Help me brainstorm a take-down-able teardrop / trailer...

[mirau]

Yes, it's me again. After two years, I have abandoned my plan to turn my aluminum boat into a travel trailer. It was just too big. It went to a new good home.

My new, and more feasible, dream is to build a multipurpose trailer -- something I can use to haul kayaks & motorcycles, and use as a utility trailer. To make it perfect, I want to have a shell of some type on the basic teardrop principle -- but the catch is, it has to be removable so that I can use the trailer for multiple purposes. The idea is to have a shell or box of some type that can be broken down and stored, then reassembled when it's time for a camping trip.

I'm starting with a boat trailer that I will have modified in order to add a flat floor. Between the fenders it's four feet wide. The flat floor will probably end up being 9 to 10 feet long overall.

The basic requirements are...
• lightweight (1 person put up and tear down)
• 4' wide by about 7-8' long (I really don't want to have to move fenders around)
• modular construction (removable, breaks down for storage, and durable enough to stand up to repeated assembly and disassembly)
• hard sides (more secure than tent sides for a woman traveling alone)
• roof is weatherproof
• cheap! meaning inexpensive, I don't care about tacky

I've been having lots of fun brainstorming options, including:
• make panels from scratch, then bolt them together
• giant pet carrier (do they make 'em for ponies?)
• plastic storage shed kit
• trade show booth or lightweight cubicle walls
• igloo kit
• giant plastic log cabin logs
• builder boards (notched boards that kids typically play with)
• giant Lego-type blocks (about the size of a brick or shoebox, but I can't find these)
• and my personal favorite, a large kids plastic playhouse (hey, I'm only 5'3") (http://www.step2.com/product.cfm?product_id=1336)

Ideas that are fun but are more suited for permanent installation included...
• a (new, clean) septic or water tank, or a tube or pipe
• a calf hutch (or hog hutch or goat hutch) - a calf hutch would make a pretty cool little house (http://www.calftel.com/products/pro.php)
• a giant fake rock or boulder (hollow inside)
• big plastic dumpster, bicycle locker, grain storage or silo, compost bin, well, hot tub, greenhouse
• emergency shelter
• camper or camper shell, or pop-up tent trailer
• mini "quonset hut"

I'm running out of ideas for removable / breakdown-able shells. Can anyone else enable this madness and help me come up with some new ideas? Or has anyone built anything like this?[url][/url]

[Mary K]

You Forgot Duct Tape.

Mk

[cuyeda]

And you want it to be rain proof?

How about 4 plywood walls, plus roof. Use door hinge brackets to pin it all together. Add door, and window in the proper areas. Build kayak rack on top or separate support structure. Bring tarp for rainy weather. Go camping.

What are your ideas?

[Wimperdink]

How about a deck, pvc pipe structure and a large tarp.

[PaulC]

Just build a TD and a trailer. Problem solved.

Cheers
Paul

[angib]

A completely rectangular box made from 1/4" ply with 1x2 framing should be quite doable. I presume you'll want a floor on the trailer, so that could stay permanently in place. Bolts every 12-16" along the joints could be carriage bolts with either internal nuts (for security) or external wing nuts (for ease of assembly, but at the risk of barking your shins on them). Each panel should weigh about 50lb (a bit more for the ones with doors in them) so reasonably manageable.

But the dissassembled body is still going to need nearly half the space that a complete body needs, and a lot more work to dismantle and reassemble it, so I suspect you'd be better off with a removable but not-dissassembleable (like the new word?) body. Alternatively, put big doors in the back of the body and take the bedding out to use it as a utility trailer.

Andrew

[cuyeda]

No collapsible walls but, find a used truck bed shell. Look for the lighter ones. Build your utility trailer. Use fasteners of your choice.

[satch]

I agree with Anigb, a removable box would be a better bet. A break down might start to vibrate loose on the hi-way after being assembled/disassembled afew times. It just sounds like a lot of effort to work, or like Cliff said, build a short box and cap it with a truck shell. jmo

[PaulC]

Another Bright idea from the land downunder Build the utility trailerwith removable sides. Once the sides are off you can erect your tent on it. Saves on room, space and unnecessary over engineering of a simple concept.

Cheers
Paul

[Mstro]

Take uti8lity trailer with sides, insert fold out frames, brace to sides, and cover with a light weight material that meets your needs



Enjoy

[cuyeda]

Mirau,

What do you think? We need feedback.

[PaulC]

Mirau,

What do you think? We need feedback.

Don't hold your breath, Cliff He did this last time he asked questions.
Cheers
Paul

[moreforles]

not sure what you mean by break down able..... but most teardrops fold up pretty small as far as size goes and from what I've seen on a few of the videos, it doesn't take long or much effort for one person to do it.

My self I like an older style, the Kampmaster or Campmaster Wild Goose, it folds/closes up very low, but when in use, a lot more head room that many others.

Mine is only in the planning stages though, but that one or the Reverse Teardrop that Little Guy offers is also interesting

[EffieRover]

Just throwin' it out there - how about a hooped bow-top vardo with removable front and back? Obviously the canvas and hoops can be removable if not sprayed with something that stiffens it.

Here's a fancy-pants version: http://www.flickr.com/photos/27712868@N ... otostream/ but I've seen them before built with metal strips for the hoops so that the hoops can be removed.

Or, what I wanted to build on my dad's flatbed trailer was a ledge-type trailer that could be bolted on and off - completely enclosed box that goes on and off the trailer portion. Until I found out his trailer weighs 1,500 lbs by itself...

[PaulC]

Funny how this member throws a question on September 20th and then you don't hear from them. It'll probably be another 2 years before he/she asks another "out there" question and wants advice from everyone.

Cheers
Paul