Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Here is an idea of how I'm thinking of attaching my wall to the floor/frame. The floor is 1x2 frame sandwiched by 1/4 ply top and bottom. The wall is 1/2 ply sandwich by 1/8 ply inside and outside. The 1/2 ply will be cut creating voids for insulation/wiring. As you can see, the bottom 1/4 of the floor ply has a lip, sticks out about 1/2 on purpose so the wall can rest on it. The walls will then be screwed from the outside into the floor frame, gold arrow. The lip is about 1/2 inch wide because of the carriage bolt, if the bolt holes were further in (they can't, I don't have tabs) then I would have more room for the whole wall to rest on. I would move the 1x2 floor framing in some more but I can only go so far before the carriage bolt has nothing to grab onto. The integrity of the wood will ot hold the closer I drill to the side edge of the 1x2. Now, the wall, when assembled, will measure 3/4 inch thick, BUT only a portion of that will actually rest on that lip and the rest will just hang out. I already bought the wood, so they can't be returned. Any thoughts?

This will be a light build, I'm not putting anything heavy on the roof like a RTT. I'm also counting on the galley wall, headboard, front roof spars to take the load as well.

I could do this: Here's a picture of where my bolts were going to be, the left side is the OLD way. The 1x2 floor framing gives a 1/2 inch, more like 7/16th lip space for my wall WITH 2 carriage bolts bolting the 1x2 to the trailer frame (sandwich). 10 Bolts altogether.

(the two bolts in the middle field is going to the trailer frame crossmembers)

The right side, I moved the 1x2 floor frame inside giving me a 3/4 inch lip space. BUT, in doing so, there will be no carriage bolts on the long side of the trailer, on both sides. Would this work? or would I need bolts on the long end? 6 Bolts altogether.

Any thoughts?

I think you need to cover the lower part of your floor framing with the wall. Seal the deal. And it'll look better.

Just take that exterior sheathing and extend it out another 1/4".



If you don't have the material, build your floor framing from 3/4" pine. 3/4" of foam board for insulation in the floor is fine.



(Those gussets are to hold the thing together until the other side is sheathed.)

You might consider bringing the trailer to a welding shop and having six tabs welded. I use 2" angle for that purpose. They won't charge you much.



Place them where you can get to them after the cabin is mounted. I drill 1/4" holes in them for pilot holes before the final 3/8" holes are drilled.

Tony

tony.latham wrote:

Any thoughts?

I think you need to cover the lower part of your floor framing with the wall. Seal the deal. And it'll look better.

Just take that exterior sheathing and extend it out another 1/4".

I was thinking along your walls from your previous pictures Tony, if I extend the 1/8 outer layer down to cover the outside edge of the bottom ply, will it be enough to hold? providing I glue/screw like you did? I forget the thickness of your walls.

I did mine as illustrated below (sorry, no fancy CAD for me). Seems strong to me and the pmf/dicor/butyl/roof patch have created a perfect seal in that area. Glued and screwed.

Side walls


Front and rear walls

philpom wrote:I did mine as illustrated below (sorry, no fancy CAD for me). Seems strong to me and the pmf/dicor/butyl/roof patch have created a perfect seal in that area. Glued and screwed.

Side walls


Front and rear walls

Phil, I see that you have a bottom lip as well, its nice that you could fit your 3/4 inch wall perfectly onto it which is my concern as previously mentioned. Did you have any issues with your carriage bolt placements or however you bolted your wood frame to your trailer frame like me? I don't have tabs.

On this trailer the floor was attached to the frame cross members with self tapping screws [4 cross members] about a foot apart. The walls set on 3 flat flat iron tabs welded to the bottom of the frame to support the walls[3/4 inch ]. The walls were glued to the trailer side frame with pl premium and clamps til the glue set.Wanted to hide the iron frame and not have screws/bolts showing

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steve cowan wrote:On this trailer the floor was attached to the frame cross members with self tapping screws [4 cross members] about a foot apart. The walls set on 3 flat flat iron tabs welded to the bottom of the frame to support the walls[3/4 inch ]. The walls were glued to the trailer side frame with pl premium and clamps til the glue set.Wanted to hide the iron frame and not have screws/bolts showing

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Steve, nice looking TD, someone told me about self tapping screws in the RW (real world) but I didn't know if it would go through my frame, its 3/16th. I haven't researched if it did or not, I just assumed it wouldn't. Maybe I should look at that option as well.

