Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Dear friends.. Im outside doing some work on the teardrop... even on mothers day...wife is assisting or should I say supervising..


I have a slight problem... maybe you can assist .... My frame has the leaf
springs and the brackets are unfortunatley welded on one side of the frame (outside) I wanted to have the walls come down to the lower frame
edge... in order for me to do so I have to build the floor so that it comes out from the frame almost 1 inch in order for me to clear the leaf spring bracket and bolt head....will this much be ok for the floor to stick out? And on both sides? Otherwise it will look terrible..The walls are 3/4 inch ply..

I can take a photo of it if I didnt explain it fully... If I build the wall on the frame itself the bracket on one side and the bolt will show.. and it will
also look bad in my opinion...

HELP...

Classic Finn

I think I understand what you are saying and I can't see where it will be a problem except.... I would turn the bolt around so the nut is on the outside, maybe drill a slight recess for it to hide in just leaving room to get a wrench in, otherwise you willl never be able to get the bolt out without making a hole in your side. One other thing, you are adding nearly 2" outside your frame, will you still have the clearance for your tires?

Nitetimes Here is a photo of it...

It will still have the bracket on there sticking out but I,ll take and change the bolt head towards the inside ... it will help some and then I wont have to have the floor stick out so much.. Maybe 1/2 inch instead...But then the nut will be there just the same... 2 inches will be tight for the tires... Maybe




Classic Finn

Finn,,, bring the body sides out to just clear the spring hangers and down to cover the frame,,, Then take a peek at the springs with the tires and fenders in place,,, ya probably will not even be able to see the hanger bolts etc when all pieces are in place,,,

chipper

Thanks Chip I,ll give it a shot... (A shot of Pickle Juice) ahh not Yet.. Or then again..maybe that too...



Ok I know the fenders wont sit that low but I thought Id throw it in there just for a (Look See)

Classic Finn

Heikki, I'm with Chipper on this one, bring the sides out and down just enough to clear the hanger...you will wanna seal between the frame and sides, so I would cut a piece of lumber to fit in that area...seal it and the inside of your sides very sell and caulk it all in with a good grade of sealant...something like 3M 5200 or SikaFlex 221, 252, 552...or what ever kinda reindeer s**t you can come up with
madjack

madjack wrote:Heikki, I'm with Chipper on this one, bring the sides out and down just enough to clear the hanger...you will wanna seal between the frame and sides, so I would cut a piece of lumber to fit in that area...seal it and the inside of your sides very sell and caulk it all in with a good grade of sealant...something like 3M 5200 or SikaFlex 221, 252, 552...or what ever kinda reindeer s**t you can come up with
madjack

Dear Madjack

We have both products you mention... I,ll pick up some of that stuff tomorrow....

Thank you gentleman for the advice - Whew! I was goin for the pickle juice there for a stress reliever...

I,ll get more pics up for you shortly as to what I did...

Classic Finn

Heikki, in further thinking about it, you want to be careful not to create a space that water can get into and just sit...you might want to leave that space open so water will drain out or seal the floor to the frame along with that gap
madjack

What about just using a router & hog out an area on the inside of the side wall to slide over the hanger?

rainjer wrote:What about just using a router & hog out an area on the inside of the side wall to slide over the hanger?

That Could be an idea...

Madjack, Chip and Nitetimes.. I went out to measure it again and I would have to bring the floor out 3/4 of an inch on each side (from outer edge of
frame) in order to clear the bolt heads on the brackets - then install the walls hanging on sides..PS it does also have a washer under the bolt heads..

Or I could bring the floor out and still build on top of the frame instead not lowering the sides however the ugliness of them brackets then still will fully be shown..



Gee Im hoping that I explain myself well enough...

Classic Finn

I would drill a hole where the bolt is to be able to service the springs.

rainjer wrote:I would drill a hole where the bolt is to be able to service the springs.

I,ll go and mount them wheels on shortly too then we can see what were up against if anything...

We could possibly router an area out in that area on the 3/4 Plywood..

Madjacks and Chips idea is also a plan to follow...we,ll see with the wheels on...

Classic Finn

I wanted to have the walls come down to the lower frame edge..

As I re-read your original post I may have missed something.

in order for me to do so I have to build the floor so that it comes out from the frame almost 1 inch in order for me to clear the leaf spring bracket and bolt head

Are the bolt an issue?

The bolts are already below the bottom of the frame....

Geeee now that I looked again I guess the wall will not come down that far indeed...

Its the ugly bracket that is welded to the side of frame that is though..
That bracket is about 1/4 inch thick....

Remember Im just learnin this inch system... but ok no the wall doesnt have to come down that far...

But its sure UGLYYYYYY! Let me go and measure the length of the bracket...

Classic Finn

Classic Finn wrote:



Ok I know the fenders wont sit that low but I thought Id throw it in there just for a (Look See)

Classic Finn

Heikki, If you make the side come down to the bottom of the fender position, the "low" look would be pretty cool.. It almost looks as if the fenders will cover the spring shakles. I had a similar problem with mine. I wanted a "lowered" look so I added the lower skirt to complete the shape and get a lowered look.

My frame line is at the top of the trim piece is on the side,

Keep us updated.