Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hi Team,
I am about to start on my tounge box. What do wish someone had told you before you did yours?
I want to hear about mistakes and successes so I can learn from both.
Thanks

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edgeau wrote:Hi Team,
I am about to start on my tounge box. What do wish someone had told you before you did yours?
I want to hear about mistakes and successes so I can learn from both.
Thanks

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

I made the mistake of using a plastic "UV resistant" hinge. After a handful of years, it failed and I replaced it with a small hurricane hinge.





Tony

I did a variation of what Slow did. I found a decent sized Plano box for $25 and built a frame to sit it upon.

Frame being framed. Note the large wingnut left over from the folding trailer heritage. I punched a whole in my box to clear the nut. I'm only toting jacks, chocks, and leveling blocks. The box helps keep them corralled rather than tossing a bunch of loose pieces in my TV.



The box has ears on the side I can loop bungee cords over to hold it down while moving.

If you're building one, or buying one, be sure to get one large enough to hold all you want to, the first time, rather than having to get a larger box, later. I couldn't find what I had in mind, before starting to camp with my trailer, and ended up having to scrap a good toolbox I used there, as an interim solution. Some people possess the skills to construct one from scratch, in metal or wood, but I knew I couldn't, so I got mine off of E-bay, for a little over $100. Then I spent a week of my time, and just under $75 in materials to make a sliding base for it. I tried to keep it a traditional look, with hidden features, though now I've gone and spoiled the look by adding a double-rack sitting over it. Shoulda just stacked my storage boxes there, like Slow and Sparksalot suggest.

tony.latham wrote:I made the mistake of using a plastic "UV resistant" hinge. After a handful of years, it failed and I replaced it with a small hurricane hinge.



Tony

Where did you buy the small hurricane hinge?

Dan

danlott wrote:

tony.latham wrote:I made the mistake of using a plastic "UV resistant" hinge. After a handful of years, it failed and I replaced it with a small hurricane hinge.



Tony

Where did you buy the small hurricane hinge?

Dan

Over the pass and up the road in the Bitterroot Valley. From George: http://www.teardropparts.com/



It's a really nice low-profile hinge he as made for the old classics.

Tony

If you're building a tongue box, keep in mind how the lid will open and plan for clearance.

I built my tongue box with the lid hinge on the side of the tongue box (short dimension) so the lid opens to the side and the tongue box can butt up against the front of the teardrop.



For a conventional tongue box with the lid hinged at the back (long dimension), leave enough room between the tongue box and teardrop so there is room for the lid to hinge back past vertical or add some type of lid stay so the lid can stay open by itself.

aggie79 wrote:If you're building a tongue box, keep in mind how the lid will open and plan for clearance.

I built my tongue box with the lid hinge on the side of the tongue box (short dimension) so the lid opens to the side and the tongue box can butt up against the front of the teardrop.



For a conventional tongue box with the lid hinged at the back (long dimension), leave enough room between the tongue box and teardrop so there is room for the lid to hinge back past vertical or add some type of lid stay so the lid can stay open by itself.

Good point. Nice work too. Looks like an old timr sea fearer's chest.

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If your building with wood, take the time to finish the inside well. These boxes get a lot of things thrown in them and can get damaged or take on odors if not protected.

I built mine practicing the Steve Frederick hatch out of wood and covered it with PMF. To seal the top I used a piano hinge with a rubber strip under sealed with butyl tape. The box is fairly heavy so I may switch to a aluminum box to save some tongue weight which is something you should consider making a wood one.

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