Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Here's what I'm thinking about for construction. I am trying to keep the weight down as I want to be able to tow it with my V6 Jetta.

I'm hoping to get away with a simple A frame.

5X10 perimeter frame of 11/2 x 11/2 for the floor with 1/4" ply on both sides and 11/2" of insulation in the middle epoxied together. For some extra strength/rigidity I was thinking of adding 1/8" ribs in about a 12" grid inside the frame. Hollow core door style. Are these needed?

Walls would be the same thing but with 1/8" in place of 1/4". I was thinking I'd run the outside skin over sized on the side walls. Then build the other sections so that they would rest on the perimeter frame of the side walls and between the outer skins. That way I would have lots of surface area for the epoxy to hold on to.

With everything epoxied together and the honeycomb in the walls/floor, would I need to add a layer of cloth to the walls? For water proofing, I was already thinking I'd epoxy the whole exterior and tape the seams. With the extra coats of epoxy needed to completely cover the fabric, I figured the fabric would make it that much harder to get a surface that wasn't full of high and low spots that would make the final paint job look funky. And not the good funky.

What are everyone's thoughts?

I'll try to get the profile posted asap.

Dennis

Here is the profile I was going to go with. Sorry there aren't any dimensions. The grid didn't export with the profile.

A VR6 Jetta has more torque than most trucks, I wouldn't be too concerned about it. I hauled 1 1/2 tons of gravel behind my 87 GTI once and it was fine. Just make sure that you have enough weight on the tongue side of the axle, the back end of front wheel drive cars doesn't weigh much and it could possibly jacknife under emergency braking, unlikely, but possible.

Also check in the design library. Andrew has a couple designs with the a-frame you mentioned, and they are lightweight.

But like Dave said, you really have plenty of torque and horsepower...

Check out this one...
http://www.angib.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/t ... tear32.htm

Mike...

Big Dave wrote:A VR6 Jetta has more torque than most trucks, I wouldn't be too concerned about it. I hauled 1 1/2 tons of gravel behind my 87 GTI once and it was fine. Just make sure that you have enough weight on the tongue side of the axle, the back end of front wheel drive cars doesn't weigh much and it could possibly jacknife under emergency braking, unlikely, but possible.

My mom-in-laws 1.8T Jetta has way more power than our Saturn, and I "designed" our TD to be pulled behind the Saturn's 130HP 2.2L 4-banger. Of course, brakes are probably the real consideration, and the lil' ol' Saturn is still rated at 1000# towing. I think you're safe with just about any design here!

Do you think I need the extra strength of a layer of fibreglass or am I fine without it?

You Can Do It!!