The Uberdrop 5x10 Build Journal

[uberpixel]

Well, here goes nothing! First post - hopefully it's a good one...

I've been working on this design, either in my head, my dreams, or on my computer for years now and I've decided that it's finally time to start building - but I'd like to get some feedback before I get too deep into the build.




General Build details:
- Custom 5x10 welded steel trailer with #9 Torflex Torsion Axle rated at 1800#, 15' wheels, 10" electric brakes
- Skeletonized/insulated plywood wall construction w/ |3mm baltic birch|3/4" ACX ply or foam|3mm baltic birch|.040 aluminum| sandwich
- Floor intended to be (from ground up) |6mm baltic birch|3/4" poplar or foam|3mm baltic birch|
- Galley designed around a 45 liter cooler, pull out stove, and 10-12 gallons of water storage
- Plan to use custom 280ah LiFePo4 battery for extended boondocking
- Total weight estimated at 1600lbs

Biggest design questions as I get started:
- Where to put the spare tire?

-Sidewall mounting on the rear quarter - concerned about the weight damaging the wall
-Under trailer mounting - concerned about access, ground clearance reduction, and how to attach and manage stress in the floor - any hardware suggestions?
- Skip the spare tire or put it in the tow vehicle (not preferred)

- Best adhesives and coatings?

- Best adhesive for laminating the sidewall sandwich construction? - leaning to PL Premium
- Which undercoating for floor? - leaning to just using exterior grade paint

- Should I include a cargo door on the side to access the foot locker and galley storage from outside?

- Intentions would be that you could load clothes and whatnot into the footlocker without having to crawl into the cabin
- Does this use case seem viable or is this a big waste of time/money?

I have many many more questions, but these are some of the key questions remaining in my brain as I get started.

I'm hoping to start welding the frame this weekend and will start sharing build progress photos and updates as they happen.

I welcome your thoughts and feedback on the design - there's a brief window to make some major changes, but I'll be requesting feedback on smaller decisions as I go.

Thanks for looking and I hope you enjoy the journey with me!

-uberpixel

[twisted lines]

Looks great
I am giving my thought on the spare.
Take it with; We see to many trailers on the road side. Take the extra bearings in case & get them at the same time.
Your choice for hanging the spare is a wise one easy area to support extra, said your welding, add something xtra.
My choice is the traffic side I don't ever want to use it
and if I need to drag it 2 miles to a safe spot so be it.

[tony.latham]

I like your profile.

Best adhesives and coatings?
- Best adhesive for laminating the sidewall sandwich construction? - leaning to PL Premium
- Which undercoating for floor? - leaning to just using exterior grade paint

I suggest Titebond3 for gluing up the sandwich walls. PL Premium is just too stiff. Even with a lotta weight on it, you won't get the needed squeezout.

I use Titebond2 for most glue-ups, but the 3 has a longer open time. Just slather it on with a paintbrush and you'll be fine.

I'm a believer in sealing the floor with epoxy or thinned oil-based poly since both products soak into the wood. Others have had good luck with other products.

And in ancient times, they used roofing tar. But that was in the '40s and what else did they have?

Tony

[uberpixel]

Thanks for the quick feedback.

My choice is the traffic side I don't ever want to use it

Gotta ask - why the traffic side? Seems counter-intuitive.

I suggest Titebond3 for gluing up the sandwich walls. PL Premium is just too stiff. Even with a lotta weight on it, you won't get the needed squeezout.

I use Titebond2 for most glue-ups, but the 3 has a longer open time. Just slather it on with a paintbrush and you'll be fine.

I'm a believer in sealing the floor with epoxy or thinned oil-based poly since both products soak into the wood. Others have had good luck with other products.

Noted.

[uberpixel]

I realized I didn't give much detail on the "foot locker/galley storage" side access door idea.

Here's a picture of the area showing the access door aft of the window (and a proper side profile view) and a cutaway so you can see the cabinet layout.

Is it worth the trouble and potential for water intrusion, or should I ditch the side access door?




