Chess's budget trailer.

[Chess]

Well this is the beginning, its still in the planning stage.
The plan is for a cheap and lightweight trailer.
It will be 8' (2440mm)by 4' (1220mm) based on the size of a sheet of plywood and also I don't have a workshop but have enough room in my basement flat to build it that size in sections then can put it together at a later date. Not sure about insulation yet whether to go for 25mm or 50mm as it will be used in colder weather.
The sleeping area will have a futon in it so it can be used for seating as well as sleeping and the rear will contain the kitchen area where I will be using my old camping trailer fridge (12v,240v and gas) and my camping gas hob, I will have a 12v battery hopefully I can find a cheap zig unit so it can be charged whilst driving and run an invertor and have 240v just to run the fridge but that isn't essential, the lighting will probably be battery leds just for simplicity.
Here is my first basic plan

Its turned out quite boxy but that is because of its small size and what i want to fit in it. Any help and advice gratefully accepted.

[mikeschn]

Just eyeballing it, you don't want to be that close to the ground with your sidewalls.

Mike...

[Chess]

Just eyeballing it, you don't want to be that close to the ground with your sidewalls.

Thanks for your comment, that part of the plan is 'fluid' at the moment, the part below the black line (black line is the top of the floor) is a skirt to cover the chassis and to make the trailer look lower, it all depends on wheel size/axle position on the finished item, but it has occurred to me now that the deeper the skirt the dumpier the trailer will look.

[hoytedow]

Adding material to the sides will make you more subject of crosswinds, affecting control on the road. Better to keep it open under the chassis.

[Chess]

will make you more subject of crosswinds

Good point I can't believe how much information I have learn't from this site
Thanks

[angib]

Putting the axle back there will make for a high hitch weight (or nose weight as we Brits call it).

You will often see that on this forum where folk are using big trucks to pull their teardrop - they could nearly carry the whole trailer weight on the coupler. That's not true for European cars and you may find yourself exceeding the permitted nose weight for your car. I suggest you should regard the 'normal' 60/40 (60% over body length in front of the axle) position as the maximum for you.

[Chess]

the axle back there will make for a high nose weight

Its there really because that's where the compass fell more than anything, I guess the best thing is to get it built get out the bathroom scales and make the last job fixing the axle so the nose weight is right, for your average euro family hatchback I'd imagine would be about looking at about 35kg.