Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

...the plan is to immediately replace the roof vents with fantastic fans. I can source the fans and install them MUCH cheaper than the dealer quoted so will do that.

PlaidCat, welcome!

Before you buy Fantastic fans and then fixed covers so that you can use them when it rains, check out Maxxair fans. Ours works rain or shine (does not close when it rains) with a built-in shroud. When lowered (for travelling) it's only a couple of inches high.

I purchased our NEO trailer from L&M Trailers in Woodstock, NB just before we left Nova Scotia to return to the west coast. Almost 2 years full-timing in it (Feb 15). No problems and no leaks with Maxxair fan and 2 - 14"x22" skylights in the roof.

Good luck with your build. Look forward to lots of pictures.

Regarding weight distribution.

The farther back your axle is the more stable the trailer tows.

So putting the **fixed** heavy loads back as far as possible - propane, battery bank etc, then gives lots of flexibility toward your primary goal of 10% of total weight on your ball.

Water tanks being very low is great, and their fill can be adjusted for long, fast or very hilly trip fine-tuning.

Other than that, toward the inside center and close to over the axle.

hankaye - Thanks for the advice and link. Looks like they are talking about fixed tanks. Pretty sure the same points are valid for portable systems.

CoventryKid - Thanks for the tip on the Maxxair fans. I was wondering how effective they were. Also, do they use much power? We will be running solely on solar power.

John61CT - 10% of total weight on the ball? I thought that I should be shooting for a 60% in front of the axles and 40% behind the axels split of weight. I'll have to have another look at the weight distribution calculator to see what I'm missing.

PlaidCat wrote: Maxxair fans. I was wondering how effective they were. Also, do they use much power?

Super effective, but turn it up to full high power, of course that takes energy

But they are as energy efficient as any for a given CFM rate, and sometimes you really want that throughput.

Most conditions lowest setting is fine.

PlaidCat:

CoventryKid - Thanks for the tip on the Maxxair fans. I was wondering how effective they were. Also, do they use much power? We will be running solely on solar power.

Check this side by side comparison out http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/8893-fantastic-fan-vs-maxxfan-comparison-including-amp-usage/.

Hope this helps.

PlaidCat wrote:10% of total weight on the ball? I thought that I should be shooting for a 60% in front of the axles and 40% behind the axels split of weight. I'll have to have another look at the weight distribution calculator to see what I'm missing.

Not missing anything, two ways of saying the same thing. Your guideline is for design / planning, while tongue weight is very easy to measure "live" when actually loading.

Down to 9% is OK, as much as 15%, the point is to help with traction without reducing front friction for steering.

Obviously the overall weights are critical too, lots of cargo in the TV may reduce what you can load in the trailer.

I really like the Maxxair fan I have. It will pull 900cfm on high but there are a few speeds. At night, I close up all windows except the slider up in the bed loft. It pulls fresh air over me all night. On the lowest setting I can still feel the air moving.

I'd recommend a window or vent right near where you sleep so you can control the airflow over you at night directly from outside.

In alot of NF and State campgrounds without hookups you cannot run generators after 10pm , and for me that means no Airconditioner. But even in Florida, at 10pm at night, summer night's drop into the high to mid 70's. That constant air movement directly from outside over the sleep area ensures a comfortable night's sleep and very little battery drain. Just opening a window midship and having it go out the top does not have the same effect unless you put it on full blast and then you have the noise and the higher battery drain.

It seems to work well for me. Any other time after 7AM and before 10pm, I can run from the Honda generator or on full sun, I can run from the batteries with solar offset for hours. That is if I am hanging out inside. Some things to think about .

Good luck.



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Yup, 10-15% of loaded weight on the ball, when trailer is in straight and level flight. It is important to have the T.V. set up so the trailer attitude is correct when hitched up. For trailers our size you will be looking at 300-500lbs tongue wt. That weight is transferred to the TV but way out at the trailing lever as opposed to between the axles where payload is normally carried. This causes the rear to "squat" and front to rise and get lighter. Unless your truck was built with this in mind, changes the attitude and steering and braking characteristics. So you may need to address this with rear suspension upgrades. Having said all that, your goal would be to have trailer and tow vehicle level or slight nose low attitude when all hitched up, at full wet weight, with 10-15% of trailer full, wet weight on the ball hitch. You need to take all those things into consideration when you locate the ball height on the TV. It sounds complicated, but it is not if you can use the weight and balance tool I gave you. Just input your numbers for length, axle location, load size and location etc.. Now you can plan and design with different layouts and equipment and know how it affects tongue weight and CG.

McDave

Thanks for all the info. Looks like there will be more layout planning this weekend. My better half will be SO excited.

PlaidCat, Howdy;

PlaidCat wrote::thumbsup: Thanks for all the info. Looks like there will be more layout planning this weekend. My better half will be SO excited.

Don't worry about it, she'll find a way soon enough to balance the books ...

If you look at the side of your trailer from a short distance you'll notice that the axle
is not centered along the length of the trailer. That is done on purpose to help with
the weight distribution 40/60 from rear to front.

hank

PlaidCat wrote:Vspec - Hey to a fellow Maritimer! Have you heard any reviews of Mission Trailers? I had a look at your build and it's looking good.

I had 5x8 utility trailer from Mission and was quite satisfied. I would have probably gone with them had they offered the options I was looking for in a CT to be C. I have not done a side by side comparison between a Mission and a Neo, but I would hazard a guess that Neo is better built.

Like CoventryKid, we also got our Neo from L&M, great purchasing experience.