T-49 - Temporary .5 Teardrop Wagon - Camping Pics - Pg 8

[2bits]

Uh oh... the man who has been thinking for a long time reveals himself... I think your build will take a long time, and be worth every moment! !!

[teardrop_focus]

Thomas!

The agony of delaying the start of building 'cause I had not the extra cash... was made all the easier to endure by being able to be present for builds such as your own, my good man.

Miriam C.
...if you work at it you can and should get your TD weight closer to 600lbs..... I love the frame design. Do you have a weight on it yet..

I'll weigh the chassis parts first when I can... and again when I get the hubs, wheels, tires and wiring installed.

I had thought that I might indeed get the finished teardrop's total empty weight down to below 600 lbs, yes! ... but with the addition of the second 2 X 2 in the crossmember and the 1 X 2 diagonals, I might not be saving much weight over a simple ladder-style frame, so, I dunno how much lighter it might be.

I'm easily adding 500 lbs worth of gear. The total, loaded weight goal of 1100 lbs goin-down-the-road will be difficult to meet, yes, but it's still the goal. The lighter I can make the chassis and empty cabin, the more gear I can stow then still have some towing performance.

[S. Heisley]

WooHoo! Chris is building a teardrop!
Looking forward to your progress postings. It looks like you're off to a good start!

[2bits]

Sorry I didn't see your thread sooner! Keep up the progress! I am going to try and get some more done over the summer myself.

[Shadow Catcher]

I like the design and the MIG welding looks good.

[doug hodder]

Hey Chris....how goes the build? Inquiring minds want to know! Doug

[cherokeegeorge]

Chris, congrats on getting started on your build.

[teardrop_focus]

Thanks and thanks for asking...


Not much to report from this last week except some headscratching and problem-solving...



I should have an update w/ pics later this week.

[teardrop_focus]

Here it is "later this week" and there's really nothing picture-worthy to post... save for a couple of vintage 12V auxiliary lamp housings and lenses I've overhauled... pics of those, later.




Aggie's recent post in another build thread reminded one to "Keep in mind these things are a lot of work. Don't get impatient if takes longer than you think."

...to which I added something about [Gage's constant reminder of building on] "Teardrop Time", a phrase denoting a philosophy that has shown some benefit to reduced stress levels when applied to my daily life.




But, I am becoming a bit anxious... I want at least a completed chassis to use as a camping utililty trailer to haul our gear to the IRG next month...




For example, I should have had my chassis finished already... but for the simple issue of raising the chassis tongue height to position the coupler to the tow vehicle... the hitch ball height must remain where it is for ground clearance issues when entering and exiting steep driveways.

My delay has been due to my desire to bend the steel tubing "gracefully" or, to a pleasing form...
Well, it's not so easy, and where it might be easy (like having someone else do it, haha) it would then cost more than what's left in the current State-Of-The-Budget.

After some mild frustration, labor and then the disappointment upon achieving abject failure at attempting to bend the tongue tubing cleanly using a shop press and a decent-looking, machine-shop-made bending die, it remains a FACT the the only clean way to bend tubing is with a mandrel-bending $ystem.

I have resigned this setback with the compromise of using a pleasant-looking "stack" (if it isn't an oxymoron) to raise the tongue... the design of which I'll work on this afternoon.

Then there's the issue of WHEELS that I ordered over 5 weeks ago from Stockton Wheel... which were promised in four. I was promised an email today w/ a new ETA. We'll see how THAT goes... When quickly searching Google a few days ago for the wheel maker's phone number I was linked to a H.A.M.B. thread that shed a less-than-favorable light on the situation...



I have everything else! ready to go to complete the chassis; coupler, wiring, tug-to-trailer connector, jacketed 7-wire, junction box, lights, battery, etc... plus a few more procedures needing to be performed to facilitate the mounting of a temporary teardrop roadster body... Mmmwhahahahahaha!!!!

[2bits]

One thing puzzles me. You say the hitch ball needs to remain where it is for clearance issues from the ground, but it sounds like if you need to raise the tongue, you could raise the hitch ball which in turn would give you more clearance, not less. Maybe I mis understood though. If not, you could get a drop hitch and turn it over, and mount the ball facing up.



It sounds like you are on the cusp! ! ! !

[teardrop_focus]

Hey, Thomas! That slider (drawbar) is pretty dang close to the one I'm using... and in that orientation, too.



I suppose I was a bit vague and had assumed that you'd know that the top of my tear's frame/chassis tubing when level is just 12 inches above ground.

I should have said, "... but for the simple issue of raising the chassis tongue height - relative to the rest of the chassis - to position the coupler to the tow vehicle... the hitch ball height (16.75 inches) must remain where it is (to allow driveway slope clearance).

Remember seeing any Kit teardrops? Their tongues are raised in a similar fashion, but with round tubing in an A-frame tongue.

I should have been clearer in my description...

[High Desert]

Chris, that makes it clear. I've always thought the tongue on the original Kits had a certain style that was sleak and graceful. It will look sharp with your profile

[teardrop_focus]

Aye, it would... if only I could get the tongue tubing mandrel-bent.

Alas, I've looked around and three places in my region that bend tube don't have mandrels and dies for 2" square tube...

I may have to stack it, and to look halfway decent I've got to do some curved cuts on the tubing ends. Time and money are running low for this portion of the build.

[High Desert]

How about notching the tubing in small increments over the length of the desired curve? Cutting through the top and sides, leaving the bottom side intact. That can make a pretty smooth bend. Then weld the closed notches, and add a form cut side plate for strength? Just a thought, seen it done with good results before.

[teardrop_focus]

A local friend and I have tossed around that idea, but cutting the tubing sidewall off completely, welding in thicker, S-shaped plates... I've drawn the S, but the fabrication is daunting... at this point I'm all about gittin' er done and doing a stack.