Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I am needing help from all you framing Guru's out there!

My next design is going to be a small bread loaf, micro-sized Shasta Compact, or a Midget/Widget design. I am needing ideas for a very compact and super low (about 8" Clearance) frame.

Approx. Size of this will be:

Total length 8' ft. (Excluding the tongue)
Total width 6'-7' ft.
Total height 6',6"-6' 8" ft.

I am also thinking it will be a foamie/hybrid skinned with 1/4 wood on the outside and inside as well, so all fingers crossed i should be in 900-1000 lbs. total weight (hopefully 700-800 lbs).

I will be welding this myself, so i can make a drop frame or something along those lines if need be. Any help on this would be great!

we have used this frame on a few builds http://tnttt.com/Design_Library/The%20U ... hassis.htm on are street sleepers they come under 600lb for 7x4.5w x 4.5 high

saywhatthat wrote:we have used this frame on a few builds http://tnttt.com/Design_Library/The%20U ... hassis.htm on are street sleepers they come under 600lb for 7x4.5w x 4.5 high

Right on, i see you are using glass for your build, which is definitely a good way to build light and waterproof the shell!

I will be running 14" inch smoothies on the new build, so i will need to have somewhat of a normal axle and hub type that accommodate bigger wheels and tires.
On my last build i went with Timbren 1200lb Axleless Suspension which worked amazingly well for deck height, however it is very pricey to say the least.
Maybe a person could buy a regular 5' ft axle leaf spring setup and mount the axle overslung (on top of the springs) to lower deck height?

By the way when you build that frame are you using 1/8"?

I appreciate the frame idea and that may be a viable option with just a tiny bit more added to the rear-end of the frame to support my bed and storage area!

I am needing ideas for a very compact and super low (about 8" Clearance) frame.

Out of curiosity, why so little clearance?





Tony

saywhatthat wrote:Maybe a person could buy a regular 5' ft axle leaf spring setup and mount the axle overslung (on top of the springs) to lower deck height?

Take a look at Flexiride torsion axles. Custom widths, weight capacity options and splined shafts that allow for easy deck height adjustment.

Steve


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tony.latham wrote:

Out of curiosity, why so little clearance?

Well Tony, there is one main reason:

I need it to be able to fit in a standard 7' ft. garage (with my maxxair vent on top) and i would also like people that are 6' ft. tall to be able to have a tiny bit of head room. So going as low as possible in the deck height is about the only way i can personally figure out how to accomplish that outcome my friend.

StrongFeather wrote:

saywhatthat wrote:
Take a look at Flexiride torsion axles. Custom widths, weight capacity options and splined shafts that allow for easy deck height adjustment.

Steve

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Thanks for the response Steve and Yes! I forgot about the half shafts that Flexiride sells! that would definitely be a good option without having to design a whole new drop frame.

My last drop frame involved a lot of welding, heres the picture of that.

Davagio wrote:

tony.latham wrote:

Out of curiosity, why so little clearance?

Well Tony, there is one main reason:

I need it to be able to fit in a standard 7' ft. garage (with my maxxair vent on top) and i would also like people that are 6' ft. tall to be able to have a tiny bit of head room. So going as low as possible in the deck height is about the only way i can personally figure out how to accomplish that outcome my friend.

Mi' capish. (I think that's Italian).

You might consider a Dexter Torflex set at 22.5º up angle. (The axle in my above photo is a Torflex at 22.5º down.)

https://www.friedlaxle.com/dexter-torflex-axle-order-form/

You can order direct from Dexter.

T

StrongFeather wrote:
Take a look at Flexiride torsion axles. Custom widths, weight capacity options and splined shafts that allow for easy deck height adjustment.

Steve


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We used Flexirides. We used the full axle rather than the half axles to be sure we got them pointed and tilted properly (camber angle and toe in angle).

Aguyfromohio wrote:We used Flexirides. We used the full axle rather than the half axles to be sure we got them pointed and tilted properly (camber angle and toe in angle).

Just for clarification, I used the full axle as well.

Steve

Well i appreciate all your input....i will check out those axles and see what i can come up with.

For now i need to decide on the square tubing thickness. I have always went with 1/8" inch, but sometimes my mind often wonders what 14 wall would be like (if it would be to thin or not)....

Any of you ever built a trailer frame with 14 guage (square tubing)?

On the 14 gage wall. It depends on the tubing you buy. I have found the square tube to flex quite a bit. If you go to rectangle tube it doesn't. The smaller the tube size the more flex you will see.

Myself on this size and light weight camper. I would look at a 1' x 2" 14 gage. 1.60 lb per foot. You would need to reinforce where the suspension mounts due to tubing being narrower than the suspension mountings most likely.

Your wanting under 1,000 pounds. Using 1/4 ply you better be very lite on the frame work. I used 1/4" ply on my build with very lite frame work. I am over 1,000 pounds easy. Your using fiber glass for outer covering. I would look at thinner types of paneling. With the glass providing all the stiffness in the build. Thickness of the plies isn't that much of a issue or think of a full foamie.









https://www.metalsdepot.com/steel-produ ... angle-tube

By the way when you build that frame are you using 1/8"?

on the front rail 120 where the axel ties 3 x 3 by 1/4'' angle The pod is 150 lb. sh By use he outer ring and foam on the infield need no studs