What would you have done differently?

[asianflava]

This has come up before, the most common ones were, should have built 5ft wide instead of 4 and should have built it with 2 doors instead of one. I don't remember the others.

[Steve_Cox]

I woulda built it lighter. 1425# 5 X 10.

[SteveH]

I would have built it lighter, smaller on the outside yet larger on the inside, (when I figure that one out I'll start on number 2), and I would have put windows in the front like the Camp Inn (the wife is a little clostrophobic).

[deputydogrick]

I would have told somebody what I wanted and let them build it
Just kidding, most days

[Juneaudave]

That's an easy one...I would have spent more time listening to the advice I got from the forum and SF's builders manual than "doing it my way"!!!!

Still not anywhere near done

But it has been a journey!!!!

[Classic Finn]

Id build in a warm and lit up garage instead of under the Arctic Skies..

Classic Finn

[Micro469]

I would have built it inside out like Diverguy...Oh Yeah, and epoxied the ouside while it was still flat, and before I put the "gingerbread ' on.....

[Tripmaker]

I would have had a custom frame welded rather than use the Red Trailer.

[Tripmaker]

I would have built it lighter, smaller on the outside yet larger on the inside, (when I figure that one out I'll start on number 2), and I would have put windows in the front like the Camp Inn (the wife is a little clostrophobic).

Can't remember the name of the movie, I'm thinking Loaded Weapon, Charley Sheen walks up to a small ratty looking trailer on a beach, walks in and the inside is about 4,000 square feet of luxury. Perhaps you could buy that one, or ask them how they made it.

[elmo]

Wouldn't of used Durabak for the outside finish.

[tonyj]

5 foot wide.

Would have followed someone else's completed plans.

Would have build the galley completely before starting the trailer.

Would have built woody encapsulated in epoxy and fabric.

[Gerald_G]

I re-used an existing travel trailer frame, axle, springs etc.

If I was doing it over again, I'd mark all the parts if I took them off for cleaning and painting to make sure I get them back on the frame exactly the same way they were there from the factory.

This would help ensure alignment and such, if the trailer ran true before a tear down, it should after re-building it.

[MrBuzz]

I think I would have built lighter...I used 3/4 plywood for the sidewalls and it's built like a tank! I think 5/8 or 1/2" would be plenty strong when it gets all the ribs & bulkheads in. My TD is not heavy, but lighter is better.
I built pretty simple and so far like it that way. I thought that I would be another one of those saying that they would have built 5' wide instead of 4' wide but so far that is not a problem at all.
Also, after using my TD quite a bit this summer I'm glad that I didn't build cabinets & doors on the galley shelves or on the shelves in the back of the interior. It's just much more handy to have big flat shelves to stow blankets/clothes/electronics. For the galley I bought a bunch of clear plastic storage boxes for utensils, seasonings and other galley equipment.
The under floor storage is a marginal benefit. It is hard to get at with the mattress in place and if there is anything on top of the mattress...forget it!
I will probably be adding some sort of water storage & pump setup by next season, that would be a biggie.
Mostly...I'm glad for this forum, I met another builder locally who saved me tons of time and walked me through all the mistakes/false starts that he had made.

[Roly Nelson]

First, I would eliminate the steel frame completely, therefore it would weigh 150 lbs less. Just use an angle iron down each side with torsion axles attached to them. Next, I would not shoot the whole bottom with Line-X, I feel it is just too heavy. Roofing mastic on my 2nd teardrop works just as well.

Third, in order to keep up with Gage, I would build a Giant 30 inch, flip-down, flat-screen, liquid crystal, High-definition, Sony plazma TV inside, complete with another mother board cut out on my table saw and screwed to the back side with an opaque glass in front...........just for looks, like my other one in the galley.

Roly,and that's my story and I'm sticking to it.