Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

This is my 8.5x24 with 7ft ceiling. Me and my family use it for Motocross racing. First off I am neither a carpenter nor an electrician so I apologize in advance.



Installed 12volt Porch light and 20ft Awning


Took down all the 3/8 plywood, insulated with 3/4 thick foam board insulation topped with radiant barrier, then put plywood back up and covered it with Luan. Installed 13500btu carrier ac.


Built a wall with 18in interior door to seperate living quarters and garage.


View from back of trailer, you can see the shower to your right. I'm putting a 36x36 shower pan with custom surround. Kind of one of the reasons I decided to do a conversion was the shower. I'm 6'5" and about 270lbs so I need room to move. I put the shower in the garage so I wouldn't have to worry about vents.


18in oak cabinet will hold my power panels in top cabinet and dvd/surround sound/playstation on the shelf, with hanging clothes below.


Bunks built with 15in underneath bottom bed to hold cabinets and 80 gallon water tank. Also installing 12volt reading lights and surround sound ceiling speakers with volume control in the headboard side of bunk(cabinet). I'm installing the volume controlled speakers because we use a 22in Dynex LCD on the wall and the only way to hear it is blast the volume. This way I can watch tv late at night while my son sleeps.


In the galley I have 54inches of counter top. We are gonna stain the cabinets cherry and my wife has decided to buy that faux granite sticker system she saw on Rachel Ray. (':)') I'm gonna install a single basin stainless sink. Cabinets above will be oak 15x36 (2). Due to the size of my generator I'm gonna put a double pole switch on the wall for the fridge and microwave so when I need to use the microwave I'll just throw the switch to cut off fridge and cut on microwave. Directly across from the galley is futon. My wife and 2year old son sleep there.


I've been using this site for input/info my whole build so Thank you everyone! I'll keep posting pics as I go! And please, shoot me ideas, feedback, and "attaboys"! [/img]

welcome looks like you have nothing to apologize for build looks great.
I like the cargo-trailer conversions add what suits you in the position you want not what some manufacturer of a toy hauler wants.

pete

Thanks Pete!

Has has anybody ever used 1/4 foam board on the floor, topped with underlayment board, then linoleum?

Great looking build so far.
Send us all a picture straight into the garage area from the ramp, I'm interested to see how you have done that part.
Did I see a load equalizer hitch with sway bars? how does it tow?

Gadget Man

Thanks Gadget Man! Other than 8mpg, it tows great, but trailer brakes/distribution hitch/sway bar are a must! Without the dis. hitch/sway it's like towing a 40ft sailboat at full mast! lol

Should get some work done in the garage soon so I'll post some pics asap. I have checkered linoleum for the garage floor, and rhino liner for the ramp. Hopefully get that installed this weekend.

How do you think you are as far as a balanced load?
I have been towing trailers for 25 years and am well aware
Of the sail effect you talk about. We bought a 25 foot Jayco ultra light trailer
One year and I didn't think we were even going to make it
The 20 miles home from the Dealership. We were towing with a Dodge Durango with the complete towing package. Bought an Equilizer hitch the very next day. I have towed my new trailer empty no problem but have not towed it with any of my cabinets installed.
Time will tell. We tow with a Lincoln Navigator now, I hope to get 10 mpg.

Your idea of Hurculiner bed liner on the ramp is genius. Consider that idea copied. On my first Weekender Tear Drop I did the entire frame with it. It will last forever.

I just pulled my new trailer home from the factory and was a nervous wreck the entire 12hr trip. My old 8.5x20 enclosed had torsion axles and radial tires and pulled like a dream, my new 8.5x20 v-nose has spring axles and bias ply tires and feels like it's dancing around the entire time. I'm curious if the OP's trailer has spring or torsion axles? I've never used sway control but may have to with this new trailer.

That's a good point. My old Jayco travel trailer had standard leaf spring
Suspension. I'm not sure if it had radial tires, I bet it didn't.
My new trailer has radial tires and torsion suspension.
Does it really make that much difference?
When I bought my new cargo trailer, the dealer towed it
From Elkhart IN to Minnesota with a 3/4 ton Dodge truck with no problems.
He makes this 400 mile trip several times a month to pick up new trailers.
He said 70 mph was no problem. But this was empty. But I bet some weight
Would even help it tow smoother.

A trailer transporter would be used to the ride and wouldn't think twice about it. I was just shocked because it was so much different than my old trailer. I'm sure that adding weight will actually smooth it out some. No different than the way my F350 dually rides, terrible when empty but smooths out with a little weight in the bed.

Finished the Galley cabinets and the floor this weekend.

Anybody using this setup for hot water. I found one of those outdoor propane water heaters for $75 on ebay and thought this would work.
Just hang the water heater on one of the exterior screws and connect to plumbing with washing machine hoses.