Another Harbor Freight trailer question - New Guy

[EZ]

Hi Folks,

I have been bitten by the bug to build a teardrop in a big way. I have read most of the posts here and there is an incredible amount of information here. Some opinions, some fact. Either way at this time I need some of either. I am sitting on a 20% HF coupon which expires in 2 days. I have a store locally so if the item (trailer) is in stock I can get it easily.

My plan is to build my camper without a galley, The entire body will be interior space, mostly to sleep 2 adults and 2 small children. No galley or hatch. No stove or water, etc. Therefore it will be pretty light with 1/2" ply floor and 1/2" sandwich sides. A shelf and a bunk will finish it off. A couple of electric lights and roof vent and that is about it.

Here is my dilema: I would like to build my teardrop at least 5 feet wide, possibly 5 1/2'. I don't necessarily see any problem overhanging 6-8". However I really don't want to go through all of the trouble of making wheel wells, etc. The HF 1175# capacity trailer has 12" wheels which go above the bed; the 960# capacity trailer has 8" wheels that are below the bed making it eay to go wide. I know that 12" wheels will spin a lot less than the 8" wheels going down the road but I am not intending on travelling the country with this, just some camping with my kids probably within a 200 mi. radius. Also the loaded weight of the camper should be way below 960 lbs.

The 1175 weighs 266 lbs. per the manual (287 lbs. per the Harbor Freight ad?) and the 960 weighs 197 lbs. per the manual. There must be some difference other than the tires and less weight to pull down the road. I already have a HF boat trailer with 8" wheels that seems to hold up OK (with a spare tire I could use). I burned the bearings up once but that was after it sat for over a year and I never did fill up the grease caps to full in the beginning, so I am blaming myself for that. I know that some TD have been built with the 8" tired trailer. I am on the tightest budget that there is but the trailers are so close in price right now that either is an option.

I have previously built and airplane and a sailboat from wood and I am really looking forward to this. Any comments are appreciated. I need to get to the Freighthouse and spend this coupon........Thanks. Ed

[mikeschn]

Hi EZ,

Welcome to the fourm...

At first blush I would say you can do what you are thinking... but do you have any paint sketches or drawings you can share with us. It sure would make it easier to understand...

mike...

[dacrazyrn]

The 1800# is on sale at HF now ($299), and if you use a 20% coupon also...

[madjack]

hiya EZ...welcome to the board...me personally I am a big wheel/tire proponent...the bigger, the better...however it is certainly a personal choice...I don't know enough about the 8" wheel trailer to make any kind of recommendations BUT...will the tires at full spring travel, still be below the bed??? Also, if you buy the lower rated trailer, you will be resticting yourself to what you can do in the future with that trailer in regards to improvements/modifications, etc....just a thought or two...anyway welcome aboard again and don't forget the pics...we really do luv to see da pics and it really helps out the imaginationally challenged
madjack

[EZ]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I think the idea of going with the bigger capacity (and wheels) trailer in case of future expansion is a good idea. I don't know if the smaller tires will remain below the bed under weight or bumps as was mentioned. This is going to be interesting......

Ed

[madjack]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I think the idea of going with the bigger capacity (and wheels) trailer in case of future expansion is a good idea. I don't know if the smaller tires will remain below the bed under weight or bumps as was mentioned. This is going to be interesting......

Ed

...Ed, believe me when I say...you have absolutely no idea at all as to just "how interesting" this is gonna be just remember to have fun...you're on teardrop time now
madjack

[Ira]

EZ--you built a real airplane!?

[EZ]

Ira,

I should clarify that. I almost built an airplane. Back in the late 80's I was flying ultralights (owned 2; that was before marriage) and I decided should build a plane from scratch. I was constructing a single seat high-wing wood airplane from about 1990 - 2002. The wings alone had over 1000 pieces. Hundreds of hours. It was a lesson in cutting and sanding and gluing and engineering jigs and solving problems. However as the project came closer to the end I found that having 3 kids did not allow me the time I needed as well as the fact that I lost confidence in the design and decided I didn't want my butt in that airplane. So I sold the project on e-bay to a guy that I swear wouldn't fit in it.

Missing the smell of freshly cut wood, I then completed a 12 foot sailboat last summer. I imagine a lot of what I learned building the sailboat will apply here. Still not having the resources to start on another airplane project and some smaller kids to camp with I decided a small camping trailer is a good project. Just wish I would have found out about TDs about 3 months ago so I would have a start.

This forum is the greatest I have seen since the sirplane building days. Lots of nice folks with good (and sometimes crazy) ideas.

Ed Z

[Chris C]

"Sometimes" he says. Heck, I thought MOST of our ideas were crazy. After all, most of those of us who post them are just a little

[critter]

hey ez,
welcome to the madness.youll never look at a sheet plywood the same. dont try to fight the addiction just go with it.