It officially begins

...ask your questions in the appropriate forums BUT document your build here...preferably in a single thread...dates for updates, are appreciated....

Re: It officially begins

Postby Tigris99 » Wed Aug 02, 2017 9:04 pm

Regrease my hubs, put the sink in and wire the lights/fan inside, vaccum the inside and DONE!

Thing on the front is a bike rack. Used to be a hitch rack but take the hitch part off (4 bolts) and fits the 2" square tubing perfectly! Alot of work and headache saved by remembering i still had it.ImageImageImageImage

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Tigris99
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 252
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:42 pm

Re: It officially begins

Postby Dirtclod » Thu Aug 03, 2017 8:57 am

Tigris99 wrote:Regrease my hubs, put the sink in and wire the lights/fan inside, vaccum the inside and DONE!



With what like 1 day to spare :frightened:

Great Job. I love the graphics. Really sets it off. I bet you will answer 100's of questions along your journey. :applause: :applause: :applause:
Dirtclod
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 151
Images: 9
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2012 6:43 pm
Location: White Bluff TN

Re: It officially begins

Postby Tigris99 » Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:14 am

Well i cant say totally done. Still have plans for a solar panel and put aluminum tread plate around the base. And have a design that may get painted on it.

But everything that matters will be done today. Only to be leaving in the morning with it lol.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Tigris99
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 252
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:42 pm
Top

Re: It officially begins

Postby Tigris99 » Thu Aug 03, 2017 11:04 pm

And here it is ready for trial run this weekend! Going to put aluminum around wheel wells and shore power port (for the AC unit to plug into, which we dont need this weekend).ImageImageImageImageImageImageImage

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Tigris99
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 252
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:42 pm
Top

Re: It officially begins

Postby Tigris99 » Fri Aug 04, 2017 4:23 pm

Loaded up and ready for trip this morning.

Towed BEAUTIFULLY! We have some pretty high winds going today (high of 70 in august, getting pretty close to record low for the high) and didnt even notice. Noticed the weight but nothing else. Engine would still switch to ECO mode on flat ground as long as it wasnt directly into the wind. Even at 70mph was perfect!

Then second pic is right now, set up to camp at Scott County park in Iowa for a mountain bike festival (Im with the club hosting it).

And i have gotten a lot of "story time", one buddy has a man crush now lol. Alot of people twisting like an owl trying to look as we passed going down the highway. I knew the bright blue would draw a lot of attention.ImageImage

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Tigris99
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 252
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:42 pm
Top

Re: It officially begins

Postby Tigris99 » Sun Aug 06, 2017 9:33 pm

Maiden Voyage complete.

Performed almost flawless. Minor issues were just stuff i forgot to do: caulk sink drain, something to hold door open, and closed from the inside, leds in the vent fans are red.... i could hear the jokes being made last night cause i turned them on as it got "hot" inside. Going to cut those.

Oh and i tried something with the piano hinge on the galley hatch using spare strip left over from doing the sides of it. Failed. Bicycle tube it is lol.

Even forgot my tape measure in the vent. Was laying on the screen.

Next weekend get the aluminum on the wheel wells, 110 port installed and galley vents since battery is back there.

Got a shock when we got home. Havent had more than a "stfu" word exchange with my neighbor behind us, till he saw this. We sat talking for 45 minutes cause he had to come see what was attached to our van.

Big thanks to everyone here. Got so much info from all you guys and made this possible.

First "road trip" is 2 weeks away, corralville lake reservoir for IMBCS series championship. Going friday so we can check out the lake, maybe rent a canoe or kayak. About 2 hours away. Then another trip after holiday weekend 3 hrs out.


Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Tigris99
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 252
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:42 pm
Top

Re: It officially begins

Postby Dirtclod » Mon Aug 07, 2017 12:37 pm

Looks like you had a great time on the maiden voyage. :thumbsup:

That's funny about the tape measure :lol:

Glad everything worked out for you. I have a few more weeks until I have to finish. Hitting up the Volun - Tears outing in early Sept. for our maiden voyage
Dirtclod
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 151
Images: 9
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2012 6:43 pm
Location: White Bluff TN
Top

Re: It officially begins

Postby Tigris99 » Sun Aug 13, 2017 12:44 am

Got all the extra tidbits done today.

Alumimum on the wheel wells.

Replace the cover over the galley hatch, my idea failed but it was left over material anyway. So bicycle tube, shoved the piano hinge through and remounted.

Third jack welded back on (rear) finally.

Shore power inlet added. Simple because having to leave galley open for charger and AC to be plugged in wasnt going to cut it. Now trailer can sit on the charger for a while, make sure battery is full before our first "road trip". Dont have funds for a solar panel set up yet but seems battery does quite well on its own for a weekend trip.

And next weekend is first trip out of our local area. Been a while since we've camped where we know nobody. I camped there once as a kid, so basically new territory.

Oh and have more little "decals" being added tomorrow. Just didnt get that far today.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Tigris99
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 252
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:42 pm
Top

Re: It officially begins

Postby Tigris99 » Thu Aug 17, 2017 12:37 pm

Have to share this, was really worried the trailer was heavier than I wanted (though van doesnt seem to be bothered by the trailer).

So went to the public scales.

See pic, with cooler and water tank full, minus about 200lbs for bikes, cloths, food...

1180lbs!!!!!!

