Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

DEE here..

Well I have finally been able to post some pics of how I modified a Harbor Freight trailer in preparation for my Zephyr TD



Check out my web Zephyr Build Journal for all the pics of the frame modification.
http://www.nfdc.net/home/cbdb/Micro%20CamperTrailer.htm

I need all the help I can get from my friends... So comments are welcome.

DEE

Looking very good Dee. Just wondering, do you have enough clearance between the tires and the bottom of the deck? From the angle of the photo, it looks to be real close.

Keep up the great work. It won't be long before the sides go up.

Ross

PS: I like the fact that you used wire loom and you even matched the color to the frame

Dee:

I have been following your project with interest due to the fact I also would like to build a 5ft. tear on the HF trailer.

If you could clarify something, I would greatly appreciate it ! In your posts you mention that you are building the deck with 2x4's on edge and 1/2 plywood.....thus giving enough clearance to clear the tires......but in your photos it apears that the 2x4 side rail is directly over the tire, thus giving almost no clearance at all. Then after going over your notes, you mention that the deck overhangs the frame by 7" each side.......does this put the 2x4 side rails outboard of the tires ?

Sorry for the confusion !!!!!!!!!!

DEE:

I am so glad you posted your HF photo. I had never considered placing the two center crossmembers along the length of the frame as you have done. That would significantly strengthen the most flexible part of the frame. I'm going to consider making a similar change on my trailer.

Karl

Karl Stevens wrote:DEE:

I am so glad you posted your HF photo. I had never considered placing the two center crossmembers along the length of the frame as you have done. That would significantly strengthen the most flexible part of the frame. I'm going to consider making a similar change on my trailer.

Karl

When I built my HF trailer I left the cross members as designed, just added a couple of 5' sections of angle iron to the inside of each side rail. I had to trim a small section of each crossmember to fit but it worked out well. This allowed me to keep the cross members close to support the floor.

Dee.. I probably overlooked it but what is the overall size of your Zephyr? Are you doing anything different to the trailer tongue? I'm looking at lengthening mine but am not sure how I want to do it...

Tony:

I agree that the cross members would be important if the floor was resting directly on them as my utility platform is now. However, when I put a tear cabin on the frame, it will have its own support for the floor deck. In fact, it's unlikely that the floor "joists" will align with any cross members other than the front and back.

If a cross member is necessary, a customized 2x4 would work.

Good observation, though, and I would do the same as you if angle iron were free!

One thing I noticed was that the Zephyr has a larger footwell than would be possible with the cross members in place. That adds a lot of flexibility in the design.

I'm not interested in a footwell, but that's a very good solution to placement.

I built my flooring framing to align with the cross members. I see your point about cost. Nothing is free...

The walls of your tear will strengthen the side rails more than any iron you add to the rail.... I think the rail is 3.75 inches tall.... the wall is around 3 feet tall near the axle.... the wall wins... even though it's wood.

kenaum wrote:Dee:

I have been following your project with interest due to the fact I also would like to build a 5ft. tear on the HF trailer.

If you could clarify something, I would greatly appreciate it ! In your posts you mention that you are building the deck with 2x4's on edge and 1/2 plywood.....thus giving enough clearance to clear the tires......but in your photos it apears that the 2x4 side rail is directly over the tire, thus giving almost no clearance at all. Then after going over your notes, you mention that the deck overhangs the frame by 7" each side.......does this put the 2x4 side rails outboard of the tires ?

Sorry for the confusion !!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the interest, and questions.

The 2X4 frame obviously adds weight, but I feel this 2X4 frame is necessary since I am extending over the steel side rails of the trailer frame.

The simple answer to your questions is Yes, the 2X 4 on the side of the deck is outboard of the tires. The phot posted so far is misleading. I'll try to post a better one.

Here is the more complete answer, however. . .

I used a 1X 4 as a band board to support the outside of the deck. This is the same dimension as the framing that I am using for my side wall. The wall will be lag bolted into the deck cross members. So, the width of wall pluss tyhe width of the band board comes up to 2X 4. When I get to this stage of the final assembly, the wall will be "glued and screwed" to the band board sides of the deck.

I have read the opinions about this kind of construction. The point can be made that it is weaker than having the wall sit on top of the deck. I see and undertand the point. I opted for this approach, time will tel if it is a mistake... I consulted with a contractor about the weight of my walls and roof, the effect of this mass being pounded by road bumps, and the ability of the 2X4 to support the dynamic load. Although he is not an engineer, in his practical experience of building he thought I would be OK. We also talked about the shear strength needed for this construction. He did some calculations and recommended I use 1/4# diameter 4" long stainless steel lag bolts with a hex head instead of screws. I will use 10 of these, 5 per side. Each lag hole will be pre drilled. Check in after a year or so and I'll be able to tell you if this was wise or not.

In addition I will be placing a 1X 3" wood cleat along the base of the wall on the deck inside the trailer. The cleat will be anchored into the wall framing members as well as intothe deck surface. The cleat will help to bear the weight was well, but the total capacity is fingured into the lag bolts I'll use.

This may be more than you wanted to know, but I hope it helps.

DEE
I hope to post a picture of this later to make it more clear.

DestinDave wrote:Dee.. I probably overlooked it but what is the overall size of your Zephyr? Are you doing anything different to the trailer tongue? I'm looking at lengthening mine but am not sure how I want to do it...

The trailer frame is 4X8 '

The point on the front makes the length of the body 8' 10"
Tonight temporarily put the walls on the deck and took a measurment of the width outside of the wall to ouside of the other wall and it is 64 5/8" wide

I think the maximum width in PA is 7'6" but I am not sure of this.

Inside the cabin will be slightly larger than a queen size bed. It turns out this is an important factor to my wife.

More pics when I get a chance...

DEE

Karl Stevens wrote:DEE:

I am so glad you posted your HF photo. I had never considered placing the two center crossmembers along the length of the frame as you have done. That would significantly strengthen the most flexible part of the frame. I'm going to consider making a similar change on my trailer.

Karl

Using the cross members as reinforcement is part of the Cubby build plan. I purchased that from Kuffle Creek BTW, it is good material, worth the price and answered questions I couldn't figure out. I knew I wanted a TD with a bit more space, so my design had to be different from the deck up.

To each his own....

I am sure the 2X4 cross member framing will be more than enough strength. I made sure that the possition of the two remaining steel cross members matched uyp with where the 2X 4 would be since I will be anchoring the TD to the trailer with bolts through the deck, and the 2X4's into the four cross members.

Pics of this later too

DEE

Karl Stevens wrote:Tony:

In fact, it's unlikely that the floor "joists" will align with any cross members other than the front and back.

I found that with the HF trailer there are a series of holes alread pre drilled in the side rails. The factory spec is for the cros member to be placed every 2'. I moved mine closer to the fron t and the back, becuase this places the steel cross members under the bulk head, and also in line with where I wanted a deck 2X4 to be.

Hope it helps you see what I'm doing...

Thanks

DEE

I hope to post a better pic soon, but this may do for now.



In the pic above you can see the deck frame partially assembled in the background. It is propped against the shed wall. If you look closely you can see that the spacing of the cross members are not every 2', but that they do match the steel cross members in the pic first posted above in this list...

You might also be able to see that the outside framing member for the side of the deck is not a full 2X4. I call it a band board, it is a 1X4.

Well that's it for me tonight

DEE