Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

What is a good way to clamp or fasten the floor to the trailer for a body that may need to be removed occasionally?
I would prefer not to drill holes in the trailer frame.

I am thinking bolts through the floor and a metal bar fastened under the trailer frame.

Any other ideas?

How about using the wedges from a pound apart bed frame?

I am not sure what wedges from a pound apart bed frame are?

I will have three 2x4s sitting fore and aft on each of three trailer frame pieces, which are also fore and aft. The 2x4s will extend forward of the triangle area of the boat trailer frame. A plywood floor will be on top of the 2x4s. There is some additional framing under the floor but only the three 2x4s are touching the frame.

Pictures would really help.

"J" bolts maybe?

http://d2y13ph2yc4lvn.cloudfront.net/ww ... rebend.png

skyl4rk wrote:What is a good way to clamp or fasten the floor to the trailer for a body that may need to be removed occasionally?
I would prefer not to drill holes in the trailer frame.

I am thinking bolts through the floor and a metal bar fastened under the trailer frame.

Any other ideas?

Are you adverse to welding brackets to the frame?

Angled brackets and bolt thru the stake pockets?
One maybe able to use pins with clips to make it wrench free.
That would hold it in place but not down tight.

Draw latches or turn buckles into lifting eyes?

Why not add fastener holes? Depending on the frame section a suitable mechanical joint should be conceivable. Yes, don't just drill holes willy-nilly, but I'm sure something suitable could be designed.

A general idea for that kind of setup, make the coach frame overhang the trailer frame a few inches at back, and fit leveling jacks to the coach, not the trailer. Then you can just put the jacks down, slide it off nearly all the way, catch the front on blocks or jacks and pull out. If you need a protruding bumper at the back though, it might need to be bolt on, to achieve that.

I'm late to this but iIf you can find a place to fit a few coffin locks, they seem ideal. One quick turn and unlocked, and nothing protruding if set into wall, etc.

http://www.rosebrand.com/product1674/Coffin-Lock.aspx

Some sort of locating pins, guides or brackets on or inside each corner will help line everything up each time you mate them.

If the locating thingymajigs are strong enough to resist the horizontal forces when accelerating, braking and turning, you do not need all that much hold down strength to keep the body and frame together when bouncing over and through holes and bumps.

The opposite is also true; if you use draw down latches and pull the cabin down fairly snuggly, the friction that develops between the cabin and deck will be enough to keep the load from sliding around... and there are no pins to try and line up while loading.

This is why a lot of heavy flat beds have wooden decks, friction.

I thought about a removable box also. In my design I had a plywood trailer floor as well as a plywood camper floor. Both floors would be flat so the camper could be positioned on top of the trailer, a sliding install.

Securing is one or a multiple of many ways. Easy to think of bolts until lining up the holes becomes an impossible chore. Still, bolts are full proof! To help with alignment I thought perimeter boards around three sides of the trailer floor would direct the camper to a correct position and also hold it in place better during travel. Heavy latches, bolts, even a couple of heavy ratcheting tie downs over the top. The tie downs can be removed once the trailer is parked.

If you only need to remove it occasionally, a couple of Grade 5 3/8-in carriage bolts would to the trick and if properly torqued would have virtually NO effect on the strength of the frame.

I like the ratcheting straps idea, too.

Just remember: Eventually, you're going to run over a skunk or hit a pothole or swerve to avoid a rear-end collision - and that body had better stay on! Whatever you use, remember that it's a safety-critical application, and safety is more important than convenience.

*end of sermon*

there is a product called BED BOLTS that could be used to secure a box to a wooden bed

the NUT portion of BED BOLTS is a 5/8" diameter bolt w/ a 3/8 threaded hole down the center

their original purpose is for having removable eye bolts in a pick up or trailer bed leaving the bed fully useable when the eye bolt is removed

in a pick up bed the head of the bolt is lower than the ridges in the metal bed

in a wooden floored trailer the head sucks down into the wood leaving a flush surface when the eye bolt is removed

http://www.bedbolts.com

simply drill a 5/8" hole thru the wooden bed and metal trailer frame, insert the BED BOLT, secure w/ the nut, flat & lock washers and you have a good threaded 3/8" recepticle for thru bolting the camper box to the trailer frame

btw, TRACTOR SUPPLY carries a similar product using a 3/8 bolt

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/produc ... -pack-of-2

and a heavier 1/2" bolt unit

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/produc ... -pack-of-2

they're all sold in pairs from $10 - $16/pair

hope this helps

sw