Cubby/Harbor Freight larger wheels/lower height

[San Diegan]

Nick,

My wife and I looked through Normal Heights, North Park, and Kensington for a restoration project before buying our present home. Needless to say, had we done that, I would be in 100% Bob Villa mode on the house and find no time for teardrop trailers. There is a lot of smaller, but very nice architecture in the Craftsman and Mission style homes of those areas.

Your KenSkill looks well positioned behind the PT Cruiser. I'll take the Hidden Hitch recommendation. Have you taken it up 78 between Escondido and Julian or down the Montezuma grade to Borrego? I have no illusions about off roading out there with such a low slung car, but would enjoy an ocasional trip to the Palm Canyon campgrounds, Little Blair Valley, or Sissors Crossing.

I did look at the frame and wood kit for a KenSkill at the Teardrop Fix-It-Shop. The price and prospect of shipping all of that from Montana seem prohibitive, but the products appear to be high quality and a newly built KenSkill would be the berries.

Meanwhile, back on track, I have this wheel and frame thing to solve

Thanks,

Tom

[Arne]

Notching the h/f spring mounts should not affect it much. It has many bolts to hold it to the frame, and most of the strength will come from the tear walls.

The time it will be most affected is when it is off the trailer. ONce bolted in place, again, I don't see it causing a problem...

[Nick Taylor]

Tom,

My Ken-Skill sits lower than normal since I have 14" wheels and the springs are a little weak. The Ken-Skill has an unusal independant suspension with no axle. Of course all that makes it a perfect match for my car.

I've not taken it off-road other than retrieving it from the previous owner's country house near Yosemite. Towed great over the grapevine and I took a 500 mile trip to Bisbee for Thanksgiving with it and it was fine. Could use a bit more power.

I really like it here in Normal Heights and it was what I could afford (back in 1997). Couldn't afford to buy here now though. And I'm definitely always fixing something. Next project will be the roof and finishing a remodel of a room addition. Going to fit in some camping somewhere.

Nick.

[San Diegan]

Nick,

I could not buy my current home again. Whew! Who buys these things at these inflated prices? Even an across the board move to a house of equal value would cause an unbelievable property tax payment. We are sitting still for some time.

General Forum,

http://www.trailerplans.org/trailer_plans.htm#10al offers a plan and parts kit for a 10' x 5' Aluminum (or steel) bolt together trailer. No welding. Assuming that the design in the plan does not depend on the side verticals and upper rails for strength, would a bolt together design be unreliable or dangerous in this size? The kit does not include the (angle) aluminum structural members or bolts. Those would have to be obtained locally. The 3500 lb torsion idler axle would need to be downgraded to a 2000 lb or less model appropriate for the teardrop weight. I am assuming their 508 lb empty weight includes the side members and deck.

Cut down to 10' x 4', this could open the door to a Kuffel Comet, KenSkill, or other larger design.

I did a little research on the Dexter and Flexride rubber torsion axles. The Dexter Torflex installation manual does show a top mount installation where the hangers are bolted to the frame. With the arm in the 22.5 degree up position (unloaded), this would get the hub center near the horizontal center of the longitudinal frame members and make for a lower frame.


Thanks,

Tom

[Nick Taylor]

Tom,

If it would help to check out my Ken-Skill in person to get an idea of the size and construction, you'd be more than welcome. I'll be out of town this weekend but should be here the next one.

My trailer would have originally come with 16" Chevy truck wheels which would make the trailer ride really high.

Nick.

[San Diegan]

That is kind of you, Nick. I will be in my company's Boulder office until the 28th, so perhaps we can work something out after that. From time to time, I am at the San Diego Model Railway Museum, so I pass right by Normal Heights. My other adiction is standard and O-gauge model trains. so I have been known to spend some time there. The image below is our home office.



Tom

[Nick Taylor]

That is kind of you, Nick. I will be in my company's Boulder office until the 28th, so perhaps we can work something out after that. From time to time, I am at the San Diego Model Railway Museum, so I pass right by Normal Heights. My other adiction is standard and O-gauge model trains. so I have been known to spend some time there. The image below is our home office.



Tom

Maybe you could practice on an O-guage teardrop...

[San Diegan]

Nick,

Trouble is, I would probably spend as much time on the O-Gauge version as the real thing. I am obsessive compulsive and would have to have every rivet and bolt in scale. Some members in here have done some nice scale prototypes and CAD drawings, though.

Tom

[doug hodder]

I like abinboston's idea, create your own ground effects package to make the trailer appear lower, I'm using a drop axle, but with a straight axle, you could do it. You will have to do something with the fenders as you will want them to flow to the bottom of the trailer skirt. Get a sheet of 1/8 masonite and make up a practice side to check it out. doug

[Chuck Craven]

If you are looking for a welder and none are listed in your yellow pages try a automotive repair shop like a body shop or a general repair shop.

Chuck

[San Diegan]

A good suggestion, Chuck. I have not received any response from the trailer shop and camper manufacturer I contacted, so I will be looking further.

Tom