexi ride adjustable axle.It has a splined arm that can be set at desired start angle.Not sure the angle I set,just what looked right,but would guess about 15 degree up.There are charts on internet to enter tire diameter to determine desired ride height versus start angle.

 

[Hubert-TNT]

Nice wheels! How high is your frame sitting off the ground? My main concern with lowering the trailer is scraping the rear end. I have searched the forum but most of the info I found was about moving the axle on top of the leaf springs on bolt together trailers and they seem to end up at the same deck height as Tony's plan (18").

I looked at the Flexiride documentation and they "strongly recommend the 24 degree down starting angle which provides the optimal ride. The other starting angles may be used under special circumstances." I have not seen any such caution in the Torflex literature I have looked at.

Dexter does not make it easy to buy a Torflex axle. When I click the Shop button on their website to get to the Axle Store, I cannot find any axles. The distributors near me don't have a way to order axles on their websites either. About the only place I found online is in Texas. Does anybody have a recommendation where to buy the Torflex axle, either on the web or in South Carolina?

 

[swoody126]

I am planning to build a trailer
...
and I would very much like to reduce that by a few inches if I can. What would you recommend?

Hubert, IMHO it sounds like time to do some reverse engineering

¿ what do you envision being under the counter top ?

find that (whatever it is) and make sure you have allowed enuff room between the galley floor and the counter framing to accommodate it/them

add that dimension to the thickness of the floor and the counter top(incl framing) and you have where the top of your frame should be

THEN factor in your trailer framing materials and your chosen suspension IF YOU CAN

the last variable is the wheel/tire diameter

there charts on the interweb to help w/ tire dimensions

then you can factor in the wheel size

if it were me ... i'd do that math prior to ordering much of anything else

i think i see some compromise on your horizon

sw

 

[Hubert-TNT]

I am planning to build a trailer
...
and I would very much like to reduce that by a few inches if I can. What would you recommend?

Hubert, IMHO it sounds like time to do some reverse engineering

¿ what do you envision being under the counter top ?

find that (whatever it is) and make sure you have allowed enuff room between the galley floor and the counter framing to accommodate it/them

add that dimension to the thickness of the floor and the counter top(incl framing) and you have where the top of your frame should be

THEN factor in your trailer framing materials and your chosen suspension IF YOU CAN

the last variable is the wheel/tire diameter

there charts on the interweb to help w/ tire dimensions

then you can factor in the wheel size

if it were me ... i'd do that math prior to ordering much of anything else

i think i see some compromise on your horizon

sw

Thank you, Swoody. I agree it's all a compromise. I have a good idea what I want to do on the inside of the galley and what height is needed for that. I am still looking to lower the counter height through exterior measures (tires and/or suspension). I guess my question is how much clearance I need under the frame. Do I need a whole lot more clearance than my Subaru has?

 

[Tony Latham]

The galley counter height in Tony's plan is 44" and I would very much like to reduce that by a few inches if I can.

Confession: My wife is the camp cook, not me.

But if you were to ask her, she's fine with the countertop height. Most of the actual cooking is done from the stove, which is about 40". If you were to ask her what she thinks of our galley, which is version 3.0 in our teardrop evolution, I'm confident she'd tell you she loves it.

The one thing you will give up on a different start angle is the departure clearance if pulling into a boondock spot that might be a bit rough. So a lot depends on where you'll camp. And speaking of that... boondock camps are often not level, and the countertop height varies greatly if you're parked on a bit of a slope.

There's an old thread on this issue that may help: https://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=7214

I hope this helps,

Tony

 

[Hubert-TNT]

Thank you, Tony. I am still a bit torn, but leaning towards the 22.5 degree down start angle and only reducing the counter height a bit on the interior. I have to work out the details, probably wouldn't want to extend the counter into the cabin at a lower height.

 

[Tony Latham]

and only reducing the counter height a bit on the interior.

Keep in mind it will reduce the foot clearance inside since the countertop extends into the cabin and becomes the lower shelf.

Now... you could build it so the countertop/bottom shelf are two separate pieces and the rear bulkhead is one-piece. Without spending all night thinking about it, I think it would work without causing grief in some other direction.

You will lose storage space in the galley, particularly above the cooler and we find that drawer handy for silverware and all sorts of miscellaneous stuff.

I have not heard anyone that used my book complain about the countertop height.

You might ask Ralph B. aka Western Traveler for a second opinion: https://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=73777

He's used his sweet camper a lot.

Tony

 

[Hubert-TNT]

I might have had my measurements wrong. I think I measured 23.5" from the floor to the top of the counter in the CAD file. The drawing you posted shows 22" to the floor, which is already a bit lower. With the floor thickness and the deck at 18" the counter would be either at 41.25" or 42.75". I'm pretty sure the book says the galley counter height is at 44". I have a counter that is right at 42" and while it is workable, it is a bit high so I avoid it for food prep. I'll take another look at the drawings tonight.

I have convinced myself that I do not want to lower the suspension because that also reduces the head room below the hatch, so I'll order the axle with the 22.5 degree down start angle and worry about the counter height later.

