Would love feedback on my original, tiny trailer design

[deleted]

Woud truly appreciate if any experienced builders and rv'ers can take a peek and let me know their thoughts. I've posted it on my blog specifically to be critiqued so that I can build my trailer right the first time. You can click on any image to enlarge it. If it's better for me to post the entire descriptions and images here I can add them later this afternoon.

http://theflirtyguide.blogspot.com/2012 ... ravel.html

Currently I have no building skills but will be working at http://TechShop.com taking classes, working with their dream coaches and using their tools and equipment.

[WesGrimes]

The shape looks good.
It looks like from some of the pictures that you are thinking of putting front to back cabinets with a shower. That trailer looks a little small to fit all of that, and have room to sleep.
I personally would use a solid axle. Those bolt on torsion half axles scare me. I went with a 4" drop axle (3500lbs) after reading this: http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=32474

[deleted]

Thanks for taking a peek WesGrimes!

The shower container I will keep in the trunk of my car and bring it out in the evenings just for showering and empty it out in my sink after I'm done. It's small enough to set on the counter overnight then put it back in the car in the morning. I'm figuring I can get by with just a gallon of water for showers.

The cabinets are really small Only 17" deep and 22" high. With the cabinets in place it leaves me 27" x 68" for sleeping. My camping mattress is only 20" wide so I think the space will be ok. I'm 15" wide (lol I've never measured my "width" before) at my widest point, 62" tall and (quite literally) don't move in my sleep except for maybe flipping from side to side once or twice during the night.

I will look into the axle you mentioned. Thanks for the link. I'd love to hear if anyone here has used the Timbren axle-less wheels on their trailers. I learned about them here http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/t ... l-question and the reviews on the second and third pages sound promising.

[mikeschn]

At first blush I would say it's too high and too wide. Make it narrower so that you can see around it when you are towing it. Make it 48" high so that you can get by with just one sheet of plywood for the height.

Make it longer. The length is free, i.e. it doesn't add to the wind resistance. Then put your appliances either in the front or in the back, rather than the side.

Check out these free plans for some more ideas... http://www.mikenchell.com/images/GenericBenroyPlans.pdf

The paint job looks good!

Mike...

[deleted]

Hi Mike,

The trailer is only 4' wide but you think it's too wide?

Is your suggestion to use just one sheet of plywood just to use one sheet of plywood? I realize there will be a bit more drag if I make the entire trailer 56" high but I don't think it will be a serious issue since most other teardrops still run around 50+" high with the axle and wheels attached.

I did consider adding a bit more length to place the cabinets at the front (I want to keep the rear clear in case I want to use the trailer to haul larger objects) but had read the best placement for the weight is over the wheels or towards the center of the trailer. Placing them at the front end won't put too much weight on the tongue? If it won't I'm open to moving them there.

[mikeschn]

I went back and took another look. I see now, that what you call width, I call length. And what you call depth, I call width.

Anyways, 48" wide is fine. But definitely move the appliances and cabinets to the front or rear. The location of your cabinets will determine your wheel placement which will determine your tongue weight. There's more information on that here: http://www.angib.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/t ... tear81.htm

Many teardrops use a single sheet of plywood for the sides, while the longer ones stretch out the sheet of plywood in the length direction. Visually anything from 4x8 to 4x10 looks attractive.

Mike...

[deleted]

I went back and took another look. I see now, that what you call width, I call length. And what you call depth, I call width.

It's me not you. I've never built anything before so I'm sure I'm using the wrong terminology.

Thanks for taking a second look.

Hm, I like the idea of putting the cabinets at the front that way if a friend wants to tag along there's room for two at night! Thanks for the link. I'll take a peek.

[deleted]

Mike, here's what I came up with by adding an extra foot to move the storage to the front. Now the trailer would measure 4'x7'. I really don't want to add any more length than that. I figure I can use the PP cabinet as a night stand or something.

Overhead including the inward opening screen door radius:


Facing the front of the trailer I've moved the power cabinet to above the cooler/ kitchen cabinet:


I still want to keep the cabinets movable/removable and want to still keep access to the tongue box from the interior of the cabin by hiding the access doors to the battery behind these cabinets.

[S. Heisley]

Hi, Stacie:

I think that I can add a little that may not yet been talked about.

Since the trailer must weigh 1000 lbs or less, you will have to be very mindful of your trailer weights as you build. You'd be surprised at how fast weight can get away from you. If you can cut down on the thickness of your plywood from the beginning, you'll save some weight that you can use for things you didn't expect to weigh so much, later.

Yes, 1/4" plywood is sufficient for cabinets but you could use 1/8" plywood for the sides, provided the panels are attached to cabinet framing wood and you aren't putting anything really, really heavy in them. I would definitely go with 1/4" for the cabinet doors with a wood frame on them as well. Of course, you probably already know that you'll need to ensure that your movable cabinets will not become torpedoes inside your trailer when you're travelling, by planning on a secure way to attach them to the floors and/or walls.

