trailers... 4x8 or 5x8

[dperry324]

Unless you ... are married to a super thin model...

I fully intend to do a cardboard mockup...

A cardboard mockup of a super thin model? Should fit just fine!!!

Here's my tent capacity rating conversion factor for comfort: 2 man = one, 4 man = 2 plus some stuff and a little room to stand and move around.

+1, for me it is queen size at home, and a queen size TD.

I pulled the couch exactly 48" from the wall, and my wife and I rolled around for a bit behind the couch.

It wasn't exactly roomy, but it also wasn't cramped. We use a queen at home, and it's got lots of room. Used to have a double/full size a few years ago, and it was still pretty roomy. And we were 80lbs (combined) heavier back then. Before I make the final decision, we will check and recheck to make sure. That's a given.

[Woodbutcher]

Before you make a decision and while you are still behind the couch, try getting dressed. If that goes well you should be fine. But I still advise a 5'. You will especially like it when you go to sell it. Five wides are much easier to sell.

[rowerwet]

Another vote for five wide, my bigger concern is weight, remember you have to tow the tear, 2x4s 2x6s and 3\4 plywood are all overkill. Not only are most tears for sale 4x8 but they are also too heavy, both mistakes that cause them to be for sale. 3\4 ply should only be used in the floor, 1x2 or 3 will do just fine for all framing.
The one exception being 3\4 ply "cookie cutter" type walls with foam filled voids. Remember you are building a plywood tent, not a tank.

[dperry324]

Does everyone use regular full/double mattresses in their TD's? How do you get them through the door? My experience with mattresses of that size, they don't fold up too well.

[Kharn]

The vast majority of people use a foam mattress, Walmart has 4" or 6" thick offerings using their site-to-store option for around $160 or you could make your own from layers of foam and a mattress cover for a little less than that.

For the mock-up, try it again, but with the house AC set to 85 after you've been out biking/hiking/kayaking for 8 hours and see how being so close together feels.

[rowerwet]

Does everyone use regular full/double mattresses in their TD's? How do you get them through the door? My experience with mattresses of that size, they don't fold up too well.

Mine is made of three mattress toppers, two memory foam topped by an egg crate one. The whole tear floor is covered with those interlocking foam squares from harbor freight, ( for those times when certain positions cause a pressure point in the bed that bottoms out)
The foam toppers are all wrapped in a padded water proof mattress topper so nobody ends up on bare foam

[working on it]

Unless you camp alone, or are married to a super thin model, the 4 wide is pretty cozy. Most couples prefer a 5 wide, and they are much easier to sell when ypu build the second one.

I just added a second three-inch mattress on top of my first. Since the "cozy" 4x8 trailer will probably be only used by either myself or my wife (though she's getting thinner, daily, is no superthin-model) singly, I doubled the thickness of the bedding as an enticement for her. Plus, as both layers have their own waterproof covers, then I'll always have a dry one ready. Works for me.

[ChasCABQ]

I am going to build on a 5x8 Northern Tool trailer. The few extra inches mean I can fit in a full size mattress. Also the trailer weight is still quite low: 275 lbs. according to their website. I looked at locally welded 5x8 trailers and they weighed hundreds of lbs. more and I need to keep weight down. Am towing behind Subaru Outback.

[Hartse25]

I was just at my local Northern Tool and the only 5x8 trailer they had was the one with a ramp and rails about 1 foot high, which I would just need to remove. I asked the guy about the bolt together trailers, they only had 4 x 8, and he said that they are only ratd for 45 m/hr unless they are welded. Is that right? Is that the same for all bolt together trailers? I would think a tear would be more stable because of everything else you build on it anyway.

[rowerwet]

Yeah they tell you 45 for lawyer baloney, same as Uhaul does. The world speed record for a car towing a trailer was set at bonnivlle salt flats with a rented uhaul trailer.

[Esteban]

The Northern Tool 5'x8' trailer link: FREE SHIPPING — Ironton Heavy-Duty Trailer Kit — 5Ft. x 8Ft., 5.30-12in. Tires
Item# 37552. Northern Tool occasionally has it on sale. I like that the side rails are 8 feet long.

You often can get a discount with a coupon code from RetailMeNot.com.

[Hartse25]

So, how difficult are these bolt together trailers to put together? Do I need any special tools?

[KCStudly]

Let me first say that I have no personal experience with the kit trailers, but I have been hanging around this site for a long time and have read a lot of posts.

From what I've seen reported here, there can sometimes be trouble building flat and square. The trick seems to be doing a rough assembly with bolts loose, then squaring everything up and tightening evenly.

On a few occasions, people have had problems with misaligned bolt holes and problems with the bearings and hubs (bearing races not properly seated or hubs that ran out unacceptably), but for the price, these were relatively minor inconveniences, IMO.

The recommended modifications regarding axle relocation, tongue lengthening and using the xmbr's as main rail connectors (eliminating the folding feature) are well documented. Many people also like to upgrade with a centrally located tongue jack. The ones that bolt on to the sides of the tongue can twist the frame.

[Esteban]

So, how difficult are these bolt together trailers to put together? Do I need any special tools?

I bought a Northern Tool 5' x 8' bolt together trailer last year. It was a very good deal. It was on sale And I was able to stack a ($50.00 off) RetailMeNot.com discount code too. The total cost ended up to be $399.99.

I assembled it by myself over several days. It would be much easier with a second person. I used hand tools so it went slowly. A battery powered nut driver (impact tool) would speed up the work considerably.

At first I tightened up the bolts pretty snugly as I assembled the trailer trying to get it square. I tried to use a carpenters square on the corners - it was almost useless and led to lots of frustration and wasted time. Its far better to measure the diagionals to get them even.

I now think its better to first assemble the outer four frame pieces just shy of snug. Then square up the outer frame by measuring the diagionals to get them even (I was satisfied when they measured within 1/8" of each other). There is a little slop because of the oversize bolt holes so I used a hammer and a two by four as a persuader to move things around.

I also think its better to loosely assemble the inside cross pieces at first. Wait to snug them up AFTER you have assembled, and snugged, the outer diagionals so that they are equal. Again a second person would be helpful. Working by myself it was very hard to accurately measure the diagionals because the tape measure would often slip off a corner.

I am using the NT trailer as a utility trailer. Not for a teardrop.