Tent Top Trailer

[agrimm]

My design idea is a foldable box on a trailer. Open, the box would measure 10x10 and closed 10x5. The EZ up canopy with side walls would be attached over the open box and used as a tent.

Any thoughts or ideas?
Pros?
Cons?

[TJinPgh]

Certainly different and makes for a more economical solution than purchasing a regular tent top.

So, would the legs of the canopy be on the ground or attached to the box somehow?

Either would work but if you're going to put them on the ground you'll need a way to anchor it. I've seen far too many canopies get blown away without being anchored.

Other than that? The only other thing you might want to consider are some kind of supports under the ledges once you open up the box. There will be 2-1/2' hanging out there on each side (which, I'm guessing will be bunks?). You'll need some sort of support to keep them from collapsing with the weight of a person on them.

You MIGHT be able to connect the corners of the box once opened to the legs of the canopy. Although, that would depend on how strong the canopy was. The legs on the ones you typically find at a place like WalMart may not support the weight.

Might. Just not sure.

Figure out those details and it certainly seems doable. Lots of room, for sure.

[agrimm]

Thanks for the input. The drawing above is a rough sketch for the purpose of adding details. I haven't put all the details down on paper yet.

The Tent top will be secured to the trailer itself. I'm still working out the details and trying to get them on paper.

I think the canopy legs may be too weak to hold the weight of the bunks once they are open. Perhaps with supports brom the bunks to the trailer to alleviate some of the pressure the steel legs will add some extra support if I put them on the ground.

Also, I am planning on building this as light as possible as my TV has a 1,000lb max (w/o trailer brakes) and 2,000lb (w/trailer brakes). Although for MPG purposes and to get the true camping experience I plan to pack as light as posssible!

Thanks again.

CHEERS

[TJinPgh]

The Tent top will be secured to the trailer itself. I'm still working out the details and trying to get them on paper.

That wil resolve the anchoring issue.

I think the canopy legs may be too weak to hold the weight of the bunks once they are open. Perhaps with supports brom the bunks to the trailer to alleviate some of the pressure the steel legs will add some extra support if I put them on the ground.

They can either attach to the sides at an angle or simply extend to the ground. Just consider that the side of the foldout in the closed position will be the bottom of the bunk open. You may need to make the supports removable for travel.

The other thing to think about is that when closed you will have a seam the length of the box where the two foldouts meet. You will need a way of sealing that when closed to keep water out.

Also, I am planning on building this as light as possible as my TV has a 1,000lb max (w/o trailer brakes) and 2,000lb (w/trailer brakes). Although for MPG purposes and to get the true camping experience I plan to pack as light as posssible!

Same here although I don't think mine gets bumped up with brakes.

Take a look at the foamies section to get some ideas on making the box lighter. Also consider if you need a 10' trailer just because you have a 10' tent. An 8' trailer is lighter and gives you a 2'x10' vestibule at the door end to keep shoes and such dry, or even chairs if it's raining.

[TJinPgh]

Looking at your design again, there may be another way to reduce weight without impacting the overall thinking behind your plan.

Looking at the foldout bunk portions, they are essentially a 2-sided box 2.5'x2.5'x10', correct?

The "top" of the box in closed position becomes the "side" of the box" in open position. At that point, you have a 2.5' bunk surrounded on 3 sides by a 2.5' wall.

I'm not sure that the 2.5' wall serves any real benefit other than being the distance necessary to reach the center of the lower box in closed position.

If you pictured the same image above, in open position, you could just as easily eliminate the side walls of the bunk. The base of the bunk, instead of being vertical in closed position, could simply flip all the way over and be the roof in closed position.

So, in closed position, instead of your unit being 3.5' high, it would only be 1' high, plus the thickness of your base (probably 3/4"-1").

At that point, you could raise the height of your base box to 2' and have a fairly comfortable seating position and still be 1.5' shorter and lighter than the original design.

[working on it]

I had previously drawn up detailed plans for a combo cargo/camping trailer, before I decided on a TTT. After witnessing my wife's soggy condition after getting more water inside her tent than stayed outside it, I was going to build a 4'x8' platform on wheels for her, with extending/overlapping/folding 2'x8' sides to use as an elevated base for her tent. The folded sides would lay out flat with folding support legs (locking) at each corner. The laid out sides would make it an 8'x8' platform, above ground level, high and dry for her tent to rest on. Tie downs at strategic locations already bolted on. A cargo box, in front, would hold the tent and gear during travel. I carried the plans around in my computer bag for a coupla years before finally deciding that building a TTT would be what I really wanted. I threw the pages of scaled drawings away when I started on my TTT (detailed plans not being used here!). I used the little trailer (with major mods)as a basis for the "hardtop" tent I'm building. I hope you finish your tented trailer, I'd like to see how it works out.

[agrimm]

If you pictured the same image above, in open position, you could just as easily eliminate the side walls of the bunk. The base of the bunk, instead of being vertical in closed position, could simply flip all the way over and be the roof in closed position.

