Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hi, I don't seem to be able to find anyone in the archives using aluminum box for tounge material. (that could be a clue)

My plans for a sub 350lb tear are coming together. A lot of scratching of my uhhh... head and weighing of sample materials leaves me optimistic that it is possible.

Because of my tow vehicle I will be sticking to paved roads (possibly very smooth dirt) and would like to save about 20lbs or so by using 2x2x1/4 6061 aluminum box for the tounge.

I know a lot of variables come into play here, but would just like to see what you guys think about this.

Thanks All

Not an engineer but have stayed in a Holiday Inn express before

I don't know if Andrew has ever stayed in a Holiday Inn, but he's our resident engineer! Send him a PM and he'll fix you right up with more gal-darned information that you can ever assimilate!

Sure enough, here I am! I've never stayed in a Holiday Inn Express, but then I'm an engineer, so it would appear that I don't have to. But I have stayed in several Formule 1s (click here to see a room, if you have a strong stomach), which I believe outranks a HI Express in scariness by at least 3 to 1 - when did you last see a new hotel with communal showers and toilets?

You can visit my tongue strength page for details, but my first approximation is that aluminum should be loaded to no more than 1/3rd the stress of steel - it is stronger than that, but it is its lower fatigue strength that's the problem. This would downrate your 2x2x1/4 box's Z value of 0.8in3 to a steel equivalent of 0.27in3. That would make it exactly as strong as the twin angles of the Camp-Inn that Cary was kind enough to specify, so it's plenty strong enough for a lightweight trailer.

You do need to recognise that an aluminum tongue will eventually crack from fatigue - but if the stress is low enough, that may take 50 years! You must use careful detail design to avoid stress concentrations - for example, no drilling big holes through the tongue where it joins the main frame.

Andrew

Andrew, Nice Room..... but where's the head?

That room gave me flashbacks from college.

Wright, Behind the Camera Now I get it, you mean the WC or the John or the Loo or the Dunny don't you
Paul
P.S. Andrew does mention communal Dunnies in his answer

Ah he did......

Last time I stayed anywhere with a common head, was in Camp Pendleton....

Man that was 12 years ago....

GEE when I was at camp Pendleton, it was only a tent city with 50 to a tent. The head was a trench. The mess was next to the trench. The mess smelled just like the head, even when the wind was blowing from the port side. Now I don’t think they were in to recycling back then. But maybe that was the starting experiment for the first attempt in reprocessing. I must say that it was not the worst place I have been at but it is close to the worst!

Chuck

asianflava wrote:That room gave me flashbacks from college.

That was my first impression. The only thing missing was the marijuana leaf poster and an empty keg.

Hey, I wasn't trying to really scare you guys - when I said 'communal', I meant not in your room, not 50 in one room! Formule 1s are a a brand of ultra-cheap roadside hotels introduced in France - $32 for a room for up to 3 people is really cheap for Yurp (rememeber we have only 1/10th the land per person that you do, so land's correspondingly expensive).

Anyone wanna talk about trailers?

Andrew

Hey Andrew...the Formula 1 has all of the amenities of our TD/TTTs, just a little larger. We should feel right at home in one.

cracker39 wrote:Hey Andrew...the Formula 1 has all of the amenities of our TD/TTTs, just a little larger. We should feel right at home in one.

I didn't see a stove in there.

Doggone it Bledsoe, you're absolutely right. Our trailers have Formula 1 beat don't they?

Andrew, thanks for the advice/tech page. I'm going now to find some type of industrial glue to replace any fasteners I may want to use-hey if its good enough for airliners......

rmcelroy wrote:Andrew, thanks for the advice/tech page. I'm going now to find some type of industrial glue to replace any fasteners I may want to use-hey if its good enough for airliners......

Mc...look for sikaflex 252/552...should be available from Austin Hdw, automotive paint supply(or similar product) or a marine hdw place
madjack