Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

New here. Been reading through some builds on here for quite some time while planning my trailer. Now I have a trailer and am ready to start building, thought I would post up. I've seen a lot of good information on this site. I'm open to any suggestions you guys and gals have.

Currently live and work in Texas but spend summers in the mountains mostly mountain biking and hiking. Wanted a rig we could live out of for a week or more and be able to get where we needed to go with all our gear. Wanting to simplify life a bit but can't pull the plug till kid is done with school in a few years. So it has to work for me now and in the future. The future would be keeping a small home base but on the road more often than not.

The most challenging part was due to HOA, needed to fit it in the garage (83.5"). Did not want to have to keep it in storage.
Starting with an all aluminum 6.5x12 with a 66" interior height, 3500# torsion axles with electric brakes. Built with ramp door, walk door, generator door, and two windows.
Plans include:
33" tires. Trailer was built to clear. Idea is to be interchangeable with my jeep wheels and tires.
U-shaped bench with table that lowers in middle to make a big flat sleeping area.
12v refrigerator
small sink.
30 gallon fresh water with 12v pump.
water heater
sit down shower with portable toilet.
Climate Rite AC or window unit mounted in generator box.
Portable induction stove
gas grill.
awning.
battery bank (300-400aH), inverter, converter, charger.
small 2000W generator for now. Solar in future.
rack to carry bikes inside.

My trailer came with 120v electric wired and genbox and cabinets built. They didn't turn out as planned so they have already been removed.
Here is a sketch of what I'm thinking.

First order of business.

From the dealer it came with cheap transport wheels at my request. With this setup it fit in the garage with tires deflated. Once inside I installed a fantastic vent fan, now it is too tall to get out.
Picked up some 1100# capacity steel casters. Attached to back of axle at each side and one on the tongue. Removed tires, now I have about 1.5" clearance getting out.
Next I need to get wheels and tires on this thing.
Came with 5x4.5 lug pattern. Need wheels and tires interchangeable with my jeep so I've swapped the hubs out for ones with 5x5 bolt pattern. Picking up some wheels and tires hopefully this week.
Here it is in garage mode. The brake drums have about 1" from the ground.

Awesome! Love the MTB post. I'm from MN and am hoping to spend a few months on the road next summer. Hoping to MTB a lot!

Might PM you later to ask you more about what you know! Any quick links/forums/resources/apps you love to find trails etc?

Not sure if it was me or not but the image seemed pretty low res thru the Tapatalk app - so it was a little hard to read but I think I managed. Can you explain the bike storage more?


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sodatrain wrote:Awesome! Love the MTB post. I'm from MN and am hoping to spend a few months on the road next summer. Hoping to MTB a lot!

Might PM you later to ask you more about what you know! Any quick links/forums/resources/apps you love to find trails etc?

Not sure if it was me or not but the image seemed pretty low res

Not your phone, when I saved the photo to link to the site it automatically made it smaller. Sorry about that. Looks like max size I can upload it 640x640.
I always use the trailforks app when I am traveling. Great resource even when out on the trail. But usually have done most of my research on google about the areas I will be in ahead of time.
My plan for the rack is this. When on road, my cushions will store up under the table top. I will build an aluminum frame that clips into mounting points somewhere on top of the benches. On the frame I will mount the racks. OneUp bike rack sells basically their hitch mount system in halves to use in vans.
It will be like this but detach to set outside.

Trailer looks sharp! Love the toolbox. Did you want black or was it available? I'm leaning white to keep it cooler in the summer. Black would be way better looking!

Can I ask what you do for work that gets you the summers to bike!?

App seems great. Now to get using it. Enjoying a new (to me) Salsa XL Beargrease in MN. Fun at below zero temps! Any reason I wouldn't want to ride that out west? I don't intend to get airborne. Carbon wheels too.


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Man that's cool. I know nothing about bicycling but you have piqued my interest. I'll be watching this one for sure.
Good Luck and thanks for documenting your build.

