Albuquerque teardrop

[ChasCABQ]

Well, after browsing the forum and talking with local teardrop builder, Capt. Bob, I pulled the trigger and just ordered a 5x8 trailer from Northern Tool. I have a design done up in Sketchup and will refine it as soon as I get my wood.

Thanks to everybody who's posted here. I hope to avoid newbie mistakes and make a teardrop proud to call my own. Keep tuned for further posts.
Charles

[ChasCABQ]

1-First Teardrop design.jpg (35.74 KiB) Viewed 5304 times

Note: I have gone through several profiles since this one.

[ChasCABQ]

See following posts for revised profile(s)

[Ron Dickey]

Good basic design you have room for addon's as you find more of what you need a front box might help with air flow and storage. what will you be pulling with?

Ron D.

[ChasCABQ]

Good basic design you have room for addon's as you find more of what you need a front box might help with air flow and storage. what will you be pulling with?

Ron D.

Yeah, my design is pretty basic to keep weight down (estimated weight about 750 lbs. not including furnishings and supplies). I'll be pulling with 2014 Subaru Outback 4-cylinder AWD with CVT. It's got lots of internal storage being it's a wagon and I'm a pretty minimalist camper: propane Coleman stove, cooler, kitchen box, etc. A front box may be added once I know tongue weight. As part of the build I'm going to get the platform done, load it up and see if axle should be moved. Subaru says to keep tongue weight no more than 100 lbs.

[ChasCABQ]

Yesterday I received 5x8 trailer kit from Northern Tool, and lumber from local supplier Hunter-Bower (they have quality materials and free delivery!).
Floor and walls: 1/2" marine plywood with reinforcing spars on top edges and at door openings.
Roof: 1/8" birch plywood over 1x2 poplar spars at about 12" spacing inset into 1/2" thick plywood reinforcing along edges (detail via Capt. Bob).
Galley divider and shelf: 3/4" birch plywood.
Cabinets and shelves: 1/2" birch plywood.

Estimated weight about 750 lbs. not including furnishings and camping supplies.

Estimated cost about $2000 including purchase of door hardware, etc. from Teardrop Parts supplier(s). Quality's not cheap but it's worth it!

Today I opened the trailer boxes and started reading the instructions. Will start putting it together later today. My wife is almost as excited as I am (since I finished all her "honey dos" this summer). Good thing I have a two-and-a-half car garage: I can build indoors and still park our cars!

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[ChasCABQ]

Trailer frame is bolted up except for top bolts which hold floor. Only wiring and fenders are left. I will square it up and start cutting floor pieces next.

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[ChasCABQ]

After watching my 4-year-old grandson this past week I got to work on my teardrop yesterday. I squared the trailer frame and cut floor panels. I put masking tape on the cut lines and it really helped make smooth cuts without ripping the plywood. Today I will glue strips of rubber stair tread on the frame cross-members to fill in the gap between the steel frame and plywood floor then start bolting the floor on.

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[Vedette]

Looks like you are off to a flying start!
At this rate you will be camping by spring........that is when the fun will really begin!
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[ChasCABQ]

I installed the floor made of two 5'x4'x1/2" marine plywood panels. I used 1/2" longer bolts than those supplied and counter-sunk the flat washers on top of the wood.

Floor is down.JPG (91.33 KiB) Viewed 5786 times

The Northern Tool trailer frame cross-members are about 1/8" shorter in height than the inside of the long frame members so I had to loosen the bottom bolts so I could cinch up the cross-members against the top of the frame members. Before putting down the plywood, I cut and glued strips of rubber stair tread to each cross-member to fill the gap under the plywood.

I was a little off in my drill holes and have about a 1/8" gap between the panels that I will fill with sealant before installing walls. Next to do: fit check wall profile and door location then start cutting those panels.

[ChasCABQ]

I've been browsing the aerodynamics discussion here and looking at other sites about aerodynamics and I think I will build a flat or "Kamm" back trailer similar to those by SignaTour Campers. http://www.signatourcampers.com

Teardrop flatback.jpg (84.96 KiB) Viewed 5695 times

I will use a slight slope on the roof (about 5 degrees) and a vertical galley hatch. I may even rethink the galley and provide access through the back. I need to decide on door style: overhead or twin barn doors or a combination maybe even with receding side doors. A lot to ponder at this stage. In any case the hatch will be inset a few inches from the roof and side edges for a cleaner break in the air flow. This design has several advantages: more room inside, easier hatch build, hatch hinge and side seals will be out of the wind stream reducing water infiltration.

[rebapuck]

Not that I'm a builder, mind you, but I lean towards flat vertical hatches. In pictures of sloping hatches, the counter looks to be too far back from the standing spot to be comfortable. I tend to lean on my counters when working in the kitchen.

[ChasCABQ]

I created measuring templates in Sketchup and used a flexible water hose to draw the curves. Front curve is a quarter ellipse beginning with 19" radius. Rear is a long arc with straight tail at the back.

I put tape down for smoother cuts but the my jigsaw kept getting hung up on it. I have a new blade and a test cut shows that the tape is not needed. Next I need to sand the edge and use this one to mark the right side.

1-P1020098.JPG (61.75 KiB) Viewed 5628 times

Here's what the finished trailer will look like:

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Helper tightening bolts for tail lights

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[ChasCABQ]

Not that I'm a builder, mind you, but I lean towards flat vertical hatches. In pictures of sloping hatches, the counter looks to be too far back from the standing spot to be comfortable. I tend to lean on my counters when working in the kitchen.

Very good point about counter access! I appreciate your feedback. My research shows that the Kammback was developed in the 1930s by German aerodynamicist Wunibald Kamm [name corrected after seeing next post].

[Vedette]

Wuni bad Kamm? Are you sure!
Good roads
Brian