Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I'm in the planning stages of my teardrop trailer project and I have a few questions to get me started.

I plan on building a Ken-Skill that will be 5ft wide by 9 - 10ft long and I was wondering if this trailer will work for that design.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/ ... _200356494

If it's acceptable and since it's only 8ft long do I just let the back end of the frame for the Ken-Skill hang out over the back end unsupported or do I need a 10ft long trailer?
Is the axle that comes on the trailer adequate or do you normally install a better axle? If so, what type of axle should I get to replace the one supplied with the trailer?

More questions to come.

Thanks,
Ed

the strength comes from the walls. My back end hangs 12" over the back of the frame.

Ed, that trailer is way adequate for your needs...allowing the hang over is not a problem...you will probably want to go with a composite floor and to achieve proper balance(for safe towing purposes) you will probably havvta relocate the axle rearwards, which would hold true for almost all prebuilt trailers...info on these 2 things can be found inte "Generic Benroy Plans" and "Design Library" in the index at the to of this page...have fun and don't forget the pics...we luv(and expect) em...doanchano.............
madjack

madjack wrote:you will probably want to go with a composite floor and to achieve proper balance(for safe towing purposes) you will probably havvta relocate the axle rearwards, which would hold true for almost all prebuilt trailers
madjack

madjack,

Thanks for the info. A couple more questions.

1. By composite do you mean a type of plastic or fiberglass?
2. Is the axle that comes with the trailer adequate or do I need to think about a replacement?

Thanks,
Ed

Upon looking at this trailer, I was wondering if you could cut the side rails in half, extend them to the length you want and use one or two of the middle rails to re-enforce the cuts. This should give you the length and support you need.
Lou

Ed K. wrote:..................................................................................................
1. By composite do you mean a type of plastic or fiberglass?
2. Is the axle that comes with the trailer adequate or do I need to think about a replacement?

Thanks,
Ed

Ed, 1)nope...I mean wooden frame(1x2's) with a sheet of 1/4" ply, on top and bottom...insulation optional......2) that axle is upto the job at hand and a replacement is not needed......

Lou, that is a common way to extend the trailer....

Guy's these techniques are discussed in some detail in the "Generic Benroy Plans", located in the index at the top of this page or in the "Trailer and Chassis" section.....
madjack

The only draw back to that frame..if there is one at all is,

Are the wheels a 5 lug pattern?

Your going to have to eat the wheels if your going to put larger wheels, like a KenSkill.

You could always change the hubs but with those 2 cost considerations (wheels and hubs) another frame may be better.

Your probably looking at upwards of $250+.

My suggestion would be to replace the axle with a torsion axle (they come with hubs, 5 lug).

By replacing the axle you may have an entire axle assembly you could re sell with the wheels (much more desirable with axle, springs & wheels) to re-coop some costs. Then just get your wheels.

It may work out to be a wash with a better axle.

The extending over the frame is no problem. Its been done by many.

Happy Trails

Len

madjack wrote:Ed, 1)nope...I mean wooden frame(1x2's) with a sheet of 1/4" ply, on top and bottom...insulation optional

madjack,

That's kind of what I thought you meant by "composite" but I wanted to be sure. More questions to come.

Ed

len19070 wrote:The only draw back to that frame..if there is one at all is,

Are the wheels a 5 lug pattern?

Hi Len,

Yes, they are 5 lug pattern.
The trailer comes with 12" tires so I would definitely want to get larger tires.

Ed

Ed, one consideration about the taller/wider, tires/wheels is clearance between them and the frame /sidewalls of the trailer...this can be cured with either spacers or wheels with a positive offset to the outside.....
madjack

len19070 wrote:The only draw back to that frame..if there is one at all is,

Are the wheels a 5 lug pattern?

Your going to have to eat the wheels if your going to put larger wheels, like a KenSkill.

You could always change the hubs but with those 2 cost considerations (wheels and hubs) another frame may be better.

Your probably looking at upwards of $250+.

My suggestion would be to replace the axle with a torsion axle (they come with hubs, 5 lug).

By replacing the axle you may have an entire axle assembly you could re sell with the wheels (much more desirable with axle, springs & wheels) to re-coop some costs. Then just get your wheels.

It may work out to be a wash with a better axle.

The extending over the frame is no problem. Its been done by many.

Happy Trails

Len

Ed K. wrote:

len19070 wrote:The only draw back to that frame..if there is one at all is,

Are the wheels a 5 lug pattern?

Hi Len,

Yes, they are 5 lug pattern.
The trailer comes with 12" tires so I would definitely want to get larger tires.

Ed

Never Mind:lol:

Happy Trails

Len

madjack wrote:Ed, one consideration about the taller/wider, tires/wheels is clearance between them and the frame /sidewalls of the trailer...this can be cured with either spacers or wheels with a positive offset to the outside.....
madjack

madjack,

Good points. The other possibility is to get a different axle like Len suggested and get one wide enough so the larger wheels will fit without spacers. But, with the trailer costing $600 adding the cost of a new axle and wheels and tires it starts getting pretty pricey. I think I'll price the cost of the steel to make my own trailer. Then I can get the axle that will work best for what I want to do.
Lots to think about.

Ed

Ed K. wrote:

madjack wrote:Ed, one consideration about the taller/wider, tires/wheels is clearance between them and the frame /sidewalls of the trailer...this can be cured with either spacers or wheels with a positive offset to the outside.....
madjack

madjack,

Good points. The other possibility is to get a different axle like Len suggested and get one wide enough so the larger wheels will fit without spacers. But, with the trailer costing $600 adding the cost of a new axle and wheels and tires it starts getting pretty pricey. I think I'll price the cost of the steel to make my own trailer. Then I can get the axle that will work best for what I want to do.
Lots to think about.

Ed

and save nearly enough money to pay for a GOOD welder!

kennyrayandersen wrote:
and save nearly enough money to pay for a GOOD welder!

Kenny,

Can you please clarify your comment? I'm not sure if you are saying I won't be saving any money because of the cost of hiring a GOOD welder or just the opposite.

Thanks,
Ed

What I meant was if you build the frame yourself you can save some cash and get you a good welder like a Lincoln, Hobart or Miller. I've generally paid for all of my tools over the years but DIYing it. I'm not sure it's THAT much cheaper in the end, but you get to collect and use a bunch of tools. The loads an a teardrop trailer frame are minuscule and I'm SURE you could weld it good enough to hold even if you never welded before. (since the trailer frame is pretty much redundent anyway if you build the body robustly.

Now, having said that, your welding might look like MY welding, which I've been told by them in the know that it looks not too dissimilar to that what comes out the back end of a chicken; still, I have every confidence that it would hold!