Tire Clearance?

[TheThom]

Hello everyone.

Hope it's OK. I'm a pop up guy posting on the teardropper site. The craftsmanship and knowledge you guys (and gals) display means I can't stay away. I also need a camper to sleep a family => that makes me a pop up guy.

Anyway, I'm rebuilding an old pop-up from the frame up this winter. One of the changes will be new a new axle and bigger wheels.

How much clearance do you recommend between the tire and the fenders?

I'd like it to be a bit off road savvy. I plan on doing some driving on some logging roads, maybe some light 4x4 roads, but nothing too crazy or extreme. I'm just not sure how much clearance i need? Currently there is 1" clearance with the tiny tires on it - obviously, that's not adequate.

Thanks for your help

[Corwin C]

I don't know if it's true for all manufacturers, but the Torflex #9 axles state in the instructions to have a 3" minimum "bump clearance." Each axle/spring configuration will be a little different. I would check with your axle/spring manufacturer for advice. Alternatively, someone with more experience may have a better answer.

BTW - Welcome to the forum...

[Catherine+twins]

Oh, yeah, I remember that. The old pop-up I bought when my kids were about 3 weighed about 1500 pounds and had 8-inch wheels. Oh, the things I didn't know about campers then! I just remembered when I was a kid, the fun we had camping in the tent-top trailer my grandfather built, so I bought something I thought was similar. Grandpa's trailer weighed about 800 pounds, though, and you hardly knew it was there. My Subaru was rated for 2000 pounds, but I certainly felt 1500! And those 8" wheels! Good thing all our camping those 2 years was within 100 miles of home!

I can't offer any technical help, just a little bit of encouragement to cheer you on. I am also building a bit larger than a teardrop (it's my twins and me, in a small standy with bunk beds), and I never would have dared it without this site and these wonderful mentors!

Catherine

[TheThom]

Thanks for the info and encouragement. I guess I was a little vague in my first post: specifically I was wondering how much clearance to have above the tires - between the tires and the fenders?

[eamarquardt]

Measure the distance that your axle can travel up before it hits your frame. Then give yourself an additional 1.5 inches or so for mud and some additional flex of your axle. Combine the distance from your axle to frame plus the 1.5 inches or so and set your fender that high above your wheel using some wood spacers on top of the tire to hold the fender up.

Then, see if your tire to fender distance is the same around the circumference of your wheel and looks good. If the clearance at the top is less than at the sides, you might like to raise the fender so it's equal all the way around for the sake of appearance. Do not lower the fender from the initial point to get a good even gap as you may bottom out at some point.

That's how I do it.

Cheers,

Gus