Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hi All,

First post here. I've been thinking about building a teardrop for a number of years. The itch just woke up again so I found y'all here... Neat site.

I have a question.

Does anyone know where to obtain curved "polyplastic" windows like those used on the front of the T@DA trailer? They are a simple curve (not compound). I need to track an off-the-shelf model down and get specs on it before I design the profile of my trailer.

Thanks!

I think the commercial travel trailer companies have just about quit putting a window on the front of their campers. It can be a source for leaks unless it is done perfectly and maintained over the long run. I had a small 50's or early 60 model Shasta and it required regular attention to avoid leaks. However, you will find several builds in the Hall of Fame that have front windows on their tears.

RV, welcome aboard...most folks that want a curved window, will heat form polycarbonate for them...not real hard, just heat to a couple of hundred degrees and place in/on a form.......
madjack

RV9Factory wrote:Hi All,

First post here. I've been thinking about building a teardrop for a number of years. The itch just woke up again so I found y'all here... Neat site.

I have a question.

Does anyone know where to obtain curved "polyplastic" windows like those used on the front of the T@DA trailer? They are a simple curve (not compound). I need to track an off-the-shelf model down and get specs on it before I design the profile of my trailer.

Thanks!

RV:

One solution like Madjack suggests is to form them yourself.
See below ~ Our member paddlehead has made is own, to fit his custom radius curves.

Curved corner windows how do you do it? paddlehead puts them in oven ~
http://tnttt.com/viewto ... 068#223068
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=8266

I guess heating and forming could work, but I was hoping for something would be available off the shelf.

It seems unlikely I'll be able to bend the frame and the plastic and have it all line up. BTW this is a window that opens!

Surely the T@b people aren't bending this themselves? The manufacturer of that front window must have it - or something like it - available for sale?

RV, windows like that are generally custom made for the trailer manufacturer...check out Hehr, a manufacturer of such windows...they will sell to you and the cost will be in the many hundreds of dollars per unit...if you can afford it, they are out there...also try ebay and google.......
madjack

Depending upon how much of a curve you have, you might be able to adapt an aftermarket car sun/moon roof. Most of these, though, are curved both front to back and side to side.

I've been considering one on the front of my tear, but haven't come up with a way of matching the curve(s) to my profile.

Bending the lexan is the easy part- its the Frame that will be the problem . But .....with a little help it can be done. First you will need to build a home made buck to bend the piece of lexan. The frame will be a little more work, the biggest part and $$ will be the streacher/shrinker you will need (around $200 from HF) but you will use it alot on the build in other places.

Heat the piece of lexan (Cut it over size, you can trim it to size later) ,and put it on the buck and let it cool.

take -2- pieces of aluminium angle and cut 1 side off just a little thicker than the thickness of the lexan, use the shrinker to bend the Radius to the front of the tear drop. The top and bottom dosnt need to be bent - Now the best bet would be to TIG weld the ends together..But you can rivet them together.

Trim the lexan and install with water prof tape or cauk...Windows done

Now do the same with the next frame that gos on to the Front of the body and screw it to the opening in the body.

Add a hinge, some wether stripping,a lock and a prop to hold the window open. DONE.

shamrock wrote:Bending the lexan is the easy part- its the Frame that will be the problem . But .....with a little help it can be done. First you will need to build a home made buck to bend the piece of lexan. The frame will be a little more work, the biggest part and $$ will be the streacher/shrinker you will need (around $200 from HF) but you will use it alot on the build in other places.

Heat the piece of lexan (Cut it over size, you can trim it to size later) ,and put it on the buck and let it cool.

take -2- pieces of aluminium angle and cut 1 side off just a little thicker than the thickness of the lexan, use the shrinker to bend the Radius to the front of the tear drop. The top and bottom dosnt need to be bent - Now the best bet would be to TIG weld the ends together..But you can rivet them together.

Trim the lexan and install with water prof tape or cauk...Windows done

Now do the same with the next frame that gos on to the Front of the body and screw it to the opening in the body.

Add a hinge, some wether stripping,a lock and a prop to hold the window open. DONE.

Nice information you provided.

Classic Finn

Thanks Finn

We build these windows for some of our machines at my shop and if done right they are very water tight (we use coolant on the tools) with a lock in each lower corner.

madjack wrote:RV, windows like that are generally custom made for the trailer manufacturer...check out Hehr, a manufacturer of such windows...they will sell to you and the cost will be in the many hundreds of dollars per unit...if you can afford it, they are out there...also try ebay and google.......
madjack

I priced a van side window from Hehr,I work in a collision center,
and it was around $280 shipped. Just to give you an idea