Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I am on an Australian teardrop e-mil group and a url for pictures of one of the members builds was posted. This struck me as the ultimate quick and ultra light build. http://picasaweb.google.com/nobbyonnet/20103#

Key features:

A lightweight sandwich construction of fluted polyethylene sheet skins with a expanded polystyrene core.

500kg torsion suspension units welded to angle section to form a beam axle.

A one piece door skin with live hinge formed from fluted poly sheet.

Kerb weight c 120kg (265#)

c 40 hours construction time.

Dang - Impressive pictures and possibly the lightest frame I've seen!

would the fluted polyethylene sheet skins be the same as coreplast?

halfdome, Danny wrote:Wondering if a large truck or a gust of wind could blow that over. Danny

If it did, it would be easy to stand back up...


I like it!!

Now, that's one that Andrew would like to see, if he hasn't.

Thanks for sharing!

cool but needs a few windows..

I'm really interested in this thing and was thinking about a coroplast tear with a conduit frame for my motorcycle.
any extra information would be helpful. PVC cement? 6mm 10mm?
anything could be of use.

I love the building-on-a-pallet method to assemble this without a workshop.

But the main question is how are the joints sealed - there seem to be some strips and pins or screws involved, but I can't work out how it's done. As with all lightweight constructions, it's the joints that are key to the whole idea.

Andrew

Here's a copy of what the man posted with the link-
"Here are a few pics of my almost completed 2010 model.

Key features:

A lightweight sandwich construction of fluted polyethylene sheet skins with a
expanded polystyrene core.

500kg torsion suspension units welded to angle section to form a beam axle.

A one piece door skin with live hinge formed from fluted poly sheet.

Kerb weight c 120kg

c 40 hours construction time."

I could ask some questions if anyone is interested, Hmmmmm

Cheers
Paul

angib wrote: As with all lightweight constructions, it's the joints that are key to the whole idea.

Yes, please, I'd like to see more details of this project.

Where are they getting these materials? FRP, coroplast, etc.

(I'd like to see panels for a floor that have built-in channel for hot water radiant heat.)

Is there a really a market for a product line of lightweight sub $2000, sub $1000 mini trailers?

The question isn't would the wind shear from a truck knock it over the question is would it blow it right off the highway?!?!

And if you had a light car or bike towing it.....


265lbs with that much surface area?

With that wide stance I don't see it blowing over, what scares me is that tongue to axle connection. That one weld is absorbing all the twisting force of a pot hole and road abnormalities. It also is resisting all the up and down shock with a load inside. Now throw the twisting force of a turn and all I can say is that better be one mighty fine weld I would have liked to see a little more triangulation at that joint.

I'd like to see some close ups and detail on the door construction. I've got 5 to build on the new WW and since I robbed the one for the last build from another trailer I've never done one.

Gary