Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hi!

I'm new to the forum, but spent a month reading through all the foamie posts. Recently purchased a vehicle for traveling and would like to build a foamie type camper (not teardrop) under 750 pounds including the trailer. The vehicle will tow 1,000 but I want to leave room for supplies.

I was planning on using the small Harbor Freight trailer which I believe weighs in around 250, leaving 500 for the build, but would like to come in around 300 -- leaving 200 pounds for a water container to give the foamie weight to keep it from blowing over while pulling it. Does anyone have suggestions or examples or feedback from similar builds?

So happy to be here.

Taylor

Welcome! If light weight is what you're after, foam is the tool for you! There are a number of builds that are well under 1000#, in the 4x8 size range you should easily be able to meet your goal. Remember, this is not a house. There is no need for a skeleton made of heavy lumber. As has been well proven, structural panels built of foam with a fabric or fiberglass skin are incredibly strong and lightweight. If you are aiming for a somewhat taller standy or slouchy, Having water, batteries, fuel, food, etc, at floor level will give you a low center of gravity and good stability.

Remember, we like lots of !!!

My foamie on an HF trailer came in at 650 lbs empty. 2" foam 4'x4'x10', floor is built up 1x2 frame skinned with 1/4" ply top and bottom.

Pmullen503 wrote:My foamie on an HF trailer came in at 650 lbs empty. 2" foam 4'x4'x10', floor is built up 1x2 frame skinned with 1/4" ply top and bottom.

Cool. I found your build from your profile link. That is so cool! I'm thinking of perhaps make it 4 x 6 x 8 with the top as a pop up with tent material sides using canvas tent material. Sidewalls 4 feet with a foamie "cap" roof.

I did luan top and bottom floor skin outer aluminum inner 1/8"paneling sandwich build on 4x8 carry-on trailer with heavy manufactured door in rear and was 480. Don't go over the luan in thickness for the floor. Regular plywood is heavy

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I used a little more wood than necessary....
A foamy..... But if you look, there are wood
builds in your target area. They take attention
to every pound added.

Welcome!

would like to build a foamie type camper (not teardrop) under 750 pounds including the trailer.

If you want to consider some "out of the box" ideas, take a look at the non-traditional section. For example, here is one link from page 6 of my thread of unusual designs I found on the internet, a 5x8 ft pop up that claims to be only 660 pounds, and plans are available...

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=64495&start=75#p1210338

linuxmanxxx wrote:I did luan top and bottom floor skin outer aluminum inner 1/8"paneling sandwich build on 4x8 carry-on trailer with heavy manufactured door in rear and was 480. Don't go over the luan in thickness for the floor. Regular plywood is heavy

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Thanks! Did you "waterproof" or weatherproof the underside with anything?

pchast wrote:I used a little more wood than necessary....
A foamy..... But if you look, there are wood
builds in your target area. They take attention
to every pound added.

Welcome!

Agreed! Thank you

WizardOfOdds wrote:

would like to build a foamie type camper (not teardrop) under 750 pounds including the trailer.

If you want to consider some "out of the box" ideas, take a look at the non-traditional section. For example, here is one link from page 6 of my thread of unusual designs I found on the internet, a 5x8 ft pop up that claims to be only 660 pounds, and plans are available...

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=64495&start=75#p1210338

Thank you! This is kind of the idea I'm noodling. I've drawn out a general concept where the roof cap would lift like this and bring up canvas sidewalls. I'll take a look at these, very helpful

IdaKnow wrote:
Thanks! Did you "waterproof" or weatherproof the underside with anything?

I used the thinner black roofing coating on luan and the poly mix on the 2x4 cross beams bolted to trailer I secured the box to. Mine wasn't a standing build but sandwich walls or the pmf are very light builds. I used 3/4" foam so 1x2 were same thickness and roof spars were on edge and double foam all glued with water based contact cement. Could walk on the roof because the glue and aluminum and panelings glued over stick frame with solid core foam is light and amazingly strong. RV manufacturers are idiots not to use it as it would last much longer and isn't all that expensive with good buying power. Be creative and you can build something quite unique and useful.

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linuxmanxxx wrote:RV manufacturers are idiots not to use it as it would last much longer...

Ahhh, there's the rub. The thing is, they absolutely do NOT want it to last longer because they want you to come back in five years with another suitcase full of money and buy a new one.

The secret to a Light trailer is the same as an airplane build …. You WEIGH Everything Before you put it on !!!

linuxmanxxx wrote:

I used the thinner black roofing coating on luan and the poly mix on the 2x4 cross beams bolted to trailer I secured the box to. Mine wasn't a standing build but sandwich walls or the pmf are very light builds. I used 3/4" foam so 1x2 were same thickness and roof spars were on edge and double foam all glued with water based contact cement.

So you had luan sandwich walls with 1x2s? Sounds you have an awesome build. I would like to make mine possibly double 3/4" with the outer wall solid foam3/4" foam sheets paired with the inner 1x2s filled with 3/4" foam cut to fit within the 1x2 openings... is that exactly what you did?

GPW wrote:The secret to a Light trailer is the same as an airplane build …. You WEIGH Everything Before you put it on !!!

Absolutely! That is my intention. My concern was the foamie not weighing enough. BUT, I plan on have a large water storage tank, batteries and solar to give it weight and balance it, soooo... I will "build it" on paper first taking into account the weight of these heavy "must have" accessories and make sure every 1x2, foam and luan sheet fit. I had not considered doing a sandwiched luan floor until today. I think a 1" foam floor sandwich might be the ticket. Perhaps even better a double 3/4" foam luan sandwich which would be stronger I believe.