Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

My tow vehicle is a Dodge Magnum, which is something of a factory low rider. I have been pouring over the Cubby design from Kuffel Creek and like everything except for the wheel size of the Harbor Freight 1800 lb capacity frame and the height. The designer, Kevin, has already placed the axle above the leaf springs, but there is still a lot of "air" under there relative to my vehicle height.

I am pondering over replacing the 12" wheels with something larger, say 600-15 and at the same time using a drop axle, for a net effect of enlarging the wheel profile while lowering the frame and body. The hubs have a five bolt 4" lug pattern which can apparently accomodate a larger rim.

At some point the cost of doing this probably exceeds the cost effectiveness of the HF frame package, but I am game to try and cost it out from catalog prices if it can be done. I would be tossing the HF wheels and axle or selling them off as parts.

Has anyone tried anything like this? Were the larger rims "zero offset"?

Thanks in advance,

Tom

Tom,

You might want to just start out with a custom frame and drop axle. You could probably even use matching wheels to your Magnum.

If they sold the 300C wagon here, I'd be buying one to replace my PT Cruiser.

Nick.

I am thinking along the same lines - I plan to tow my teardrop with a low 1999 Mercury Cougar.

To make it appear lower, you could drop the sides below the trailer's floor a bit - the trailer height will be the same, but will appear lower to the ground.

Another thing that can be done is to modify the hitch, making it "stepped" to lower the tongue - making it level with your hitch.

...the Flexiride torsion suspension axel from www.etrailerparts.com has a lower ride and the torsion arms are spline mounted and can be adjusted to varying heights, I am sure they can be adapted to the HF frame or have your frame built using this axel. Look over the info on their site and if it looks like something you might like, call their 800#, they are real freindly folks. The axel in question is $215 w/hubs plus shipping from Lubbock Tx
madjack

Considering the changes you want to make to a HF trailer, you may want to consider a custom trailer. If you know a welder, the materials aren't too expensive. I'm figuring just over $100 for the steel. Redneck Trailer Supply has a 900 pound torsional axel for about $160. The arms are not adjustable, but you can order it in any of 6 different postitions, to adjust the ride height.

I also want to use different tires & wheels, as well as different fenders & lights. The torsional axels are supposed to ride a lot nicer than the spring axels that HF uses. It seems like several people that use the HF trailer as a base also change the coupler.

I have found steel to not be cheap. One piece of 2x2x1/4" angle about 16 feet long was $60.00+...... I can imagine the cost of frame materials adding up to a noticable amount of cash.

It is one reason I consider the h/f 1,800# to be a bargin. Comes with frame, wheels/tires, suspension, lights. And now sure about now, but was free shipping.

I have submitted a diagram, measurements, and specs to both a custom "camper" trailer shop and a utility trailer fabricator here in San Diego for a complete frame. I would like to try somebody who just does welding (not a trailer fabricator) before I close the book on it. I'll report in when I have some figures and I can see how that compares to a modified HF 1800# model.

There seems to be a chicken and egg problem here. Unless I have the custom weldor build out the entire trailer, I need a trailer to bring the materials and to retrieve the completed trailer frame. Oh, well. I guess there's U-Haul or those $19.00 per hour Home Depot trucks.

Tom

What part of San Diego are you in?

Nick.

Nick,

I am over in Del Mar Heights. I submitted the measurements to Callen Campers and A Texas Trailer in La Mesa and El Cajon. I am still looking for a more generic welding shop for a third estimate. Seems work keeps getting in the way

The big trick is going to be how to smuggle this into the garage. With O-Gauge Model trains, I can have Brown deliver to a safe house owned by a friend and pick it up. The teardrop project of this magnitude is going to require some major compensation directed at Mrs. Diegan.

Tom

Tom

I looked under my Harbor Freight 1800 lb trailer and it looks like there isn't enught room above with axle above the spring for spring travel. How would you do it so that you have clearance?

roger-c

roger-c wrote:Tom

I looked under my Harbor Freight 1800 lb trailer and it looks like there isn't enught room above with axle above the spring for spring travel. How would you do it so that you have clearance?

roger-c

You have to cut a section out the spring mount (which is why I chose not to modify the axle, I hate cutting structural stuff).
Bruce

roger-c,

I was assuming a gap would be made in the spring mount, as Bruce describes.

I share your trepidation about modifying structural components, though.

Tom

arnereil wrote:I have found steel to not be cheap. One piece of 2x2x1/4" angle about 16 feet long was $60.00+...... I can imagine the cost of frame materials adding up to a noticable amount of cash.

I was just quoted $53 for a 24' length of 2" x 2" 11ga square tubing. 2 lengths should be just enough to make a 54" wide by 90" - 96" frame ( I haven't decided what the final length of the frame will be yet). 2x2x1/4" angle seems awfully heavy, I would use something that stout if I was just building a cargo trailer. The sides of the TD will give it aditional strength, not to mention, I am trying to keep the loaded weight under 1000 pounds.

A coupler is $12 at Wal Mart, and safety chains are $12 for a 6' set (two 36" chains & hooks) at Wal Mart, but you can buy chain by the foot for much less. The axel is just under $160, and requires no extra hardware other than 6 or 8 bolts & nuts if you don't want to weld it on. Used wheels are about $10 each, and new tires should be about $35 each or you can find used for less (how many miles do you plan to put on your trailer? Most trailer tires dry rot before they wear out). A wiring harness with lights is about $25. Fenders can run from $20 to $160 each, depending on how fancy you want to get.

While building your own frame isn't for everyone, if you want to start changing/upgrading things on a HF trailer, you may be better off with a custom built frame.

Luckily I have the equipment and skills to fabricate and weld my own.

I bought the steal for my trailer several weeks a go. The frame will be 58” by 10’ and the tong will be 3 ½’. Bought two 24’ X 2” X 2” X 3/16” square tubes, one 10’ 2” X 3” X 3/16” square tube and one 20’ X 2” X 3” X 3/16” angle all for $210 with tax. Went a little heaver with the steel as I have a tendency to put to much heat to the steel when I weld. Got it from a local industrial steel supply company. I will be doing my own welding as soon as the weather gets better. I have a 3000lb axel and 2000lb springs with hangers from a farm supply that ran $135. The five lug wheels came off a Ford LTDII, three with a spar. They were free!
Chuck

San Diegan wrote:Nick,

I am over in Del Mar Heights. I submitted the measurements to Callen Campers and A Texas Trailer in La Mesa and El Cajon. I am still looking for a more generic welding shop for a third estimate. Seems work keeps getting in the way

The big trick is going to be how to smuggle this into the garage. With O-Gauge Model trains, I can have Brown deliver to a safe house owned by a friend and pick it up. The teardrop project of this magnitude is going to require some major compensation directed at Mrs. Diegan.

Tom

I live in Normal Heights. Don't know of a welder off hand. I can ask around at work, I work with a bunch of mechanics. I had a custom trailer made to go with my old Dodge Rampage for a couple hundred bucks but that was 15 years ago. I used hubs off the rear of a Dodge Daytona and a custom drop axle so I could use matching wheels.

Have you gotten a hitch for your Magnum yet? I see that Hidden Hitch has one to fit it. That's the kind I use on my PT Cruiser and it's great.

Nick.