McDave

sodatrain wrote:Trailer looks sharp! Love the toolbox. Did you want black or was it available? I'm leaning white to keep it cooler in the summer. Black would be way better looking!

Can I ask what you do for work that gets you the summers to bike!?

App seems great. Now to get using it. Enjoying a new (to me) Salsa XL Beargrease in MN. Fun at below zero temps! Any reason I wouldn't want to ride that out west? I don't intend to get airborne. Carbon wheels too.


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Black was a requirement. Had to match my vehicle. But yes, will probably require more A/C to keep cool.

I work shift work and have quite a bit of vacation. but just the way my shifts work, I can take 4 days vacation and be off for 14 days in a row. Normally start in May taking 2 weeks off then home 2 weeks back and forth through September.

I've never tried a fat bike but plenty of people ride them out there. So if it's what you like you will have plenty of fun on it. I've done a few Downhill races with a kid named Max Fierk from MN. Any chance you know him? He comes down to Angelfire every June.

onlyridepark wrote:

sodatrain wrote:Trailer looks sharp! Love the toolbox. Did you want black or was it available? I'm leaning white to keep it cooler in the summer. Black would be way better looking!

Can I ask what you do for work that gets you the summers to bike!?

App seems great. Now to get using it. Enjoying a new (to me) Salsa XL Beargrease in MN. Fun at below zero temps! Any reason I wouldn't want to ride that out west? I don't intend to get airborne. Carbon wheels too.


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Black was a requirement. Had to match my vehicle. But yes, will probably require more A/C to keep cool.

I work shift work and have quite a bit of vacation. but just the way my shifts work, I can take 4 days vacation and be off for 14 days in a row. Normally start in May taking 2 weeks off then home 2 weeks back and forth through September.

I've never tried a fat bike but plenty of people ride them out there. So if it's what you like you will have plenty of fun on it. I've done a few Downhill races with a kid named Max Fierk from MN. Any chance you know him? He comes down to Angelfire every June.

Cool. Again thanks for the info. The black does look sweet! I wonder if anyone has any data about the impact of the color on the temps!

No...I'm totally amateur in my riding. Don't know Max.




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sodatrain wrote:

onlyridepark wrote:

sodatrain wrote:Trailer looks sharp! Love the toolbox. Did you want black or was it available? I'm leaning white to keep it cooler in the summer. Black would be way better looking!

Can I ask what you do for work that gets you the summers to bike!?

App seems great. Now to get using it. Enjoying a new (to me) Salsa XL Beargrease in MN. Fun at below zero temps! Any reason I wouldn't want to ride that out west? I don't intend to get airborne. Carbon wheels too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Black was a requirement. Had to match my vehicle. But yes, will probably require more A/C to keep cool.

I work shift work and have quite a bit of vacation. but just the way my shifts work, I can take 4 days vacation and be off for 14 days in a row. Normally start in May taking 2 weeks off then home 2 weeks back and forth through September.

I've never tried a fat bike but plenty of people ride them out there. So if it's what you like you will have plenty of fun on it. I've done a few Downhill races with a kid named Max Fierk from MN. Any chance you know him? He comes down to Angelfire every June.

Cool. Again thanks for the info. The black does look sweet! I wonder if anyone has any data about the impact of the color on the temps!

No...I'm totally amateur in my riding. Don't know Max.




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I read awhile back that Myth Busters did an episode on white cars vs black cars in the heat. Heat gain had more to do with side of windows than the color of the paint. I think it was like 5 degrees different. Which explains why here in the Phoenix area you see so many black cars. If it was 15-20 degree different you probably wouldn't see as many. And it's hard to find a car on the dealership lot without tinted windows.

Oh and since there is talk about MTB and Anglefire, I know a kid, Luke Van that rides out there. Was a good friend of my daughter. I never been to AF but Taos was one of my top favorite places to ski.

