Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Building my first build, generic benroy on 4x8 HF frame. Just bought trailer and starting on floor. Here's the future problem I'm worried about, if my outside layer of plywood on my sandwich wall over Laps to cover my ugly red frame rail won't that make my whole build slightly wider that 4 foot. I know it's only gonna be a half inch wider total but wouldn't that come to bite me later when I put ply wood on the roof and when I skin it with aluminum? This is probably a stupid question but it's confusing me and ruinining my sleep!!!! Don't want to mess up or cost myself money this early. Any help would be great! Thanks Adam in KC

I built my benroy styl tear on hf trailer the outside dimensions r 4 ft 1 1/2 inch wide haven't had any problems it's not too close to tires nothing else was a problem because all I could find was metal from tractor trailer place for roof and it was 8 ft wide by however long you need them to cut it

This is probably a stupid question

I'd say that it will be a problem. Since plywood is nominally 4x8' (My Baltic Birch is 5x5'). And here in the middle of nowhere, my alumium comes either 4' wide or 5' wide. Lots of waste.

T

Hey, Adam!

I wouldn't worry about it too much ... you can either leave it just that little bit wider all the way 'round and let the roof edge moldings cover the gaps at the edges (some aluminum stock is 49" wide, and if you find some, that'll be even better) or you can "pinch" it in to the 48" overall width at the top and then let it "flare out" to the 48-1/4"-or-so on the bottoms (you can even adjust for that "flare out" when framing up your galley lid and make sure the overhang matches all the way up to the galley lid hinge). IMHO, little "adjustments" like that are no big deal ... ...! Good Luck, and as always ...

CHEERS!

Im building mine to sit on the 1200 x 2400 ply sheet (our sheets are 'metric feet')
(as is my 1200 x 2400 trailer)
I am planning to add some alloy checker plate about 125 - 150mm wide around the entire trailer to hide the trailer frame.

This might address both issues

Or... you might explore using molding to create the overhang covering the metal of the trailer. There are some fabulous examples in the gallery.
Will be interesting to see what you decide.
Cheri

over Laps to cover my ugly red frame rail

I think a teardrop looks fine sitting on a trailer frame. But kinda like a Henry Ford and his old Model-T; as long as it's black.



Have you thought about painting your frame?

T

WOW! I began to do mine with black zinc today, I think it will look a lot better. great minds huh?

Thanks everyone! Think I will use molding a trim piece to cover frame. Going to keep the body at 4 feet exactly so I don't have to waste as much material, none of this stuff is cheap!!!