"The X-Cubed" C.T.T.

[zkengle]

Personally, I think Subarus look better with more stuff piled on top or behind. Kayak, bikes, roof cargo and cage, and now a camper!

Couldn't agree more!

 

[ryuandwings]

Those are cool!

I need to go through my photos.

 

[zkengle]

Managed to get a little work done tonight, although I should have been packing for the gathering this weekend. Finished the floor framing, so next week it will be ready for skins and insulation!

 

[Kharn]

"I have no idea what you're talking about, so here's a Subaru with pallets on the roof and a teardrop on the hitch"

 

[Esteban-TNT]

Back a few pages Alaska Teardrop asked how much the trailer weighs? I am assembling mine this weekend. Out of curiosity I weighed the 5' x 8' "deck" structure on a bathroom scale. It weighed 95 pounds. Zach asked if this is with the tongue? No it it only the 5' x 8' deck structure before the spring holders, springs, axle and wheels were attached. Nor was the tongue attached.


I'm also favorably impressed with Northern Tool's Ironton 5' x 8' trailer. It seems like a sturdy and easily adaptable trailer.

Zach, you may be leading me astray by showing how easy it is to install a torsion axle. I just looked up a Flexiride axle at Southwest Wheel. Didn't pull the trigger YET. I kinda sorta maybe really want to. I like that the Flexiride axle has an adjustable torsion arm (start angle).

edits in blue

 

[zkengle]

Back a few pages Alaska Teardrop asked how much the trailer weighs? I am assembling mine this weekend. Out of curiosity I weighed the 5' x 8' "deck" structure on a bathroom scale. It weighed 95 pounds.

I'm also favorably impressed with Northern Tool's Ironton 5' x 8' trailer. It seems like a sturdy and easily adaptable trailer.

Zach, you may be leading me astray by showing how easy it is to install a torsion axle. I just looked up a Flexiride axle at Southwest Wheel. Didn't pull the trigger YET. I kinda sorta maybe really want to.

Thanks for weighing in (pun intended)

Was that 95lbs with or without the tongue?

The torsion axle was super easy to install, especially on the Northern Tool trailer since the side rails are a solid 8' long. The hardest part was figuring out the start angle, but after much debate I ended up with the manufacturer recommended 22.5 degree down.

 

[zkengle]

After a GREAT weekend of camping with the Chesapeake Bay TearJerkers, I was ready to get back to work on the trailer. Once I got home and cleaned up a bit, my buddy and I headed to Lowe's with the trailer. Picked up a few sheets of 3/16" (5.0mm) plywood underlayment, a sheet of 3/4" insulation, and a few other miscellaneous things.

We laid the floor frame down on the garage floor and got to work skinning what will be the bottom side. Used a ton of Titebond III and 3/4" brad nails to hold the skins in place. Here I am marking lines on plywood so I know where I can nail into.

Then we stood the panel up to make sure there weren't and gaps. You'll notice that the skins are larger than the frame. Some night this week I'll take a router around the outside edge and trim that off. I'll also do the same with the battery openings in the middle of the floor. Insulation panels will be cut to fill the voids in the floor.

Its already feeling pretty solid, and I'm sure the insulation and top skin will help tremendously.

 

[be_a_jayhawk]

Is it just me or is the central structure "free floating" independent of the rest of the framework?

 

[zkengle]

Is it just me or is the central structure "free floating" independent of the rest of the framework?

You are correct. That central structure has narrow wire chases that run down each side of it and then converge in the middle where the galley bulkhead will be. The wires will then turn up the bulkhead wall and go to wherever they need to. At the front of the floor, the chases open up into the front electrical compartment. Once the insulation is in and the other skin is on, the floor will be one solid unit despite being pieced together as you see.

 

[be_a_jayhawk]

I was wondering if it was an electric raceway being next to the battery boxes.

 

[zkengle]

I was wondering if it was an electric raceway being next to the battery boxes.

Yup. As soon as I get the battery openings routed out then there will be small holes drilled through the framing into the chases.

 

[zkengle]

Trimmed the edges and the battery openings on the bottom skin of the floor assembly tonight, using a router and a flush-trim bit.

Before I can put the top skin on, I needed to build the battery cage because some of the bolts will be covered by the top skin.

