Hi! New and thinking about what to build...

[jopasm]

Howdy,

I've been lurking here for a while, thought I should finally post some sort of introduction. I found the site about a year ago and I've been intrigued by the idea of a teardrop. I enjoy camping, but I'm getting tired of dealing with setting up a tent and campsite - especially since most of my trips tend to be a weekend in length - 1 or 2 nights. A teardrop seems ideal - if I'm going camping for camping sake I can get out where big trailers can't and enjoy a quiet weekend, and if I'm camping as part of a trip to a destination I can pull in somewhere and have my "camp" pretty much already set-up, with a bed waiting for me and a small kitchen where I can make a pot of coffee in the morning.

Currently I'm thinking about building a benroy style on a 4x8 trailer frame, either custom-built or harbor freight/tractor-supply. I'm trying to keep it relatively simple and light - my current tow vehicle is a S-10 blazer, but it may well get loaned to family (my brother) on occasion, and he currently has a smallish car with a 1500-2000lb limit. Some other design considerations are having a frame/body strong enough to handle the occasional logging road or unpaved track and tires large enough to give enough clearance so it wouldn't ground out in the (shallow) washouts that are typical in the areas I'd be using it. No really any worse than a residential pothole - I'm not talking about rock crawling or what a Jeep'er would consider "offroad"! Oh, and an air conditioner somehow. It gets hot and humid here! A simple galley with a coleman stove or a drop-in RV unit, water carried in spigot jugs (no built-in water system), a cooler, and some storage.

That's where I am in my dreaming. It'll probably be a few months before I can start a build, but if everything works out there's a chance I'll be moving closer to my parent's place, which means I'd have access to a shop (it's hard to build in an apartment with no trailers allowed in the parking lot and no backyard where I could discretely do the build...

[hiker chick]

A teardrop seems ideal - if I'm going camping for camping sake I can get out where big trailers can't and enjoy a quiet weekend, and if I'm camping as part of a trip to a destination I can pull in somewhere and have my "camp" pretty much already set-up, with a bed waiting for me and a small kitchen where I can make a pot of coffee in the morning.

Precisely.

Welcome to T&TTT and best wishes on the build.

[Roly Nelson]

Good for you, a newbie who has it all figured out. Welcome aboard.
Roly

[jopasm]

Good for you, a newbie who has it all figured out. Welcome aboard.
Roly

I wish I could claim that, but thanks! I've spent the past couple of months reading through the forum and websites and thinking about what I really want and need so I can go from there. Still trying to figure out how to fit everything in a 4x8 base and which method to use to build up the walls and how to mount and A/C and.....so on.

[BillandMarijo]

Welcome from Pa.
Enjoy your build,
Bill and Marijo

[Roly Nelson]

jopasm, the AC unit in my tear was an afterthought. I knew I needed one, so picked up an 88 dollar AC unit at Lowes. To my surprise, it slipped right down into my tongue box. I cut matching holes in the back of the box and front wall of the tear, for the cool supply air and the return air. (the tongue box and the front wall are connected to eliminate any rain intrusion.

Then I installed a relief grille in the front of the tongue box. Ta Dah. It might freeze ice on the windows if I left it on all day. Check it out, it is probably the simplest 'hidden AC' installation I know of. I normally don't bring it with me if I am not going to camp where it is hot. When I know I will need it, I slip it into the back seat of the car, and install it at the campsite, since I don't want any additional tongue weight on the hitch of my 4 banger Toyota.
Roly

[jopasm]

jopasm, the AC unit in my tear was an afterthought. I knew I needed one, so picked up an 88 dollar AC unit at Lowes. To my surprise, it slipped right down into my tongue box. I cut matching holes in the back of the box and front wall of the tear, for the cool supply air and the return air. (the tongue box and the front wall are connected to eliminate any rain intrusion.

Good to hear from you Roly, I love the 1/2 Nelson and 1/4 Nelson. I was tempted to try something along the 1/4 Nelson lines but decided it'd be a bit *too* small...although perhaps for #2 (assuming I get #1 done) - it'd be perfect for my brother as a portable hunting cabin - basically all he'd need is something light enough for a compact pickup to pull and with enough room to stretch out in. It'd make those early morning deer hunts a lot easier.

Anyway, I like that idea. I don't know that I'd want to pull it in and out all the time, but if I moved the batter (thinking about a basic 12v system) I could leave it mounted up front and have the 110/120V electric in the tongue box (all I need is a circuit for the A/C, a circuit for an outlet in the cabin of the tear, probably up above a small shelf so I'd have a place to charge cellphone or camera batteries) and *maybe* a line to the galley). Come to think of it though - the only small electric appliance in my kitchen now is a microwave, I do everything else on the stove. Might not need the line to the back. The 12V system would power the lights and fan. The battery would help offset the A/C, weight-wise.

