Another one of those darn newbies...

[Mauleskinner]

Hi all,

I'm just here to leach all the good information I can about building a teardrop. Lots of good information here to leach, btw.

I'm thinking about initially building one without a trailer chassis, and just slide it into my pickup...storage works better for me, and there are a few other advantages to my way of thinking. I haven't actually measured it, but the lift gate extends farther than the normal tailgate, so I could support roughly 9 feet. Might even improve the mileage Seems like it would look cool, too.

At a later date, if and when my situation changes, I could build a trailer to put under it.

One of my prime motivators for moving out of a tent is the need for air conditioning in the summertime...I found out about tears while searching for minimal cubic feet to possibly cool with one of these:
http://www.arcticaircooler.com/. Anybody ever tried one in a tear that can tell me how well it works? Seems like a good match for sites with no external power or generator available. My pickup has an extra battery box, so I could dedicate one battery to the tear and still charge off the alternator while driving.

Obviously by sliding it into the pickup, I'm going to be dealing with modified entryways...I'm thinking about leaving a passageway in the middle of the galley, and just going in and out through the galley hatch. Kind of ala Kampmaster/Wild Goose, but not so elaborate. Just a place to crawl in, cool off, and go to sleep. I'd probably frame in and mark the locations for doors in the sides if and when it becomes a trailer, but just put in windows for now...maybe one big enough to use as an emergency exit, just to ease a touch of claustrophobia

Did some searching on the site, but couldn't find anything that really matched these particular features. Do you think they might work, or should somebody call the men in white coats?

Thanks,

David

[Miriam C.]

to the playground David. Sure it will work, just design it and build it. Are you planing to hang it over the sides? You might look at the build forums too.

Enjoy

[Mike C.]

Welcome David,

Hope you enjoy the forum. Ask lots of questions, post lots of pictures.
Have fun.

[Bill Fernandez]

David Welcome don't forget send plenty of pictures.

Bill

[Mauleskinner]

to the playground David. Sure it will work, just design it and build it. Are you planing to hang it over the sides? You might look at the build forums too.

Enjoy

At this point, I'm thinking just a basic 4' wide...slides in between the wheel wells, and leaves me some room for my bicycle and some other stuff on the sides. More room would be nice in some regards, but also adds engineering challenges that I really don't need to deal with at this point. Also makes things a little easier come time to give it its own wheels....although maybe a "side attic" where the doors will eventually go...hmm...

David

[angib]

Ah! Now I see you must have a full-size truck that's 48" between the wheel boxes, whereas I was trying to fit one into a smaller truck.

Several people have thought of doing this so I've sketched out a Benroy-ish teardrop on a Dakota ('cos Dodge provide decent online plans).



If you describe this idea quickly, it's fine. But look at it in some more detail and it's a bit of a nightmare. Problems are:

- It needs to be strong so that it can be loaded and unloaded from the truck, but it can't have the galley bulkhead of a normal teardrop, because you need to walk through that, so it's quite a bit weaker than a normal teardrop.

- If the galley worktop is to be at a sensible height, there will be no cupboards underneath as the worktop will be about level with the teardrop floor.

- Half the galley will be missing to make the 'walkthrough' - the walkthrough actually needs to be wide enough for you to turn around and sit down on the bed.

- Entering through the hatch means that the hatch has to be openable and can be sealed from inside - neither is a trivial matter, even if it seems simple at first sight.

Doesn't means it won't work - just means it needs more thought.

Andrew

[Mauleskinner]

Ah! Now I see you must have a full-size truck that's 48" between the wheel boxes, whereas I was trying to fit one into a smaller truck.

...

If you describe this idea quickly, it's fine. But look at it in some more detail and it's a bit of a nightmare.

Guess I just need to build it as quickly as I describe it

Problems are:

- It needs to be strong so that it can be loaded and unloaded from the truck, but it can't have the galley bulkhead of a normal teardrop, because you need to walk through that, so it's quite a bit weaker than a normal teardrop.

- Half the galley will be missing to make the 'walkthrough' - the walkthrough actually needs to be wide enough for you to turn around and sit down on the bed.

Along these lines, I was thinking about 1 ft of cabinetry on each side, with a 2-ft passway, including good solid ceiling connection. I'd also have some extra structure beneath the basic tear...probably another sheet of ply on the bottom of the floor structure with a few "runners" of 2x2's running longitudinally. I figure the runners would minimize the issues with moisture that would arise from sealing the bottom of the floor. Naturally, all of this extra structure would be removable come time to put it on a trailer chassis. I could also make a rigid "plug" for the passageway to give it the extra strength when I'm moving it in and out, and possibly while driving.

