Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Well im new to the board...but glad to be here.. ive considered the idea of building a cargo hauler conversion for a few years and now is the time to do so.. as of sept. 09 i should have saved up enough "extra money" (as my wife puts it) to finally build one right..I know that alot are 6x10 and 6x12's on the site.. I was considering a 6x12 up to a 7x16..Just i need the space for the 2 quads i hall..Ive been riding for 26 years and ride sand dune's alot...My space would be used for mostly dune trips with the multi night stay..Also it is going to need to be self contained due to areas where i ride not having shower and toliets at times..i do plan on making a fold up bed and shower up front with sink..i would like to make my shower oversized length wise to have a porta poti installed in it.. Now you kind of have an idea of what this will be used for here is the must's for me :

shower
sink
toliet
power with charging
windows

I can cook outside no biggy..So basically i would like all the idea's or do's and donts on your such builds..best way to install a shower and sink using same water source.. Best thing to cut through your sides to install windows for the cleanest install..the best way to install power and set up charging system..ive seen so many great builds on this site im sure theres a few who has done something they wish they didnt..is it worth having two type's of power for most>?

I pull it with a 08 4 door silverado short bed 1500.. pulling isnt a problem but wanting to keep it small/simple yet very useful..i do want it to have a finished look like a house and not a shed... thanks for all the help..

Just my 2 cents but I would go with the 7 X 16. You certainly have enough truck to pull it. I bought a 6 X 12 because we had an s-10 pickup at the time. Now that we switched to a full size pickup we're considering going to a larger trailer.
Also, I wish I had done what many others on this board have done and ordered my trailer rather than buying it of the lot. That way you can get an RV door, windows, extra roof vents, flooring... already installed. I think the time savings is worth the initial extra cost.

Dunediver,

Sounds interesting!

I would say that if you want spaciousness, get a 7x16 V-nose. If you want something more compact, get a 7x16 flat-nose. To have adequate room to shower and maneuver, a trailer with extra height (like a 6 ft. 6 in. ceiling) with at least two crank-up vents would be practical.

Obviously you want a rear ramp. (Some brands come with cables, some with hinge springs.) RV windows placed where you want them according to your floor plan can be ordered or done later by you. Factory-installed RV door with separate screen door is a major plus. (Major surgery to do it yourself...like I had to do. You have to cut the hole and you have to shorten the door.)

Welcome to our crazy forum of trailer customizers and DYI maniacs. (If anyone here takes offense at that, they're in denial!)



Prem

Thanks EDCASEY thats what i was hoping to hear..I didnt want to make the move of not getting big enough.. I know we could always use more room but i dont want over kill for those tighter camp area's ..PREM i had been curious about those RV style doors and the install..What all do you guys use as for the actual window install? plasma cutter? what did you guys use? im consider myself *skilled* as a fab/builder but i hate doing something twice and like for it dome right first time..I am curious about the water res. or tanks you guys use..Do you just use a simple dc RV water pump with a power switch when needed?I remember reading through out the years of looking into these builds and seen where someone used a farm tank that could be pressureized by simple air for your water feed..Now simple sink water that should be fine as not much being used , but what about shower consumption..

Also im very interested about solar charging..As i stated i like to ride in dune areas along with many other but when i do go to these areas im in the sun..Some may think that will be hot but dune riding season is actually winter for most starts in oct. and ends around april ... then its to hot for most but not all..So i know i would benefit from a/some solar panels..Does anyone know of any good set ups for this use?

While talking about the sun beating down, it reminded me that i was also curious about awnings..ive read people buying pop tent ones? is this best solution or does anyone know of a simpler/cleaner solution?

Thanks for the welcome PREM everyone on this site seems to be very nice and extremely welcoming towards others..All your help is much appriciated......

happy trails...

Dunediver,

Most people here, including the lurkers who never post, get a great deal of helpful insights and workarounds by cruising the various posts and photos. I know I do, and many have said so straight out. We all appreciate eachother and have Mike and his helpers to thank for creating and maintaining this wonderful network!

Confession: I've built motorhomes from scratch with ALL the bells and whistles (full plumbing and electrical, banks of photovoltaic panels and wild raised roofs with sleeping lofts. I joined a 12-step program for DIY addicts. It didn't work, but at least I downsized lately!

Here's the deal: You want a toy hauler done your way, not too big or small and concise. I get that. I would advise keeping it to the bare necessities. If you really have to have running water, an RV 12 volt DC pump (Shurflo brand) will power all the faucets. The problem with a cargo trailer is putting the gray water and poo tanks underneath. There's not much ground clearance. So if you get really shallow tanks, there won't be much volume. Frequent runs to the dump station are a pain. I prefer frequent runs to the showers and outhouse instead of installing all that and hauling waste that around. As for solar panels, get the biggest one you can find, put a voltage regulator on it and wire it to two group 27 deep cycle batteries. You'll have plenty of power if the sun is shining and you're not parked under a tree. I like framed and flexible Uni-Solar panels (no breakable glass). They quit making them but you can still find them occasionally on eBay.

Go read all the posts here and you'll have even more answers to your design questions. A dozen brains are better than one (meaning mine).

Keep us posted!



Prem

dunediver wrote:What all do you guys use as for the actual window install? plasma cutter? what did you guys use?

