Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

It was a gorgeous day in South Florida yesterday, just perfect for again getting aggravated by Kuffel's Cubby plans...but nevertheless FINALLY completing the trailer assembly.

ATTENTION! ATTENTION! DANGER! DANGER, WILL ROBINSON!!! IF YOU ARE MODIFYING THIS LIGHTER WEIGHT TRAILER ORIGINALLY DESIGNED FOR FOLDING, BEWARE!

I was originally going to name my TD The Crab, because it will have a nautical theme. But after looking at all of the unused holes, it looks like a piece of swiss cheese--so maybe I should rename it the MOUSE.

You must, MUST I repeat, drill/install/connect/fasten the spring hangers at the same time you are reinforcing and connecting the two halves of the side rails. If you assemble these parts before you drill for the spring hangers, you're going to have to remove all of those prior bolts and redrill. There's simply no way to place your spring hangers in proper position without boltheads getting in the way. (Unless you can read the future.)

And isn't drilling these holes just a TON of fun!? Why, I pretended I was a mad scientist doing LOBATOMIES!!! (And when I was done, I needed one myself.)

I mounted my axle below the springs for a bunch of reasons, so at least I didn't have to notch for axle clearance--but this was a minor comfort. Also, to get 36" position on the axle (from the rear), I marked the 36" from the rear of the frame. Then I looked at the two holes for the bolts that go through the springs in the spring hanger, marked THAT in the middle, and aligned my two marks for a true 36 from rear.

After one side was assembled, I simply measured where the edge of the previous hanger sat and marked that same position for the other side. (There are also two pieces that stick out from the hangers, like brackets, that I'm actually leaving for now. They may have some creative purpose I haven't thought of yet.) I also connected the entire axle assembly as one unit way prior, and it was very easy to hang the springs. No sarcasm--it really was.

I mention this all now because this will affect how you follow my assembly instructions above. I didn't trim the 2 plus inches at the rear of the trailer per Kuffel plans, because I'm using a slighly different side profile. This was easier, and I'm also not going to have to make this difficult 40 degree cut in the deck later.

Finally, when referring to Harbor Freight's plans, don't bother looking for a few pieces that affect wheel assembly. Those pieces are already assembled into the wheel, including the cotter pins, which you'll discover when you pop the hubs off the wheels. THEN follow Harbor's directions.

One other slight problem I had was fitting one of the larger bolts through one of the holes in the "V" assembly at the front, an assemby which originally called for cotter pins for the folding feature. This was the LAST bolt installed prior to squaring everything up (today's job), but I just couldn't guide it through both holes because the holes didn't exactly line up. Perhaps when I tighten and square everything, it will work.

If not, I'm giving that hole a 1/32 inch lobotomy as well.

In conclusion, I hope the above helps other cheapskates like myself who went for this lighter, less expensive trailer.

And I don't care WHAT Kuffel's plans say: I'm going to buy TWELVE of those bolts in the next materials list and NOT ten--just to spite 'em!

I went through a similar expeience with my 5x8 Red Trailer frame. IraRat and I have been comparing notes and co-miserating. If I could add one additioanal piece of advice. Test fit the springs before drilling holes in your spring hangers. After installing my spring hangers, I found that some of the mounting bolts interefered with my springs. I had to move those bolts leaving unecessary holes in my frame.



By the way IraRat, you don't need a frontal labotomy. Do what I do. Kick back and relax with a "bottle in front of me"

Hey Rat , I think I had to have a " Frontal labotomy or a " Bottle in front of me " to do a TD Build !!

I used an HF trailer for my very first tear. Never again. It's was easier to build the next two from scratch.

I can really simpathize with all the problems some people seem to be having with the HF trailers.

That said, I just want to say that for the record, I DID NOT HAVE ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS when I put together my HF 1175 trailer according to the manufacturer and including the modifications in the Cubby plans.

Maybe years of being a general 'handyman' type has really paid off for me. The only real problem that I have with the HF trailer is getting it registered here in PA.

I am not trying to be 'smart' about this, I just did not want everyone to think that the HF trailer assembly was the worst thing that a tear builder could do and I think that it is still a great bargin.

This is just my opinion!

Kerry

Very good advice!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did follow the plans and made the mods recommended and really had no problems (I did cut off the brackets that you attached the roller wheels to)

What I found was using pipe clamps. Not only will they be necessary for you to square this thing up but make sure you can extend them so they reah 4+ feet across. I found it really needed when I installed the axle.

O yes - don't forget the BIG Hammer.

