New in NorCal

[olhogrider]

A few months back, on a whim I bought a "vintage" trailer. Ok, it's just old. I started finding out about trailers including Teardrops. When I took my trailer to a vintage trailer campout I soon realized that it was way more than I needed. I checked out a couple of TDs. They really look like what I need! I bought the Kuffel Creek plans and a HF 4x8 heavy duty trailer.The trailer frame is done and I'm about to start on the wood but I have some questions. First, I don't like the red frame sticking out the bottom. I can see that dropping the body would lose a couple of inches of head room. I'm ok with that, but what do you do about the bolt heads on the frame? Do you extend the plywood down over the frame, or just extend the aluminum? I suppose I could just paint the frame to match the metal (silver) but that would not be my first choice. Also the simpler I make it the sooner I'll be on the road. The galley can just be a place for a camp stove, cooler and a few utensils. If I get in over my head learning the ins and outs of cabinetry, I'll give up and go back to tents. Thanks

Dan

[bobhenry]

I don't like the red frame sticking out the bottom. I can see that dropping the body would lose a couple of inches of head room. I'm ok with that, but what do you do about the bolt heads on the frame? Do you extend the plywood down over the frame, or just extend the aluminum? Dan

Perhaps add a belly band /band board / freize board banding what ever you want to call it.

http://www.miratectrim.com/installation/ Number 4 in the trim illustration.

A nice painted or natural finished 1 by 4 or 1 by 6 hanging below the 2x4 rim and joists laying on the frame. As to the bolts lay your boards in place and smack it with a heavy mallet or hammer you can use a wood block if you are worried about the appearance of a board you will never see. The bolt heads will telegraph into the grain underneath and you will be able to take a flat speed bore type drill bit and take out about 3/8 of an inch of the material. The safest way to do this is leave the board a couple inches long until you get it to set the way you want then trim later. Also mark the front and which side so you don't get the left and right mixed up.

[olhogrider]

Thanks. That's a great idea!

[Roly Nelson]

Hi Dan, welcome to the forum, you have found the right place. It is strange that you are asking the same questions that I was, when I built my woody 10 years ago. I didn't want that red HF frame showing, and painting it a different color wasn't an option. So, I began my 4 ft high sheet of plywood, right at the top of the frame and it was attached to the 2x3 members bolted to the top of the frame.

Most of my woody has exterior 3/4 inch trim members, around the doors and windows, and If you look at my construction pics, you can see that I ran a 5 inch wide board all the way to the bottom of the frame rails. The top of the board is screwed and glued to the floor members and the lower part of the board is fastened with bolts through the frame rail. I loaded up the side of the frame with panel adhesive, to add to the strength of the attachment.

All of those screws and bolts are now hidden with the many wooden plugs that conceal them, however any kind of wood filler would make it suitable for painting, unless you decide to cover the plywood with another waterproof material. This has worked well for me on both of my HF teardrops. Hogging out a bit of wood to cover the HF frame bolts is no problem when working with 3/4 inch trim members. If you have and more questions, feel free to PM me.
So Cal Roly ~~