Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hi, short time lurker,and a long introduction.
BACKGROUND:
Despite being a farily hardcore tent camper, I have been mulling around the idea of building a teardrop trailer for the last few years. It would be nice to not spend an hour setting up tearing down camp often in weather or after dark. I have limited vacation time and any time I can spend on trail rather than setting or breaking camp is a win.
Growing up my parents had a popup and that was nearly as bad as tent camping and not much better protection from the elements. Most hardside campers in my price range or too heavy for my lil VW to pull (and more importantly stop) safely. Teardrops look to be in the right weight class and they are just plane coo. I already have towed with this and my prior vw Golf.
Fast forward to last month, a project was cancelled and I was given 5 sheets of 2inch foam. The original plan was to use the insulation make a truck bed camper. Then the fuel economy on a cross country hit me. And I returned to the tearddrop idea. I originally found this site reading about a foam truck camper build on a euro overland board.
ABOUT ME:
All things outdoors are my thing, growing up working poor camping was one of the few things we could afford. I've worked as a mechanic, lab tech and engineer/PM, but I prefer to make things. I converted an ambulance to a camper van, it was fun, but wasn't what I wanted. I like that if I need to run to town or drive to a trailhead I can leave camp more or less set and return to it later. I had a site taken on a town run in the camper van( I didn't set up a place keeper tent, my bad).

I have been reading my way through the foamie section and the tome that is the thrifty thread (100 pages in so far). I am grateful that this site exists, there is a lot of knowledge in these 19 pages of threads.

GOAL: Build a removable camper (styled after XTR off road tear) that mounts to a standard 4x8 Harbor Freight trailer via stake pockets. Trailer will need to sleep 2 adult humans and 2 medium dogs.
Camper to have 2 doors with windows, roof vent, solar power w inverter, galley kitchen.
Expectation is 5x9/10(TBD) so expanding the deck is in the cards. 48" single panel build.
Trailer to have exocage for mounting trailer jacks, awnings, solar panel and additional cargo basket if needed
Trailer mods to be done to ease dual use:
Install bumper, to provide ramp mounts and integrated taillights for Ute use. Include 1.25 receiver for bike rack or wheel less trailer.
Telescopic trailer tounge and backbone. Which will make carrying my sea kayak easier in UTE mode, or if I opt to build extended deck.
New wiring loom with weather pack connections for aux batt system.
Replace front jack system

ON HAND:
4x8 HF trailer
materials for awnings
2 sheets 1/8" ply
5 sheets 2" foam
2 sheets 3/4"foam
bundle of 1"x3", 1"x2", 1X4"
2" steel square tube for telescopic trailer tounge
Spreadsheet and sketchup stuff

Plans are to "break ground" on this project this week and be done by end of the year.
By posting this, I am trying to provide myself accountabilty.

I've been reading the forums thoroughly for the past year and only now joined as I'm hopefully starting my build within the next month. It's good to see other new people starting around the same time as me. I look forward to seeing your progress.

Looking forward to your build reports! I came here 5+ years ago and so far only have (Northern Tools modified) trailer - I use a lot for utility use - which has convinced me to do removable cabin so I can switch between tear and utility use. I just ordered coffin locks to secure loads to frame: https://www.rosebrand.com/product420/Du ... Latch.aspx 4 locks, half turn with hex key.

If you do make the TD removable, spend some time thinking about how you are going to actually take it on and off and where you will store the TD.

I did that and ultimately decided against a removable TD because I didn't have a good place to store both the trailer and TD when separated. That meant if I wanted to use the trailer I'd have to remove the TD, use the trailer, then put the TD back on before I could park it again.

Welcome from one newb to another Reubal.

QueticoBill- I make no promises about how often I will make updates. I kinda suck at remembering to take pics when I get going. Those locks look pretty solid. I am going the old nut and bolt through the stakes on the frame. KISS is the idea I'm going for. Short progress blurb from last night I confirmed the dimensions of the build 5X8 and plan on cutting some foam tonight to force myself to commit. I also picked up the parts for the stabilizer jacks.

Pmullen503- I considered the removal and storage before beginning the project. The UTe trailer stays in the yard next to or in the garage, the TD will reside on the UTE unless I need to use it. Since the deck will be larger than the wheelbase, part of the plan is to include corner jacks. The jacks are going to be mounted to the exocage which will be an additional 2 inches wider than the deck.
I should be able push the TD/ute into the garage drop the tongue and deploy the rear jacks. Then go full lift of the tongue then drop the front corners. That will clear the mounting from the stake pockets.

CRZ42 wrote: I considered the removal and storage before beginning the project. The UTe trailer stays in the yard next to or in the garage, the TD will reside on the UTE unless I need to use it. Since the deck will be larger than the wheelbase, part of the plan is to include corner jacks. The jacks are going to be mounted to the exocage which will be an additional 2 inches wider than the deck.
I should be able push the TD/ute into the garage drop the tongue and deploy the rear jacks. Then go full lift of the tongue then drop the front corners. That will clear the mounting from the stake pockets.

Sounds like a good plan.

I'm plannning a hoist in garage and put casters on both loads.

I was going to use pointed, diamond shaped pins to help guide the TD into place. I figured it might be tough to get the trailer exactly in the right spot to lower the TD down onto it. Fore and aft is easy but I thought side to side might be tougher to get right the first try.

