Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

My design has been back and forth a few times, but now I think the details are coming together. The idea of an alloy frame with a timber body didn't sit too well with me, it seemed like the joins were always going to be problematic.

Then I hit Google on a whim and find this:

http://www.roamingtimes.com/rvreports/3 ... ailer.aspx

An all alloy trailer (cabinets and all), and only 1200lbs for a 14 footer

All of a sudden my original 600lbs target weight is looking realistic (even easy) again. I previously thought about alu framed cabinets with ply skins (stops the dentists surgery look of the Camplite).

I'm still not convinced about going with all alloy. The Camplite isn't a torsion box unless the skin is quite thick. It seems like racking forces could quite easily tear or distort the skin, so it would most likely benefit from diagonal bracing. I would guess skin around 2mm thick would be required, which is quite heavy. I'm worried about a thin skin being easily damaged by stray stones and the like.

Has anyone skinned their trailer with nothing but alloy sheet?

I have been thinking of building an alum. trailer. Mine will be quite small (6.5'X4') but I was planning on using wood for the body. What issues do you anticipate with this?

For an alloy chassis, I don't envisage too many issues. It will go together just like a steel chassis, but alloy is easier to cut and drill. I'm using rivets and brazing which I feel is the easiest and strongest way to go. The only difference to building with steel is the size of the section used.

I'm designing around a 75x50x6mm section for my main rails, which should be indestructible (corrugated road use).

As for the alloy body, the main problem is in the design, getting all the different sections to sit flush so it's all smooth when skinned, and alloy sections aren't always available in exactly the size you need.

I've squared off my design to simplify the alloy framing, but it still has a couple of curves, and I'm not sure yet how to do those, they may just end up skinned plywood.

The problem with putting a timber body on my design is that there's a fair bit of alloy framing, two skin layers etc in the design. Bonding and screwing the two materials, potential for differential expansion etc. Moreover, timber for example comes in 12mm, 19mm, alloy is usually in round numbers (20, 25, 30mm). It can take a bit of head scratching to make the joints. There was also the question of sealing, I was going to have the top half painted timber, with an alloy skinned lower, which gives a definite place for water to get in. Basically I was headed towards an alloy trailer with ply skins, between alloy bulkheads (of sorts).

If you're going with a conventional timber body on an alloy frame, I don't envisage any additional issues as compared to a steel frame.

alloffroad wrote:I have been thinking of building an alum. trailer. Mine will be quite small (6.5'X4') but I was planning on using wood for the body. What issues do you anticipate with this?

This is my next build .......

This is not the exact trailer but it is a close cousin. A good friend has it and at $400 ready to tow makes it a good deal I think.

You might look around the marinas these little wave runner trailers are light weight and well built. Mine has all the sidemarker and tail lights built into the rails. (Looks real sharp that way) . If I could just find someone to buy "barn to be wild" I could get started.

I am building on a boat trailer myself, Your deal sounds like a good one if the trailer is Aluminum. My trailer is a recycled galvanized steel trailer but should do the trick. Good luck with your project. Bill