BILL

BILLYL,

Good point about the pipe clamps. I have 4 each that have 5ft pipes in them and two hooked together and put corner to corner let you square the trailer without and hammering at all.

Tom made a good point about the spring hangers. I did not have this problem because I had assembled the spring hangers and springs and even the axle as one unit before attaching to the trailer frame. I figured that it would be easier to get the relocation point correct by doing this. I may work for others. I wish I had remembered this earlier and I would have posted that advice, however it has been about 4 months since I put the trailer together and I had forgotten about it.

Kerry

toypusher wrote:I can really simpathize with all the problems some people seem to be having with the HF trailers.

That said, I just want to say that for the record, I DID NOT HAVE ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS when I put together my HF 1175 trailer according to the manufacturer and including the modifications in the Cubby plans.

Kerry

I wasn't going to say anything either. I've assembled three HF trailers, the last one an 1800#er for my TD. The other two were the 1175's. One I did not buy from HF but it was Identical to the others.

The 1800#er I assembled according to Kuffel Creek suggestions. I did not follow exactly. Likewise I assembled the axle and hangers and positioned everything including the cross pieces used to brace the folding part before drilling anything. I moved the axle back to around 36" from the rear. No problems. Oh yeah. I have four of the 5' clamps. Very handy. I also assembled the trailer on a platform. I just can't bend that much anymore.



I'm happy.

Geron

For those that have had no problem assembling HF trailers per the plans, I believe you.

But not THIS model.

Geron wrote:

toypusher wrote:I can really simpathize with all the problems some people seem to be having with the HF trailers.

That said, I just want to say that for the record, I DID NOT HAVE ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS when I put together my HF 1175 trailer according to the manufacturer and including the modifications in the Cubby plans.

Kerry

I wasn't going to say anything either. I've assembled three HF trailers, the last one an 1800#er for my TD. The other two were the 1175's. One I did not buy from HF but it was Identical to the others.

The 1800#er I assembled according to Kuffel Creek suggestions. I did not follow exactly. Likewise I assembled the axle and hangers and positioned everything including the cross pieces used to brace the folding part before drilling anything. I moved the axle back to around 36" from the rear. No problems. Oh yeah. I have four of the 5' clamps. Very handy. I also assembled the trailer on a platform. I just can't bend that much anymore.



I'm happy.

Geron

My trailer went together using HF instructions and no other plans. There were existing holes in the frame which I used for one end of the axle hanger, I drilled those for the other end in order to move the axle back a bit.

I did not bother with 5 ft clamps till well after the fame was complete, have 6 of them now. But I found a couple of double nutted half inch threaded rods useful for pulling/pushing the two halves of the frame into position for welding. They were efective in squaring the frame also as I could use them to pull or push the frame halves. Unless I end up adding something under the trailer and the rods become an obstruction, I intend to leave them in place. I dont see what they could hurt and they do span the two trailer halves. You can see these rods in the pic below.

The moral to this story is: Test fit EVERYTHING before you cut or drill ANYTHING.

IraRat, I noticed in your new Avitar that you're building your floor assembly in place on your frame. I built the entire floor assembly off the frame and bolted whole thing down as a single unit. That asphalt emulsion is nasty enough when you're standing over it. I can't imagine lying on my back under the trailer with that smelly obnoxious goo dripping on my face.

Yuk!

I just added a slide show to my site showing how I built the floor assembly. You might want to check it out.

I have a Harbor Frieght store locally. I went down there to look at the trailers. It is like night and day. The 1800 lb trailer is built like a tank the model you got does have lots of holes drilled in it. I dont why why but it has a bunch. If you decide to use a Harbor Frieght trailer buy the 1800 lb version it seems to be the way to go

I just stuck the frame on their for the picture, and to mark the spots to countersink for the boltheads. Only the 4 corners have heads on top, so at least THAT part was pretty easy.

I'm probably going with the wife and kids to Disney this weekend, and I guess that will be more fun tham brushing gooey, smelly asphalt onto plywood.

Or will it be?

nickster60 wrote:If you decide to use a Harbor Frieght trailer buy the 1800 lb version it seems to be the way to go

Too late. Maybe for my SECOND one.

(Did I just say that?)

IraRat wrote:
I'm probably going with the wife and kids to Disney this weekend, and I guess that will be more fun tham brushing gooey, smelly asphalt onto plywood.

Or will it be?

Take me out in the woods and beat me near to death with a 1" sapling or paint me with asphalt emulsion even add feathers but deliver me from Disney (Six Flags, Branson, Myrtle Beach, etc.).

Geron