____________Harbor Freight Trailer Question ________________

[teardropsleeper]

Need height measurement for the top of the frame to the top of the tire.
with NO load or with a full load ( finished teardrop trailer).
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[Nobody]

Dunno about the 1175 but my HF 1800# (1740) had less than 1" of the tires protrude above the unladen frame. I made my floor frame of 1 1/2"X2" ripped from 2X6's, extended out over the tires. To allow clearance for spring/load flex I ended up with a very small 'wheel well' inside the cabin; only 1" high & about 6X24". I 'skirted' the floor frame with 1X6 (for looks) & cut out the 'arc' for wheel access. Before doing all this I checked the spring flex by loading more'n 1200lbs of concrete blocks & steel on the trailer frame & measuring deflection (almost nil). I then allowed a couple of inches between the tire top & wheel well bottom for flex over bumps, etc. I ended up with a little less than 2" but I've pulled it over some pretty rough terrain with no appreciable flex & no contact between the tires & trailer body. You may need to allow more clearance for a 1175# trailer?? Here's a couple of pix of the flex test along with floor frame detail. More pix in my album -

[EZ]

On the 1175# trailer I believe it is very close to level with the trailer bed. Maybe an inch above if that. I used 2 X 3s on edge and I have 1.5"-2" clearance with the camper complete.

Ed

[teardropsleeper]

Thanks
Just the information I was looking for.

[teardropsleeper]

Nobody
Just looked all your pictures .Great trailer. What size is the tongue on your trailer? (2"x2")
Also why the trailer tongue?
Didn't trust the HF tongue?

[Sierrajack]

Nobody,
Way cool looking floor plan, I like it alot. What are you using to line the wheel wells with? I was thinking about 1/2" ply and then adding sheet metal over that to prevent rock damage. Have you built one of these before? I was curious about the front overhang and if there are any structural issues with the lack of apparent support. 'Course, I can only see what I see in the pictures.
Thanks

[Nobody]

teardropsleeper - I added the additional tongue piece mainly because I couldn't abide the looks of the HF factory coupler mount. You'll notice in the pic that the factory mount is simply a trapezoid plate with a 2.5X2.5" piece welded on that the coupler bolts on. Looked like hell to me, besides with my profile the floor extends about 7" in front of the steel frame & the front wall curve another 4-5" so actually the original coupler mount would have been too close to the trailer body. I simply unbolted the factory plate, turned it upside down (after some judicious grinding to make it fit ) & bolted it to the original A-frame tongue. I then took a length of 2X2X3/16" square tubing, cut to proper length, bolted a pair of 1.5X1.5" pieces of angle iron to the two front cross members of the trailer frame, placed the new tongue piece thru the old factory mount & between the angles, & bolted everything up, after squaring the tongue to the axle hubs. My new tongue puts the front of the coupler exactly 45" away from the nearest part of the curved front of the trailer body. Here's pix of the original mount, & the new tongue installed -



Sierrajack - Actually I didn't use any liner for the wheel wells yet. So far I've just used the SBS (sticky black stuff) asphalt roof emulsion & it's held up well for the approx 1500mi I've pulled it, mostly over freeway but also quite a lot of 2-lane, hilly, rough, blacktop roads. I'm waiting to see how much mud'n crud gets thrown up there & sticks 'fore I decide what (if?) kinda liner I may put in. I have some strips of flexible fiberglass 'bout 3/32" thick that I may try if it looks as tho I need it . As for the front (& rear) floor overhang, my entire floor, frame, side skirt, floor, etc., is made as a sorta 'truss' unit. Everything is tied together with PL construction adhesive, screws, & 2" construction staples, then bolted to the steel frame with ten 7/16" galvanized carriage bolts. My front overhang is around 7" & the rear is a little less. The inner walls & frame were fastened to the floor frame thru top of the floor, again with PL adhesive, 1/4X4" lag screws, & a dozen or so #12X4" deck screws, before adding insulation, & then the outer wood wall sheathing was glued/screwed/stapled to both the wall frame & the 'skirt' board before the final aluminum skin was added. No Jack, I've never built a TD before altho I have built a couple of cabover P/U campers. I know the stresses involved in 'cantilevering' the cabover section & the 'wings' that extend over the sides of the P/U. I'm pretty sure I allowed for that in my small overhangs here

[Sierrajack]

Many thanks, looks like you do things like I do. I'm going to get after my current project and get 'er done as soon as the weather cooperates. Then I want to sell that one and build something bigger and so getting some ideas right now. I have a 19' Rockwood which my wife really likes because it has a potty and a shower. Now I have to convince her that short trips are okay because we'll be staying at improved campgrounds and she can take a hike!!!
Keep up the good work, looks right and tight.