Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

My next project will be what I call a "chuck wagon" type trailer that will haul all my tent camping gear and serve as a portable galley area. My concept is based on a 4X8 HF trailer that will be shortened (and widened) to about 5X6. Just looking for innovative ways to store all my gear (tent, Easy-up, ice chests, folding chairs, camp stove, and Rubbermaid containers for small items). At camp, the trailer will be used as a simple galley for food prep and cooking with minimal electrical and no sink or water. The Easy-up will cover all or part of the trailer (primarily the galley area). I plan to keep it light but weight is not an issue with my TV. Also looking to keep the profile low enough that I can see over it through my rearview mirror while towing. Currently looking for ideas from others who have built similar trailers or links to web sites that may have info.

The 40 x 48 HF trailer was the base for my 4 x 6 chuckwagon.



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http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=30307&start=75

P.S. It is for sale $1200.00 ready to cook.

Here is my almost no cost side tables.......

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=43504&highlight=side+tables+again

Welcome back, Les. Have you restored any cars lately?

Irmo Atomics wrote:Welcome back, Les. Have you restored any cars lately?

No, I'm kind of between projects right now. My hobbies seem to come in 5 year cycles and when the 5 years is up I have to move on. In addition to photography, acrylic painting, and restoring milsurp rifles, I've restored a 39 Plymouth, a 58 Cushman Eagle motor scooter, and a dune buggy. Also built a workshop and a houseful of furniture and renovated my entire house over the years and, of course, I've gone through my 5 year cycle with my Super Bee. I sold the Super Bee last year with mixed emotions but it went to a good home, a guy from Augusta who does iron-man events and wanted the camper to avoid having to drive long distances to motels. My wife and I went tent camping at Table Rock a few weeks ago and we got the bug to get back into camping. I don't want to get into something big that takes up my garage so I'm looking into the "chuck wagon" trailer. We still have all of our camping gear from the Super Bee so we will try to incorporate all that into the "chuck wagon". I want to make a galley in the rear of the trailer that would be very similar to what I had in the teardrop and the Easy Up would wrap around it like we did with the teardrop. The only difference would be that we will be sleeping in a stand up tent instead of the smaller cabin of the Super Bee.

How about building a chuck box separate from the trailer that could be removed and used anywhere. That way, you wouldn't have to set up camp around the trailer.
There are lots of ideas for chuck boxes - here's one: http://www.remarque.org/~rob/t21/

Irmo Atomics wrote:How about building a chuck box separate from the trailer that could be removed and used anywhere. That way, you wouldn't have to set up camp around the trailer.
There are lots of ideas for chuck boxes - here's one: http://www.remarque.org/~rob/t21/

I'm looking at a trailer mostly to haul and store all my gear. In addition to what I listed above, I will have two 4" foam mattresses, two cots, firewood, and a folding table. My Xterra was filled to the gills with this stuff when we camped earlier this month and just a little awkward in loading and unloading. The trailer would be permanent storage for most of the gear when I get back home. My preliminary concept is to take a HF 4X8 trailer and shorten it by two feet and build out over the wheels to get a 5' width. The front end will store the lighter stuff and the back end will be ice chests and cooking gear under a countertop that will open up to serve as the galley. Finding the right balance and tongue weight will be the main challenge. Also, I want to keep the height down where I can see over the top of the trailer while driving. I hope to have some concept sketches soon.

There are many questions here....
what are you carrying, you want a kitchen, you want to carry camping supplies, it this going in the outback or just to a lot where you will carry it's contents farther.
What type of camping do you do? fish, what are you pulling with jeep? do you want all of it on the trailer or will you puller carry say a boat?

do you want it small because it will be stored in a small place, Teardrops do most of what you are asking and you sometimes forget they are back there when pulling.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Jee ... ORM=IDMHDL
jeep trailers are many and seeing what is made

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXbsK18NaRU
might look at this it is big it is a start.

might look at these guys
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/t ... -Box/page2
titled kitchen kit / chuck box it is blog.

Thanks for the feedback, Ron. This "chuck wagon" will haul all my gear for tent camping. I enjoyed my teardrop but I sold it for several reasons. Primarily, my wife found it too claustrophobic but it also took up space in my garage that I needed. We recently got back into tent camping and I needed a new project so I decided to build the "chuck wagon". We will camp primarily at state park campgrounds with utilities and bathhouses. It will be basically a 5X6 or 5X7 box on a custom trailer with a total height of about 48". It will have a rear hatch that will open up to expose a basic galley with countertop and AC power. Ice chests and galley equipment will be stored under the countertop with a bottom door arrangement. The forward section will have two longitudinal doors on top and hinged in the middle for access to all the camping gear. I will set my EZ-up around it much like I did with the Super Bee (see my avatar). I plan to waterproof the bottom half but the top will be kept dry with tarps cut to size (no expensive epoxy systems, seals, fillers, or fiberglass). The trailer frame will be of custom cut and bolted C-channel with a Dexter axle and suspension package and 13" passenger car tires. The tongue will be a single arm full length box beam instead of the Y arrangement on the NT trailer. This will allow me to keep most of my gear in the trailer box when not in use and stored in the back yard. I hope to have a concept drawing posted soon.
Larry S.