Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

So this site has given me the trailer bug

I'd really love to build the pico-lite teardrop, but 2 things I concerned about. My tow rig will be a motorcycle so weight wise its on the money and size wise its all I need, but one thing is the height. Its taller then the mirrors on my bike so I think seeing over it could be a problem, but second my biggest fear is the side profile of the tear during a good side wind I think could blow me all over the place.

So I've been throwing around ideas on what and how to build it. My goal weight would be around 275-350 empty just really a place to throw a few things and a place to sleep, small cooler...

My first idea was something like this 4x8 HF trailer with sides that flip down to make it a short profile.




But I would really like to get the height of the floor lower to about 12" is that possible? if so how would you suggest doing it? It appears that all 1/2 shaft torsion axles would put me up above that with 12" wheels I was thinking maybe a dropped straight axle running on air bags with kind of like a ladder bar setup.

Would a 1" square tubing frame with cross support bars 16" on center with 1/2 in ply floor be good enough to support this?

I've also been kicking around the idea of making kind of like a hi-low type trailer with 3 separate sections and using gas struts to raise it up.

What you guys think?

Not a bad concept but i think the HF 4x8 with all that material on it would weigh too much...

Here's some food for thought. This is a mini pop up tent trailer i drew up awhile back thats based on an HF 40x49 trailer. You would have to have the tent custom made but the rest could be done in a garage easily. I'll have to do a weight estimate sometime and see what i think it would weigh.

Specs:
36" tall when closed
40" wide
60" long
Queen size bed when folded out








Having the tent made would be the most expensive part of the whole deal i think. The rest is plywood and screws and a few other parts

Jess

That's pretty sweet How deep is the lower part?

Here's my frame I'm thinking of 48" x 80" Cross bars are 16" on center all tubing is 1" 12 gauge steel that weights around 65 pounds.

Can anyone tell me what a 1/2 sheet of plywood weighs?

Here is Eggbert. he was my very 1st build and was on a 40 x 48 HF frame. He was built as a cargo only for my Goldwing but there is no reason a telescoping floor would not make it long enough to sleep comfortably in it. Dont forget a 1st up pop up shelter could easily be tossed in to give a real luxuary suite on the road.



Yes the roof IS an old tossed out steel pool sidewall !

Here is a box in a box pull out light enough for a bicycle.

vtx1029 wrote:Here's my frame I'm thinking of 48" x 80" Cross bars are 16" on center all tubing is 1" 12 gauge steel that weights around 65 pounds.

Can anyone tell me what a 1/2 sheet of plywood weighs?

OOPS forgot about the question plywood is 25# per 1/4 on a 4x8 sheet so 1/2" is right at 50# per sheet

Do yourself a big favor and look at the little harbor freight boat trailer.

Coupler to wheel distance is much longer ( necessary for the stability of the bike) I had to lengthen the 40x 48 tongue 24" from stock and it should have been more. This frame vs the 4 x 8 folding frame saves you 83 pounds right away. The 4x8 folder is 159 # and the little boat trailer is 76#. I would use a 3/4 floor and add a strongback of a 2x6 (glued and screwed) on top of the sheet standing on edge across the front to give support to the front outside corners. You are now back to your 4x8 frame weight of 150+ but you have a floor and the much needed extended tongue with much less work than I had on my 40 x 48.

http://www.harborfreight.com/600-lb-capacity-boat-trailer-with-8-inch-wheels-and-tires-5002.html

Here is kind of the pop up style I was thinking of. each section is 15" tall inside floor to ceiling would be 46.5" and each section lifted via a gas struts so undo the latches and up she go's Thinking I would make the walls out of a 1/8 ply in and out with a windowed out center of 1/4 ply.

I haven't a clue but it seems like a 4'X6'8" trailer being towed by a motorcycle is pushing the envelope a bit. I searched the web and found this site:

http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-trailer/

Scroll down and there are makers of trailers for being towed behind bikes. I think I'd contact them and see what they have to say about your plans.

Murphy, IMHO, was an optomist.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Gus

There's been a design on the internet for maybe ten years almost exactly like jess/stomper drew. (With the original designer/buildr's permission, I copied it and have put it on this web page. Some of you may remember my early attempt at an animated GIF:



Andrew

angib wrote:There's been a design on the internet for maybe ten years almost exactly like jess/stomper drew. (With the original designer/buildr's permission, I copied it and have put it on this web page. Some of you may remember my early attempt at an animated GIF:



Andrew

Full credit to you and the original trailer guy for the concept and design. I just took the idea and put my spin on it

Any ideas on where I could get a tent made? One thing I was thinking was maybe modifying a clam shell ice shelter to fit...

Do a Yellow Pages search for "Tent and Awning" should be several in larger cities

Most upholstery shops especially those that do auto and boat work. I have a good friend that does boat tops and custom made to fit covers freehand. He just has the "eye" for how it should fit.