Advice 4 ladder mount, trapezoid toolbox, hitch rack, solar

[arboristjoe]

Gentlemen and Ladies,

Read thru my thinking and feel free to offer constructive advice

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Ladder Mount Box
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I just got an East Coast teardrop and I am brainstorming on where to put a ladder, most likely on the side.. my unit is 14 feet long from ball hitch to the very back, so I think I could put a 12 foot { extending to 24 foot ladder } easily on the side of my unit ( passenger side of course ).. I have an entry door on both sides, so I would not mind only being able to use one side .

I am envisioning a ladder mount such that the ladder is totally enclosed in a "box" .. That way I could lock it, and fashion a way to ensure that it does not vibrate at all during transport.


I have a big "" back hatch "" meant for a kitchen area, but I likely would also use it as my climbing saddle, ropes and gear storage area I just need a microwave to cook and an electric boiling water pot, so they do not take up much space .

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Trapezoid Toolbox
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There is also room on my unit to mount a toolbox in the triangular area { from a top view } of the frame tubes just in front of the body of the teardrop.. The seller wisely suggested I look for a trapezoid shaped lockable aluminum toolbox .. That would be a good spot for chain saws, oil, gas, and such that I do not want smelling up the interior of my unit .

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hitch rack on the side
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I am also brainstorming about mounting what I call a "hitch rack" on the side of my teardrop at sort of waist level for a workbench sort of area.. My hitch rack is meant to plug into a standard 2 inch hitch receiver on the back of a SUV. The rack is 18 deep by 60 inches wide.. And it can be rotated 90 degrees and locked in a vertical position for transport.. I am thinking a good metal / welder person could do both the ladder mount and hitch rack mounting ..


I have decided I do not want to add vertically to my teardrop because it is perfectly 2 inches lower than my RAV4 , so I do not want to increase the drag coefficent .. I realize I am adding some drag on the side, but I believe that is better than on the top, plus it is easier to reach stuff on the side, and I do not want to introduce holes on the roof either. And of course any additions would be on the right side, that is , not on the side of the road centerline.

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Solar panels
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Have you seen or delved into solar panels used with teardrops ?? I would likely not mount it on my unit, but have something I can disassemble and put back up easily at the destinations ..


much appreciated
cheers
joe

[bobhenry]

Joe, You haven't given us much to go on with no pics or much of a description of the profile. I am envisioning a standard teardrop so can I toss a couple things your way. If I intended to use the tear body in the work I would build a low profile box on top of the tear. The front and rear could be a tapered leading and trailing edge to redirect the air flow and reduce the drag. This box would set on a frame mounted ladder rack type support. ( Think goal posts ) Rather than having the work table restrict the rear what about bat wing side tables either removable or permanently mounted. A removable rear support could be incorporated into the tables so that in the up position it would lock the wings in the up position. The ladder box would be solid enough to act as a walk plank for low work by pulling the trailer directly under the patient. The storage box would also protect the more delicate roof of the tear. If incorporating the walk plank into the tables were a concern it could be supported by the frame by adding side receivers to mount the rear supports.

Now I am asking ..... Having no experience with solar panels could they be mounted under the walk plank storage box and flip out like a pocket knife. If they were on a tubular mount they could be swung out and rotated for optimum angle of attack.

OR.....

Perhaps mounted on or under the side tables.

Tapered Side trim could be added vertically directly in front of the table to act as an air deflector In the up position air would be directed around the front edge of the table and perhaps a rear taper could be added in back to reduce the vacuum effect at the rear.

You have just made your "Work" trailer into a piece of equipment and a tax writeoff

[arboristjoe]

Thanks for the quick input..

I am not that good yet at putting pics in my forum posts, but mine is a 2005 model East Coast teardrop, so maybe you can find a generic profile pic of that.. But basically it is a nice streamline shape... the body is 4 feet wide.. A 76 by 45 inch mattress fits inside.. My back hatch area is quite big and separate from the sleeping area , that is, it has 2 shelves, and the back hatch opens up past horizontal, if that makes any sense.

