Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hi!

This such a wonderful forum. Thanks everyone. I'm making this post here because I'm likely to build a foamie. If it'd be better to post in the member designs section and just add "probably a foamie" let me know.

I need a little help from the experienced builders/campers here. I like the benroy: pleasing to my eye, practical and plans are readily available. The issue: I have a family - wife and two kids. I've bumbled around the forum and found that people talk a little bit about tip outs as a way to deal with this. So, I need input on the mushrooming benroy.

The idea is two tipouts, front and back, no galley, on a 5X8 benroy. We would sleep with our heads toward the center (two by two). Feet go in the tip outs. Front tip out supported by the trailer frame/tongue. back supported by ???. It know the front tip out blocks the door when folded in, but maybe that is okay?

Please take a look. And don't hold back. If you say "you're better off with a huge pickup truck and a traditional RV" at least I know you're talking to me. TV is a subaru station wagon or a honda CRV, so I'd like light, low and short-ish.

Here is the taped up pizza box:







Thanks in advance!!!

Scott

Or, maybe I'd be better off with a 5X10 benroy and a tongue box like this lovely example I found in another user's gallery, except the box would be open to the cabin and it would not need a lid/latch.



The boys' feet would go into the tongue box. The box would be tall enough not to give them claustrophobia and deep enough so the total camper floor length from front to back would be 12' - enough for two pairs of sleepers sleeping with heads toward the middle.

Nothing else in the camper, just a foam floor and four sleeping bags. A step up from a tent and fast setup.

NOTE: I truly don't mean to plagarize - what is the protocol for attribution?

Thanks,

Scott

smit0577 wrote:The idea is two tipouts, front and back, no galley, on a 5X8 benroy. We would sleep with our heads toward the center (two by two). Feet go in the tip outs. Front tip out supported by the trailer frame/tongue. back supported by ???. It know the front tip out blocks the door when folded in, but maybe that is okay?
Please take a look. And don't hold back. If you say "you're better off with a huge pickup truck and a traditional RV" at least I know you're talking to me. TV is a subaru station wagon or a honda CRV, so I'd like light, low and short-ish. t[/img]

You could have a galley If you did not have a cabin shelf and with a tip down galley counter it could be used when all set up. A galley is a nice thing about a TD.
The tip out can be very light. No one will be walking on them. It will be just the weight of your feet.
The front Tip-out could be a fold out. One would tip down the floor with the wall hinged to it. The roof hinged to the TD wall and the fold-out wall. Then you would fold out (or install) the side walls. It would make the teardrop use-able when not using the front tip-out (fold-out).
Just my thoughts.

The problem I always come up with when I think of tip outs is sealing. What a pain to try and seal all those areas to water and dust, open and shut. I like a nice tightly sealed body with proper ventilation where I want.

Not sure how old your kids are, but have you thought of bunks? You could do a double bunk in the front or a single bunk in front and one towards the back. You might even be able to build in a small kitchen with this type of build. A 5x8 might be doable, but a 5x10 would be better.

Thanks! I'm thinking a 5X10 benroy would work best for this - I'm a little worried about the extra height (I've only ever towed little boats), but I can cross that bridge later. I hear you both about a galley. Something simple that would not slow down the build would be a great addition. My issue with bunks is - they can only be as long as the width, and I want a pretty narrow camper. Also, the guys are only 6 and 8 right now, but they grow and grow and grow..... I'd hate to regret this in a couple years. Also, with bunks it seems like I'd need some internal framing that might add some weight/complexity to the build?

So, I've thought of a 5X10 with a big tongue (or "toe") box for the front sleepers' feet.


It looks like a ladybug. Is that past the limit of a reasonable tongue box?

George I hear you about sealing. I really enjoyed reading your #1 thread. You talk about it there too. However, with Kenneth's idea of a tip down and foldable foot extension, maybe sealing just the one panel wouldn't be so bad? I'm not totally clear on the construction of such a thing, and of course you'd want it tight from bugs and rain when deployed too.

Hmmm, well you've give me some nice things to think about. Thanks!

Do you know of any threads that go into detail about building a folding tip-out? Seeing it might help me. That idea is a strong contender. Maybe the walls and top could actually be rainfly material permanent bonded to the trailer body in the inside so it flips out like a tent extension when needed - and always stays sealed.

I would use the 2+2 as a starting point...

http://tnttt.com/Design_Library/The%202%20+%202.htm

Mike...

