A Teardrop to tow behind my new Kia Rio SLS

[Hamish121212]

I suggest you get advice on trailer brakes from within Australia. Different countries have different trailer brake practices - indeed there is such a difference that you would think gravity changed between countries.

Thank you angib. We have a company in Australia that makes torsion independent axles so they will probably be the suppliers of the axle, brakes and hubs. As for the controller ill need to do more research. I really don't want to have to modify my tow vehicle as it would be good to be able to tow the teardrop with other cars and still have working brakes. I don't understand why the brake controller has to be mounted in the car. Why can't it be attached to the trailer? More research needed I think. I'm so green!

[mezmo]

Hi Hamish,

You look good for "aero-ness" with the way the TD will fit
in the cross-sectional area of the Kia that has already "punched
through the air", it shouldn't hurt your gas mileage very much.
There are some threads on the forum RE: aerodynamics, but the
one in the Foamies section is the one I can think of at the moment.
"Aero" affects all builds regardless of construction methods or
materials.

I think brakes are a good idea regardless. Does Australia Require
them ? - as I believe Europe does(?). Andrew/angib could probably steer
you to the source for the Australian trailer design rules. Also the
brake controller is located in the car as that is what allows you
to apply and control the electric brakes on the trailer. There are
some threads/posts in the Electrical section on here about that.

And Just For Fun:

Here is a link to the foremost Australian Vintage Caravans website.
It has interesting info on your caravan heritage and examples of
them by those restoring and using them. There are even a couple
vintage TDs covered - they called them "Caravanettes" back then.

This is the forum:
http://vintagecaravans.proboards.com/index.cgi?
This is the Home Page:
http://vintagecaravans.com/

From their DHL - Down History Lane - section you can look up all
the multitude of brands/makes from the past. The first post in it
has an index to them. In that is the link to:

The Expandavan:
http://vintagecaravans.proboards.com/in ... 060&page=1

This isn't as aero as your planned TD build, as it is a much taller vintage
Aussie TTT, but it is my favorite TTT design of all that I've seen from around
the world so far. For travel it's body is @ 5ft3in-6in wide by 10-11ft long
and 7ft9in - 8ft6in tall [from the ground]. They were built by three different
manufacturers over the time they were produced in the 1960s and early 1970s,
offered in bondwood [plywood], fiberglass and timber [wood] framed iterations.
[The one called "Fugly" is not an Expandavan brand but is one of @ five builds
by a master carpenter at a furniture company. Its body is about 6ftx8ftx8ft.]
Those expanding on three sides are my favorite version of them [both in the
Expandavan and in Fugly].

And here's another Australian Vintage C'van website:
http://www.ourtouringpast.com/

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[Hamish121212]

Wow thanks Norm for the huge amount of information! Very very interesting. I have some reading for a wet weekend now - if we ever get any damn rain again. Its so dry here its crazy - and hot. We have had a few weeks of over 40C each day. Nasty.

[Hamish121212]

Hi all - well I have something to admit. I cheated! I have purchased an unfinished project teardrop. I will post a few photos of it soon. It is a steel frame construction with timber sheeting interior, foam inserts in the wall and Alcopanel on the outside. The guy looks like he has done a pretty reasonable job to this point. All I need to do is do some wiring, add the side door/window and fit a mattress - and perhaps do some finishing on the kitchen. Then ill be off to exploring. Cant wait. I still have to work out a way to get it moved from Victoria to the Qld but im sure ill work that out. Perhaps a road trip to collect it is in my near future!

[Hamish121212]

And no that is not my trike!

[Hamish121212]

The insulation going in.

[Hamish121212]

[Hamish121212]

The internal joinery - needs some doors on those shelves - and a window I think. The black floor is aparently a sheet of some sort of high density plastic - something like wheelie bins are made of. I guess the good thing is it will never rot!

[Hamish121212]

The wheels and mudguards painted. Im tossing up between replacing the steel holden wheels with mags or just adding baby moon hubcaps and rings to the wheels.

[Hamish121212]

I really hope the seals will keep the water out. Anyone got any tips on how to correctly calculate the correct gas struts (NM rating and length) to keep the door open and help lift it. And also how to find the best location to mount them?

[Hamish121212]

This side of the van needs a window to create some cross flow ventilation. Although the big blank space could be used as a moving billboard for my soap business and backdrop for the markets! The side pannels and the roof is glued to the metal frame using sikaflex on every part of the frame and trailer - so it will be well insulated and water tight. The aluminium molding is pop riveted into place along the edges and the front. The back door is made of a frame covered in a 3mm thick piece of plate aluminium pop riveted into place. This will probably be painted white to match the rest of the trailer - think it will be too much bother to polish it. Thoughts?

[Hamish121212]

Its not the prettiest teardrop out there but it is well built and super light weight and I think it will be really comfortable once I add a nice mattress and some finishing touches. Cant wait to pick it up.

[Ron Dickey]

We pull with a Carolla and it pulls like a charm, like most say you forget it is back there. We still get great gas milage. We do not have brakes and only found once when I wanted them but it all worked out. When you are racing on a on ramp and realize the car in front has stopped. I had time to slow down but at first I did smoke the tires a little. there are several type of brakes but if I remember there was something about the trailer braking if the trailer broke loose.

Good luck I like seeing the photo's of your goats too. Wander what other milks have been used for soap. I gather these are pigmee goats??

[mezmo]

Hi Hamish,

Completing an incomplete project is a big time saver -
as long as it meets your needs and budget.

There was some discussion on lift struts earlier today on
this thread in the Teardrop Construction Tips & Techniques
section:
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=54185

A link from the thread:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#gas-struts/=la8f5o

Here's a link to a specific thread on them from the
above thread:
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=6319

Good luck getting it and fitting it out.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[Hamish121212]

Thanks guys - yes I reckon I got it for a bargain price. He really needed the cash I think. Got it for less than the price of the materials.