Heh. The biggest problem seems to be squeezing an A/C unit, at least 1 deep cycle 12V or 2 golf-cart 6V batteries, a bed for someone 6'1" tall, a water jug (or two) and a cooler in a 4x8 tear. Hmm. I need to measure my cooler and get the dimensions on some water jugs! Need to have rooms for some pots and pans and perhaps a dutch oven too, although some of it could ride in the tow vehicle. Right now I'm looking at a galley that's only 16" deep or so in the lower part where I'd want the cooler and water to ride. I need to build a mockup sometime.

[doug hodder]

Jopasm....I'm a big proponent of doing what you want. While the Benroy is fine, don't let it limit you on what you want to do. The construction techniques are basically the same, doesn't matter what profile you do. Draw up what you want and do it...no right or wrong, and if a cross between a couple of profiles work for you better, then go for it. We like new ideas! Good luck on whatever you choose to build. Doug

[John T. Hodgen]

hey Jopasm,
My build & camp photos are here; http://s215.photobucket.com/albums/cc145/panheadjohn60/ I used a TSC 4x8 no floor trailer, I have about 4 months build time and less than 2000.00 in the whole she-bang. "Costta Lotta" gets lots of attention when we're out with it. Even had a State Tropper pull us over once just to check it out.. I had no plan as to how,where, or sizes--just an idea of what I wanted and measured things the old style way of how it would fit me and went from there. Welcome and good luck in your build
Til later by the fire--John T. & Linda

[Roly Nelson]

I guess I am a bit old fashioned, but I feel that a dutch oven and a heavy cooler is better carried in the tow vehicle. The less weight you place in the teardrop, the better it rides. Just my 2 cents. Build what you are comfortable with, like Doug says, there are no rights or wrongs.
Roly

[oklahomajewel]

Welcome !! You are on the right track... the first thing to consider is how you'll use it and where you camp and the type of camping, so you can consider what and how to build. Teardrops are great for getting where big rigs can't and wayyyyy easier than tenting... especially when it rains!

I tow with a 2001 Honda Accord 4 cyl... right now just hit 174k miles and been towing my 5x8 for 3 yrs. I'm glad I put a transmission cooler on the vehicle, since I've towed it during some hot , hot months.. I do had to downshift on hills sometimes... even though I'm automatic, my teardrop is kinda light .

I opted to put the AC outside on the ground, behind the tire and then pipe it in . I don't need to carry it every time, in June and Sept the nights can still be cool . If you are going to camp alot where there's no electric, then consider a really good battery, and wiring it to charge from the car battery or such.

I built my frame with 1/4" plywood walls, then 3/4" foamboard,. and inside is 1/4" prefab wallboard. The top is 2 layers of 1/8" then 1 1/4 of foamboard and another 1/8" inside. I have a small tongue box with a deep cell battery.

I haven't had it weighed, but seems light .. I carry the ice chest in the galley, with stove and all.. no microwave, and the canopy and "dirty box" is in the tow vehicle. I've towed this thing for 3 yrs, 3 times to Louisiana... been to mid Missouri and Nebraska and lots of Ok, KS, Tx trips.... it's done fine on some bumpy roads but nothing "off road" ish.

Best of luck and HAVE FUN!

[jopasm]

Thank you all for the advice and welcome! I'll probably have more questions soon - I don't expect to be able to start building for at least a month or two (maybe not till next spring), so for now I'm doing a lot of dreaming and scheming.

The camping I enjoy most is getting out away from established campgrounds. When I was a kid we'd camp every summer, most often at a state park on gravel pads. It was great if you had a boat (the pads were right next to the lake), but not so great otherwise. The most enjoyable trip I've had lately (except for the sand...hate sand....) was spending a night on the Shackleford banks - only way to access it is by boat, primitive camping, bring your own water. The other sort of camping I can see doing in the tear is basically a base camp - find a campground or park near whatever I'd like to visit, and then roam. I'd love to visit Harper's Ferry, Gettysburg, and other places where I'd basically park the tear at a campground, spend the day exploring the park, museums, etc then come back to the tear for supper and a good nights sleep! This is going to mean lots of road miles though.

I'll post more about the design in the design section of the forum - nothing fancy, benroy profile with a tongue box (I like the benroy shape), still not sure what would be best for the trailer - harbor freight or equivalent with 12" wheels or a custom design on 15" wheels. Right now I'm leaning towards a framed/sandwich body construction with 1/4 ply on the outside, 1x framing on the interior, and then 1/8 or something similar for the interior. I'd like it to be able to carry a small canoe, kayak, or light skiff on a roof rack.

Anyway, thanks for all the replies! I'm going to be in NC for the next month or so, then I'll probably be moving back to MS. Trying to find a get together here, there, or somewhere along the way so I can actually see a few designs "in the flesh".