stretched

[ktnc30]

Just a crude drawing to show my thought about a stretched tear. Been thinking about this for a year or so, prior to my reg tear build. At the time, had a Jeep and knew towing would be an issue but have since sold the Jeep and got a truck. With 2 kids, one for us and one for them without sleeping in same compartment. Front just a sleeping area with center bulkhead and shelves just as in a normal tear and then the rear has normal cabinetry with kitchen. Maybe 5X14-15 ft long? My hang up is about rear wheel placement and whether tongue weight would be an issue, tow with a Silverado so overall weight not an issue. Thinking tongue weight wouldnt be too bad if built light as I did in my 4X8, 1/2 walls, 1/4 skin glassed on front, top and hatch. What are the thoughts?

[starleen2]

What are the thoughts?

I think your gonna have to move the axle forward a bit and move the rearward door - that;s a lot of flex in the frame and its going to find the weakest spot - usually in framing of an outside wall seam

[mikeschn]

Move your wheel center to 70" from the rear. Then move the rear door behind the wheel. It might take some tweaking, but it can be done. You might add a little height to it to make it more pleasing to the eye.

Mike...

[bobhenry]

Yeah !

Kinda like this !

[starleen2]

Now I know where I have seen that shape before!

[mikeschn]

30 second thoughts...



Mike...

[kennyrayandersen]

Yeah, that’s a long ‘un! – going to put too much weight on the front without moving the axle. This is a job for the trailer balance spreadsheet in the design library!

[planovet]

Leave it to the forum founder to not know how to re-size a picture

Just kidding Mike

[mikeschn]

Leave it to the forum founder to not know how to re-size a picture

Just kidding Mike

Opps...

I guess running one of those wide screen monitors has gotten me spoiled...

1680 x 1050

here, let me resize it for you guys...

Mike...

edit: okay, it's resized... I selected 800x600... but it ended up something less than 600

[ktnc30]

Will have to draw it out with wheel in front of rear door, maybe shelves in middle facing front/rear so feet in each compartment face each other. Worried about enough room for small kitchen though with door so far back. Are not some towed boats longer with probably more weight on front? What if you build light? Definetly couldnt put any camping supplies in front part for stowage when towing.

Have better drawing, just havent scanned it yet. Just did rough to give folks idea of what I would be asking.

[kennyrayandersen]

Will have to draw it out with wheel in front of rear door, maybe shelves in middle facing front/rear so feet in each compartment face each other. Worried about enough room for small kitchen though with door so far back. Are not some towed boats longer with probably more weight on front? What if you build light? Definitely couldn’t put any camping supplies in front part for stowage when towing.

Have better drawing, just haven’t scanned it yet. Just did rough to give folks idea of what I would be asking.

It all really depends on the weight distribution and where you have the heavy stuff. It’s like a teeter-totter The further away from the axle (the balance point) your weight is the more moment it applies about this point. So 20 Lb applied 100 inches away is the same as 200 Lb applied 10 inches away. This is one reason traditional tears look a little mis-loaded to most folks. They don’t realize all of that heavy stuff in the kitchen is balancing the rest of the trailer which hasn’t got much in it.

The balance spreadsheet in the design library will help you determine where to put the axle -- it’s not a matter of what looks good, but what balances. In the end you want between 10 and 20% on the tongue. You could also wait until the end to do the final mounting of the axle until the last (several people have done that), but I’d think you’d at least want an idea where everything will be and you can get that using the spreadsheet. Don’t lest it scare you and you’ll probably have a bit of time invested in it, but don’t let that stop you – there are plenty of folks to help out with that including the TD guru himself (Andrew G.)