Albuquerque teardrop

[Ron Dickey]

So I had driven my trailer around town with no issues. A month later I'm readying it for first camping trip, air up the tires, and head down the road. SQUEAK, SQUEAK, SQUEAK! Right wheel's sidewall is rubbing on the frame! I return home, put tent camping gear into my Subaru and head out with my son-in-law. We had a great trip to East Fork Campground in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado.

After returning, I check things out. I had put larger, highway rated wheels on the trailer and they have very little clearance. I will check the axle alignment and wheel (it could be out of true) and switch it out with my spare (same size).

I may have to install spacers to move the wheels out 1/4 inch or so. Worst case, buy a new, longer axle.

Glad to know you are out, When I was last in Alb. my axel connect broke on my first trailer "box kite" it rubbed in to the wall and burned a hole in the side. be careful you do not want to be far away and smell smoke. The wheel was not welded on straight and that is part of why I started my new trailer. Also you pull with the wagon I pull with a corolla car but there is some pull back lost with the flat front even with the wagon at 55+ you get what I call U-haul trailer drag. You can put a box on the front with a curve at the top like this

plus there should be some extea weight on the front. I use it to hold things for the trailer like stabilizer jacks, spare tire, and my gas bottles for cooking or light. I also brought some starter wood for fires. as soon as I put the box on it pulled even smoother. Australian trailers use a screen that runs just in front of the trailer keeping air and dirt from hitting the trailer. google ... mesh stone guard trailer in the outback of NM it might help more then air.
I have many photo's of Teardrop trailers most do not have the top curved. mine it square at the bottom and round at the top. even Roly's has some curve.
However if you are not bothered by it that is cool too. I think I get better mpg with it.
I was last in NM in 2008 maybe when I get this one done I will venture out to see it as a tourist
second Generation New Mexico Native.
Ron Dickey
Los Osos, ca

[ChasCABQ]

I am celebrating my first trip out and it was a complete success. See trip report here: viewtopic.php?f=43&t=67175

As noted in my trip report, I need to raise my fenders due to larger diameter highway tires I installed. Tires did NOT rub on frame after I did some adjustments to the leaf spring attachment brackets since my aborted trip in August 2016. Here's to more teardrop camping in the future.

[ChasCABQ]

Ron Dickey said: "Glad to know you are out, When I was last in Alb. my axel connect broke on my first trailer "box kite" it rubbed in to the wall and burned a hole in the side. be careful you do not want to be far away and smell smoke. The wheel was not welded on straight and that is part of why I started my new trailer. Also you pull with the wagon I pull with a corolla car but there is some pull back lost with the flat front even with the wagon at 55+ you get what I call U-haul trailer drag."

Thanks Ron, I had some rubbing on the sidewalls due to larger tires and fenders being too low. I'll raise the fenders to fix that problem. Regarding air resistance, I didn't notice any significant drag because my Subaru height is within inches of the trailer's and it is close enough to stay in the slipstream. Trailer is very light however and did bounce a bit on the backroads unless I drove really slow. I didn't put anything in the galley and may put a box in front to protect the trailer and add some weight to the tongue. Right now the tongue weight is less than 50 pounds and vehicle is rated for 100 lbs.

[ChasCABQ]

I sold my teardrop trailer since I didn't need it. Sold in one hour parked in front of a friend's house Memorial Day weekend. New owner has a trailer ready for customizing. I enjoyed building it, covered my costs selling it, and had one comfortable night's sleep in the mountains in it.

Decision to sell came down to two things: wife didn't want to car camp anymore (bummer!) and I didn't want to tow a trailer just for one person.

I'll car camp by sleeping in my Subaru wagon or use a tent for now or I may buy a car top tent with the proceeds. I learned a lot of cool new things building it and interacting with all you other owners and builders here on the forum and in real life. Thanks for the help along the way!

First and only camping trip, Jemez Mountains, New Mexico

IMG_20160930_093049878_HDR.jpg (258.52 KiB) Viewed 788 times

[KCStudly]

Oh well. Life is an adventure.