Micro Pod

[TJinPgh]

So, I want to thank Forest747 and his Sleeper Only sketch for providing much of the inspiration for this. His design, combined with some of my own previous ones gave me a direction to go with this.

The Micro Pod is designed to be a 2-person TD/Tent hybrid that is actually built on the HF 48x40 frame.

[TJinPgh]

Just some general comments on what I was thinking with this.

The sleeping area should be plenty big with up to 7' of length.

The open area above the bed was actually something I'd been thinking about. I have a bearded dragon that I hate leaving at home when I go on vacation. That open space is big enough to slide a suitable enclosure for her. Otherwise, it could be closed in for additional storage or whatever need you had.

The main storage areas are, of course, visible from the back. The box underneath provides ample space for things like an EZ up tent canopy or an awning. The main area can be fitted for use as a galley or simply used for storage. It would also be easy enough to put doors on the inside to allow that area to be accessible from inside the cabin.

The skin I had thought to be simple canvas covered ply. I couldn't find a canvas texture in sketchup so I used Berber for the purposes of the model, lol. The wall and roof construction of this could possibly be done as a foamie to keep weight down, but I had planned on solid ply for the floor and fold out. In any case, I can't imagine that it would be overly heavy.

Thin ply fits into the semi-circles on the fold out. Marine vinyl covers the top with a couple of spars thrown in for support. Shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes to set it up.

I had thought to simply hinge those to fold out. That is easy enough to do but there is some question about the wedges needed to complete the circle. If it's done as a solid piece the would not allow the base to be folded back up. So, there needs to be either a double hinge or the wedge needs to be removable.

I was considering after I finished this to maybe do away with those wedges entirely and simply place screen in those areas for better ventilation. With a vinyl flap that can be opened or closed depending on weather.

[CarlLaFong]

Pretty cool.
If I were to build it, I think I'd make the tipout sides and roof from fabric. 2 or 3 bows, made from EMT, could be sewn into pockets or loops on the inside. It would lessen the weight and be simple to make water tight.
They're kinda pricey, but I would also get a set of 4 foot, full extension, drawer guides and put a full length/width shelf in the trailer, as high up the sides as possible. You would loose a teensy bit of storage but gain a large horizontal surface for cooking, dining etc.

[angib]

I had a boss who once described me as an "idea assassin", so I feel slightly guilty adding to this thread - but not guilty enough to keep my mouth shut.

This is a neat design idea and if trailer length was a particular concern (like on some ferry crossings, or maybe just for storing in a garage) then it would be great. But apart from that, I don't think it's a big benefit to make the trailer so small and I would give three reasons:
- it will certainly be a lot more work to make the trailer with a fold-out section;
- the cross section is the same as a regular teardrop, so it won't have any less drag when being towed;
- making the fold-out is likely to be as heavy as a fixed trailer.

The weight issue isn't obvious but I think, although a 'canvas' and tube frame sounds light, there is a lot of stuff needed to make the folding floor strong enough and to hold it in position, so the weight saving would get lost by the time everything was included.

[TJinPgh]

This is a neat design idea and if trailer length was a particular concern (like on some ferry crossings, or maybe just for storing in a garage) then it would be great. But apart from that, I don't think it's a big benefit to make the trailer so small and I would give three reasons:
- it will certainly be a lot more work to make the trailer with a fold-out section;

Perhaps. But more work isn't necessarily a bad thing.

- the cross section is the same as a regular teardrop, so it won't have any less drag when being towed;

-

Probably. That wasn't really a factor in the design, though.

making the fold-out is likely to be as heavy as a fixed trailer.

The weight issue isn't obvious but I think, although a 'canvas' and tube frame sounds light, there is a lot of stuff needed to make the folding floor strong enough and to hold it in position, so the weight saving would get lost by the time everything was included.

