Hi from the sunny Okanagan, BC, Canada

[motrhead]

Hi,

I'm a welder/fabricator from the South Okanagan area of BC. I just got rid of my huge tent trailer that was way too heavy to pack around, and am designing my own teardrop/tiny travel trailer. I used to build trailer chassis for a living, and have a nice little utility trailer (homebuilt) that I may build on for now. I'm thinking about building with a removable body. It's still in the design stage, but I'm picking up lots of great ideas here. I probably won't be on the forum all the time, but I do plan to stay around.

Dean

[rebapuck]

Check back frequently. The more you read, the more you learn. I'm working my way back through the General Discussions, for now.

[dreadcptflint]

Howdy Dean.
Yeah a teardrop bounces nicely along the hills. A few guys have done removeable bodies. It will be interesting to see what you do since I try to get up to the Okanagan foothills regularly.

Matt

[motrhead]

Thank you both for the welcome.
Judy, I love that single cab. Wouldn't mind a double myself to fit the kids. I have a couple Mk. II turbo-diesel Jettas at the moment, and plan to pull a teardrop with my Lada Niva 4x4 (and probably a Jetta). I have read quite a bit of the forum already (I've been lurking for at least six months), and somewhere I read about someone else's Puck restoration. There were some very cool trailers built in Europe. I'm a big fan of the Combi-Camp tent trailers myself. I am trying to build my own flat deck single-wheel trailer as well (from scratch).
Matt, I like to camp out in the hills, so I need to build a *solid* trailer to survive the forest roads, riding behind my Niva. I think there will be a couple of aluminum or steel tubes somewhere in my framework. I'm also thinking about building something like a Maggiolina or OverLand rooftop tent for the Niva, so the kids don't have to sleep on the ground.
My long term project is a really rough 27T touring body I plan to build into a family hot rod, and eventually pull a teardrop with, but I suspect the kids will be grown by the time I get that one done :-)
Dean

[dreadcptflint]

I've taken my 6 wide down plenty a washboarded logging road. When my little dude gets old enough he is headed for tent city.



Seriously have fun with it.

[motrhead]

I've taken my 6 wide down plenty a washboarded logging road.

Now you have to explain "6 wide"...Do you mean 6', and if so, are you referring to a tear drop or another kind of trailer? I was out measuring my trailer, and comparing to my old tent trailer. I have a couple crazy ideas I won't divulge anywhere yet, but I'm looking for teardrop designs with the bed crosswise to see what's possible. I'm just over 5'8", so allowing 3 inches for my walls 6-1" or 6'-2" could work, but may look funny, or lead to sleeping on a slight diagonal, like across a van....
I may build another trailer frame from scratch so I can use torsion arm suspension instead of a straight axle, and throw the whole removable body idea out the window, or not...that's why I'm on here; to try to make up my mind.
Dean

[Miriam C.]

to the playground Dean. Sounds like you are planing more than one TD. You can make them 6" wide and "Little Guy does it nicely. Mine is 76" wide and 5' tall so it looks right. Just needed a custom frame under it. Lots I would do different next time.

Have fun and be sure to take lots of pictures. Gotta keep the bubble oil level.

[motrhead]

Thanks.
I really only *want* to build one, but I have way too many ideas and possibilities right now. So, I'm re-reading, and checking out all the pictures I can find. Your trailer looks really good, but it's too tall for what I want. I love the finish on yours -much classier than aluminum to my eye. 74 inches wide could work for me, but I would probably want to build a new frame first. With my current frame I am more inclined to go a bit narrower. We'll see.
When I do finally get around to making sawdust I will post some pics. I have to get out of the planning stage first...
Dean