 

[Tony Latham]

I have convinced myself...

And I've convinced myself you are doing the proper amount of reasoning or thinking-through.



Tony

 

[Tom&Shelly]

we find that drawer handy for silverware and all sorts of miscellaneous stuff.

Tony

I'll second that. We have a single drawer, that is a little larger than half of Tony's. After every long trip we try and prune down what we have in there, but that drawer is always over-filled. Wish we had room for one or two more.

Our teardrop is a slightly different design and, fwiw, we have a single bulkhead between the galley and cabin from floor to ceiling. Turned out to be structurally good design. It's right where the transition occurs between one 3/4" core and another in our walls, and so reinforces that slightly weak spot.

Tom

 

[Hubert-TNT]

I double-checked the CAD file and the top of the counter is at 23.5" from the floor, so 42.75" to the ground. The book says counter height is at 44". I guess it's somewhere in between depending how much the camper is loaded. I'll make a drawing of my galley layout when I find some time and keep drawers in mind.

I talked to a Dexter distributor near me today, and he strongly recommended not to reduce the load capacity because you won't notice any difference if you're underloaded, but you will if you're overloaded, and you never know what you might want to haul... In a different thread, somebody recently posted a link to wandertears campers, and I guess they are of the same mind and put a 3,500lb Torflex axle on a 1,300lb camper. Any thoughts?

 

[Tony Latham]

talked to a Dexter distributor near me today, and he strongly recommended not to reduce the load capacity because you won't notice any difference if you're underloaded, but you will if you're overloaded, and you never know what you might want to haul... In a different thread, somebody recently posted a link to wandertears campers, and I guess they are of the same mind and put a 3,500lb Torflex axle on a 1,300lb camper. Any thoughts?

That axle guy is spot on for a utility trailer but not for a teardrop. If you follow my plans, it'll weigh at a touch over 1,300 pounds. Throw water, cooler, and a battery in, and that's what it'll haul trip after trip--you do know what it will haul. That's why I suggest an axle designed for 1600 pounds.

That 1300-pound Wandertears with a 3,500-pound axle is going to bounce like an empty dump truck.

Tony

 

[twisted lines]

put a 3,500lb Torflex axle on a 1,300lb camper. Any thoughts?

In my (P,OP) Poor start right there!

 

[Hubert-TNT]

That axle guy is spot on for a utility trailer but not for a teardrop. If you follow my plans, it'll weigh at a touch over 1,300 pounds. Throw water, cooler, and a battery in, and that's what it'll haul trip after trip--you do know what it will haul. That's why I suggest an axle designed for 1600 pounds.

That 1300-pound Wandertears with a 3,500-pound axle is going to bounce like an empty dump truck.

Tony

I figured his expertise is more with utility trailers than with campers.

I ran your trailer design through the tongue weight calculator spreadsheet for the braked road option, and it looks like the braces are limiting the maximum weight to around 1,700 pounds anyway, so it makes little sense to spec the axle any higher than that. I'll have to pay close attention to the weight while I'm building.

 

[Hubert-TNT]

I got a quote for the axle and electric brakes. Between that, wheels, tires, fenders, steel, paint, lights and coupler, the frame will come in close to $2k. Probably a bit over that if you include the brake controller. The good news is that steel prices seem to have come down a good bit compared to last time I bought steel.

I am trying to figure out what size fender I need. Most fenders I see for 14"-15" wheels are 9" wide, which is about 1" wider than 205 tires, but only a little over 1/8" wider than 225s. Next size up in round fenders I found is 10 3/4" wide. How much wider than the tire does the fender need to be?

 

[Hubert-TNT]

I ordered the steel for the trailer a couple of days ago, should be delivered next week. I'll cut it to size and put it on the steel rack. I have some travel coming up and don't want to start until I have enough time to get the frame completed, probably mid to late October.

Still not sure about the size of the fenders. I'm probably going to order the axle next week and the wheels and fenders separately.

 

[Tony Latham]

I am trying to figure out what size fender I need.

I was near the edge of the world when you posted this. Western Alaska.

But anywho, I've got 10" wide fenders on ours.

Tony

 

[Hubert-TNT]

But anywho, I've got 10" wide fenders on ours.

Thank you, Tony. I saw the pictures you posted in the other thread, and It looks like you had a great trip.

I have not found 10" wide steel fenders, only 9" and 10.75", but I have not spent a whole lot of time looking. Do your fenders have a back plate? There is about a 2.5" gap between the tire and the tear drop wall, and I can't quite wrap my head around how the fenders are attached. Is it just a couple of mounting points? Do you happen to have a picture of the fender mounts you welded to the frame?

 

[Tony Latham]

and I can't quite wrap my head around how the fenders are attached.

Someone should have included that in a book. I suggest welding two pieces of 1" square tubing under the chassis frame. Right where the ends of the fenders will be. You'll have to cut a notch out of the backside of the fenders. I bolt the fenders to the tubing.

And yes, fenders with a plate on the inside are an excellent idea.

I think my fenders are actually 10.75" or thereabouts.

Tony