I really am trying to keep the top profile as is.. I am thinking for the ladder that a 3 sided rectangular box could be welded or bolted to the side, and as you suggest, I would put some taper at the front and rear for aerodynamic flow. I would possibly put some rollers on the bottom side of the box or some low friction surface to help slide the ladder in and out..

as I am thinking out loud, I should make some more measurements next time I "visit" my camper ( in storage right now ) .. I am going to check if I have enough clearance UNDER the frame to mount my ladder box.. I have my doubts, but it is worth investigating.. That would possibly be a great aerodynamic spot, and possibly the best spot so that it is not a "clotheline" type hazard aka that funny football scene { I think I broke his freaking neck }

my intention for the work table was just as you suggest, a kind of side bat wing.. I may have presented it unclearly... The rack normally will fit in the back of my RAV4.. So my idea was to have the mounting "tube" if you will be welded on the side part of the frame but still "under" the body of the trailer... So then it may require a vertical tube something like bicycle carrying racks to get that working position to be at waist level

And my goal would be to leave the actual rack as is so that if need be, I can still use it on my RAV4 for local jobs where I can leave my camper parked at its "home" and scurry about town for tree work

I could problaby have some adjustable corner legs made for supporting the hitch rack in its ""work bench mode""

I would not want to park my trailor under the "patient" tree.. Too many chances to bend, scratch , or break some part of my trailer.. I basically use the ladder to save some effort when climbing into the tree, then use my ropes and saddle to get around the tree

I like the ideas of flipping out the solar panels somehow... I would surely want them protected in transport, or in case of hail storms And your idea to mount them so they can be rotated for best sun angle is right on...

Hey , I had not thought of the tax benefits, great idea... thanks

oke doke, better get finishing my thesis so I have time to build one crazy and unique arbor-teardrop

laterrrrrrr

joe

cheers
joe

[bdosborn]

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Solar panels
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Have you seen or delved into solar panels used with teardrops ?? I would likely not mount it on my unit, but have something I can disassemble and put back up easily at the destinations ..

I LOVE solar panels! Here's a link to our page showing our solar setup. We have a couple of folding PV panels that would work for you.

Folding Solar Panel



DIY Folding Solar Panel

Bruce

[arboristjoe]

Now that is the ticket for solar panels..

where did you get those things ?? Looks like they fold up like a suitcase for transport ??

how much did they cost ?

I like your inventory list, except for your sake you maybe better list the "patient wife" first

cheers
joe

[bdosborn]

I got most of my panels on eBay:

Here's a great price on a single 85 watt:

85 watt solar panel

Bruce

P.S. You can click on all the text in blue for more information

[bobhenry]

I could problaby have some adjustable corner legs made for supporting the hitch rack in its ""work bench mode""

joe

cheers
joe

Terrain adjustable support legs.......http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=43504&highlight=table

and here is a long rant on side mounted receivers.......http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=30925&highlight=table

[wagondude]

One caution about side mounting your ladder: It cannot extend forward of the body if you expect to be able to turn corners to the side the ladder is on.

Bill

[arboristjoe]

bdosborn

===>>>>> thanks for the detailed scoop.. Say I use the microwave a few minutes each day, run the roof fan sometimes, use the lights sparingly, and maybe use my computer for an hour in the evening... Would these solar panels provide enough "juice" to meet my power needs ?? I have a decent marine battery ..

bobhenry

===>>>>> wow, you were a very busy boy, and creative too. nice ideas. some of those will definitely work for my bat wing work table / rack

that thread on the side mounted receiver hitches is giving me more wild ideas, wooo hooo

wagondude

===>>>> excellent point , and I intend to " mock it up" first to get a good visual so I do not have any ""dooh"" moments, like the one that could occur as you suggested... From my arborist work, I have 6 foot pole saw sections , so I can put 2 sections together for a 12 foot length which I can then use to visualize how my ladder box will function and possibly get in the way..