I think with even 5' bunks you will find that the kids will want to sleep outside in a tent before they grow out of the bunk.

My thoughts too

Probably their own tent will be more appealing soon enough. But I think if you look at how people seal their AC slide outs there are solutions for your tip out somewhere.


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As children ,on vacation we always slept outside in a BS ( Boy Scout, although we weren't ) pup tent ... Don’t think we ever slept inside till our teens ...

lthomas987 wrote:Probably their own tent will be more appealing soon enough. But I think if you look at how people seal their AC slide outs there are solutions for your tip out somewhere.


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Problem with the a/c is that it is weather resistant and only needs to seal where it goes through the body. A tip out has to seal at the body and all other exposed areas.

Hey all,

Thanks for the replies! I just finished the big foamie thread! Whew. I got some all-stars to reply. Thanks thanks thanks.

Hey, lthomas987 - I'm from Mpls too. Whittier neighborhood to be specific. I read your build thread and found it very inspiring. I have no new progress to report, but I built about 15 different versions in my head while I read that thread. 4X8 steel trailer, 5X8 aluminum trailer, OSB floor, foam floor, linen, canvas, paper, weekender profile (a Mark I-ish one), benroy, grumman, rockhopper.....

I'm all over the map. Still, even just surfing the forum is fun. And I'll probably be cutting up a few more boxes for scale models soon.

Have a great day and weekend!!!!!!!!

Congratulations on reading the Big thread... Just about everything you need to know ... Anything else , just ask ...

Keep building scale models and be sure to make a scale model of yourself ... really helps to visualize the size .

smit0577 wrote:Hey all,

Hey, lthomas987 - I'm from Mpls too. Whittier neighborhood to be specific. I read your build thread and found it very inspiring.

smit0577 I'm actualy in Brooklyn Park, but I ate dinner in Whittier just this weekend! Me and everyone else I am sure. If you want to come out and get some hands on with a mostly finished (are they ever finished?) Foamie PM me and we can work something out. The weather is shockingly favorable this week after all.

There are a few things I'd do differently but not TOO many.

smit0577 wrote:Thanks! I'm thinking a 5X10 benroy would work best for this - I'm a little worried about the extra height (I've only ever towed little boats), but I can cross that bridge later. I hear you both about a galley. Something simple that would not slow down the build would be a great addition. My issue with bunks is - they can only be as long as the width, and I want a pretty narrow camper. Also, the guys are only 6 and 8 right now, but they grow and grow and grow..... I'd hate to regret this in a couple years. Also, with bunks it seems like I'd need some internal framing that might add some weight/complexity to the build?

So, I've thought of a 5X10 with a big tongue (or "toe") box for the front sleepers' feet.


It looks like a ladybug. Is that past the limit of a reasonable tongue box?

George I hear you about sealing. I really enjoyed reading your #1 thread. You talk about it there too. However, with Kenneth's idea of a tip down and foldable foot extension, maybe sealing just the one panel wouldn't be so bad? I'm not totally clear on the construction of such a thing, and of course you'd want it tight from bugs and rain when deployed too.

Hmmm, well you've give me some nice things to think about. Thanks!

Do you know of any threads that go into detail about building a folding tip-out? Seeing it might help me. That idea is a strong contender. Maybe the walls and top could actually be rainfly material permanent bonded to the trailer body in the inside so it flips out like a tent extension when needed - and always stays sealed.

framing for bunks is pretty easy. it can be as simple as cleats attached to the wall where you have framing.

the 10ft looks much better to my eye for your application. I second mike that the 2+2 may be a better option for you. less to go wrong (just building/sealing my hatch correctly to be waterproof when closed was the hardest part of my build) tip outs sound like a good idea, but when executing I think they are asking for trouble.

also, building a 6ft wide trailer, while more technically demanding to make the wheel wells, does not actually increase the width of the trailer. either way the axle/wheels are over 6ft wide. just with a design like the 2+2 you make the wheel wells internal instead of sticking out the side.

I also question how much taller your boys will get before you and they all want to have more space. average height for 12 year olds is 59 inches and teenage boys would probably rather sleep in a tent than share those tight quarters with mom and dad.

I'm in a similar situation, although my daughter is barley a toddler (17 months) we currently have a 22inch wide bunk for her. when she is bigger and gets a little sibling we can expand the bunk to 30 inches wide, but that is all the room we have. I am hoping that gets us to the point where they sleep in a stand alone tent or a tent that we can attach to mom's open door on the side of the trailer.