Finch Flock's Foamie

[GPW]

You can always find a tutorial on You Tube showing you how to repair /replace/repack trailer bearings ... It’s not that difficult , even hubby could do it ...

Best shop around for windows ... sometimes a bargain , sometimes not so much ... shop carefully ... You want windows that are easy to install and actually FIT the window and thickness of the wall opening ...

Yes those ribs are CNC cut and I would Not recommend doing anything like that without a Machine ... The fold down table (the example shown) was easy and folds right out of the way ...

[aggie79]

You can always find a tutorial on You Tube showing you how to repair /replace/repack trailer bearings ... It’s not that difficult , even hubby could do it ...

Or you could procedures and pictures on this forum: http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=24508#p351497 There's even an embedded YouTube video.

[KCStudly]

Happy to provide input. As always, it is intended in the spirit of design improvement and not necessarily criticism.

Are you showing the main bed converted into a couch? If so it looks like mattress rolls back up the profile curve and hits you in the head. Not sure that is going to work, so perhaps a segmented folding mattress and a little more vertical profile for seated head room.

[FinchFlock]

Thank you gpw and aggie I will check those out and see if I feel comfortable doing it myself.

Kc, thank you for your comment, those drawings were done just to get a visual of some of the ideas my husband and I were considering. I agree, it wouldn't work very well at all. Every time I look at it, I imagine the upper part flopping down.

[FinchFlock]

I'm trying to decide how to square off the front of this boat trailer. I was thinking that something should be welded to the existing frame, but not having a welder of my own, it's looking expensive to have someone else do it. Would bolting something on be strong enough to support it?

Any ideas are welcome.

[GPW]

Bolting on a cross member to support the front works .... But most people ( me anyway) tend to cut down the length of the Boat trailer tongue , as they are usually a little long ... That and most cabins fit on the wider back part anyway ...
If you have any specific questions it might be good to provide some measurements of the trailer ... maybe even make a rough sketch with measurements ... most everybody is familiar with trailer basic measurements and will gladly provide help and assistance , once they know the specific information ... Otherwise we’d just be guessing...

[KCStudly]

If you look at the ultra light chassis design (here http://www.angib.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/teardrop/tear00.htm, and in the Design resources tab above^) you will see that the trailer frame doesn't necessarily have to fully support the cabin. The cabin will end up being a very rigid box all unto itself (in fact, many people build the box off of the frame and attach it later... myself included).

Instead of thinking about the trailer as the foundation for a house, think about it as a way to attach an axle and hitch to the underside of a strong box. The bulkhead and front wall bridge across and hold the side walls up. The side walls stiffen the floor and trailer. Depending on how you build, you may not need any additional support.

[FinchFlock]

Thanks for the feedback GPW

This sketch is fairly accurate. I got one measurement wrong on the rear section of the trailer frame (where it splits) It is 1 ft longer (2 boxes longer ). I also moved the axle forward about 1ft from where it was when I made this scetch.
I'll try to get a new sketch done and posted.

KC thanks for the info. That was helpful. It looks like it could be easier to build off the trailer and attach it later.

[GPW]

Hmmm? It would appear from the drawing the cabin is MUCH longer than the trailer and protrudes waaay out on the tongue ... You might consider making the cabin not as long , or welding some more crossbraces and framing on to the trailer ... There's only so much you can hang off a narrow tongue ... Possible , but I’d not feel “totally secure" with the attachment and support ... ( that and most of us tend to “over-build” anyway , so it may work with bolting on a few extra bits ? )

[FinchFlock]

That's about what I was thinking. I don't want it to be crowded with 4 of us in there. I may try to downsize a bit, and find someone to weld a support for the rest.

[GPW]

Maybe just re-visit your design .... and measurements . Get everyone to sit/lie/stand in that space ( again) and see how much room you Really need ... With the constraints of trailer size , you must best utilize the space reasonably available ... Just think of it as re-arranging things in the pantry so you can fit more food ..... same thing ... sorta’ ...
Hint: if you make it 6’ wide inside , everyone can sleep crossways in the cabin , saving the need of extra length ... Or , maybe consider bunk beds ...

[lthomas987]

You can always find a tutorial on You Tube showing you how to repair /replace/repack trailer bearings ... It’s not that difficult , even hubby could do it ...

Or you could procedures and pictures on this forum: http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=24508#p351497 There's even an embedded YouTube video.

That's the tutorial I used to re-do my bearings. I in fact bought replacements, since it turned out the original trailer assembler of my HF Trailer didn't pack them and ran them 3500 miles on just the grease they came packed in. They didn't actually look too bad once cleaned up. So I repacked them in grease and put them in my pile of spare things to carry with me. (slightly worn bearings I can drop in on the side of the road are better than being stuck, and free!)

[FinchFlock]

Thanks for all the feedback!

I just got the "ok" to downsize by 3 ft... or maybe 4 ft if I can keep all the features we want in the smaller space.

GPW, Nice drawing. (My art skills are very limited)
The kids will have bunk beds, and the luxury of any unnecessary room will be removed. (It was nice to dream about having lots of space, but we don't NEED the extra space. )

Thomas, I like the idea of keeping the old ones for emergency use. I read through that tutorial and it looks pretty simple. I think I'll give it a try.

[FinchFlock]

We reduced the length by 4 ft.
We looked at the options available locally that would work for the deck. Plywood, osb, pressed particle board, all heavy and in need of sealant and flooring(even more weight) to protect it. I was thinking 1x6 pine boards may work? A very helpful gentleman at HD asked about our project and preferences, then pointed us towards some toung and groove pine planks. They are much lighter, although they require more support beams than I had hoped.
The pine planks look more expensive at first glance, but after adding the cost of the cheapest flooring I could find (rolls of vinyl plus the glue and trowel to spread it), the pine was cheaper in the end.

[FinchFlock]

I'm still having trouble with these pictures. I thought I followed the directions for posting the bigger pictures that expand when you click on them, but I got the tiny ones instead.
I guess I can't complain too much, I did manage to get the pictures in there even if they are tiny.

Still, a little help would be greatly appreciated.