Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

by **crod** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 3:04 pm

I am in the process of building my trailer and have come to the point where I will be putting up the sides. I'm not sure if I have enough to stabilize the sides so they won't buckle? I'm using 4' by 8' wood siding panels. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

by **Rigsby** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 5:23 pm

As long as the sides are well glued and screwed to the base, you will find it stiffens up substantialy as you fix in the spars. And when you get the galley firewall in, you will wonder what you were worrying about
We have all wondered at what point the wobble will stop
steve

by **Gage** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 6:43 pm

Rigsby wrote:As long as the sides are well glued and screwed to the base, you will find it stiffens up substantialy as you fix in the spars. And when you get the galley firewall in, you will wonder what you were worrying about
We have all wondered at what point the wobble will stop
steve

But he's building a box which takes on a different stress factor than a round shape. And with a steel frame, I'll bet he didn't plan on cross spars. It would also be nice to know what thickness ply he plans on using. :thinking:

by **doug hodder** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 7:17 pm

Thickness would be nice to know...are you going to do a single sheet wall? I'd plan on some sort of a stiffener on the back of the front and rear sheets. Interior shelves might do the trick, if you are building a camper, and any other cabinets etc will stabilize it a bunch. If it's just to be an empty cargo hauler...I'd put in some sort of a stiffener, angle iron or maybe unistrut. The holes in the unistrut would be nice for load tie downs. Doug

by **Miriam C.** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 7:21 pm

Your spars and bulkheads will stiffen it up. When you add the roof and flooring in you are there. You can put in triangles to square it up while you are putting it together. That will hold your walls up while you fix the spars.

This is mine with 2 temporary spars. I used the back cabinets and counter, and the bed frame as bulk heads.

by **Gage** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 8:14 pm

Miriam C. wrote: ................That will hold your walls up while you fix the spars................

Looks to me that his walls are up. Just need to add plywood.

What do you think, maybe some diagonal braces in the rear like has been done up front? :thinking:

by **Miriam C.** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 8:58 pm

Gage wrote:
Miriam C. wrote: ................That will hold your walls up while you fix the spars................

Looks to me that his walls are up. Just need to add plywood.

What do you think, maybe some diagonal braces in the rear like has been done up front?

See through walls?

When the walls are on and cabinets/bulkheads/beds and such are in it will stiffen up...

by **Gage** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 9:07 pm

It's not big enough for bulkheads, just cabinets. But that'll help. :thinking:

by **ARKPAT** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 3:42 pm

YEP; she is all steel. 4" "C" purlins corners and 2" x3" base angle for top and bottom framing and center and soon to be windows sill supports framing supports. The rear door will be 3" "C" Purlins framed and welded hinges. The outside covering is 1/2" exterior wood siding and will have insulated walls and door. The floor was my floor in my trailer ( 3/4" exterior plywood re-sealed ). Good job welding her up Charlie. Believe me it is strong ...... you could remove the HF frame and place axle and tongue on the frame alone and the trailer would be plenty strong as is. :applause:

Pat

by **ARKPAT** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 3:59 pm

Oh yes .....there will be two more steel spars between the ones on the roof section and ones below the windows between the steel frame that you see in the picture. The rear door will have a strap cross bracing like the front. The windows are not framed yet in the picture and the rear door is not made but 3" "C" purlin steel is cut to weld up. Oh yes a different type of door seal is in the making .... you will have to wait for the pictures