That means Im still 100 lbs below goal when loaded which was 1500 (50% of standard towing capacity).

Cant believe I pulled that off when I knew i built a little heavy.

That said my van is a fat ass! LolImage

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Tigris99
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 252
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:42 pm
Top

Re: It officially begins

Postby Tigris99 » Thu Aug 17, 2017 9:12 pm

Got the canopy my wife made installed. That was interesting because she made it longer than i expected. Which messed up the way plans for the rods. The ones that were to be the support legs became the ones for the canopy.

Got lucky though because my sink hardpoints in the wall connected to a vertical post in the wall in almost a perfect spot for the pole mount. Front was no issue.

Added a paper towel holder, got utensils hung on hooks, just little tweaks here and there to make things more organized.Image

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Tigris99
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 252
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:42 pm
Top

Re: It officially begins

Postby pchast » Thu Aug 17, 2017 9:41 pm

Well Done with that weight!
:applause: :applause: :applause:
pchast
Platinum Donating Member
 
Posts: 2023
Images: 97
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 5:47 pm
Location: Athens, NY
Top

Re: It officially begins

Postby Tigris99 » Fri Aug 18, 2017 9:12 pm

And first "road trip" underway.

At Sugarbottom Rec area. Just outside Iowa City. Forgot how great this place was, wish we had more time (spending sunday working the MTB race)

Full load down van wasnt terribly bothered by the trailer. 1500lbs and whatever extra was in the van the fuel mileage too a hit cause its long, rolling hills.

Seems when i did a drain/refill on the trans I got in a rush, overfilled it a bit. Oops. Wasnt an issue till towing into the park. Low speeds, really steep hills, stuck behind a ford pulling a trailer 3x its size that was struggling so i couldnt grab momentum between hills. Smelled trans fluid when we parked into the campsite lol. Pulled the stick, OVER FULL. Stood there going "wait to go dumbass". So set up camp and drove around the camp ground to cool the trans down.

Loving the trailer being functionally finished except solar, which electric campsite takes care of that for the moment. Little trickle charger/maintainer does enough.

Trailer is proving to almost be tongue light, didnt have time to weigh once FULLY loaded but without bikes it barely hit 10%. Hopefully the bike on the front was enough to counter balance the bike on the rack (rack not folded up with 35lbs it)

ImageImageImageImageImageImageImage

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Tigris99
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 252
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:42 pm
Top

Re: It officially begins

Postby Tigris99 » Fri Aug 18, 2017 9:12 pm

And first "road trip" underway.

At Sugarbottom Rec area. Just outside Iowa City. Forgot how great this place was, wish we had more time (spending sunday working the MTB race)

Full load down van wasnt terribly bothered by the trailer. 1500lbs and whatever extra was in the van the fuel mileage too a hit cause its long, rolling hills.

Seems when i did a drain/refill on the trans I got in a rush, overfilled it a bit. Oops. Wasnt an issue till towing into the park. Low speeds, really steep hills, stuck behind a ford pulling a trailer 3x its size that was struggling so i couldnt grab momentum between hills. Smelled trans fluid when we parked into the campsite lol. Pulled the stick, OVER FULL. Stood there going "wait to go dumbass". So set up camp and drove around the camp ground to cool the trans down.

Loving the trailer being functionally finished except solar, which electric campsite takes care of that for the moment. Little trickle charger/maintainer does enough.

Trailer is proving to almost be tongue light, didnt have time to weigh once FULLY loaded but without bikes it barely hit 10%. Hopefully the bike on the front was enough to counter balance the bike on the rack (rack not folded up with 35lbs it)

ImageImageImageImageImageImageImage

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Tigris99
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 252
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:42 pm
Top

Re: It officially begins

Postby Tigris99 » Fri Aug 25, 2017 7:15 pm

Still piddling with this. Adhesive spice holders and learned how fast this thing becomes stuffy when I have to close the roof vent for bad weather. So got a cover for the roof vent.

Cant find my aluminum flashing so I can cap the divider wall in the galley (was plan from the start to make it look finished).ImageImage

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Tigris99
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 252
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:42 pm
Top

Re: It officially begins

Postby mtbikernate » Wed Dec 20, 2017 10:43 pm

Haven't ventured over here for awhile, so figured I'd stop by and see about any updates. Looks like you have quite a few.

Nice build. I like how you managed to get a bike rack on the tongue by chopping up an old hitch rack. Unfortunately won't work for mine. No center beam.

My trailer had to sit outside at a storage unit for a couple months right about when you were finishing yours up. Wife and I moved from the midwest metropolis of Indy to Asheville, NC. We had to rent a small apartment and had to park the trailer in storage until we bought a house and had a place to keep the trailer.

Had to put some new coats of paint on my roof rack crossbars, which apparently had terrible paint on them. They began to rust on me. I got a coiple coats of rust protectant base coat down before it got cold, but not the finish top coat.

Working on a few additions for spring camping season. I think getting bulk propane tanks will be number one on the list. Better bins for galley organization, too.

I like your sink setup. I may try to figure out a way to get something similar on a folding table. Right now I use rubbermaid tubs for dishes and whatnot. Would be nice to have even a simple hand/foot pump faucet setup on a side table. Or even a gravity feed.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
mtbikernate
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 122
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 4:59 pm
Top

PreviousNext

Return to Build Journals

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 13 guests