Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

The design in my mind is as follows:

4 X 8 HF trailer (got that).

Floor: 3/4' ply with 2 X 2 frame - 5' X 8'. Butt-joint in middle along a 2 X 2 frame member. No insulation. Tar coated. Cut out for wheels.

Sides: Sandwich 1/2' ply, 3/4' foam, inexpensive paneling (1/8"?) with 1 X 4 vertical stringers to frame the door, bottom where it attaches to floor and where inside shelf and bunk hang. No galley.

Roof: interior paneling, 2 X 2 stingers, 1 1/2 foam insulation, 1/4" luan on exterior. All installed from the outside using the ingenous method I saw on this forum where the sides are finished inside and out with required spacing left for inside paneling, stringers, foam and outside layer.

Outside corners radiused with a router and epoxied. Painted with latex primer and color.

One door, 2 windows, roof vent. A few 12V electric lights and fans.

Thought about covering the trailer with 3/4" treated plywood to allow camper to be removed and used as a hauling trailer.

Drawings forthcoming. Go ahead boys, let 'er rip.

Dear EZ,

The only comment I have is regarding your decision to forgo insulation in your floor. Other than the roof, the greatest loss of heat or absorbtion of cold in any enclosed space is the floor. In the winter the floor will be very cold and in the summer the floor will absorb heat radiating up from the ground at night.

EZ wrote:The design in my mind is as follows:

4 X 8 HF trailer (got that).

Floor: 3/4' ply with 2 X 2 frame - 5' X 8'. Butt-joint in middle along a 2 X 2 frame member. No insulation. Tar coated. Cut out for wheels.

Sides: Sandwich 1/2' ply, 3/4' foam, inexpensive paneling (1/8"?) with 1 X 4 vertical stringers to frame the door, bottom where it attaches to floor and where inside shelf and bunk hang. No galley.

Roof: interior paneling, 2 X 2 stingers, 1 1/2 foam insulation, 1/4" luan on exterior. All installed from the outside using the ingenous method I saw on this forum where the sides are finished inside and out with required spacing left for inside paneling, stringers, foam and outside layer.

Outside corners radiused with a router and epoxied. Painted with latex primer and color.

One door, 2 windows, roof vent. A few 12V electric lights and fans.

Thought about covering the trailer with 3/4" treated plywood to allow camper to be removed and used as a hauling trailer.

Drawings forthcoming. Go ahead boys, let 'er rip.

I think you can get away with 3/8 ply for the sides, if memory serves me correctly. But...

When you say 2 by 2 stringers, do you mean your roof spars? The most those have to measure is 1 1/2 square, and the vast majority of guys here went with 3/4 by 1 1/2. (I laminated 2-up of these for a true 1 1/2 square spar.) Also, I dont think you want to use a cheap interior paneling for your interior roof. That interior roof skin adds a lot of strength to the entire TD, and a lot of interior paneling is pretty crappy in this regard.

Guy,

I agree with your comments, but...............................

After much head scratching and contemplating, I came to realize the 6" thick foam mattress I'd be sleeping on in my tear would provide as much or more insulation as anything I could cram into a 3/4" space left in a hollowed out floor. Think I'll forgo the insulation and all the bother of making a sandwiched floor. Just my thoughts...........Martian as they may be.

Chris C wrote:Guy,

After much head scratching and contemplating, I came to realize the 6" thick foam mattress I'd be sleeping on in my tear would provide as much or more insulation as anything I could cram into a 3/4" space left in a hollowed out floor.

If you're using a 2 by 2 wood frame, you have an inch and a half of space to insulate. You also don't have to sandwich the floor on the bottom--just glue/screw the insulation under there.

Dear Chris,

EZ lives in Minnesota. Minnesota makes the winter in Oklahoma look like Florida. My advice and comment was not generic but specific. Further, EZ is already using sandwich design for his sides and roof, so his mentality and methodology just needs to continue a little lower.

I saw Minnesota, and I'm thinking how could you NOT insulate? The stuff's pretty dang cheap to begin with, and it ain't at all a major project putting it in.

