Desert Teardrop Campers

[Denny Unfried]

By today's standards Desert Teardrop's plans leave a lot to be desired but several years ago they could have pointed builders in the right direction and had a shape template which resembles "Kit Industries" 40's teardrop. Too bad he hasn't updated plans or even responded to correspondence.

When I started my build if you Googled "teardrop trailer" you would get very few hits but now there are Forums like Mike's and many web sites with how to build including mine. Now days you don't need plans but can just surf the web and with a little imagination sketch one up and incorporate the things you need. Lots of great ideas out there.

Denny

[Guy]

Heikkie wrote:

And my relatives there say I have an accent ...geeeeeeee. Laughing Laughing And I sure dont know how to write with an Australian Outback Accent.. Very Happy Very Happy

Heikki Wink Thumbs Up

Heikki, don't worry they do not have a written language.

[angib]

Heikki, don't worry they do not have a written language.

Man, that's cruel and heartless. Of course I didn't say untrue, just cruel and heartless.......

Andrew

[PaulC]

Guy, I'll have to argue the toss on that one.
I don't want this one to end up in a barney.
You will have Buckley's chance of convincing me we do not have a written language.

A couple of small examples to convince Guy and Andrew that we do, and can, include our language in the written word.

Cheers
Paul

[jayray]

we purchased the plans form desert teardrops about 4 years ago and the booklet was very vague at best. the only thing we used was the full size template for the trailer side profiles. i found that lots of photo searching on the internet was the best way to get construction ideas for the rest of the build. desert's frame designs were also very spooky. you would hate to have the tounge fail on the road. i also recomend torsion axles as opposed to leaf springs, a much better ride. they did have a good list of t.d. parts venders.

[Aaron Coffee]

What is wrong with the frame design? Just want to check mine, and remedy any potential problems. I ordered my DT plans in 2000 and if I remeber right it did take a while to get them. I did find a couple of wrong dimensions in the plans, and the plans were vague in spots. I emailed him and he remebered my name, but with a last name like mine that happens. If I ever get around to building a ten footer I will probably use some of Dessert plans mixed with some others with some of my own ideas.

[Jotul40]

I have a set of their plans.... only a few years old and never used.... the first $35.00 takes them... and I'll even donate it to this forum!

Nothing really wrong with the plans, I was more interested in the template. Truthfully, there is a gazillion times more informaiton on this site!

[jayray]

my designs suggested that the tounge to be welded straight off of the front of the frame with no additional support. personally, i did not feel that would provide enough load support on the front of the trailer as we carry the brunt of our camping gear in the trailer when on the road. i added two angled crossmembers that start half way up the tounge and go back to the second crossmember under the trailer. this made the frame alot more ridgid overall. i had the extra steel and felt it was a good idea is all. it also made for a place to mount a storage and battery boxes.

[Aaron Coffee]

O.K., thanks, My plans have a traingular tongue, and rather than cut each piece, I notched the short sides of the c-channel and bent it then welded the notch shut, then added gussets top and bottom, I think that is how my plans where. The only thing I wich the tongue were a little longer.

[jayray]

i thought it was a bit short also. we gave an extra foot or so makeing the overall legnth 12'6' hitch to taillights. when it comes to backing up, i'm not much of a "snake dancer"

[Denny Unfried]

My frame was built using this design which is very light. For extra strength I bent some 5/16" flat steel and scabbed it onto the rails where the bends were made.

Denny