-uberpixel

[tony.latham]

or should I ditch the side access door?

Me? I'd pass on it. You'll have plenty of access with the hatch open.



Tony

[twisted lines]

Ice box where yours is; -slide out. Anchor holes drilled for a table where your tire is = Mine

[tony.latham]

Where to put the spare tire?

Ours gets bolted in the bed of the Tacoma in the spring. In nineteen years of teardropping, it's never been used –-equip your camper with good tires. I run 6-ply LT radials.

With this last build, I considered trying to find a doughnut tire at the junkyard with the correct lug-bolt configuration along with a crank up spare holder that would be welded to the chassis... but decided to pass.



Tony

[Socal Tom]

Biggest design questions as I get started:
- Where to put the spare tire?

No, you will hate it. Mount it to the side of the tongue box, put a little foot off of the tongue to support the weight. Or keep it in the TV.

- Should I include a cargo door on the side to access the foot locker and galley storage from outside?

- Intentions would be that you could load clothes and whatnot into the footlocker without having to crawl into the cabin
- Does this use case seem viable or is this a big waste of time/money?

I think its a waste, for something that will be used once per trip

[Socal Tom]

Looks great
I am giving my thought on the spare.
Take it with; We see to many trailers on the road side. Take the extra bearings in case & get them at the same time.
Your choice for hanging the spare is a wise one easy area to support extra, said your welding, add something xtra.
My choice is the traffic side I don't ever want to use it
and if I need to drag it 2 miles to a safe spot so be it.

Traffic side just means you have to play in traffic no matter which side has a flat. Since I personally knew someone killed changing a spare tire its something I think about.

[uberpixel]

Ugh. I'm seriously grinding on this spare tire decision. It's kind of important since it will push the CG and therefore the axle position around a bit depending on where it ends up. Could also impact the cross-member placement on the trailer frame, so I need to decide. You will probably notice an indecisive trend as this build progresses.

I'm leaning toward getting a donut spare and bolting it underneath the floor. It would be pain to install and remove, and would only allow me to limp to a service station, but for the number of times it would get used (maybe never) it might be the most practical...

Feel free to talk me into it or out of it.

-uberpixel

[tony.latham]

It's kind of important since it will push the CG and therefore the axle position around...

I think builders can dwell too much on this factor.



That's Flame on the left and Flash on the right. Both have the axle in the same (nearly 60/40) position.

Both have a seven-gallon water jug in the galley. It goes out weighing about sixty pounds and comes back empty. Flash has a sixty-pound battery in the tongue. Flame has a sixty-pound battery in the galley.

Flame's bicycle rack goes over the tongue.



Flash's heavy counter-levered-out rack was behind the galley. (And I didn't care for it back there for several reasons --none because of towing issues.)



And guess what? I never noticed a towing difference in many-many fine miles. They tow identically.

Something to ponder.

Tony

[Socal Tom]

Don't balance your trailer on the edge of failure. Its better to have too much tongue weight vs not enough. I adjust my tongue weight by the placement of the stuff I put inside ( primarily an ezup awning). The important thing is to keep your water over the axle. Since you will be using it over the trip you need to keep it in a neutral location.
Tom

[uberpixel]

Okay - time to get building and turn this from a design thread into a build thread...

Did some garage prep and brought home the steel for my frame yesterday and got most of my trailer pieces cut to size today. Put the Harbor Freight bandsaw and its custom base to the test...

Tomorrow I weld.







-uberpixel

[uberpixel]

One question - would you guys see this as an issue? I'm planning to put my converter/charger, fuseblock, DC/DC solar converter, and maybe an inverter in the cavity by the head of the mattress (see the purple and green boxes in my attached image). Do those components typically vibrate or make much noise with the fan running?

I'm planning to create a chimney/wire chase in the front corners to ventilate the components and carry the wires up into the roof. I was going to put them back near the galley, but this was kind of a dead pocket of space in my layout and it seemed like a perfect place to put the electrical.

Thoughts?

-uberpixel