Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hi guy's,

I'm planning to do an removable Pod that I can put over my existing trailer.
Objectives are:
Removable ( I do not want a second trailer)
Light weight to be easy to handle
Cheap
fast building
act as enclosed traler to bring my rc plane (will need rack and support)
dimension for now would be 5x8x5 height
act as Tearddrop trailer if our camping desires resume one day. Or if my Son want to use it.

As far in the beginning I do not plan to do any interior storage and back counter and storage.
Is the foamies need to have a kind of structural reinforcement?
For now I looked PMF for skining (foamies construction or stick built with wood)
or coroplast with stick built (my rcplane are mainly coroplast so I know coroplast gluing).

thanks for advise

Dan

Definitely foamie with pmf or actual fiberglass.

zzzizxz is currently working on a cool removable foamie that uses a trailers side rails to tie it down. This could be done on almost any trailer.
viewtopic.php?f=55&t=71430

ghcoe has been working on videos of his foamies that are all pretty much bolt on. They are also simple and relatively easy to build.
Here's a video of him moving the camper onto the trailer check out his whole channel though.
https://youtu.be/gTl7ZokgbuM?t=205

If you are building with a rear hatch (or even a boxy barn door rear), you will probably want some sort of arched (or deeper than a standard stick built) header near the top. A jamb or sill across the bottom, if that doesn't hinder access to the load deck for your purpose, would also be helpful to make the opening in "the box" more rigid. You might even consider a full perimeter frame around the hatch opening. I forget who it was that uses RV trim molding with inserts to seal their surface mounted hatches (maybe someone else knows who/what I'm talking about). Again, this might be a necessary compromise between stiffening and ease of access, but if you are lacking a rear bulkhead and don't have enough stability in the door seal area you are sure to get leaks.

On my hybrid foamie I have a Benroy like rear hatch. My walls are 1-1/2 thick foam, 5mm Okoume marine ply inner skins, with 2-plies of 6oz FG/epoxy outer skin. To make a hard edge on the galley walls, I laminated bent slats of fir in the the arch shape of the profile and embedded those into the wall edge before skinning. I only extended the hard edge 8 inches or so forward of the 2x2 oak hinge spar, but if I had it to do over I would have sent it forward at least as far as the next roof spar (again, hybrid foam construction... YMMV). My point is, even with all of that extra non-traditional foamie structure, a floor to roof vertical bulkhead immediately behind my hinge spar, and inner rear cabinet unitized space frame, I am still able to flex the open ends of my walls a tiny bit. I'm not worried about this going down the road because my hatch is very solid (...and heavy... ), and with beefy draw latches will lock into the seal to hold everything firmly, but I only left a scant 1/4 inch gap between inner wall skins and my outer hatch ribs, so anything more than a tiny little bit of flex would have been unacceptable (the ribs would have rubbed the finish off of the walls and/or the edges of the hatch would not sit flush enough to the faces of the walls for my liking. I'm not saying you should adopt my build techniques or materials, by far. I'm just saying that it isn't so much the materials we use, but the structural composition, geometry and joinery of the structure that determines if something will be floppy or not. Relatively thin panels, wall edges or even trailer frames, will flex. They will, but the deeper you make a supporting header, jamb, or surrounding frame, the more gusseting effect you will get. Like shear panels in home construction, triangulation is key. It's not just the load bearing walls that hold your house up.

leblanda wrote:...............
act as enclosed traler to bring my rc plane (will need rack and support)
........

Dan

I use my trailer most often for RC planes (and for camping and boat hauling) http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=61836 It's not removable but has a few features you might find helpful. I made mine with a door that swings sideways which was not a good idea. I plan to change it so it opens up like a typical galley hatch.

Here's some photos of my rack system that works well. I have runners a couple feet up from the floor that the rack rides on. The table legs were a good idea.

Pmullen503 wrote:

leblanda wrote:...............
act as enclosed traler to bring my rc plane (will need rack and support)
........

Dan

I use my trailer most often for RC planes (and for camping and boat hauling) http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=61836 It's not removable but has a few features you might find helpful. I made mine with a door that swings sideways which was not a good idea. I plan to change it so it opens up like a typical galley hatch.

Here's some photos of my rack system that works well. I have runners a couple feet up from the floor that the rack rides on. The table legs were a good idea.

I really like you rack system.
At the beginnig I was thinking of buiding a TD 60x96x60 that goes over the trailer. To achieve this I would need to solder leg/extension to the frame of the trailer as far my trailer is 44x82 interior).
right picture.
I was planning to do box on side and in front (between trailer side wall and teardrop wall).
But the gain is not that much.
I do not plan to put window I just took a skethup model that I liked and resize it.

so I decide to go over the trailer side wall.
that will gives me interior room of 44x82 instead of 54x94 (with 2po foam wall).
I planned 2po foam as far my trailer have 2po lip on top of side wall.

I do not plan to put window...

What's your ventilation plan? You need cross ventilation and probably a fan or at least a vent that opens on the roof. Otherwise, teardrops can get incomfortably stuffy real fast.



Tony

tony.latham wrote:

I do not plan to put window...

What's your ventilation plan? You need cross ventilation and probably a fan or at least a vent that opens on the roof. Otherwise, teardrops can get incomfortably stuffy real fast.



Tony

My plan is a vent on top!
But as my dimension plan change using it as Teardrop is not an option anymore I think!
Only for toy hauler for now!

Ok I just almost finish my concept.
I really open on idea and critic (constructive).
My idea is to increase my trailer without to much Metal modification.
The only modification are the red part.
Need to be removable to keep my trailer for bulk purpose (soil and other stuff)

This plan significantly increases complexity for not that much more space. How usable will those 4 compartments accessible from the outside really be? Also, it looks like you'll have to lift the entire top a couple feet to get the trailer out from under.

Can the weight of the top rest on the sides of the box or must it rest on the frame?



Something like this might be easier it get off and on the trailer.

I would double check and make sure that you aren't cutting into the turning radius of the TV. Adding that much to the front corners of the cabin out onto the tongue might start getting to where the trailer could contact the TV in a tight turn or maneuvering. Worth checking before you commit.

Pmullen503 wrote:This plan significantly increases complexity for not that much more space. How usable will those 4 compartments accessible from the outside really be? Also, it looks like you'll have to lift the entire top a couple feet to get the trailer out from under.

Can the weight of the top rest on the sides of the box or must it rest on the frame?

I just measure and it would give only 4" depth for storage
So really not worth all the effort.

So I will stick to my 1st idea of going over the trailer wall.

PMULLEN503:
I really like your front hatch.
I think i Will reuse it for a storage box for the flight box.

Stay tune my next sketchup is started.

Thanks

KCStudly wrote:On my hybrid foamie I have a Benroy like rear hatch.

What are Benroy like hatch?

Benroy's have a smaller radius in the front and a larger one in the rear.
Generic Benroy Plans

I say "like" a Benroy because TPCE has more of a bustle, kind of like a canned ham, not just a simple radius. Also has a slight crown (520 inch radius) in the roof, instead of flat.

OK here's my last design.
Like a trailer cover bolt on top off trailer side.
Build with 1 1/2 inch foam that 1/2 in larger to groove a 1/2 ply in the foam for better strenght.
I build rail (male female)for the hatch that way when closed it gives mor rigidity to the trailer.
PMullen:
I did include a front storage like yours but I will make it removable.

any comment?

Le, sorry , but my scrreen isn’t as big as your pictures ...