Todd


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Owned a condo in AngelFire, skiid Taos, Red River, Sipapu, Los Alamos, entire Enchanted Circle.
Wish I was still in that kind of shape.

McDave

KTM_Guy wrote:I read awhile back that Myth Busters did an episode on white cars vs black cars in the heat. Heat gain had more to do with side of windows than the color of the paint. I think it was like 5 degrees different. Which explains why here in the Phoenix area you see so many black cars. If it was 15-20 degree different you probably wouldn't see as many. And it's hard to find a car on the dealership lot without tinted windows.

Oh and since there is talk about MTB and Anglefire, I know a kid, Luke Van that rides out there. Was a good friend of my daughter. I never been to AF but Taos was one of my top favorite places to ski.

Todd


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I hope that is true about the color, I've always driven black vehicles and it never seemed like an issue.

Cool, I know Luke, there are quite a few Austin guys living up there now. He's a good dude.

Got wheels and tires on it yesterday. They are a bit smaller than what I plan to run but give me an idea of how it will sit. Currently 15.5" of ground clearance. Having trouble with resizing some of the photos so they will post on here. Work on that later.
Today I picked up some floor insulation. The Aluminum cross members are 2" so I plan to put 2" foam board between the cross members and then covering the whole bottom side with plastic panels. The 2" foam shows to be R10 but this would still leave the crossmember itself as a heat sink. I am wondering if I should cap it with some 1/2" before putting the plastic panels on. I think I just talked myself into it. Oh and I had originally planned to cap the bottom with plywood but figure that would not only add a lot of weight but also wouldn't hold up to getting wet. The plastic sheets should seal everything off well and be water proof too.



First piece in place

For our current trailer, I used 2x2s and 2" rigid pink insulation ON TOP of the floor, so lost a couple of inches of inside height (started with 7'). But then I had to deal with 2" higher floor at side door and rear ramp. Not really a biggie, but I have often thought I should have done what you are doing. There's all that space down there - perfect spot for insulation, etc.

I'll be interested to see how your install goes.

CoventryKid wrote:For our current trailer, I used 2x2s and 2" rigid pink insulation ON TOP of the floor, so lost a couple of inches of inside height (started with 7'). But then I had to deal with 2" higher floor at side door and rear ramp. Not really a biggie, but I have often thought I should have done what you are doing. There's all that space down there - perfect spot for insulation, etc.

I'll be interested to see how your install goes.

It definitely would have been easier to go on top but my trailer is already pretty short so trying to save as much inside height as possible.
Got all the 2" in today. Probably be a few days before I get to work on anything else. I am stressing about the walls. They have 1" between the studs but just sandwiched between the inner and outer aluminum skin. I could just go over the inner skin but I like the clean look of the walls. Removing it is a pain, whatever adhesive they used on the backside needs a chisel to get it off.
Finished this part today. And from here you can get a better look at how it rolls without the tires on.

onlyridepark wrote:

CoventryKid wrote:For our current trailer, I used 2x2s and 2" rigid pink insulation ON TOP of the floor, so lost a couple of inches of inside height (started with 7'). But then I had to deal with 2" higher floor at side door and rear ramp. Not really a biggie, but I have often thought I should have done what you are doing. There's all that space down there - perfect spot for insulation, etc.

I'll be interested to see how your install goes.

It definitely would have been easier to go on top but my trailer is already pretty short so trying to save as much inside height as possible.
Got all the 2" in today. Probably be a few days before I get to work on anything else. I am stressing about the walls. They have 1" between the studs but just sandwiched between the inner and outer aluminum skin. I could just go over the inner skin but I like the clean look of the walls. Removing it is a pain, whatever adhesive they used on the backside needs a chisel to get it off.
Finished this part today. And from here you can get a better look at how it rolls without the tires on.

You don't need to cover the insulation. I painted mine, with UGL drylock to keep bees from drilling holes in it. As for dirt they stay fairly clean.


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