Drilled a pilot hole through wood and frame before screwing floor down.The 3/4 inch walls are glued to the frame.Attached a couple of angle brackets on inside wall and floor but was strong enough without it.

23Sojourney45 wrote:someone told me about self tapping screws in the RW (real world) but I didn't know if it would go through my frame, its 3/16th. I haven't researched if it did or not, I just assumed it wouldn't. Maybe I should look at that option as well.

Yeah, no problem using self-tapping screws in 26 gauge steel. The "trick" is to use the right size drill bit:

For #6 screw, hole should be 0.0995" (drill size 39).
For #8 screw, hole should be 0.113" (drill size 33).
For #10 screw, hole should be 0.1285" (drill size 30).

Edit: 26 gauge is not 3/16ths, it's one tenth of 3/16ths. Duh, senior moment.

I'd be drilling and tapping that hefty 3/16ths metal, then using machine screws. My go to reference for drilling and tapping is on the Little Machine Shop site.

terrymorse wrote:

23Sojourney45 wrote:someone told me about self tapping screws in the RW (real world) but I didn't know if it would go through my frame, its 3/16th. I haven't researched if it did or not, I just assumed it wouldn't. Maybe I should look at that option as well.

Yeah, no problem using self-tapping screws in 26 gauge steel. The "trick" is to use the right size drill bit:

For #6 screw, hole should be 0.0995" (drill size 39).
For #8 screw, hole should be 0.113" (drill size 33).
For #10 screw, hole should be 0.1285" (drill size 30).

Edit: 26 gauge is not 3/16ths, it's one tenth of 3/16ths. Duh, senior moment.

I'd be drilling and tapping that hefty 3/16ths metal, then using machine screws. My go to reference for drilling and tapping is on the Little Machine Shop site.

Thanks Terry, will check out the reference. I've seen videos and read about DIY TD'er self tapping their TD frames to death so I was weary about it, but I'm sure a few screws can't hurt right? still thinking about it though.

FWIW:
The 1971 Skamper Pop Up that was the "donor frame" for my build has the floor attached to the frame with self taping screws on the frame. That was the ONLY thing attaching the entire body to the frame... roughly 3 doz self tapping #6 screws through the floor, and into the frame.

I intend to do this, with a bit more back up/overkill as well!

RBB wrote:FWIW:
The 1971 Skamper Pop Up that was the "donor frame" for my build has the floor attached to the frame with self taping screws on the frame. That was the ONLY thing attaching the entire body to the frame... roughly 3 doz self tapping #6 screws through the floor, and into the frame.

I intend to do this, with a bit more back up/overkill as well!

FloorWall Frame concept.JPG

RBB, nice design , I liked the sistered board to the frame with carriage bolts. I'm assuming that you're countersinking the carriage bolts so you can hide them and protect them from the elements. The sister board will help carry the weight of your 1 inch thick wall. Its going to be a heavy build with the overkill yeh?

23Sojourney45 wrote:I'm assuming that you're countersinking the carriage bolts so you can hide them and protect them from the elements.

YES. That is the plan! At the moment, I am just planning on using some 1/4x20 bolts that I have left from a previous project, they will be counter sunk, and the outer skin will hide them, never to see the light of day again!

23Sojourney45 wrote:The sister board will help carry the weight of your 1 inch thick wall. Its going to be a heavy build with the overkill yeh?

Well... I am trying to NOT make it a heavy build... best I can tell, the original camper had a curb weight of only 1250lbs... so the 1" walls may be thinned...