Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Well, mostly Weekender. Thanks, Mike, for the great concept, drawings, and 3D renderings!

Be patient with this, I will be limited by time, finances, and weather (can't work in 110+ degree heat in Arizona).

This is how I plan to start



My idea is to use the current thickness of 3/4 plywood (I think it is now 22/32" ). I will splice plywood together using techniques gleaned from the forums, with extra thanks to Greg M.

I plan to remove plywood and create a frame of what is left. This should insure a flat wall.

In the drawing, what looks like the trailer extending beyond the back is actually to represent a trailer hitch receiver extension, so I can mount my bicycle carrier on the back.

My first project, this weekend, will be to build 4 sawhorses, 5 ft wide, to support a work surface. I will have to tear this down after every use, as space is a premium.

I saw an awesome parking structure on one of the threads (sorry I cannot give credit, I couldn't find it again) that I could build and my HOA would never see it, so that may be in the plans as I make progress.

Note: Found the parking structure! Roly's 1/2 Nelson! Awesome! Such a creative lot you are! Take a look for yourself!

http://gages-56.com/roly9.html

Wish me luck!

Cliff

Cliff, Good luck. Have fun and post pics Ed

Thanks, Ed. I drove to Harbor Freight to look at the 5 x 8 Haul Master Trailer they have on sale for $499.99, but they told me it was special order. 3 week delivery. Now I have to wait.

Even longer, because I didn't order it yet. They said I had to print the internet ad and bring it with me to get the price.

Just as well. I can dread it a while now.

Why only 40" high?

Mike...

Why only 40" high?

Mike...

Hello, Mike,

The dimensioning in Visio is either inches or feet and inches. I chose feet and inches, so it's 4' 0.00" high, or 48". Sorry for the confusion.

Cliff

If you had seen my "newbie" posts, you know I decided to try and salvage my old teardrop. No such luck. Lots of rotten plywood there. However, by taking it apart, I did become convinced that I was not going to try the single sheet of plywood, relived to make the frame. Screws put into the ply with the grain, it appears, don't have much of a bed to seat into. I'm making my frame out of pine and poplar, with oak around the doors.


Cliff

Ah, that makes sense now...

Looks like a plan... lets see some action now!

Mike...

Okay, more teardown today. "Order begins with chaos".





Aluminum is sharp! When did I have my last tetanus shot?

Okay, I have stipped this thing down to the metal. No protection on this stuff at all! Shhheeessshhh!


Anyway, it turns out that what I thought was about 4 x 8 is actually 4' 4" x 7' It needs to grow some!

Cliff

Top is wire brushed and primered! Time to remove the wheels and flip it over!

Cliff[/img]

You sure did that fast. Looks like it will make a great foundation for a new TD.

Miriam says:

You sure did that fast. Looks like it will make a great foundation for a new TD.

Thanks, Miriam!

I want to modify the foundation, to make it 9 ft. long. To accomplish this, I am thinking about bolting 1 x 2 x 3/16 square tubing to the sides of the existing 2 x 2 x 3/16 angle. I would pre-cut 3 cross-pieces, and bolt two of them to the front and back of the existing frame. The third would be ready to be welded on the back of the extended frame. That way I could haul the trailer to a local welding shop, and have the end welded on, as well as running a few beads to permanently attach the tubing to the angle. While I am at it, I want to add a receiver to the back for my bicycle rack, and two braces for the tongue.



The axle is attached to leaf springs, which are welded to the angle. Hard to move. They are currently 19 in from the rear of the trailer. Adding 2 ft to the overall length in the back would make the axle 43 in from the rear, which I believe would be a more appropriate position (Mike's weekender design has the axle at 49 in from the rear).

This drawing shows the angle with the tubing next to it. The tubing is on the outside, the angle points to the center of the trailer.



I am interested in feedback on this idea. in the attached drawing, the orange represents the additional square tubing, and the gray represents the exisiting frame.

Thanks for your input!

Cliff

Cliff,

I can't see what two of the three cross-members add - the ones at the front and back of the existing frame. OK, the one at the front will add some strength to where the tongue mounts, but the one at the back of the frame doesn't do anything that I can see.

Adding them all can do no harm though.

The angle braces will increase the transverse strength and, particularly, stiffness of the tongue, but their contribution to its vertical strength (usually the critical direction) will be limited unless your welder does a very good job at the difficult-access joint at their back end.

Andrew

Andrew says:

I can't see what two of the three cross-members add - the ones at the front and back of the existing frame. OK, the one at the front will add some strength to where the tongue mounts, but the one at the back of the frame doesn't do anything that I can see.

Thanks, Andrew! Like I said, I tend to overbuild. A bad habit when weight is a major consideration. So, to verify I am hearing you correctly, you think this design is adequate?



- Cliff

I am not a trailer builder but I wonder why you are adding so much metal to the sides. Can you put the front angles through the front cross beam and find a way to add to the back without the side stuff.