CYi5's All-Terrain Teardrop

[CYi5]

Current Build Overview
Frame dimensions: 58"x96"
Frame Construction: 0.120 wall 2"x2" steel tubing
Frame Coating: Rustoleum Hammered Silver Paint
Tongue Length: 46" with 2" ball coupler; 42" with multi-axis coupler
Tongue Construction: 0.188 wall 2"x2" steel tubing
Suspension: Timbren Axle-Less Suspension ASR2KHDS03; 4" lift spindles, wide tires, 3,500 lb. components with 2,000 lb. spring rate
Brakes: 10" Dexter Nev-R-Adjust Electric
Floor Construction: 1/2" depth Baltic Birch Plywood
Ground Clearance: 22" to bottom of main frame


After toying with the idea of building a Dinoot style camping trailer a year ago, I decided to step up to the big leagues and build a teardrop instead! The main motivation for this build is to have a weatherproof sleeping capsule that will keep me comfortable for touring western states for the duration of the 2014 summer (or longer?). This is the tow vehicle and the current form of glamping:



I've done week long trips in tents and rooftop tents and while they are comfortable enough, packing and unpacking them daily gets old quick! The extra security provided by solid walls will be an added benefit. I definitely see that there is comradery in the campgrounds within the tear community, but at the moment I prefer leaving the city and camping in undeveloped campsites. This requirement demands building this teardrop on the heavy-duty side. However, my tow rig already has enough weight to pull around as it is, so I will be doing sandwich wall construction to save weight and help with cold weather camping.

I'll be using a combination of the Generic Benroy Plans found on this site as well as the Shop Manual that was so highly recommended (and for good reason!).



The frame and tongue must be stout enough to handle miles of washboard roads without failure. I settled on a 5'x8' frame of .120 2"x2". The tongue is of composite form factor utilizing 0.188 (3/16") 2"x2" tubing.





The tongue has a receiver attached to switch between a normal 2" ball and possibly a multi-axis coupler in the future.



I decided to go out on a limb and try the new Timbren Axle-less suspension that was released last year. The tear will be running the heavy duty version of the 2,000 lb. setup. This means all of the components are made for a 3,500 lb. trailer, but the 'Aeon' spring is only rated for 2,000 lbs. I chose a 6x5.5 bolt pattern so that I could utilize some old rims I had laying around, as well as make spare compatibility easier.







I did have to source some Toyota lug nuts that were threaded for 1/2" though! The tires are 265/75/16 Yokohama Geolander A/T's on 05+ Tacoma Offroad Rims.



Once everything was welded up, I painted the frame with Rustoleum Hammered Silver paint.





Finally standing on its own!











Floor is up next, the real challenge begins!

[KCStudly]

Very cool!

Welcome to the forum.

Might be a good idea to get a locking hitch pin for your coupler.

[aggie79]

The frame looks beautiful! I really like the design of the Timbren suspension units.

[Shadow Catcher]

Looks like a very good start the only contribution I might have at this point is that you might want to consider using an off road coupler http://www.campertrailers.org/couplings.htm has a number of variations on the theme.

[rand_98201]

Very cool looking project.Cant wait to follow along.

[Junkboy999]

Great start.

Somewhere in a Jeep forum I seen someone make a coupler like that. He welded a Tab inside the 2” receptacle and them cut a notch in his removable coupler part. He did that so no one can just place in a replacement coupler and drive off with his trailer while he was of hiking. Of course that does not stop someone just just tying it to a hitch with a chain and running away with it.

Keep us posted.

[capnTelescope]

That's an interesting axle. I haven't started my frame yet, I'll check 'em out. Maybe the new tires will go on my Tacoma and the not-too-old truck tires on the trailer...

Very nice job on the frame.

Keep going, you're doing fine.

[CYi5]

Thanks for all the input! This seems like a great forum with a lot of active members, so that's always a plus!

A max coupler is most likely on the agenda as far as multi-axis hitches go; after dropping close to a grand on steel/suspension alone, the extra $250 for the coupler will have to wait until next year. My wheeling style changed from medium/hard trails to exploring backroads off the beaten path, so we'll see how far I can push the 2" ball before catastrophic failure.

There is a little slop in the receiver, which has a purpose I understand. I've looked into anti-rattle hitch pins for the connection and may go that route after awhile. For now a few wraps of electrical tape and a locking hitch pin has certainly lessened the movement. I've also read about people just using a large bolt torqued down, essentially pinching the sides on the shaft. Not sure if this is an ideal solution as vertical movement may still exist as well as a potential security weakness.

The Timbren components are certainly stout! I'm just hoping the 2000 rating is a maximum and that they will actually work with my (hopefully) <1000 lb. teardrop. I've noticed a little bit of a camber situation, but the trailer is empty and shims were included for adjustments, so we'll see how that turns out later on.

[CYi5]

Tuesday I was able to achieve a little more progress, starting with the floor. I secured a couple sheets of 1/2" 5'x5' Baltic Birch plywood from the local Ganahl lumber yard. To join the two pieces I utilized the half-lap technique, with the split centered over the central crossmember for support. This was my first "complex" wood project, utilizing a router and the other piece of ply as a fence. Right off the bat, I learned wood is definitely less forgiving than my usual medium of metal!!!

1x2 spars were also cut to the appropriate length and I was able to play with the Harbor Freight pocket hole jig. What a fun toy! I'm really looking forward to using it more on all of the framing work to come.

I procured elevator bolts to go from above the floor down through blocking to the frame. Are you guys screwing your upper plywood to the wooden framing or just gluing, as the elevator bolts will essentially sandwich everything between the frame and the 1/2" plywood?

[WyoTaco11]

Nice looking trailer CYi5! I'm going to go with the same suspension setup for my build. Did you fab the bolt brackets?

[CYi5]

Nice looking trailer CYi5! I'm going to go with the same suspension setup for my build. Did you fab the bolt brackets?

I pretty much just welded in corresponding top plates onto the frame for the bracket to bolt to. I should have made the horizontal bolt plates a little larger to spread the surface area as when I torqued it down to spec it started to dent the tube! I also read that the crossbar running between them should be a minimum of 0.25" AFTER I had welded the frame completely. I'm not expecting any issues though, the crossmember is pretty squarely situated under the bracket.

Floor insulated with R-Maxx from Home Depot (R = 5.0). Settled on this after I found it pretty difficult to find the pink stuff locally with a 3/4" width. Pretty happy with how it cut and fit though!



Floor bolted down using 3/8" elevator bolts!



I picked up my 1/4" 4x8 sheet of plywood for the initial template. After sketching out the wheel on the template it seems the door will have to be pushed forward a little more than expected...hopefully that won't cause any serious issues. As far as the doors go, anyone have any opinion on a solid door + window versus one of the premanufactured "windoors?" Will all the insulation be wasted if there is a giant glass door on both sides letting heat out/in?

[capnTelescope]

anyone have any opinion on a solid door + window versus one of the premanufactured "windoors?

The premanufactured doors are what I'm using for my build, mostly because I didn't want to deal with the minutia of research, getting it to fit, open and latch closed, not leak, and finding a suitable opening window to put in it. They are probably R0.5. Better than an open hole in the wall, for sure. I think solid wood is R1. I think just keeping the wind and rain out might be the priority. YMMV.

Maybe there is someone out there who can point you to a good door-making thread.