Dear Guy...........I stand duly corrected. (but my opinion still stands)

OK, OK. So it is Minnesota. I agree. I guess I meant that I am not going to sandwich the botton foam in a box due to the condensation issues, etc. I will plan on putting the foam on the bottom and let mother nature and road debris have it's way. It is too cheap and easy to not bother.

Also the stringers could be store-bought 2 X 2s which are what?....1 3/4". I dunno. I just want to use the normal 1 ?/? size foam in the top, so the stringers will be that deep. Maybe don't have to be that wide though. I could certainly use 1 X 2s.

I guess I was under the impression that 6mm Luan over the top of the stringers/sides (like one giant gusset) would be sufficient for rigidity and the inside is just for looks. Paneling is cheap and you don't have to stain it (besides rendering that wonderful 60's look from countless basements in the past) but if that isn't going to make it structurally, than maybe it isn't a good choice.

Thank you for your feedback. Keep it coming.

EZ

The paneling on the ceiling is fine, that's what's on mine and a lot of others. I have 2 layers of 1/8" paneling on the roof, works fine. You could really use 1/4" ply or even luan as long as you seal it good on the outside walls and save a lot on the weight. And also 1/2" on the floor is plenty, I used 3/4" on this one and I won't do it again, too much weight and you dont need it for stength, remember that you're not walking around in there.

A thought of floor insulation, a factor I deem more important than keeping the cold out is keeping the floor from having condensation on it. If you breath at night, as most of us are apt to do, an uninsulated floor, even in Florida or Oklahoma will form condensation under your mattress, which isn't a big deal if you enjoy the smell of mildew.

Just my opinion

Steve

The sides of my camper will overhang the trailer by 6" (or 9" if I decide to go to 5 1/2' width) so I was going to use a 3/4" floor. However I guess most of the load is taken up by the 2 X 2 frame on top of the trailer. But I am going to have to splice it for width. Gee, and I just found some perfect 3/4" CDX pine plywood for only $20 a sheet at Menards. I am covering the floor with carpet anyway so a great finish isn't required.

I am still torn between 3/4" ply sides and sandwiched sides. Just cutting the ply and your done would be so easy but the sandwhich construction has less weight and insulation but is way more time consuming.

I am thinking on trying 5 1/2' wide since I have to build wheel wells any way and it won't cost any more since after 4' it is all scrap for the roof. Don't see too many 5 1/2 width TDs on this forum. At least not on a 4'wide trailer.

EZ

EZ...probably won't make any diff, but 5'4" is 2/3rds ofa sheet of ply....cut 2 and make a 3rd.............................

Any of the ways you are thinking will work. The biggest difference will be in the weight. Don't build it with solid walls just to build it quick, take your time and weigh your options, particularly weight if that's a consideration.

EZ

I only have a floor but I will tell you I have been told not to tar the bottom untill you are done. I live where it never snows and the tar still has not dryed. I covered the sides and after much work with chemicals used a saw and cut 1/8 off each side because that is where glue needs to meet wood.

You may want to look at the electrical site so you know where the tires go.

And I have head that the wheels on the HF have problems something like the bearings have no greace or something like that. any whay check them out before you put a load on them. I am getting an old boat trailer free but I will have to take the barrings off the put on new wheels.

I am going to use 1/2 inch on the sides I may insolate walls then put 1/8 on inside.

I have lived in Wisconsin and if you are planning on winter camping
you might want to design a bed skirt for around the bottome to keep the draft out. Electric socks and a milatary parka with fur callar a must.
I wonder it a large tent that you could park it in might work.

Oh you also would want to put a trap in the floor it will work great for Ice fishing.
there are one or two guys who have removable trailers. Andrew made me a drawing for a host fore removing my camper body from a truck and could be used for a trailer.

the One reality I came to is Trailers do not have engines and if you have the room to keep more then one or two or even three, the licence is nothing maybe 10 bucks and the insurance is just added to the car or home insureance.

Ron