After marking out the location of the windows, John just used a jig saw on the inside luan wall and the 4" grinder with a cutting wheel on the outside aluminum wall. He reinforced with (I think) 2X2's, sealed with silicone and screwed it in. Sorry I don't have detailed pics, I was at work when he did it.

WINDOW CUT-OUTS:

You mark the cut-out for your window on the exterior skin of the trailer in the exact spot you want to install it, making sure that you aren't going to be cutting through any electrical wires to your taillights. You drill a 3/8th inch hole anywhere on the INSIDE of the line. You put a metal cutting blade in a jigsaw. It's 3/8th of an inch wide. Insert in hole and cut along your line. If you are cutting through an upright piece of thick metal, you switch to a reciprocating saw with a metal blade just for that cut because a jig saw cuts finer and is more controllable than a reciprocating saw. (Staying perfectly perpendicular is hard with a reciprocating saw.)

No plasma cutter needed.

Hope that helps.

Prem

If you are using a self contained porta-potti, then you only have to catch the gray water. A tank under the counter would work for the sink. Could the shower be outside?

PREM, I was leaning towards the metal blade the jigsaw..And then just running some caulking around the window real well for sealing reasons.. As far as the side bracing is this needed?

REBAPUCK, I thought of this idea along with the simple 5 gallon bucket with lid and bags.. But of course this would be a ,at night or emergency thing only..Every place that i have been at has had some type of bathroom unless in the southern california desert area's,and some nevada desert area's.. Does the porta poti electric or not work good?Has anyone here ever use or know anyone who does use one..Is it fairly easy to drain?

Ive seen a few nice setup's through out the years i know that a 10 gallon black water would be enough if needed..As far as the fresh water res. I was thinking a 30 gallon under the sink.. Running the shower and sink off these two.. As far as a grey water res. im still in search mode.. I have read on the net where people let there grey water in a 5 gallon bucket through a pipe going outside under trailer, other things ive seen have been where they just let it empty on ground..Although im not sure how laws work on this .. but if you wash your hands/dishes outside and dump water what in some sense would be difference?

Prem wrote:WINDOW CUT-OUTS:

You mark the cut-out for your window on the exterior skin of the trailer in the exact spot you want to install it, making sure that you aren't going to be cutting through any electrical wires to your taillights. You drill a 3/8th inch hole anywhere on the INSIDE of the line. You put a metal cutting blade in a jigsaw. It's 3/8th of an inch wide. Insert in hole and cut along your line. If you are cutting through an upright piece of thick metal, you switch to a reciprocating saw with a metal blade just for that cut because a jig saw cuts finer and is more controllable than a reciprocating saw. (Staying perfectly perpendicular is hard with a reciprocating saw.)

No plasma cutter needed.

Hope that helps.

Prem

A metal cutting blade in a circular saw is quicker and easier to keep straight. The plunge cuts needs to be slow and deliberate but it would be my tool of choice !

Bobhenry,

Drop cut with a circular saw? You're a braver fellow than I.

I had to use a jigsaw on my window cut-outs because the windows have radius corners.

I also put masking tape on the "table" of my jigsaw so that I would not scratch or mar the white paint on the aluminum skin of the trailer, which is easy to do. Worked great.

Prem

Dunediver,

Speaking of masking tape:

For a really flush fit on the outside, I drilled the lip of the window with evenly spaced holes for small aluminum rivets. Then I set the windows in dry, drew a faint line on the trailer around the window lip with a pencil. I pulled the window out and put masking tape around the outside of the line. Next I put white 50-year silicone marine caulking in a thick bead on the underside of the lip of the window, slid it into the cut-out and riveted it in place. The silicon caulk squeezed out onto the masking tape and I pulled the tape away. Super clean result.

Most RV windows are installed using butyl tape or messy butyl in a caulking tube. Both are gray, not white. The tape never compresses all the way, leaving a gray line that attracts dirt.

Prem

I think one concern with draining gray water directly to the ground is leaving a wet site for the next camper. If you are off road, it shouldn't matter. May be different in a state/fereral park. I have used a porta-potti for years. It's not my favorite chore to empty it, so it's an "emergency use only" thing. But when you need it.... Check out some of the cassette types. They hold more, but still have to be emptied.

A water tank set high can run on gravity.

To answer one of your previous question, I always add a full frame when adding a window, roof air conditioner, entry door, refer vent door.... With a new unit it's very easy to remove the luan, cut out any wall supports that are in the way and weld in a steel frame. You said your are a fabricator so I'm assuming that includes simple metal work. As far as what tool to use to cut the sheet metal, there are several good choices but I use the same tool we use when replacing sheet metal on campers which is a router with a flush cut bit with ball bearing. All you do is drill one hole in the sheet metal and insert the bit. Start the router and move the bit until it hits the window frame. The ball bearing will ride along the window frame making a perfect cut that takes less than 30 seconds on a medium size window.

aluminium vs steel? is the aluminium that much lighter

rivet vs solid shell? i know riveted boats end up leaking if not sealed


and as far as overall durability what brand is best? i know that they are pretty much all made similar but ive read where some have a plastic nose? that dont sound good...


thanks to all who are helping me grease my wheels for the project ahead..im starting to buy items i will most likely need , lighting and sink forsure...