Profile Length VS Trailer Length Question.

[cfunni]

Ok I am new and hooked. I have my HF 4 x 8 Super Duty trailer and want to start designing my profile. I am really attracted to a design where the front curves forward and tucks back in.( see attachments) I am asking for some input here from someone who has done it. Am I looking at shortening the trailer, or stretching the profile so the bottom = 96" or build out of 4 x 8 plywood and have some of the trailer base extended beyond the profile. I hope this is not to confusing.
Thanks
Craig

[Jdw2717]

If you extend out toward the front (like I did) make sure you have enough room to clear your tow vehicle when the trailer is at a 90 degree angle. You don't want to back into a spot and have the trailer hit the car and damage either one. FYI - my trailer frame is 8'4" long and the body is 9' from front to back. I hope this is what you were asking about.

[cfunni]

Yes Thats what I was asking about. So I can assume that your side walls are made of two pieces of plywood. I like the curved front and curved rear, but doing so leaves less than 96" on the bottom IF using a single sheet of 4 x 8 plywood. I also plan to extend and reinforce the tongue as shown here.

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=6 ... e#p1127469

[aggie79]

So I can assume that your side walls are made of two pieces of plywood.

If you go to a specialty lumberyard rather than a big box store, you can get 4' x 10' and 5' x 10' plywood. It's a little higher per square foot than 4' x 8' plywood, but it saves the trouble, time, and expense of having to splice plywood.

Our teardrop is 4' tall by 10' long. I used 4' x 10' plywood for the "framing" for my insulated sidewalls.

[Jdw2717]

I used 1/4 inch on the outside, 3/4" boards (3" wide which is overkill) inside with 3/4" foam insulation and 1/4" on the inside. I used 4' x 8' plywood and just butt joined them and then filled any small gaps with wood filler. I put the outside seam at the center of the door so the light would hide any unevenness in the seam and the lower section under the door is small and does not show the seam. I figured that if it ever started to show I would put a 3" strip of diamond plat left over from the front under the door. The inside seam is at the wall at the bottom (foot of the mattress) and in the cabinets so it doesn't show. Just don't put the seam opposite each other because this would be a weak point. My seams are about 3' apart. Let us know if you have any other questions. As you may already know, there are many ways to build these little trailers.

[Jdw2717]

Something to think about on the hatch is will the curved in section cause head room issues if you are tall. I was going to do that to the back of mine but then realized it would droop down when the hatch was open. While not tall, I am 6'1" and wanted the head room. Something I did was take some cheap 1/8" 4' x 8' plywood and cut out my profile and door location and then proped it up on the frame. I sat "inside" and realized I did not like the door where I had it and moved it back some. I also raised it to be more at the level of the intended mattress. I also cut out a hatch support to the profile of what I thought would work and just held it in position to check the head room. It may seem like wasted effort but it really let's you tweak your wall / hatch profile for the cost of two $10 sheets of plywood. You can also do the same with cardboard if you can get that.

[Nobody]

I built my TD in 2006 using the HF 1800# (rating then, think it may now be 1740# or something like that). I used a combination of the Grumann & the Mondernistic profiles with the front curved outward & then back at the bottom; the rear similar but not so much. My floor is 60" wide X 9' long give or take an inch, & extends forward of the trailer chassis approx 8", & approx 4" behind the rear cross member, Overall outside cabin dimensions are 114" long, 60" wide, approx 53 1/2" high from bottom of the aluminum 'deckplate' trim to topmost curve of profile. The floor 'frame' is made of ripped 2x4 spruce (approx 1 1/2 X 1 1/2") with an outer board 'facade' (to extend below the chassis rails) made of spruce 1X6", curved at each end to continue the cabin profile. Walls are 'stick' built from inside out. I used 1/4" oak plywood for inside walls, cut framework approx 1x2" pine/spruce, glued to outer side of the inner wall, with 1x3" oak pieces as the door facing/hinge mounting pieces. Trying to find/order 4' or 5X10' plywood in our little town was such a chore that I just used readily available 4X8' ply & 'joined' it at a 'batten' which I included in the framework. After building & sealing/insulating the floor & installing it on the already modified trailer chassis, I 'dry fitted' the walls & spars. After making sure they fit properly I placed the walls on a good bed of PL construction adhesive, clamped 'em in place on top of the floor using the 1X6" 'facade' board drilled vertical holes thru the 1X2" bottom frame pieces of the wall, & used 4" #12 'Deck Screws' to hold it all in place 'til the adhesive dried/cured. I retained the factory 12" wheels/tires so my cabin is built 'over' the wheels with minimal wheel wells tht intrude very slightly into the cabin floor. If you build with larger wheels/tires, my methods may not work for you but , it shouldn't be of great moment to adapt/change construction methods. My entire 'build' is chronicled in my gallery. My build is now almost 9yrs old, 25K+ miles, has suffered a rear end collision in 2010 that ripped away & almost destroyed the left rear BAL stabilizer jack but did little other structural damage (did more damage to the hitch receiver on my truck than to the TD...

[bobhenry]

If the body is built correctly for a cantilever it can be extended beyond the frame.

Eggbert above is over 6 foot on a 4 foot trailer.

Barn to be wild is a 10' trailer body on an 8' frame.

If you look closely you will see there is 2' of daylight in front of the first cross rail on the barn trailer.

[cfunni]

Thank you everyone for the reply's I now have a good Idea of how I want to build my TD. Have a safe and happy Fourth of July and God Bless America....
Craig