Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hey all. gearing up for my first build. 6x8 camper on a 4x8 trailer.

will 2x2 support the 1ft span on each side or should i get 2x4's and notch them out to 2x2 to fit over the trailer while leaving 2x4 for the 1ft on each end?

what other options are there.

I assume you'll be using a bolt together frame like the HF 4 x 8.


I am building a 5 x 10 on a stretched HF frame and have built over the wheels. I used a 2 x 4 bolted to the front and back of the front and back cross rails. The 2 x was ripped down to about 3.25" to match the frame and I overhung it 6" off the left and right sides. I bolted 1/2" baltic birch ply to the frame and the 2x's and ran a 1 x 2 hardwood strip along the outer ply edge for stiffness and for a anchor point to mount my walls. I think all the heavy floor framing that many people do is overkill. It adds weight and you loose interior head room.

If you want to follow my method, I would suggest 3/4" ply floor to handle the 1 foot overhang and be sure your bulk heads fall on and are bolted to the frame and side wall to take full advantage of the torsion box strength. If you want to see a pic, follow this link and scroll down to see the frame and floor upside down. http://web.mac.com/jbleeg/iWeb/Jerry%27s%20Webpage/Teardrop%20Trailer.html

I'm not sure why you want to go 6' wide, but be aware, finding materials in a 4 x 8 world brings about some challenges and added expenses. In the end, It's your build. Do what you want.

i need to lay sideways in the camper for more floor space on mine. so i have room for the shower/bathroom putting a nature's head composting toilet in there.





i have 3/4 inch ply on the 4x8 deck right now of my trailer. i was hoping to build a camper that can be taken off and on so i dont loose use of my flatbed trailer. any ideas?

http://www.mikenchell.com/Generic_ET_Ph ... ndex2.html

This will get you lots of pictures of how Mike Schn. did his last! Be sure to look over his site. Lots of wonderful detail.

so it appears that 2x2 is strong enough? thats what it looks like in the pictures that he framed in 2x2. i couldnt spot the thickness of ply he used for the floor though. any ideas?

ok here's what im thinking of doing now after a bit of contemplating.

i have 3/4 inch deck on the trailer already. and im wanting to build a camper that can be taken off so i dont loose having a trailer for hauling.

so what im thinking. 1/8th plywood and then 2x2 framing with 2inch foam board insulation inbetween the framing and skinned with 1/4 inch plywood for the walking floor. this will all be laminated together with pl 200 and screwed together.

what do you guys think. will a laminated panel like that be strong enough to span the 1ft on each side.

Grid Runner Adventures wrote:
so what im thinking. 1/8th plywood and then 2x2 framing with 2inch foam board insulation in between the framing and skinned with 1/4 inch plywood for the walking floor. this will all be laminated together with pl 200 and screwed together.

what do you guys think. will a laminated panel like that be strong enough to span the 1ft on each side.

In general terms yes, but with the floor 1/4" thick, it will be OK to stand on, but anything with a point that is heavy, will puncture the floor.

Wolfgang

This is one of those cases where everyone assumes the floor holds up the walls when actually the reverse is true - the floor will be supported by the sidewalls and the sidewalls will be supported by the front and back walls - or the front wall and the galley bulkhead, if you're building a conventional teardrop.

So if you were building a fixed body, I would say that you don't need any floor framing and indeed that is exactly what George Teague did when he built his Compact GT (though that is a 5x8 rather than 6x8). He did add some angle brackets either side of the HF frame but they had all the strength of a pat of butter - here's a couple of photos of his build in progress.





Of course, you want to have a removable body and that changes the picture for your trailer quite a lot - you may end up putting it down on an uneven surface, so 2x2 framing seems sensible. There's no point using 4x2 with a notch cut out at the frame as that's where you need the strength, so it would be little better than a 2x2.

Andrew

what i was thinking with the 2x4 style notched out is that if the ends diflect downwards the 2x4 will push aganst the frame of the harborfreight trailer and help hold it up i was thinking.