Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Posted: **Wed Mar 29, 2017 9:19 pm**

A curved rear profile is certainly sharp.

I have noticed many manufactured teardrops have a flat hinged surface for the galley lid. I am trying to settle on what design to use on my first build. Are the flat panels just easier to build and seal?

Posted: **Wed Mar 29, 2017 10:11 pm**

Yes, flat rear hatches are easier all around, except.... The problems I faced were:
1) the dust sucked back towards the hatch (caused by the partial vacuum back there) was seeping thru my seals, until I added a thicker seal around the perimeter, a bulb seal under the hatch-to-roof gap, and tighter corner draw clamps
2) my hatch gap cover wasn't waterproof, at first, and leaked into the galley when opened, used spray on undercoating (sameas I used on the floor bottom) to seal the pinhole openings
3) my hatch is heavy (49" tall x 48" wide x 3/4" thick), weighing 44 lbs with hardware, so I made hatch supports to hold it up, and that weight wore me down lifting it,; I calculated the proper gas spring weight lifting capability, so it would easily raise it to the height I could take over lifting, and aided in the placement of the locking supports. I used a single, center-mounted spring to lift it.
4) gas mileage is less (I'm sure) than that of a more aerodynamic TD trailer, but it makes no difference with my '04 Chevy Silverado 2500HD (it doesn't know its back there).
On the plus side:
1) I feel that I was able to make it stronger, with straight cuts made in 3/4" plywood, bolted and glued together, than with thinner materials conducive to bending
2) The galley space is vertical, not overhanging the sleeping area, if you need maximum cabin space (my front slope compromises the cabin space, but I utilized that sloped area for storage anyway)
2) Flat rear hatches stimulate conversation; some like it, some don't, all are willing to tell you why!
I would still build mine much the same way, now; with a longer footprint (a 4x10, instead of 4x8), with more of a real galley, instead of the mechanical room /storage space it is today.
flat rear hatch dictates vertical, shallow galley
off-center single gas-spring hatch lift
dual latches on both sides of hatch hold it tightly against seals
gap between hatch and body, covered with waterproofed conveyor belt material

Posted: **Thu Mar 30, 2017 8:23 am**

I built mine flat back so I could haul stuff. The hatch is setup to raise above heads. This has a nice benefit of providing a small 3x4 standy area that is under cover. I made some tarp curtains to hang off the hatch for privacy. We find this very nice for changing clothes as one can stand on the ground (rug) or sit on the edge of the trailer floor.

Aerodynamic drag is greater with this flat back. It could be lessened by shrinking the top and sides of the flat area just a bit.
By making a truncated pyramid with a 3x3 back instead of a 4x4, the surface area is almost cut in half!
Tt

Posted: **Thu Mar 30, 2017 8:26 am**

Jered, a curved hatch is more time-consuming, more difficult & requires a lot of care in building for it to work & seal properly. That having been said, it really isn't that bad if you think all the way through it before building. In most cases, the planning is more important than the actual build, since it's the most difficult part of things in general to think through.

It just matters to you, since it's your project, but there are a lot of different ways to build a hatch. I would urge you to look at different build journals to get ideas & then decide which one you will be making. The design process is where many mistakes can be made or avoided!

Posted: **Thu Mar 30, 2017 3:23 pm**

Thanks for the valuable advice. I purchased the Frederick build manual that gives a great plan for building a good curved galley.

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Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Curved or flat rear end?

Curved or flat rear end?

Re: Curved or flat rear end?

Re: Curved or flat rear end?

Re: Curved or flat rear end?

Re: Curved or flat rear end?