- If the galley worktop is to be at a sensible height, there will be no cupboards underneath as the worktop will be about level with the teardrop floor.

True...I tend to use "upper cupboards" in my house moreso than lower ones, so losing the lowers to worksurface wouldn't be a bad thing for me personally. I'd probably give it some use before I built cupboards anyway, just to figure out what I'd need and use. And again, the requirement to make some changes for conversion to a trailer would require some amount of flexibility in the galley.

- Entering through the hatch means that the hatch has to be openable and can be sealed from inside - neither is a trivial matter, even if it seems simple at first sight.

Hmmm...this is an interesting one...hadn't really thought about that yet. Of course, that's one of the reasons I'm here.

Doesn't means it won't work - just means it needs more thought.

Andrew

Thanks Andrew...always best to identify the problems and figure out solutions ahead of time, in my opinion. Sounds like the guys in white coats won't be necessary, but we should keep them on speed dial.

David

[Roly Nelson]

Ah yes, another future builder thinking out of the box. Great, I say go for it. Do take pics of your progress and don't let anyone talk you out of your original design plans. This has gotta work, if I had a truck, I might have even built one similar to that myself. Have you considered a side door that would clear the top of the truck sides? A simple custom ladder against the side of the truck would aid getting in and out. Later, when wheels are added, simply make the door opening larger to suit.

Roly, just my 2........scents, sents, cents...where is the Cents key on my keyboard?

[angib]

Here's a bit more detail on the interior. You can have a 3-4" deep drawer under the two bits of worktop and a couple of small 'wall' cupboards further forward.

I think putting 2x2s under a single floor layer is enough as runners. I'd stop any ply attached to them at least 1/2" up so when the bottom of the runners gets beat up, the ply edge isn't damaged.



Andrew

[Gerdo]

Andrew
That is exactly how I have always invisioned a slide in TD for a pickup. The only thing that I might add would be some height, a door or two on the sides and ladders.

[Mauleskinner]

Ah yes, another future builder thinking out of the box. Great, I say go for it. Do take pics of your progress and don't let anyone talk you out of your original design plans. This has gotta work, if I had a truck, I might have even built one similar to that myself. Have you considered a side door that would clear the top of the truck sides? A simple custom ladder against the side of the truck would aid getting in and out. Later, when wheels are added, simply make the door opening larger to suit.

Roly, just my 2........scents, sents, cents...where is the Cents key on my keyboard?

Thanks for the support. Not to worry, muleheadedness is one of my more, um, redeeming qualities. They made a tourist attraction out of one place where I dug in my heels...I think they call it the "Grand Canyon", or something like that

One of the things I considered, and will probably do as the "emergency exit", is a bottom-hinged door that will lay down onto the side of the pickup box. I thought about this as my primary entry/exit, but it would be kind of like getting in and out of a race car. Just a little too sporty for me. Remember, I drive a pickup with a lift gate.

David

[Mauleskinner]

Here's a bit more detail on the interior. You can have a 3-4" deep drawer under the two bits of worktop and a couple of small 'wall' cupboards further forward.

I think putting 2x2s under a single floor layer is enough as runners. I'd stop any ply attached to them at least 1/2" up so when the bottom of the runners gets beat up, the ply edge isn't damaged.

Andrew

I like that...hadn't gotten far enough to think about the drawers, but that's a good idea. Just enough to get the work surface to the right height.

With about 9' available I could probably make up for some of the lost cupboard space as well...I'll have to do some drawing.

Thinking about sealing the door from the inside...I wonder if some kind of over-center cam with a rod running the width of the door as the pivot point to get pulldowns on both sides...

David

[ozman]

I have sympathy for the people living in the land of the Yank (USA).

Your pickups are grossly under rated (load wise) eg. the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux (Tocoma) are rated to carry 1000kg and pull 2000kg (I think the later models can pull 3000Kg), and most single and crew cab models are fitted with a flat top with drop sides. This will allow a slide on on a single cab length just under 2700mm and a width of 2100mm wide, the tray measures 2400mm long and 1800mm wide.

The point being it is a simple thing to build a straight sided slide-on 1800mm x 2400mm.

Ron