Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hey Guys,

Just in case nobody see's my post about this mornings disaster. I test fit my completed Lower Bulkhead Assembly and now my walls are out of square almost 1/2". I am not sure how this could be considering I went back and triple measured all my roof spars and bulkead assembly and found them all to be a perfect 76" wide. I am kind of at a loss as to how I can get my trailer back square. Luckily, the bulkhead was not glued up yet so I can still remove it easily.

I put the wheels back on my trailer and lowered it onto the ground so everything is sitting on level ground. Is there a chance I may need to remove some width from my 76" wide bulkhead????? Not sure how to proceed. I am Trying not to panic but this has got me stumped.


Here's the pic showing the BAD THING.

HELP!!!!!

SM...obviously something is not fitting properly...what I am thinking is that, something to do with your carpet is holding the wall/bulkhead outta square...check very carefully and make sure the trimmed space on the wall is large enough to accept the carpeted bulk head and that everything is completely seated...you may need a larger trimmed area to get everything to seat properly...a question...can you pull the top of the wall to 76"s, clamping the bulkhead...
madjack

Madjack,

I will try to do that and see if I can pull the top of the wall to 76". I will also double check the fitting around the trimmed carpet again. I hope it's just a bulkhead issue. I'll post results in a bit.

...do that...check your measurments again(while your at it) but I betcha find a misbehavin' piece of carpet that is at fault(gremlins ya know)
madjack

D'oh...what did the other side look like...the walls may be just leaning a little, waiting to be squared up with the bulkhead....
madjack

Is your bulkhead/cabinets square?

Mike...

Did you put a square on the bulkhead? it could measure the same all the way around and still be out of square. I bet it is out of square the same on both sides, That would mean the edges are both cut at a slight angle leaning the same direction. Aaron

Measure the diagonals of the bulkhead they should be the same number if the bulkhead is square.

I gotta ask. Why do you keep taking that thing off the stands??
Sitting on the tires will not make the trailer level and flat. You need a stand under each corner and level the deck out, leave them there until it is skinned!

I took the Teardrop only off the stands this morning whenever the Bulkhead wall was installed and I noticed the wall was crooked. I took the Bulkhead out and it had no effect on the wall at all so the Bulkhead is not the culprit. I trimmed the carpet wider and reinstalled and put 4 screws in....Again, no change. I took out the last spar and repositioned it and even installed a 2x4 spar for the hatch and still no change.

I took my tie down, put it on the very back of the tear where there were no spars and cranked it tight, the wall squared up some but not all the way. I am afraid I have goofed again. I left the wheels off and kept the trailer on jackstands since starting over with only today being the first time I put the wheels on and let the trailer sit on the ground hoping that would fix the crooked wall.

I double checked floor width, spar length, and everything is checking out. The passenger side wall is fine and square. I just don't get it.


Here's a tie down cranked down hard pulling the wall somewhat in line but still no dice.


Better but as soon as I release the tie down, the wall quickly pulls back out of line again.

Well, do I quit now????

I don't really understand why it matters if it's off a little?

When you install the roof it will square up, it will have to.

If the bulkhead is square and when you install it there are no gaps around the bottom and the sides,it "has" to align the walls square. Im not sure if you answered this but did you put a square on all corners of the bulkhead?
and if so, is the bulkhead square? I cant understand how your walls could be out of square if the bulkhead is square and fits tight all the way around.
Like I mentioned before, each side of the bulkhead could measure correctly and it could still be unsquare. Like Toolferone mentioned,measure the bulkhead diagonaly (corner to corner) both should be the exact same if it is square.
Good luck! Aaron

Your spars are a perfect 76"..... What about your floor??? The problem doesn't have to be at the top... could be at the bottom. Also, check to see if your ply is warped..

Yep floor and all spars are 76" on the nose. It has to be a warped wall or something. If it is warped, any chance I can unwarp it???? I have to crank on it pretty hard with the tie down to get it close...that's what's so scary.

It is definately NOT the bulkhead since the wall is just as bad out of line when I take it out.

When you get your roofing going it will square it up. It will pull in or push out on the sides to where they need to be.