Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hello,

Look under Builders Journal you will find Cross Bow. viewtopic.php?f=50&t=54108 go to page 6 and you will find a Cad drawing of the Cross Bow.
Also under Teardrop Construction tips you will find Trolley Top questions viewtopic.php?f=21&t=56057

Saddle bags for a teardrop trailer from what I have heard so far is not out there but might be under a different title.
I have some drawings

Most Stand up trailers have something like this because they have no fender cover and many Teardrops that go past the fender also have storage after the wheels.
But I have not seen any where the fender skirt is extended and has storage in it much like a Saddle Bag.
My old trailer has a upper shelf that is part of the fender skirt to hold shoes and other stuff outside the trailer.

So I wondered what you thought and if you have seen others like this. Motor Cycles like the Honda Goldwing offer closest idea.

and one could buy saddle bag type units for motorcycles and attach them behind the wheels.
Mine will have the brake and turn lights on them as well like the goldwing.


My Saddle bags will hold batteries, things that I kept in the front box in my old trailer long with the brake, turn, and clearance light at the rear of the trailer. It like the Box Kite will have a small deck on top of the saddle bags. I am also thinking of a small Deck below the doors.

Looking for your thoughts I do not build cars nor boats, I am filled with ideas and love hearing other folks thoughts. I am not a professional I am a hobbies and do the best I can to build a safe trailer for the road and a fun place to camp out of.


Ron Dickey
Los Osos, Ca

Are you thing some think like this
http://www.realtruck.com/swing-case-truck-bed-tool-box/
or this
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tradesman-Truck ... 2a20ad582b
or
http://www.realtruck.com/titan-side-bed ... l-toolbox/
With the swing-case. A person could put a face plate on the side that would flip up to make a table for the kitchen. It could also be your fenders.
Good ideal.

Woodyperk has "saddlebags" on his trailer. Just as you are describing.

I am designing and building a pair myself. I needed a place to put my hot water heater. Putting on 45 degree angles on the front and back today. Going to try to design a top that folds out to a shelve when parked..

Ron Dickey wrote:...one could buy saddle bag type units for motorcycles and attach them behind the wheels.

I would recommend checking the price of those motorcycle saddlebags before deciding to use them - roughly the same as the cost of all the rest of your teardrop, I would guess.

But it's certainly a good idea for extra storage and it might mean that home-made fenders were easier to make with the support of the 'saddlebag' behind them.

Something like this may work, this is similar to what Woody uses.

http://tinyurl.com/Fender-box

Loader wrote:Woodyperk has "saddlebags" on his trailer. Just as you are describing.

is this his


mine I think will be made of wood and will follow the trailer lines.
click on this and see it bigger.

Ron

BlackCatRacing wrote:I am designing and building a pair myself. I needed a place to put my hot water heater. Putting on 45 degree angles on the front and back today. Going to try to design a top that folds out to a shelve when parked..

nice design matches your lines you might fit a deck above that like I did on the boxkite.

Thank you for the suggestions everyone. Gives me more room for thought.

Ron

Just about to finish up on my trolley top and next will start working on my saddle bags. I now know most of what I will do but have to work more on what will go in them and what will go where.

There will be 2 batteries one on each side I will start with one and add the second as I can afford.

I was looking at side storage on some class C Rv's and noting how they open. should the side opening open up or left or right? opening down would make it easier to put things in but if it is raining it will catch water too.

I want to put in lift stands, charcoal, maybe some wood, a tarp or two, trailer batteries, (it will be to small for the spare.


Ron

I best like access doors that lift up, hinged at the top, with a hook or catch of some kind to hold open. Maybe a prop bar if nothing else. Second choice would be a side hinged door with the hinge on the forward side.

I understand the batteries one on each side is probably to better balance the weight. However, electrically it might be better to have them together. Cables will be shorter and if you are using 2 - 12 volt batteries in parallel the shorter the parallel connections the better. That would be ideal; not always attainable in the real world. If you have them separated give thought to placing a fuse in the positive wire from each as close to the battery as possible to guard against accidental short circuits. If side by side together then a single short circuit protection fuse would be fine.

By using saddlebags can also give a vertical mount for tail lights. Easy to fix on. I feel like I've spend a month trying to fix my vw beetle lights to curved fenders

this one shows where the battery will ride.
HF trailer am thinking of putting a small battery in like what you find at The Battery Store.


I will be putting this on my trailer last the deck above will go on and light and then I can take it in for plates and assemble the saddle and slide them in.

the only downside to putting the batteries there that I can see is if you camped in cold weather the battery is outside where it will get cold and loose power faster. otherwise the idea is great

rowerwet wrote:the only downside to putting the batteries there that I can see is if you camped in cold weather the battery is outside where it will get cold and loose power faster. otherwise the idea is great

hmmm I had not thought of that, I usually do not camp in areas that are really cold but could. Guess I need to look at adding some insolation there too.

Thanks for that.