1/8" plywood for the trailer sides and roof is sufficient, especially for the inside walls. You'd be surprised at how strong that can be, once properly treated and glued to your Styrofoam. If you don't feel comfortable with that, you can at least cut the plywood thickness in half from what you have listed. Instead of 1/2" thick plywood for the outside, you could easily use 1/4"; and, instead of 1/4" thickness for the inside walls, you could use 1/8". Marine plywood for the interior is not necessary, provided the trailer is water tight, which it should be. Use whatever depth of Styrofoam will fill the space available between the exterior and interior walls. Styrofoam weighs little. The foam is what helps sound proof and insulate and it actually helps support the plywood sides, in between the cabin framework. A vent and/or window, cracked open, will help prevent condensation , which you can get just from breathing.

One more thing: If you haven't already done this, buy some painter tape or masking tape and map out your trailer floor plan on a floor in your apartment, garage, kitchen, or wherever. Add boxes on the floor to represent your cabinets. crouch or crawl around in the space to see how you feel in it. (Remember that your walls are less than 4' tall.) Pretend to do the things that you plan to do in that space. This will give you a pretty good feeling for what you plan. You could possibly find some things that you want to do differently or you could come up with some additional ideas that you want to implement.

[deleted]

Hi Sharon!

Thanks for encouraging me to build a scale model of some type to sit in. I kind of did that just marking off the space on the floor of our living room. I also got a very good sense of the scale leaning into a 4x8 teardrop at the TCT rally two weeks ago but their interior height was lower so it did feel a bit cramped.

And thanks for confirming I can go lightweight on the cabinets. I'm thinking to even cut out the facing on the sink and maybe Porta Potty doors and replace with 1/8" white acrylic and use either metal or acrylic for the interior shelves as I think they are both lighter than wood.

And yes, I had considered how to secure the cabinets. I'm thinking of somehow bolting them to the walls from the inside of the cabinet so that the hardware is concealed. It will make securing them take a minute to fasten or unfasten each bolt but I think it would be worth it.

As for weight, I know if I aim to keep my weight at 700 lbs it means I'll end up at at least 800. LOL. Here are my weights to date. Most objects I've already selected particular models (haven't ordered them yet though) so I know their exact measurements and weights. I am wondering how many cross bars I really need to frame the sidewalls with the 1" tube steel. Thinning them out could take off a lot of weight. I also think I can get away with removing one cross bar from the chassis having only 2 instead of 3. The rest I'm not sure where I can cut back to bring everything closer to my goal weight:

For 4'x6" Trailer:

29 lbs - Side Wall Left 52 x 72 - 1/4" and 1/8" plywood
29 lbs - Side Wall Right 52 x 72 - 1/4" and 1/8" plywood
35 lbs - Floor 48 x 72 - 1/2" plywood
50 lbs - Top and Sides (Front and Back) 1/8" luan
133 lbs - Steel Chassis 2" tube steel (ESTIMATE)
140 lbs- Steel Frame side wall x 2 (ESTIMATE)
48 lbs- Steel Frame top (ESTIMATE)
? Insulation
(464 lbs)

70 lbs Axle-less Wheels x 2 (Shipping Weight)
48 lbs - Tires x 3 16 lbs each
? - Wheel Covers
55 lbs Battery
2 lbs - Plastic Vented Battery Box
19 lbs - Diamond Plate rock guard
20 lbs - Trailer Jack / Wheel
(214 lbs)

26 lbs - Door exterior
25 lbs - Door Interior (estimate)
30 lbs - Cabinets 25 lbs 1/4". 5.5 lbs 1/8
8 lb - Window
20 lbs - Tongue Box
? - Dropped Storage Compartments (Metal? Wood?)
(109 lbs)

6 lbs - Inverter
1 lb - Smoke Detector
1 lb - C02 Detector
11 lbs - Vent/Fan + resistor in power line
5 lbs - Sink
4 lbs - Cooler
16 lbs - 2 gallons potable water
6 lbs - Fondue Pot
15 lbs - Toilet with + 1 gallon water
2 lbs - Shelf
1 lb - Bed
1 lb - Pillow
2 lbs - Banket
(71 lbs)

858 LBS TOTAL

[droid_ca]

I'd like to see more of this trailer as you start to build it I think everyone would like to see how you incorporate a bit of everything inside such a small space you have some good ideas thanks for sharing

[deleted]

If it's possible to over-document a build I will probably be the one to do it. As a blogger it's in my nature to document everything. Always. I carry my Micro Four Thirds GF2 camera with me at all times and hubby just got a GoPro video camera so I may even shoot video, with the camera strapped right to me, as I work on the trailer.

[nevadatear]

Hmm 4 lbs for the cooler. Dont forget ice and food. Quite a bit heavier:)

[deleted]

Hmm 4 lbs for the cooler. Dont forget ice and food. Quite a bit heavier:)

It's a very small cooler. LOL. No, you're right. It will weigh more but just a bit. I don't plan on doing any kind of cooking. When I'm out on an overnight blog excursion. I eat out because I'm a foodie and enjoy creating restaurant reviews so the ice chest is because I always have left overs and just need somewhere to pack them. I eat my lunch leftovers for dinner and dinner leftovers for breakfast the next morning. I'll keep a can of soup in the trailer, some nuts and probably a banana. But that's about it. In the summer, it will be nice to keep a couple of water bottles chilled if it's really hot out.