So, in closed position, instead of your unit being 3.5' high, it would only be 1' high, plus the thickness of your base (probably 3/4"-1").

At that point, you could raise the height of your base box to 2' and have a fairly comfortable seating position and still be 1.5' shorter and lighter than the original design.

I actually rethought the plan this weekend to eliminate the bunk sides and increase the depth of the base box. I considered, as did you, that the bunk boxes serve no real purpose and only add weight. I think the only real purpose they served is to add height to the closed box for gear storage.

Thanks again for the input. I will keep you posted on the new design.

CHEERS

[TJinPgh]

Yes, please keep us updated.

You and I are looking in around the same tow capacity. I had thought about various pop-up designs initially as well. What you came up with is a very cost effective alternative to the explorer box. Not QUITE as fast to set up but far cheaper to build and a lot more space.

Your original design called for a 5x10 trailer, opened up to a 10x10 footprint.

Is there a reason you were looking at a 10' long trailer other than that was the size of the tent? How many people are you anticipating?

A 5x10 trailer is going to be fairly heavy and may well take up over half of your 1000 lb weight limit.

Keep in mind that, unless you have somebody over 6' tall that your design can sleep four adults in a 6' trailer. If you have people over 6', you can move up to a 7' or 8' trailer and still be quite a bit less than a 5x10 in weight.

The only real benefit to going out to 10' is if you planned to put a bed across the front of the trailer as well, giving you a U-shaped bed platform when opened. That would sleep 6 adults and still have 5x7.5 of floor space.

But, like I said, if you don't need to sleep any more than 4 people, a 6-8' trailer would not only be cheaper but substantially lighter.

[agrimm]

I had originally based the design off of a 4x8 HF trailer built out to 5x10 to accomodate the EZ Up 10x10 tent.

I see that there are 8x8 EZ Up tents but, with a wife and two kids I figure the 10x10 area would allow more room during the times we are in it all together. However. I realize that we are almost never in the tent unless we are sleeping. Given that I think a 8x8 EZ Up canopy would give enough room to accomodate 4 people while sleeping. In addition to the fold out bunks I plan to add a dinette that unfolds into a (near) queen size sleeping area for the wife and I.

I will do some more calculating and see if the 8x8 EZ up would be as effective as the 10x10 (although smaller). Also, ther base would be lighter for the 8x8.

[TJinPgh]

The downside I see to doing this either way is that you end up with two bunks that are either 2' or 2-1/2' wide. Whether it's 8' or 10' long, it's not going to really allow for more than 1 adult on each side.

Another option might be to go with a 12x12 EZ up and a 4x8 trailer. If you use full 4x8 sheets for your bunks, that will give you a 12x8 trailer footprint inside and give you a 12x4 vestibule to sit if it rains or to keep things like dirty boots and such out of the trailer.

Otherwise, if all you plan to do in the tent is sleep, then you could use a 5x6 trailer. Open it up to 10x6 and, instead of having the box be the floor area, simply have a bed platform across the entire thing. That will give you a 10x6 sleeping area (more than enough for 2 adults and 2 kids) and use the area underneath the bed for storage in the box. That fits nicely into the 10x10 tent and still gives you room to move around under cover.

Of course, you could do that with a 4x8 trailer in the 8x8 tent and accomplish the same thing. Although, it would be a tad more cramped with 2' of shoulder room per person vs. 2-1/2'.

Lots of options, just need to figure out which suits your needs best.

[agrimm]

Here is the new idea with the bunks out and the dinette in the "bed' position.



And in the "table" postition.



The excess tent hanging down would be folded under the bunks and secured with snaps, velcro or, an elastic draw string. I would also add a hinged door to the end of the box.

[TJinPgh]

What size trailer was that based on, the 8x8 or 10x10?

Out of curiosity, how big are the kids?

[agrimm]

That is based on the 10x10 trailer (5x10 folded).

My kids are 10 and 5. They still have some growing to do!

[TJinPgh]

Ok. Was just trying to figure out the scale of the dinette and how people would by laying.

Depending on how long the "table" is going to be, you could lay people a couple of ways.

You could do a 4' to 5' table and lay the adults sideways and have 5' to 6' on the sides for the kids. This gives you 5' to 6' of floor space.

Or, you could do a 6' table and lay everybody long ways. The 2 adults in the middle and the kids on the sides. Gives them plenty of room to grow, but reduces your floor space to 4'.

Either way, the way you've drawn that you have some options, which is always a good thing.

I like it.

[kludge]

just a few thoughts...

8x8 would be real tight for four people, even small people, but it's real nice for two. Putting the beds on different levels will help, and I've thought about doing exactly that on my 7x8 trailer. 5x8 for the main adult area (queen bed + some length) and 2x8 for each of the kids' bunks would about ideal, I think. 10x10 will work obviously.

I know it's just a sketch, but the corner poles of the EZ UP shelters are not vertical. You probably knew that already.

I don't know how much you are wanting to spend, but maybe Panther Primatives could make you a wall tent to your specifications. I would guess maybe $400-$600? It's been a while since I priced them, so I added a hundred bucks.