Am I missing something?

[starleen2]

Hell I just bolted my 3/4" ply to the steel frame. Did I screw up? Seems to me a waste of time and money

Gage I think it's found in you answer . Many want to try to use thinner weight plywood (1/2 and 5/8 come to mind) and need that support due to the flex in the ply. I used 3/4 on my floors and have no flex

[MOKI SEAKER]

I needed the extra space for insulation, it gets a bit chilly up here in the winter, I was really thinking of standing the 2X4's on edge for even more space for the foam sheets. I have 3/4" ply on the bottom 1 1/2" of foam and 1/2' ply on top, mostly for to keep out the cold. Jim G

[Arne]

To get rid of all the x-members in the trailer, except for one front and one back, I went with 3/8" ply on top, and 1/8" on the bottom. I have one rail on each side that runs front to back to mount the torsion axle on. the front and back x members are laid flat to cut wind resistance.

Where I needed bolting security, I used a 2x3 across the tear where I needed attachment points, like the galley wall and front wall)... where i did not, I cut a piece of 1/2" ply 1.5" wide and used it as the vertical bridge member.

I wound up with a very strong and well insulated floor.... which was what I wanted... per sq. ft, it weighs about the same as a piece of 3/4 ply... insulation wise and strength/rigidity wise, it is far superior. It also became my wall attachment point with lots of purchase between the wall and floor.

I camp below freezing and no way would I go with 3/4 ply floor.... I had condensation problems with no. 1 and this one should perform much better. by getting rid of the bolts (welding it) and the extra x members, I cut 70# off the frame weight..

Frame pic is first pic on page one of link.

[Ivar the Red]

Is it because some are building a small house on wheels and then calling it a teardrop?

Are you talking to me? The size of my "teardrop" comes from the size of the frame I lucked into and got a good deal on. Maybe I'll start referring to it as a "TTT" instead, to avoid confusion. It didn't start out in the plans to be that big, I was gonna cut it down and lose one of the axles.
Plans may still change, I don't know. As far as the 2X4 thing, I've built houses before, not trailers, I was using the knowledge available to me at the time, and I was going to go out over the frame, so I thought I would need the strength. Now that I'm privy to the wealth of knowledge here...do I need framing that big? The floor will only stick out about a foot or so.

Disclaimer: I know typing doesn't relay emphasis or emotion, none of this post is meant to sound pissy; I value and respect the experience here on this board.

[Larwyn]

I designed my TD a few years ago after my wife and I decided that the 5th wheel was more trouble than it was worth most of the time. Tent camping was just too wet, dusty, hot and cold. Much of our camping at the time was incidental to attendance/participation in a festival or show, so packing up and bugging out was not a responsible option. Unlike recreational camping, where weathering the storm is strictly optional. We wanted a cabin that could be kept dry and which could be cooled or heated as easily as possible. Air conditioning was absolutely necessary considering use in Texas heat in August was a real possibility. Much of the Escape Pod is designed around ventilation and the AC unit, I did not simply build a TD, then add a window unit. Heat is powered by goose down or wool, maybe a small electric heater occasionally.

There always seemed to be at least one day of miserable camping weather during the run of every show. The one thing which was the most annoying was a wet, cold, frozen mattress in the tent after a hard blowing freezing rain during a long day on site, away from camp. The insulated floor of my TD was designed to make such a situation more bearable. At least that way, if the roof vent or a window were accidentally left open or became damaged, and such weather were to infiltrate the TD, we could throw the damp frozen mattress out, dry the vinyl tile floor, inflate an air mattress, and still have a dry warm place to sleep. Otherwise the normal foam mattress would probably provide all the insulation we needed in the floor. We no longer participate in any shows, but we do still have the option of “weathering the storm” which was a big part of the original design.

In my case I ripped the 2x4’s down to 2x2”s sandwiched between ¼” and 1/2'” plywood with 1 ½” insulation.

[caseydog]

I think people do it because most are building from scratch, and making their own plans as they go. I think it is a natural tendency to start a wood-frame structure with a wood frame deck.

So, I imagine the "answer" is that they never thought of doing it the way you did yours.

You make a good point, Gage, albeit in your usual grouchy manner.

CD

[S. Heisley]

Dreaming and planning is the fun part. You get to wallow in the belief that more is better and you might as well do this 'n' that because you're only going to build one.

Then, you start building and "Reality"with all her pups comes out from under the chassis and bites you on the ...ummm...leg!

...I think "Reality" lives in my garage.

Oh, By the way, I'm building a small house on wheels!

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

I think many have gone this route because they have Kuffle Creek Plans or maybe, just maybe... They might want to someday have a chase available to run hvac or forced air ducts.
(Sorry... Just having some fun)

[Nitetimes]

I think many have gone this route because they have Kuffle Creek Plans or maybe, just maybe... They might want to someday have a chase available to run hvac or forced air ducts.
(Sorry... Just having some fun)

You got em designed and ready to build do ya??

[Donutboy]

I used the Northern Tool 5 x 8 frame, made of angle iron with the "flat side" down rather than up. Like this |_ . I had to build a frame in the "L" in order to have a flat surface to lay the plywood on. But I found that 2x3's were tall enought to suffice, so that's what I used.

[Gage]

Like I've said. I see and understand why some are doing it. "But with all the good advice that is on this board, I just don't understand why others are doing it when there is no need (and those are the ones who are staying away from this thread probably because they don't know why they did it.
Like that, Dean is doing it for more strength to carry all his iron.

And caseydog, I could care less if they do it the way I did it or not. your just one of them that reads stuff into my post that isn't there. So I just consider the source and move on. When you've built your first teardrop, maybe I'll heed your advice.

Note: The question was asked to benefit the newbies that are following examples and not knowing why. I don't believe in extra work so I'll just continue to build/rebuild my teardrops the way I have been doing it.

[Mike Angeles]

To clear the wheels of my HF trailer. you are something else...... never a disappointment.

[Ivar the Red]

Well...since we're all here and on this subject, let me ask. Do I need 2X4's for a floor frame that hangs out past the trailer frame about 12 to 14 inches? If so, should they be upright, or flat?

[caseydog]

Now that this thread exists, perhaps more folks will change their plans for a floor. I was originally planning to use a wood frame on top of the steel frame, but saw some other builds with plywood on steel frame, and changed my plans. Live and learn.

The primary reason I bought a shell for my first TD was so I could go camping, and see what I wanted and didn't want, and see how other people built. Since I'm not retired, it is going to take a while for me to build a TD, and since I enjoy camping more than building, I only want to do it once.

I find, by the way, that going to gatherings, looking at TDs and talking to other TDers is more enlightening than what's on the forum. I see things all the time at gatherings of TDs that I take pictures of for future reference.

CD

[Nitetimes]

Well...since we're all here and on this subject, let me ask. Do I need 2X4's for a floor frame that hangs out past the trailer frame about 12 to 14 inches? If so, should they be upright, or flat?

In my opinion I would say no. Even 14" isn't that much, particularly if you use 3/4" ply for the floor. If you used 2X2's and put them on 16" centers with an outside perimeter board of 1X3 I'd say it'd be plenty strong.
But that's just what I'd do.