Not sure I agree on this part. The floor of the tip out is the same as the front of the trailer. It would be exactly the same whether it tipped out or not. The question becomes one of whether or not the sides of the tip-out, the hinge and the top weigh more than if one had simply built a couple of 3'x4' walls.

On this tipout, the sides (the semi-circles) are not load bearing. They could be something as thin as luan and be just as functional.

The only purposes they really serve are to fill in the sides and to add shape to the roof. Nothing more.

From what I saw in the Chateau Mobile campers from the 60s, three light weight aluminum tube spars should be sufficient to support the vinyl roof. I suppose we could confirm this through Zac but I doubt that a couple of feet of vinyl would weigh more than a typical roof system... even a foamie.

So, unless those hinges are awfully heavy (which is always possible, I suppose), I'm not sure I'm seeing where the huge weight drain is coming from. Although, I suppose it could be said that the front of a regular camper could be made out of something lighter than the ply being used to make the floor of the tip-out. Ultimately, though, we're talking about a 5'x3.5' area.

While I haven't done the math I'm not sure that this would end up weighing substantially more than the Explorer Pods.

Other than that, while the 48x40 HF trailers don't weigh much less than the 4x8, they are readily available and cheap.

Rarely does a week go by on CL where you can pick up a brand new one for well under $200. The 4x8, not so much. People buy them and then realize that they're probably not big enough for what they wanted to do. So they get rid of them.

For that matter, you can usually grab a brand new one for around $175.

Sure, you can usually find a used utility trailer on CL that's bigger. But, they usually cost more. And those that don't are usually older ones that are a great deal heavier.

So, making use of these things that would otherwise be considered a throw-away can have benefit.

This would be a niche type camper for sure. But then, there's something to be said for a unit that can be squeezed into a garden shed and still have room for the lawnmower.

[CarlLaFong]

Two, simple, struts from the front crossmember to the fold down floor would support it just fine. Starcraft and others use them on their popups.
To make it full length would require a much longer trailer and would be heavier by virtue of that alone. I could see something like this being towed behind a motorcycle or a very small car. I still like it.

[StandUpGuy]

I like it but how tall is this design? What is the point of the floor of this trailer being raised to high off of the wheels? Looks like the thing is almost 7 feet tall and of course very narrow. Is this going to present a towing stability issue?

[TJinPgh]

The raised platform is 1 foot high. The floor of the cabin needs to be raised up a little to get above the fenders, unless you want wheel wells in your sleeping area.

Obviously, you could simply use 2x2 and bring it up a couple of inches and be above the fenders but I figured that doing so is ultimately just wasted space. By bringing it up a bit you create usable storage space.

So, the answer to your question is 5' plus however high your frame is.

The overhang is only 10" in each side so I don't think there should be a huge stability issue. The whole unit ends up being about as high as it is long and wide.

[StandUpGuy]

The raised platform is 1 foot high. The floor of the cabin needs to be raised up a little to get above the fenders, unless you want wheel wells in your sleeping area.

Obviously, you could simply use 2x2 and bring it up a couple of inches and be above the fenders but I figured that doing so is ultimately just wasted space. By bringing it up a bit you create usable storage space.

So, the answer to your question is 5' plus however high your frame is.

The overhang is only 10" in each side so I don't think there should be a huge stability issue. The whole unit ends up being about as high as it is long and wide.

Then your rendering is not reflective of your idea as it shows the platform about a foot over the top of the fender.

[TJinPgh]

This one shows it a bit better, I think...



The scale was done with sketchup, so, if it's off that's where the error lies.

That image shows 11", but that's to the surface of the door rather than to the bottom of the box. So, it's actually 12".

[TJinPgh]

In the interest of accuracy, I should probably say that, in that image, the total height of that lower box is actually 14", not 12".

The side walls are 12" plus the thickness of the top and bottom. I used 1" thick components when I drew this up simpy because they were easier to work with.

While I think the 1" ply is probably best suited for the sides, the top and bottom of that box could probably be thinner since it's only being used for cargo.

