Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

The Shuttle prices from Trailers Unlimited may be higher than those of a more conventional cargo trailer - fiberglass is not a cheap construction material, and nothing made here will be cheap by the standards of high-volume U.S. manufacturers.

Also, used trailers could be quite a bit cheaper, and especially if you're gutting and rebuilding anyway, used could be fine. I think it's just important to look for a light-duty single-axle trailer, and those are not the features which most people find desirable in a cargo trailer... which is good for pricing.

Other than the cost of new trailers, a 6x12 or 6x14 cargo conversion still seems workable to me for the given requirements and tow vehicles.

brian_bp wrote:The Shuttle prices from Trailers Unlimited may be higher than those of a more conventional cargo trailer - fiberglass is not a cheap construction material, and nothing made here will be cheap by the standards of high-volume U.S. manufacturers.

Also, used trailers could be quite a bit cheaper, and especially if you're gutting and rebuilding anyway, used could be fine. I think it's just important to look for a light-duty single-axle trailer, and those are not the features which most people find desirable in a cargo trailer... which is good for pricing.

Other than the cost of new trailers, a 6x12 or 6x14 cargo conversion still seems workable to me for the given requirements and tow vehicles.

Totally missed that it was built in Canada so that wouldn't work even had it been top of the list.

I think you are right on with everything you said. A used 6x10 or 12 is probably where I will end up. I wouldn't mind a 6x12 tandem just for the sake of the ride....if they make them. New was never really an option as I want as little as possible in this project - at least for now.

Thanks, guys.

I'm not at all convinced that a too-lightly-loaded tandem cargo trailer will ride any better than a single-axle... and it will fight the tug vertically if the hitch height isn't just right. The other issue might be that a very small tandem will likely have smaller wheels and tires than the same size single-axle... and small overall tire size is not a good thing for ride.

I suggest less than $100 worth of shock absorbers on the trailer axle (including the mounts) to make the ride (and control) better, instead of a whole extra axle.

brian_bp wrote:I'm not at all convinced that a too-lightly-loaded tandem cargo trailer will ride any better than a single-axle.

but ya can tow it home with a flat tire( at reduced speed).

brian_bp wrote:I'm not at all convinced that a too-lightly-loaded tandem cargo trailer will ride any better than a single-axle... and it will fight the tug vertically if the hitch height isn't just right. The other issue might be that a very small tandem will likely have smaller wheels and tires than the same size single-axle... and small overall tire size is not a good thing for ride.

I suggest less than $100 worth of shock absorbers on the trailer axle (including the mounts) to make the ride (and control) better, instead of a whole extra axle.

Not to come of as a know it all but with my experience (from an ag background with a lot of trailers of all sizes), a tandem trailer rides remarkably better than a single axle and especially with any kind of a load. I do agree that proper setup makes a difference.

Although not really a good example, a trailer made out of a pickup box pulls incredibly bad and really worsens with any weight added.

Lloyd Christmas wrote:

brian_bp wrote:I'm not at all convinced that a too-lightly-loaded tandem cargo trailer will ride any better than a single-axle... and it will fight the tug vertically if the hitch height isn't just right. The other issue might be that a very small tandem will likely have smaller wheels and tires than the same size single-axle... and small overall tire size is not a good thing for ride.

I suggest less than $100 worth of shock absorbers on the trailer axle (including the mounts) to make the ride (and control) better, instead of a whole extra axle.

Not to come of as a know it all but with my experience (from an ag background with a lot of trailers of all sizes), a tandem trailer rides remarkably better than a single axle and especially with any kind of a load. I do agree that proper setup makes a difference.

Although not really a good example, a trailer made out of a pickup box pulls incredibly bad and really worsens with any weight added.

I really like the way my "Blair" cargo trailer tows. It is a single axle 5Wx10Lx5.5H trailer. I've pulled it all over the US the past 15 years logging on well over 30,000 miles. It has never given me any trouble no matter what I hauled in it. Sometimes (I must admit) loaded way over capacity and stuff tied all over the outside of it, moving household items or boy scout equipment from coast to coast and most places in between.

Last year I started converting it into a TTT (which is never complete) and again it has done pretty well as a little camper. For two adults it is pretty comfortable except when we are trying to get dressed or undressed at the same time. While we can't host a party in it we are happy with the size. We have survived many weekend trips and a few lasting almost 2 weeks (about 4000 miles each).

Lloyd Christmas wrote:
Although not really a good example, a trailer made out of a pickup box pulls incredibly bad and really worsens with any weight added.

The 65 ford pick up trailer in my back yard has seen 80 miles an hour in a moment of road rage ( Mine) . It backs well and I have towed it thousands of miles in its 26 years . It will haul a ton of firewood on it's 1/2 ton chassis. Ya gotta cut the frames at about where your feet would have rested and fold in the frame by notching top and bottom of the frame rails then reweld them after the coupler is installed. The mistake most make is hacking them off and then trying to to pull this little short coupled trailer or cobble togther a tongue extention that is far to weak for the trailers capabilities. So there are a few that actually do what they are towed to. ( pardon the pun couldn't resist)

Lloyd Christmas wrote:

brian_bp wrote:I'm not at all convinced that a too-lightly-loaded tandem cargo trailer will ride any better than a single-axle... and it will fight the tug vertically if the hitch height isn't just right. The other issue might be that a very small tandem will likely have smaller wheels and tires than the same size single-axle... and small overall tire size is not a good thing for ride.

I suggest less than $100 worth of shock absorbers on the trailer axle (including the mounts) to make the ride (and control) better, instead of a whole extra axle.

Not to come of as a know it all but with my experience (from an ag background with a lot of trailers of all sizes), a tandem trailer rides remarkably better than a single axle and especially with any kind of a load. I do agree that proper setup makes a difference.

Yes, a properly applied tandem setup makes one big bump into two small ones, which is probably a good thing. A tandem small cargo trailer used as a TTT is unlikely to qualify.

If starting from scratch, tandem is a valid (but unnecessarily expensive, heavy, and complex) option. I thought we were shooting for inexpensive, light, and simple?

Lloyd Christmas wrote:Although not really a good example, a trailer made out of a pickup box pulls incredibly bad and really worsens with any weight added.

The rear of a pickup truck will work as a trailer... but so will almost any box, some steel (or wood!) rails, and a random axle. Pick any part of such a trailer, and there is a better way to do that part. I think the performance bar should be set higher than typical pickup-based things... even though bobhenry has a good one.