Newby Starting Tear Build

[jgrote]

I am starting my first build over the next few days and have about a million questions. The only things set in stone right now are that I'll be using a HF 1195lb trailer, and my TV is a Subaru Forester. Soooo....
1) To weld or not to weld the trailer. I have a welder, and can, but should I?
2) Sealing the bottom. Undercoating, spray bedliner, or is there anything better?
3) 4x8 or 5x8? Do people use the 4x8 trailer and build inner fenders to encase the wheels? How much do I need to raise the floor to do this?
4) Roof. Material? Sealing?
5) Where is your favorite place to buy moldings, hinges, etc? Is there a supporting vendor that has good prices/service?

I've searched around for about a week now, and I've really only just made my head swim. I will have many more questions as time goes on, but these are the big ones that have me thinking right now. I'm sure the answers are here, so if you want to linky me to them that is good too. If you don't mind typing it up for the thousandth time that is even better! I have a few plans that will make mine different than most I've seen on here, and I will be documenting it in a build journal once I get started. I want it to have some kind of theme, but am not sure what that will be quite yet. I love the hobbit hole one that pops up on google image search. I'm also considering vintage car type thing. As for my skill level; I'm a good carpender, terrible yet competent welder, and handier than most. I am a technician by trade, so not the typical DIY'er. But, my budget will be VERY tight, so that will make me have to keep things pretty simple.

[Vedette]

Weld your frame.
Build 5'x8' or 10'
Use a rubber ride axle.
Use 15" wheels if you can.
Spend good money on your converter.
Pay attention to a full seal.....make it as water tight as you can.
Read the electrical section here on the forum. Plan for all of your electrical needs.
Make sure you have both ac & dc power.
Sink is not that important and cuts out the need for a number of other things.
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[citylights]

my TV is a Subaru Forester. Soooo....

Sweet! I love subaru's. I had an H6 outback. Have an impreza now. Fear no snow!

1) To weld or not to weld the trailer. I have a welder, and can, but should I?

Most people don't weld them. I think about half the people replace the bolts with higher quality ones and use nylocks. I would recommend that, but then again... I don't weld. If you have one and know how, why not?

2) Sealing the bottom. Undercoating, spray bedliner, or is there anything better?

I used several coats of bed liner. Get the stuff in the can and brush it on. That is cheaper and goes further. Old school recommendation is to use asphaltic roof coating. Nasty thick stuff, but it does a really good job at sealing the tear.

3) 4x8 or 5x8? Do people use the 4x8 trailer and build inner fenders to encase the wheels? How much do I need to raise the floor to do this?

Most recommend the x5 wide. More room to sleep side by side with your partner. You hear complaints from the x4 wide people, but not the x5 wide people. x8 or x10 long is your choice, both seem to your well. One just a little bigger than the other.

Build over the tires. Put an inch or two of the tire well in the bed, or raise the bed enough to keep the tire well under. Both work well, it is just your choice.

4) Roof. Material? Sealing?

Paint, cheap and needs repainting every couple years. Epoxy or tight bond glue and tarp with paint, stronger and more durable, but still needs repaint at least every 5 years. Clear coat epoxy for a woody, still needs touch up about every 5 years. Aluminum or painted steel skin, pretty much bullet proof and needs the least maintenance. I went with aluminum skin.

Rubber seals at doors and galley hatch. Everything else glued and screwed. If you are going to skin in steel or aluminum, use butyl tape at all the joints.

5) Where is your favorite place to buy moldings, hinges, etc? Is there a supporting vendor that has good prices/service?

Big box store for most regular hardware. Your local steel supply will have the best price for steel or aluminum skin, angle, etc. Grant at http://www.lilbear.teardrops.net is great for specialty aluminum moldings, but not cheap. I went with him for some of the specialty stuff. He also has windows, hurricane hinges, door seals...

Read lots, post more questions, Good luck!

[Kody]

I built my trailer frame from scratch. It is 10 feet long x 5 feet wide and the "A" frame draw bar/tow bar adds another 4 feet. I bought an axle that extends out from the frame so the wheels are clear of the sides of the Tear. I much prefer the stability of the wider axle/wheels. There are 2" of clearance from the side of the tire to the side of the Tear and I like it like this. Having the positive stability on the highway is vital in my opinion. My wheels/tires are 14" as these are easy to obtain most anywhere on my big island.
I welded the entire trailer frame and built it using 75 mm x 50 mm x 3 mm RHS. All the open ends of the RHS were sealed with a 50 mm x 3 mm steel plate and fully welded to seal the inside of the RHS. The steel was painted with Cold Gal Paint, two coats. It was finished off with a blue anti rust top coat and it looks great.
The underside of the wood was sealed with two coats of the tar stuff, I used "Ormonoid" brand "Bitkote No 3". This is water based tar stuff that is used to permanently seal out water and can be used to seal tanks used for drinking water but wash the brush out with mineral turpentine after cleaning with water. It's easy to apply and doesn't stink as much as tar does. It does a great job.
I am building a framed wall with 3/4" x 2 1/2" timber and sheeting it with 1/8" premium pine ply. The roof will be the same and all the exterior wood will be sealed with epoxy as will the interior as well. The walls will be insulated with 3/4" foam glued to the ply skin.
My own preference is to weld the frame but if this is a challenge for you, I would use High Tensile bolts to fasten the frame together. I would use the Ny-loc nuts but I would also apply some high strength "Loctite" to the nuts as well and tighten them up really tight.
To protect the roof, I will be laying 6 ounce fiber glass woven cloth and sealing it with epoxy boat building resin. The cloth will be turned down over the edges of the sides about 2 or 3 inches. The cloth will be laid on a 45 degree angle (Bias cut) as this will flow perfectly over the rounded off edges. The raw edge is very easy to finish sand and blend into the outer skin. Why not cover the entire external surface with the cloth? On my budget that is too much.
Hope this helps a bit for you,

Kody

[jgrote]

Here is the official start:

Now it's time to start a build thread.

[working on it]

Here is the official start:

Now it's time to start a build thread.

Here was my official start: I thought I'd finish it in 3 months.

10/1/2011 start

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It looks like you have the advantage. It took me a month to deconstruct, reconstruct, and get it to a rolling platform stage, to weigh, and register. I thought I'd finish it in 3 months.

11/4/2011 roller

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Then came the long haul...a one-year period of stops and starts, lots of progress interspersed with none. I brought it home from my friend's shop (he welds!), 50 miles from my garage, to complete (in Nov.2012).

9/8/2012 photo, same on 11/6/2012

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Interior was completely bare, nothing but the generator in the galley, and no windows or even a completed door. Just a painted shell. I thought I'd finish it in 3 months (in Oct.2011). I thought the same (in Nov.2012). I thought the same (in Mar.2013). Then came the changes, the re-fits, the re-engineering of the doors, A/C, electrical. I was sure I'd finish it in 3 months. I did. Then I did it again, in 3 more months. The point of this saga is that I assumed I would build it in 3 months, so I never started a journal. Then I thought it too late when the erratic build pattern became sporadic. It's the biggest regret I have about the whole process. I look forward to your build. Best of luck!

[jgrote]

I've seen yours, and like how much it can do in such a small space. You win the swiss army award. I have considered straightening things out, but my son really wants a teardrop shape. His only other request is a round door! I have some plans for a flip-up galley, moonroof, and some other things too. I have decided that I want to clad it in something. I'm researching plastics right now to see if that is a viable, cost friendly idea. Otherwise, it looks like Al is about $50 a sheet locally. I believe we'll knock out most of the trailer build this weekend. Then I'll pull it to the DMV for tags, and then the build is on!