Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hello, new here. Recently retired and am seriously researching building a non-traditional shaped Tear on the 1800# HF trailer. I have pretty well figured out my basic design but in order to refine it I need a more detailed drawing of the dimensions. Searched the site and elsewhere and found nothing that really helps. Was hoping someone here might have purchased this trailer and maybe it came with a detailed drawing in the package along with the assembly papers. I specifically need the exact location of the center of the axle in relationship with the outside of the rear cross member and the exact diameter and width of the tire that came with the trailer. Need the distance from the top of the tire to the top of the fender.

Am basically looking at building a 5'2" x 9'. No fenders with wheels under the cabin. Rear door, no side doors just side windows. Kitchen and toilet inside with popup over that area. AC unit. Will sleep 2 adult one child. I hope to post some drawings soon and then a model. Thanks for any help. Great site you folks got goin' here. George

Hey George,

I know exactly what you're up against, having done the Baja Benroy the same way. What I found is that you can't design the body till you have the trailer in hand...

I don't have a HF trailer anymore, so I can't help...

Mike...

BTW, which non-traditional design are you building?

Looks like the Simple design will work for my rear inside kitchen. I will probably slant the roof slightly toward the tow vehicle and have a small radius on the front top corner to keep the top as close to level with the top of my Honda CR-V. Someone here has one very close to the same design except mine will be a straight back, no slant as I need all the space for the rear kitchen area. I may end up goin' ahead and gettin' the trailer first otherwise my model may end up inaccurate. I guess then you're committed to the project. Need to go get a couple of trees from Home Depot anyway. They won't fit in my CR-V.

You should have said something.... you could have had the walnut tree in my front yard... It was 80 years old, and huge... but it's gone now!

Oh, you wanted kiln dried trees... yea, Home Depot is the place to go... and for $21 you can rent a truck to bring your trees home...

I'm curious to see how you are doing your rear interior kitchen. Got any sketches you can share with us? To upload scans or photos, just click on Albums->Your Personal Gallery->Upload Pic

Yes, it's that easy!!!

Mike...

Uploaded some rough drawings in my album. I named my design the Dovecote. They're not to scale but you should be able to get the idea. The inside kitchen is mostly a place to store the kitchen stuff until we get to the campsite although it is stored in a way to be used inside if we so desire. Probably use it most on one night stays on long trips. The porta potty is stored there also so we can use the area for a bathroom camped or on trips. I travel with dos femalos. There will be a large connecting tent with floor to set up kitchen and living room when planning to stay a few days. I wanted the rear door so we wouldn't have to have so much tentage to cover side doors and a rear open hatch. I hope to save on weight by not having a big kitchen. The kitchens I have seen on these tears are absolutely beautiful and looks like a lot of fun, but I need to save on weight. I fear that the pop up will make up for the weight savings on the kitchen. We have camped a lot over the years in a 24 foot motorhome and mostly in a large pop up tent trailer with a slide out. I rigged up the pop up for all electric as we only camp in private and state camp grounds with utilities. So all the stuff in the Dovecote is electric. That'd be electric heater, microwave, two burner hot plate, tall coffee maker for hot water for bird bath and so on. All the stuff in this kitchen is easily moved to the outside. I will have a 24 inch by 42 inch fold down table permanently mounted to the back of the camper next to the back door which should hold most of what we need to cook. The pop up is to make the trips to the potty a little easier and moving around inside dressing and such. The placement of the popup allows for one to rise up off the bunk and stand up. The width of the pop up allows for an 8 inch shelf abut 6 feet long on either side for temporary storage of shoes, cameras, purses, and whatever. It also makes it easier to access the inside kitchen if need be. An AC unit is in the bottom of the kitchen unit. There will be a storage area underneath the kids bunk and between the two adult bunks that will house a TV/DVD and will help sturdy up the front wall and hold up the bunk. Storage under the bunks for tent, rugs and whatever. Our electric cooler usually rides in the vehicle with us. Water hook up for sink with drain hose if sewer is available. Electric outlets for outside rear and inside kitchen area. Two fold out windows. Maybe a roof exhaust fan. Would like the door window to fold out also. Adults sleep head to the rear and feet under kids bunk. When kid gets older I will add a 6 to 8 inch deep drawer slide out at one end of her bed so's she can stick her feet in it and stretch full out. For now I guess I need to decide on the HF trailer or build one as I can't get much designin' done without dem measuremints!

You might want to take a look at Andrew's drawings on one called the Compact that is very similar to what your looking for. He has worked out a fine way to elevate the roof.

http://www.angib.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/t ... tear48.htm

That's pretty much it except for size and door placement. I like the pop up method. Will be experimenting with that.

I second (and third, and fourth) George's suggestion that someone take a set of detailed measurements from the HF trailer.

I would be happy to provide a reasonably accurate drawing with dimensions drawn on - all you would need to do is fill in the gaps.

Today's special offer - if you measure a HF trailer accurately for me, I'll do you a custom design to go on it.

George, if you download one of my drawings such as the Simple, you'll find it contains a drawing layer called Chassis that is my best shot at a HF trailer using published measurements and photos.

Andrew

I went down to my local Harbor Freight to see this trailer and measure it. They have one on display however it is suspended from the ceiling way out of reach. I got a don't even ask look when I told them what I wanted to do. That's what prompted the original post for dimensions info.

I'd like some dimensions too, so I can to model this little bugger up...

Actually, anyone with a HF trailer can get a couple quick and easy dimensions for me...

The outside rail for example... How tall is it? How wide is it? and how thick is it?

Does anyone know?

Mike...

Page 15. 3.5 inches tall, 94.5 inches long and 1.25 inches wide and is 11 gauge steel (what ever thickness that is). That's what the book says but on an actual trailer, maybe. Unfortunately that's about all the dimensions given in this manual.

HF 1800# manual:
http://www.harborfreight.com/manuals/40 ... /40597.PDF

That's a nice manual... the siderail I am looking for is on page 8...

Part # 4 and #22

or

Part # 3 and 21

Mike...

Went down to HF this morning and got them to get a ladder and make a couple of measurements from the trailer hanging from the ceiling. I needed to know the distance from the back of the trailer to the tire. It is 32 inches. The tires that come on the 1800# HF trailer are 5.3 x 12 and are 21 1/2 inches diameter. I thought the 4.8 x 12 tire was the same circumference only narrower but it is not. Didn't measure one but theres at least an inch or so difference in height and is a bit narrower. The height from the top of the bed of the trailer to the top of the fender is 5 inches. Sorry I couldn't get any more measurements as there was a lot of stuff under the trailer and there was only one place to put the ladder. The guy there let me do the measuring. I had to stand on the next to the last step on the ladder while he held it and looked out for the manager. Apparently this is a no-no but he was kind enough to oblige me. They have none in stock and says they sell them as soon as they get them. Have to get on a list.

Excellent, George - those are sensitive dimensions that are not easy to work out from photos, etc.

Andrew

sorry for resurrecting a verrrry old thread, but nobody has been kind enough, yet, to provide dimensions?