Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I am ready to start building the trailer frame and am looking for suggestions as to how to attach body to frame. The section drawing is my idea for floor and wall framing. The idea is to use 1/4"X4" lag bolts horizontally through trailer frame into the wall framing. This will give me the ability to easily remove body from frame if necessary. Any thoughts or suggestions? Am I under or overbuilding the frame or body? I plan to cover the top with aluminum and the sides with wood strips.

Thanks in advance,
Howard

Weerider wrote:The idea is to use 1/4"X4" lag bolts horizontally through trailer frame into the wall framing.

Lag bolts? Why not use regular bolts? I have 5 bolts holding my camper to the trailer - I used 3/8" bolts.

Your trailer frame is wood?

steve wolverton wrote:

Weerider wrote:The idea is to use 1/4"X4" lag bolts horizontally through trailer frame into the wall framing.

Lag bolts? Why not use regular bolts? I have 5 bolts holding my camper to the trailer - I used 3/8" bolts.

Your trailer frame is wood?

My trailer frame is 2X2X1/8" steel. I would like to have the bolts horizontal from the inside of the trailer frame into the wood perimeter frame but not all the way through so that I don't have nuts visible on the outside. I can use as many bolts as necessary.

Yep you are definitely over building. A hint---if it says 2x4 it is too big. Also---hardwood siding on top of 1/2" is over build too.



Of course that floor you are planing will make real good insulation for the tank. Just teasing you. It might help to look up above at the Generic benroy plans... Remember that you will have a mattress to insulate the floor with also.

!/8th on the inside is good too.
Enjoy

Weerider wrote:I would like to have the bolts horizontal from the inside of the trailer frame into the wood perimeter frame but not all the way through so that I don't have nuts visible on the outside. I can use as many bolts as necessary.

Are you opposed to having the bolts inside the camper running through the floor? You wouldn't even have to recess them as your matress would cover them.

I used 2x2 floor frame with 1/2 ply on top with no insulation. Six inches of foam bedding is enough insulation for me. Just my 2c

Lookin good...couple thoughts cause I'm pretty similar. On the floor, I am using 1/4 and 3/8 ply over 1" insulation. If I were to do it again, I would go with 1/4 and 1/4. It is more than plenty strong. On the sides, based on my progress, I am comfortable recommending using 1/4 outside sheeting with 1/4 inch stripping. The 1/4 inch ply works really well, even if you want to go "stapleless" which is what I am doing.

Ya hoooooo another stripper.....I like it.

BTW...in regard to being able to easily remove the trailer from the frame....I am kinda hoping that I will never have to do that. I intend to fasten the deck permanently to the frame with "trailer floor screws" and call it good. The way I figure it, if the the trailer has to come off the frame...something has really gone awry!!!

Are you opposed to having the bolts inside the camper running through the floor? You wouldn't even have to recess them as your matress would cover them.[/quote]

I plan to cover the floor inside with vinyl and would rather not have the bolts showing there either but I am open to suggestions.

You can use a forstner bit to sink the heads.

Hey Weerider,
Thats almost the way I built mine only I use 2x2 where your 2x4 is and jmho overbuilt is the way to go if you not a pro builder,welder,engineer kinda guy.Im pretty much done and happy with mine and I dont worry bout stuff breaking or falling off!Just look at everybodys stuff and try to take the best of all of it for your own!

I believe these are the deck screws Dave is referring to.
I used these too, they are my preferred way to attach the floor. Nice thing is you can put them any where, they countersink themselves and ya don't have to crawl underneath to put them in. The 1/4" size is plenty big, just drill a 7/32nd hole and run them in. They can be had in different lengths too.

In case you are wondering, they are used to put the decks on lots of utility and equipment trailers. We used them to screw down 2" rough sawn oak and I can't recall ever breaking one off.

Weerider wrote:I am ready to start building the trailer frame and am looking for suggestions as to how to attach body to frame. The section drawing is my idea for floor and wall framing. The idea is to use 1/4"X4" lag bolts horizontally through trailer frame into the wall framing. This will give me the ability to easily remove body from frame if necessary. Any thoughts or suggestions? Am I under or overbuilding the frame or body? I plan to cover the top with aluminum and the sides with wood strips.

Thanks in advance,
Howard

Hi Howard,

What are you towing with? It may be that weight is not an issue for your tow vehicle but if it is your suggested build is going to go to the heavy side. Compared to a large percentage of the teardrops shown in the Hall of Fame and elsewhere here your's is quite "over-built"....however, it's your build and you're the one that has to tow it and live with it so you've got to be comfortable with your choices. On the other hand, you're dragging a lot of extra weight you don't have to and going through more work to build it than necessary. Most have a perimeter frame of 1-by material with an overlay of 1/2" ply (insulated underneath) that drops onto the metal trailer frame and is fastened directly to it. The side walls are attached to the 1-by framing material.

There are many sites to visit and lots of ways to do it but I learned a lot from reading through Steve Frederick's site and following his TD builds. Since his are bright finished and pretty fancy he takes pains to hide fasteners and such and much can be learned from his methods. He did stripper as well so that would be a good one to check out.

Best wishes how ever you do it; I'm looking forward to following your build. I really liked the profile you posted earlier.

....we use the same self tappers that Rich linked to for the same reasons...they are very stong................

madjack wrote:....we use the same self tappers that Rich linked to for the same reasons...they are very stong................

MJ,

Are those specialized fasteners? I got some exterior deck screws with the star (torx?) head the other day. They look like the screws in the photos in the link but I'm wondering if the ones y'all are talking about are specifically for trailers.

Watchathink?

I think that's probably their most common use but they could be used for bout anything. They aren't plated tho so if exposed to the elements they do turn a pretty brown red color. But they are hardened so it doesn't hurt them.