Teardrop for One

[Henry Benner]

Thanks for the encouragement. My claim to fame is that I can turn long lengths of wood into short pieces in record time. My next door neighbor loves it. (I keep him supplied with kiln dried fire wood.)
But I'm getting better. I can actually cut wood accurate to within a 1/16" now.

My saving grace is that I don't take myself seriously. I want a tiny trailer and not having the skills is not going to stop me.

[plectrudis]

My saving grace is that I don't take myself seriously. I want a tiny trailer and not having the skills is not going to stop me.

Rock on, my friend.

[Henry Benner]

Here are some photos of framed trailer attached to the tow vehicle.


Shows the framing on the curb side. "Posts" are 1.5 x 1.5 common spruce bolted to the frame and then fastening an interior wall of 1/4" plywood to the inside of these posts.
The space between the posts will be filled with 2 layers of foil backed 3/4" foam insulation. Then covering the exterior with painted canvas.


Shows the framing and the adjustable wind deflector. In the finished version the solar panel would be recessed into the deflector.
The roof spars are 3/4" x 1.5" clear lumber glued and screwed to the side walls.
There are 2 layers of foil backed foam on the roof, foil is facing both inside (holds heat in), and outside (keeps the sun out).
Foam on the edges were rounded with a hot wire.
Yet to be installed are two 5' long grooved horizontal rails containing a rigid Coroplast panel that can be slid back when the hatch is up, creating a sheltered area.
The white trailer on the right is one I built last year. It turned out to be too big and heavy for my car. (68W x 73H x 108L, 830 lbs.)


Shows the future kitchen opening (the large foil area) and the hinged shelf. Kitchen area is too low for standing up, it's a crouch or sit-down area.


The crusty old-timer who is pushing this project. Must be fed regularly and takes numerous random timeouts. (Could be sports-events, or naps, or ... ...?).

Notice that the drop floor does not quite span the door opening. But by modifying the trailer frame (drilling a few holes and moving the draw-bar components forward about 5") the drop floor could span the entire door opening.
Too late to make the mod for this project -- I'll change it sometime next winter.

[Henry Benner]

Ran into a problem so the project is on hold for now.

The problem is that the factory draw-bar is too flimsy. (Trailer is similar to a Red Trailer SJ-8530, imported from China and
is a fold-up unit often sold at Harbour Freight.)

The hitch weight is 80 lbs which is too heavy for me to handle so I bolted a hitch wheel to the side of the draw-bar.
But after a few days with the trailer resting on the hitch wheel the entire draw-bar has twisted out of shape.
The draw-bar is just too weak to tolerate the twisting force of the side-mounted hitch wheel.

I can't image what it would look like after rolling the trailer around a few times using the wheel.

The factory draw-bar is NOT a metal tube but just sheet metal bent into a tube shape. And the bottom
of the tube was left open, the sheet metal is not riveted to itself to make a closed tube.

The only solution I've come up with is to replace it with a proper metal tube, if I can find one. But the serial
number and nameplate is riveted to the draw-bar so I'm reluctant to change it out.

Otherwise, the trailer is 90% finished. I've had it on the road and it tows like a dream. Weight came in at
540 lbs, close to estimated. The interior layout is by far the best I've experienced in a 4x8 trailer. I'd hate
to see this project derailed by such a small detail.

Has anyone else had this problem?

Ideas anyone?

[daveesl77]

Find a metal fabricator or steel supplier near you that will sell individual pieces and without a minimum price. Buy a stick of 1/8" or 3/16" thick, 2" x whatever length steel tube. The length will be from where you want the tongue lock to a minimum of the cross member behind the front cross member. The steel square tube can be either welded on or bolted on, a 3/8" bolt is fine if bolting (use locking nuts and also a large "washer" to spread the load. Attach to the crossmembers you cross. Flip over the existing angle bracket on the "A" arm so it now is at the same level as the A arms and the new center tube. Now you have a true composite arm and it will be super strong. Weight increase might be 30-40 #s, but well worth it.

dave

[drhill]

What is a guy to do on a rainy day like this but read build journals. I happened to see yours and note you are in SW Alberta but not the big city. For HSS steel in Calgary I have found the best deals at Federal Metals. If it helps, at least they are in the extreme South end of the city. HSS comes in 20 foot lengths but they will sell a half length at the same price per foot.

It looks like you have a nice light build and it is to bad you need to add weight but as you know the tongue is a vital component.

http://www.federalmetals.ca/hss-square--rectangle-tubing.html