Using the same method as the X-II, I designed the battery cage using 1-1/2 x 1-1/2 perforated/slotted steel angle. Once again I'm planning for two batteries, but unlike the X-II this cage will be one assembly. I cut the pieces using my handheld jigsaw with a metal blade. Cut like a knife through butter.

Test fitting it to the openings in the floor...

The final dual-battery cage.... solid as can be!

I pulled the trailer frame back into the garage and test fit the floor assembly. Then clamped the battery cage to the floor and drilled the mounting holes. I also used clamps to press the floor assembly onto the bolt heads of the trailer frame. This marked the exact locations of all the bolts so I can use a forstner bit and create recesses so the floor sits flat on the frame.

I'll also need to cut a few narrow strips of 3/16" plywood to put on top of the trailer frame crossmembers to make the floor absolutely flat on the frame. Maybe I'll even get the insulation pieces cut tomorrow.

 

[KCStudly]

"I love it when a plan comes together" - John "Hannibal" Smith, The A-Team

 

[Kharn]

I like the clamp idea to locate the bolt heads, I'll have to use it this weekend.

 

[zkengle]

"I love it when a plan comes together" - John "Hannibal" Smith, The A-Team

Thanks KC. Although I'm not very far along, everything has lined up perfectly according to my AutoCAD model. Fingers crossed that it keeps going this well.

I did notice that since I still have the stock 12" wheels & 5.30 x12 tires, my battery cage is only about 6-1/2" off the ground.

Once I get the 15" wheels with 205/75-15 tires, then I'll have the almost 10" of ground clearance that I intended for.

I like the clamp idea to locate the bolt heads, I'll have to use it this weekend.

I previously used the "whack the floor with a BFH" method to imprint the bolt heads to the floor, but using the clamps to gently press the floor onto the bolts keeps it from bouncing and sliding out of position. You just have to crank down on the clamps to get a good impression.

 

[zkengle]

As I mentioned previously, the bottom of the floor needed to have recesses drilled in it at all the frames bolts. I picked up a set of forstner bits after work today, which gave my recesses a nice flat clean finish. After drilling them, I flipped the floor over and they all aligned perfectly!

Also, because of the way the trailer kits fit together, skinny spacers needed to be cut to go on top of the crossmembers so the floor sits completely flat. I used the same 5.0mm (3/16") plywood underlayment that I'm using everywhere else.

Once I got the floor fitted back in place, I worked on the rear section of the floor. Its hard to see whats going on here, but this is the angled bottom edge of the galley floor, where the hatch seals against. Better pictures to come.

And after the rear section of the floor was finished, I could move on to insulation!

All thats left to do is skin the top, paint the underside with asphalt fence post paint, and then its onto the wall framing.

 

[zkengle]

More progress tonight!

I pulled the wheels and started the "skirt" panels around the edge of the floor. These help space the walls out from the frame and will end up giving me an extra 3/8" width inside the cabin. It also helps the walls miss the end of the tongue rails where they stick out from the side just a little bit. These pieces get put on before the top skin, because the top skin will be routed out to the full size of the cabin floor.

Once the "skirt" panels were finished, it was finally time to skin! After the galley floor was glued and brad-nailed in place, I mocked up the galley wall (3/16" ply, 3/4" framing", 3/16" ply) so I could be sure the cabin floor sections would be in the right place. Once I was satisfied I cut the panel openings for the battery and wire access.

Then I glued and brad-nailed the front section of the cabin floor into place, clamped the middle section in place, and ran the router around the outside edge of all the floor panels. The middle section of floor (with the panel openings) isn't glued down quite yet. I need to coat the bottom of the floor with the asphalt paint before I can install the battery cage. And the battery cage needs to be bolted to the floor before I install that section of skin.

Just might have to start framing the walls this weekend.

 

[KCStudly]

Rapid pace. Great planning. Good job. Keep at it.

 

[zkengle]

Thanks KC! Most people don't realize how much time I spend planning. This thing has been in the design phase since the end of August and the drawings have been revised and refined constantly up until about 3 weeks ago. I'm definitely not one to just go out and wing-it. I have a lot of respect for those who can do that, but that's definitely not me!

When I was helping my buddy design and build his, we never drew up a tongue box for it. Once the build was underway, he decided he wanted to add one on the fly. I about had a panic attack.

 

[jbyrd-TNT]

You can really tell how much planning you put into this, just by looking at the floor.
I am really looking forward to seeing your trailer take shape. It's a very interesting design.