Also, I'm thinking it may give some context to share an example of how little time I'll spend in my trailer when I go somewhere to do research for my blog. This overnight trip explains why I only need enough room to sleep, and have a few other basic essentials for convenience.

On a recent trip to Monterey I did and saw enough in two days to write 4 blog posts which is a really fantastic return on the amount of time I was gone. I arrived in Monterey in the late morning for a hotel site tour and lunch, went to the coast to go tide pooling, to Carmel to photograph the sunset, back to Monterey for dinner then straight to bed. The next morning I was out before sunrise to photograph the coast at the sun came up, toured Cannery Row, back to Carmel for breakfast then back to Monterey to tour Old Fisherman's Wharf. After, I stopped at Moss Landing on the way home for lunch and spent hours photographing all kinds of wildlife. If my camera batteries hadn't died I would have stayed longer with the sea otters!

Day 1
http://theflirtyguide.blogspot.com/2012/07/where-to-stay-and-play-in-monterey.html

Day 2
http://theflirtyguide.blogspot.com/2012/07/a-monterey-sunrise-del-monte-blvd-and.html
http://theflirtyguide.blogspot.com/2012/07/breakfast-at-la-bicyclette.html
http://theflirtyguide.blogspot.com/2012/08/where-to-see-sea-otters-in-northern.html

[mezmo]

Hi Stacie,

Welcome to the forum first off !

And a Very Interesting undertaking you have going on !

I thought I'd give you a couple/few links for inspiration if
you don't mind.

The original [German] Knaus Schwalbennest [Swallows nest]
TTT was made in 1961. Here is the 50th Anniversary, tweaked version:

http://tinyhouseblog.com/travel-trailer ... albennest/

If you notice, the floorplan is similar to your original side-by-side plan of
sleeping/activity on one side and the cabinets/storage on the other. The difference
seems to be it splits the storage into two areas either side of the entry door.
Perhaps that'd be useful for you as well, as that would allow the full interior width
of the middle of the trailer body to be utilized for activity.

Also Andrew has a similar sized Wanderer 8 and 10 plan:

http://www.angib.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/t ... tear59.htm

I know you mentioned that you are of a petite body size, but I wonder
if some of your potential activity area sizes will actually work - i.e. a 20in
square shower base/area. It will be difficult for for even a petite person
to go through all the bathing motions in that small of an area, manouevering
the water wand and bending over will be close to impossible. Since the
shower will be portable for indoor use, you could just buy a 32in square plastic
showerbase and utilize that to provide a roomier area for bathing, In essence,
the whole interior of the trailer will become the bathroom when you are showering
[a very useful thing I think] so that should fit.

Even though you aren't exactly planning this method, here is a great design
for a built-in shower pan in the floor, I always thought such would be a good idea
to incorporate. I would have the built-in shower pan covered by a lift-up floor panel
that could be/incorporate part of the shower enclosure or be one of its walls that
you could mount a folding shower curtain "U" rod on etc..

http://www.imagine-trailvan.co.za/Comfo ... hroom.html

Sharon has good advice on the cabinets. I have a storage seat/stool [@ 18in W
by 18in H by 24in L] from an old 1950s house trailer that is made of 3/16in plywood
sides with 3/4in by 3/4in interior corner and perimeter and underneath pine framing,
with a 3/4in by 1&1/2in top opening perimeter framing [mainly so they could screw
on the top lid hinges] and a 3/8in to 1/2in thick plywood bottom and a
1/2in to 5/8in thick plywood lid/top - basically it was made from cut outs/offs of
building the house trailer. It is all glued together and it is extremely strong ! I'm
a Big guy and it holds me fine. Gluing it all together is one of the secrets.

As far as wall construction goes, check out linuxmanxxx's posts in the Foamy section.
He advocates, and has had great success with, minimal [basically edge and opening
perimeters] 1x framing [3/4in by 3/4in to 3/4in by up to 1&1/2in] and 3/4in thick
extruded foam sheets. [Single foam sheets for walls, double thickness (1&1/2in) foam
sheets for the roofs.] He laminates a thin plywood interior sheet to the foam and
an exterior plywood, aluminum or fiberglass sheet [and is to try Formica] for the exterior
wall covering using a water based 3M contact cement. Here is a link to a later thread
that he started:

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=50213

After bringing that up, click on his user name on the left, this will
bring up his Viewing Profile. Under "User Statistics" in the lower right, click on
"Search user's posts", this will bring up all the posts he has done. Even though it may
seem a bit disjointed looking at them out of 'context', the details and info on his
method are in there. Looking at them this way is a heck-of-a-lot easier that trying to look
through all the various topic threads for his post's information.

Good luck with all your planning. Hopefully, everyone's "few cent's worth" can help you 'tweak'
your design in useful ways.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo