Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

by **GPW** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 5:30 am

Lots of “possibilities" eh Shaun ... a really simple framing job, and we already have an old boat trailer waiting ...

After "careful consideration” ( :beer:

) , we won’t be doing a dropped floor , just because we want the added benefit of using the trailer for “hauling” ... :thinking:

Sometimes we’re called upon to haul longer goods than will fit in the old pickup truck ...like those 10’ blocks of foam , 10’ lengths of PVC pipe , long pieces of wood , etc. etc. That kind of stuff has always been a problem ...sometimes requiring the materials be cut shorter on the spot just to be able to get it home ... unsatisfactory ... :thumbdown:

This should solve the problem nicely , allowing lengths up to at least 10’ to be hauled (out of the rain) inside , with the floor /doors wide enough for 4’+ wide sheet materials ... Multitasking !!! It’s the Future !!! :thumbsup:

by **GPW** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 10:05 am

Here’s a little drawing for the rear doors and perhaps a dropped floor ...

by **High Desert** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 10:56 am

OK, I'm totally with the multi-use ability now. Especially since an unexpected rain just ruined something left in the uncovered pickup last night. This will be awesome :twisted:

btw, I know it adds to the work but I think the lower skirting really sets it off.

by **GPW** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 5:58 pm

Shaun , now you have me wondering if the skirt should be attached during the build and then covered, or covered and attached separately after ... :thinking:

by **tac422** » Mon Oct 14, 2013 9:05 am

have you thought about tapering the front sides in. Not quite to a point, but not so slab sided. ...

by **GPW** » Mon Oct 14, 2013 9:32 am

Not really , the natural curve of the roof downward will have a flared effect anyway ... just trying to keep it Simple !!!

Possible though ... :thinking:

by **GPW** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 8:16 am

Pulled the spare trailer out , unloaded all the R-panel off of it ... Frame is 56” wide ... Not enough for the Zep’... We could do like the FS and use long 2x4 cross braces to span the width , but instead have decided to weld on extra framing for full floor support . Easy because my friend down the street is a retired welder (he’s also in the band) ... and it’s lower . Did a little measuring and it looks easy to flip the axle on top for a lowered frame height ... still a bit of spring clearance ... if we keep it low enough , it might even be “garage-able” ...

Really looking to make this one a “lowrider” ... (within reason , of course) ... should tow better too ... :thinking:

If we wanted this for “off road” , maybe the higher frame height and more suspension travel and shocks) would be better ... Just more considering ... Best get this all out of the way now ... work out those pesky little details in advance.
Going to make a full size frame to start , just to see how the size really feels , and how the shape looks in reality .... easy enough to make one frame , and that one will be a pattern /jig for all the rest ...

by **Ned B** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 9:10 am

GPW, Sounds like a good start to the new trailer! In the course of my daily travels yesterday I saw a trailer you'd have liked. It was about an 8x12 flatbed loaded (overloaded?) with stuff. It had dual axels and they were running low pro flotation tires on it.

by **GPW** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 10:07 am

Ooooo !!! That sounds COOL !!!

... Always wondered about those smaller wider tires ... they seem to be rated similar to the tall ones , and I know they spin faster, but I don’t drive that fast anyway ... :oops:

by **GPW** » Sun Nov 10, 2013 6:34 am

Still thinking about this one , liking it more and more ... Just a Boat upside down really ... Easy ...

by **GPW** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 7:19 am

Had a lot of time to think about this one .... Decided to chuck the too small trailer that I have idea , and go with something like those low utility trailers we’ve seen around here lately. They are much lower than the boat trailers we’ve been using... Haven’t actually measured one yet , but you can see the height difference. And Tandem ...

Yes , 4 wheels , but thinking of four of those little pop up fatties , just for more of that “moon unit” look ... making the trailer cabin easily accessible , and very stable. (and garageable) :thinking:

We’ve been looking around for suitable low trailer like this ... seen a lot of them in peoples yards , loaded with junk , but too big for my needs... Still looking ... I have talked with my friend and band member , the retired Welder... he says we could whip something together, but it would be easier to just modify an existing frame ... “finding” the right one would be much easier for me ... more searching... more decisions ... :roll:

... and while we’re looking for the trailer... am going to make up a profile to the exact dimensions out of cardboard appliance boxes (salvage) ... Cut, glue,staple, tape... whatever it takes to make a full size pattern out of various pieces.... we did it in the old days for making interior wall and door patterns for Kustom vans... :thumbsup:

...
Just thinking a full size pattern would give me a better sense of the actual Size/comfort of the trailer ... You know , lay the pattern up against the wall, then crawl around on your hands and knees on the floor next to it , imagining the “space” .... Beer helps ... :lol:

by **mezmo** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 3:02 pm

Check out M C Toyer's great build: Build #2 - The Log Cabin:

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=52767

It was done on a boat trailer, and while not a drop floor
per se, it utilizes the boat trailer's wide "V" shape to gain
a center lower walk way very effectively. The Murphy bed
is another great feature.

by **KCStudly** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 4:11 pm

Sorry if this sounds blunt (not intended that way), but I feel that an intervention is necessary.

GPW, how about actually using one of the two stellar constructions that you have already built before actually moving on to building a third?
I realize that addictions are hard to kick, but we're here to help you once you admit it to yourself that you have a problem. :lol:

Of course we will continue to support and enable you, it's what we do... our own addiction. :thumbsup:

Or is it just that you are working on the Russian nested doll version of TTT, one fits inside the next, inside the next, until you have all of the different sizes covered? :lol: