Big dreams, little budget!

[parnold]

Hello to everyone. I'm from Northwestern New Jersey, and have actually been lurking for a couple months now. I have a fairly simple project in mind for my first build, it will be teardrop shaped, but it will basically be a clamshell with tent sides. I have to organize my drawings and I'll post them. I have put together my supply list and the total is 445.00. I'm suspecting I've forgotten some things so I'm estimating more like 600.00 when I'm done. (I already have a HF 4x4 trailer)
My design is just big enough to fit a single mattress, as I will be camping alone, and it doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles. I drive a small Hyundai Accent, so the trailer should be easy to pull.
I have a second trailer (4x8) for my more ambitious project, a true teardrop, but it is in such bad shape I'll probably only utilize the axle and suspension from it. I am hoping to build the simple one this spring, and money permitting, start on the second in the fall.

Paul

[parnold]

Ok, let's see if I got this right. My design and bad model building ...

First up the drawing

This is the cardboard frame. notice the fold out wings, which will give me somewhere to put dirty shoes, radio, light, etc.

The back view of the trailer with the fly open.

What it will look like closed.

I plan to have a tarp that will stretch over the top and back to keep rain out of the back, you may have noticed the two "poles" at odd angles in the frame picture. Still working on that one.

[steve smoot]

welcome to the forum, and that is a nice looking little camper you have designed. Make sure and keep us up to date. We like pictures here...

Steve

[parnold]

I tend to go overboard with my digital camera, so pics will abound. Hoping to start the build in about 4 weeks, mid to late March. Lots more reading to do....

[Ageless]

Nice! . . .and simple. One suggestion; take those two extra poles and make a slide-out awning in the rear.

[Sparksalot]

I tend to go overboard with my digital camera,

There's no such thing on this board.

[High Desert]

Fun looking and practial design! Great modeling work too

and btw, Welcome to the forum.

[gullywompr]

Cool! Reminds me a little of Len's Pacman. I'll be watching your progress on this one.

[bc toys]

Welcome to site.Good luck with the budget build. You can do it if you look around constrution site and ask them, our tell them what you are doing with there scrap wood. They might give you some wood, they always over buy for a build

[DMcCam]

Welcome Paul, Nice size model and cool design. Making a model sure helps to visualize before you commit any real money to the project. Looking forward to your build.

Have Fun, Dave

[mikeschn]

Hey Paul,

Welcome to the forum... You wanna go crazy with the digital camera? Do it! We love it!!!

As for your teardrop design... It reminds me of this one...

http://pages.prodigy.net/rfs2growup/nifty.htm

Mike...

[IndyTom]

Paul,

Welcome. I love your design, clean and simple. I will be following this build very closely.

Tom

[tinksdad]

There are a few trailers floating around here built on the HF 4 x 4. Glad to see another one going to join the fold. I definitely want to watch this one take shape.

I'm just gonna throw a couple things at you. I'm sure you all ready thought of them; but sometimes I just like to hear myself talk. I'm sure by now, you know the 4 X 4 is not truly 4 foot wide. But at 40", it just happens to be the width of the single mattress that you are after (with just a little wiggle room side to side). On the one sketch, you showed the axle moved back 4" from center. Having happened to take some measurements on mine, you can actually re-drill the frame and move the axle back 9". That may or may not help you getting the balance right. In my opinion though, it still left the stock tongue too short. I replaced mine with one that was 2 feet longer and was able to accommodate the overhang of the body front and rear of the actual trailer frame.

And I would be remiss in not mentioning the fact (found from personal experience), if you put some substantial weight at the rear of the trailer (such as entering and exiting as you plan); the trailer will stand up if not still attached to the tow vehicle. I would seriously think about some stabilizers or that end.

Here's looking at you.

[parnold]

I have found a local steel yard where I can buy 2 x 3 tubular 11 guage steel for a longer tongue. Three dollars a foot, quite a bargain compared to what I found tongues for on the net. I am also going to buy a longer receiver. I have yet to hook the trailer up to the car to do some exact clearance measurements (I hate the cold). The 4" move was an early idea and will likely not be needed with the longer tongue. I have to replace my tongue anyways as it is bent from the trailer coming unhooked at 70mph on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and swinging wildly on the safety chains. I'm glad my father taught me to be so careful with safety chains.. just wish he had told me about the ball adjustment.. live and learn.

[parnold]

Oh, I've been looking at stabilizer options, quick and cheap since I really want to use the trailer this year, so I've even looked at inexpensive bottle jacks, three of which will require no installation and should do the trick.

Wow.. Mike, that 50's fold up is awesome!