I have more ideas now after seeing that thread that bobhenry posted on side mounted hitch receivers.. For example , I could have two positions for my ladder box.. During transport, it could be on the side , maybe even be mounted at an angle ( low in the front, higher in the back ) .. That way, I gain a little bit of length by virtue of the diagonal ( have not calculated it yet ) And I am thinking high in the back so it is not a clothesline situation when walking And if I did leave it on the side when parked, I am guessing my back hatch will be at at about the same level as the rear end of the ladder when the hatch is open.

I could create a mount under the teardrop for my ladder box when I am parked whereever I may be... then it should totally be out of the way .. I had a brief vision of making under the teardrop as the permanent home of my ladder box, but I really really doubt if there is enough clearance for that, not having measured it yet.. But I did measure some ladders today at Home Depot, and most are about 6 inches deep ..

cheers
joe

[bdosborn]

Say I use the microwave a few minutes each day, run the roof fan sometimes, use the lights sparingly, and maybe use my computer for an hour in the evening... Would these solar panels provide enough "juice" to meet my power needs ?? I have a decent marine battery ..

Maybe, but the microwave is a big load for a single battery. I think that most inverter manufacturers recommend a dual battery to run a microwave. I'd look at a minimum 2000 watt inverter. Here's a link to the inverter data sheet that I have showing that Xantrex it doesn't recommend using a microwave with a single battery. YMMV...

Inverter Linky

Bruce

[bobhenry]

Thought you might want to see my " microwave"



A 12 inch dutch oven in a 14" smokey Joe Junior. Total watts "ZERO"

Makes a pretty fair meatloaf......

[arboristjoe]

good thing that I just ate, that meatloaf looks scrumtious

I coined a phrase that describes my ""cooking style"" .. I try to eat healthy, spend the minimum amount of time cooking, create as few dirty dishes as possible ( NOT cheating by using disposables of course .. I affectionately call it Survival Cooking .. If I have time to spare, I am going to be hunting down a dance festival , hiking, bicycling, and such..

cheers
joe

[bobhenry]

For example , I could have two positions for my ladder box.. During transport, it could be on the side , maybe even be mounted at an angle ( low in the front, higher in the back ) .. That way, I gain a little bit of length by virtue of the diagonal ( have not calculated it yet ) And I am thinking high in the back so it is not a clothesline

Your quote above got me to thinking again. What if the ladder box was supported by side mounted receivers and was hinged to become your side table.

[arboristjoe]

whoa, we are Geniuses

I am a big fan of ""brainstorming"" for that very reason... I may have a borderline idiotic idea, but it may lead someone like
you to a brilliant idea

we better patent that while we can

backtrack, oops, what is that, pride before a fall, oops back to being Joe Humble, ha ha

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say, what kind of software are you using for those drawings ??

Cuz I need something like that for my thesis that is easy to use and not so cumbersome, and cut be cut and paste easily into documents..

[arboristjoe]

that could certainly work.. most of the ladders I measured briefly were about 17 inches wide , so that would make a minimum 18 inch or so table surface which could be quite useful..

oh my goodness, the rear end of the table could be like a take out counter when the back hatch is open , located next to my back hatch area ..

and the front end of the table would be next to my trapezoid tool box in front that has my chain saw and other oily stuff in it.. so I could have a food / clean project end of the table, and the greasy, oily, chain saw grit end of my table..

and Tim the Tool Man ( what was that show called on tv ? ) would be ecstatic if I am able to mount a vice on the table for chain saw sharpening and such things, woo hooo. I would make it bolt on so that the vice is stowed away during transport..

Now I just need a little enclosure about my table for rainy day, some sort of custom tent I suppose.

cheers
joe