The trailer itself I imported from the sketchup library. It wasn't my drawing.

I can't vouch for the accuracy of the height of things like the wheels, springs and fenders. I can only say that the width and length were accurate. Which is all I really cared about for purposes of this model.

The height of the box, like I said, could be adjusted up or down depending on stability and need issues. It was my thought that the cabin, itself, would be removable so, if it turns out that the box is too high it wouldn't be that difficult to correct it later on.

[Forrest747]

Im sorry I missed this but its freaking brilliant the doors on teh hard side. i did not think of that i was just thinking a zippered opening in teh fabric.

My thought on teh fold out would be to use the same concet of a tent trailer. a hoop at teh foot end held in place by a prop rod of some sort. The tongue would be abouta foot longer with a jack near the coupler. 4 leg stabilzer

The orginial idea was to make it a sleeper one side for the girls and teh other for the boys. but a one sided sleeper with a galley area to help shorten the trailer is a great idea.

The height i agree seems high but its no taller than what mine is now, and with a low center of mass not a bad idea. I would just have teh body go over the wheels and have the wheel wells in teh interior and if my calulations are correct that would be half a well in teh sleeping area and teh rest in the galley box. that would leave a pillow area of 40 inches which is more than enought for 2.

you made this so much better than my orginal drawings.

I would say it would look something like this hard sided about as tall
This was kindof my inspiration for it. small 4x8 trailer simple with a fold out. would fold out about 3 feet and an interior part of three feet so 6 feet of space and about 3 and half feet wide would be enough for two kids to sleep in. unless your the hamster in our family at 5 feet he takes up 2 and half feet of sleeping space.
i am just showing teh interior of the fabric on this one the rest is just the picture. how its pushed out and held in place by a prop rod and a hoop at the end

[TJinPgh]

Thanks,
Although I wouldn't say better, just different. Different goal in mind.

Your drawing is what pointed me in that direction, though. I doubt this would have even been thought up without it.

Not having build one, i can't say how having it up that high would affect the way it would ride. Like you and others have said, though, it can certainly be shortened to the point of clearing the fenders. That would, as you say, give you about 4".

I suppose something could be done with that.

There's no reason why you couldn't do this with sleepers on both sides. Just flip the design and duplicate it.

Eliminates the galley, of course. But, that may or may not be an issue, depending on the individual.

The real challenge, as I said before, was figuring out how to fill that pie shaped wedge that is left over from th quater circle that makes up the flip-out sides.

I had played around with that basic flip-out design on a couple of my other sketches but they all had vertical walls A simple 1/4 circle piece worked just fine.

You cannot make it one solid piece because it won't fold up if you do.

I think my final thought was to simply leave it open and maybe velcro some screen in there for ventilation. You can always add a flap to the vinyl roof to provide waterproofing should the weather require it.

[legojenn]

I find that one advantage that a teardrop has over a tent trailer is that you can pull off the road and hop inside. If you can open and use the sleeping area without unhooking the car, then you might have a nifty idea there.

[TJinPgh]

I guess one would have to measure how long the tongue of the trailer was.

As it was drawn there, the bed platform is 3.5 feet. Plus, the overhang off the front of, I think 1 foot. So, if the tongue is less than 4.5 feet then, as drawn, you couldn't do it.

I seem to think that the tongue on the HF 48x40 is about 2.5 feet. So, no, probably not without modification.

However, it's worth pointing out that there are a number of variations that could be done with a cabin this same size.

You could just as easily have the tip-out come out the back or even one (or both) of the sides.

The only reason I drew it out the front was because I figured with the tongue jack being under it that it would be more stable in the sleeping position.

That said, you can just as easily have it come out the back or side and use any kind of prop you want at the foot end and resolve that problem.

That's more or less how most of those flip top tent campers work anyway.

If that was my objective, what I would probably do is move the tip-out to the rear.

Maybe redesign the nose to point in the middle rather than be a straight slant. Do a small front end galley in the nose.