Similar plan. Beveled one-by to mate with framing. Also rely on it for lateral holding.

I think the ability to easily move trailer and cabin being suspended so easy to move, it shouldn't be hard. Maybe put a couple of laser pointers to use.

Suspending the trailer would give the easiest alignment because you can move the TD in both directions pretty easily when attaching.

The OP and myself were looking at jacks on the four corners. So the TD is stationary and you roll the trailer between the jacks. But moving the trailer sideways to line up with jacked TD is tougher than fore and aft

Alignement is the hardest part, for sure. I have a trick up my sleeve for lateral movement. I picked up go jacks back when I had the camper van.
https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS+Performance ... gL4afD_BwE

So an update from yesterday.
Picked up a 3'x6' sheet of 1/4" ply off of FB market place for $5. This should take care of inserts for internal supports for windows door jambs and external mount points.

I started tearing the Ute down. The plans for the weekend are to strip off the decking that Installed a few years ago and do a quick grind and paint on the frame. If time allows I'll fab up the bumper and slide out jacks.
I will try to add photos of the build to this album: http://imgur.com/a/SdCBBLn

Progress report.
Grinding and painting didn't suit me.
Instead I laid out the floor and galley. After clamping panels in place i decided to extend to nine feet.
Tomorrow will pickup where I left off hope to finish off the floor this weekend

Updates 8/13-16
Continued build out of the galley. I am building this backward as the galley is going to be the most complicated part ofthe build in my opinon. This also provides a low structural risk area to practice the skinning technique. Photo 13 in the imgur album shows the roofline in postion after I notch out the side walls and attach them to the floor. There is a 1:1 mockup of cabinets for the galley and cabin drawn on a side wall.

8/13 Got out of work a couple hours early, so I was able to throw some time at the trailer. Mounted slideout for the cooler, started the top
mounted slide out for stove.
8/14 Discovered that despite my best mockups and measurements stove did not fit as planned. My pierce nail gun provided me a lovely industrial piercing through my index finger and nail (photo 11 no blood shown). (I thought I was far enough back, but looks like I was wrong ouch) After the brad nailer incident, I was kind of useless. I was pacing back and forth yelling at eldergods and not getting much done. I played with the hotknife while filling a couple sections of the framing with foam and had my first gorilla glue expirence.

8/15 I started building the counter top cabinet frames. The roofline interstects with the topsection of the cabinets so I built them to match. Today was a beach day with my partner so I only had about an hour to work on things but I continued to brainstorm while on the sand.

8/16 Worked between the rain drops. Ripped out the stove slide out and removed the filler panel where I was going to place a drawer for utensils. Cut and bonded side wall panels. After letting the joints cure, I dry fitted the wall panels with clamps and tape to help visualize overall finished size and verify that the cabinets will fit and not crash the roofline. Realized that the frame for the stove slideout matched the planned size for the in-cabin storage cupboards Measured thrice and cut the frame in half to create the in-cabin cabinet frames.

Next Steps
Remove tires to access factory fender brackets. This needs to happen to build and insulate wheel wells.
Finish the floor layout.. Now that the wall panels are finalized I need to finish the support structure. Cutoffs from the wall and roof panels are being used to stuff the floor.
Once the floor structure is done, it is being pulled off the chasiss to soak in the mix before deccking the floor.

Doors, I need to figure out my exit strategy... I like the idea of factory made doors ( and windows), but not the price. My expirences thus far building the galley is giving me confidence that I can make my own wood framed doors.
That is all for now, build album in sig.

Update for week 2.
Slower week when it comes to progress.
Ordered a bunch of parts at the local big box and online. So now I have windows, marker lights, cabinet hardware, vents and hasps.
Scored a deal on Lauan plywood on Facebook market place. I got 7 4x8 sheets for $50, so I will be using them to face cupboards, doors and anything else that I want a lil rigidity.
Laid out and cut the first door panel, then cut the window panel ( window cut was a too little small). I cut the panels that I had on hand to width so I could dry fit everything to see what I am actually working with. (last pic in imgur album)
I removed the sublfloor that I started building early on so I could remove the fender brackets from the original ute trailer. Those sections of subfloor will get 3/4 plywood and aluminum to protect things incase of a blowout.
I'll be raiding the local resale/thrift shops looking for sheets this week for interior PMF laminations. Before I wrap the interior I need to figure out how I want for lighting and electric.
Once I do that I will start looking for canvas.

Man, today was hot and humid.
Despite the 101 heat index temp, I was working on the trailer most the day. I finally got around to working on the trailer after a couple slow progress weeks.
Started the morning finishing out the floor. I had been tying myself in knots over how to extend the floor and have good support to the main frame.
Made a brace out of ply and a 2x4 that is just the right height. Installed the floor insulation and the 3/4 ply that was lining the wheel well. used great stuff to seal the floor insulation. Cut and installed the 5mm plywood for the top of the floor. PMFed the seams in the 5mm ply then got an alert that we were supposed to get an inch of rain in a couple hours.
With help of a friend mover the taped and skewered cabin onto the floor. Where it was taped ,strapped and clamped to the trailer floor, before being well tarped lowering the wheel to ensure good runoff. Scrambling around inside before tarping the cabin I finally realized how much room I have inside. This will cause a slight redesign of the in cabin storage as the original plans were minimal.
Before I get too carried away with the cabin I first have to box in the bottom of the floor.