Moderator: eaglesdare
Mary C wrote:Don't worry about moving the axle, you will have enough weight in the back to make it even. and .......My advise.......It is keep it simple don't make it harder than it is. Mostly everyone wants to make it harder and more confusing it is simple. and have fun !!!!!!
GPW wrote:Js, if you can believe this , at one time , there were No Foamies... True!!! We built the usual TD out of plywood... and despite careful wood preparation, it delaminated... And as you know , we’ve built many complicated structures out of foam at that “other place” .. Structures that flew at speeds up to 100mph, and survived.... So it only seemed natural that it would work for a simple trailer cabin ... so we tried it , and it worked , and worked very well too... At the start most EVERYBODY had their doubts ... but the use of foam for building is now my FAVORITE construction method ... I’m a similar age as Mary of the House of Grits, so we needed a construction method that would NOT require a lot of maintenance or attention... and especially something that would not Rot ... Foam is IT !!! Nice thing is it’s Thrifty to make (even more Thrifty since you don’t have to spend any money on fixing leaks, rot, and de-lamination ) , and thrifty to tow (light) .... and if you think it’s too light , we can discuss “the Foamie’ ballast system” ...
KCStudly wrote:Yup, thin ply interior on 1-1/2 thk blue foam. My rear cabinets went in just the other day.
My thinking about axle placement is that the materials of construction are all about equal to themselves where ever they are in the build, so it is the stowed items that determine the trailer balance. In other words, traditional construction may weigh 'X' lbs per foot of cabin length while foamie construction weighs 'Y' lbs, but the ratio of overall weight to tongue weight still needs to be the same, so the axle should go in the same spot as any other TD. What makes a much bigger difference is your cargo. Are you going to put the fully loaded cooler in the galley or on the tongue? Same question for the 12v battery. Same for the spare tire. Tongue box on front? How much CI cookware do you plan to bring? Camp chairs in the cabin, underneath, in the galley? These things will affect your balance more than the basic structure.
Because of the extra wood in my bulkhead and hard wall edges around the galley, TPCE is already a little tail heavy.
Yeah, maybe you can get away without moving the axle, so long as your doors clear the fenders and you can get into and out of bed without too much crawling around or hitting your head.
I am also building 64 inches wide outside for a true 60+ inches inside. If there ever is a next time, I will not bother; 60 inches outside would be plenty (I'm 6 ft, 260 lbs, tho the wife is "small"). It makes a lot less efficient use of the materials, the extra space inside is not really needed (TPCE seems huge inside... at least for now) and, since there is no chance of rolling out of bed, you can use more of the mattress than in your regular bed. Cutting down a foam mattress is not difficult at all, or you can order from a foam supplier exactly the size you need (just remember to leave an inch or two "for tucking").
Yes a foamie can be made very light weight, as can other types of builds. They can also be just as heavy as any other build. It's all in what you put into it and what you don't. If you want a 5x8 with wood interior, wood cabinets, lots of anchor points with blocking at each location, the weight is going to add up. Cooler, spare, battery, stack of CI cookware, that nice cast iron wood grate that your wife got you for xmas? Those things add up quickly. I have planned all along for my finished weight to be somewhere between 1200 and 1500 lbs (64 x 9ft 8 inches at the floor), tho I will be pleasantly surprised if it comes out much lighter (1500 all up loaded down). Really it's just a guess.
Sure, super simple like GPW's bug out camo foamie ("the grandfather of the modern foamie movement", as I like to say), a 4x8 with no galley or hatch, simple plywood floor, one door, no electrical, no water, maybe a six pack cooler and a box of chips; easily well under 800 lbs. (not sure if he ever weighed it ).
Just remember, every piece you touch, every screw, every scrap of wood, even the foam and canvas adds weight. If you want to keep the end result light, it needs to be part of your approach from the beginning. Even your profile choice will effect weight: a Benroy or Rimple will weigh more than a classic TD shape just because it has more square footage in the walls for a given length (but it will also have more interior space for cabinets and/or for roominess). So long as you don't build it very tall (a sleeper, not a standy), blow-overs should not be an issue in most weather.
The only 2x4 fir lumber in my build to date is: a few 2x4 chunks built into my floor where the anchor points are; the blocking around the side door latches that mostly got routed out for the latch; and the rear wall edges in the galley that were formed into 2x2 (1-1/2 x 1-1/2 actual) curved arches by laminating ripped down slats into ribs. The other 2x in the floor, wall sill and door jamb/header is lighter weight cedar. Wherever I could I used mostly 1x2 cedar instead of 2x. So if you need to build up your floor to clear the tires, I would go with 1x's on edge, and not too many of them. Remember, the strength is in the outer fibers and the further those outer fibers are apart, the stronger a structural member will be.
Hmm, now you have me curious about how TPCE is doing on weight. I think I will bring the bathroom scale with me next time.
ghcoe wrote:Towing with a 2005 Kia Spectra, 1000 lb no brakes, 2000 lbs brakes, 160 lbs max tongue weight per owners manual. I am building my trailer to pull behind a 1975 Opel Ascona (1900 in the States). My goal was to come in under 500lbs. Right now I am just under 400lbs. Still have to install hardware, windows and outer/inner paint canvas, but I feel confident that I will make it.
1) Although I did want it light, if I go with a foamie, could it be too light for my 1720 lb HF trailer? I.e. springs too stiff for the load it'll be carrying?I flipped the bottom spring on my spring pack. I hope that it softens up the ride enough.
2) Building 5' 4" wide or so, I'll need a raised frame to get over the tires. What's the general way of doing this on a foamie? 1x3's or 2x4's like a non-foamie TD and black tar?I did not raise mine. I made inner fenders that come in about 6" and rise above the floor about 2 1/2". I think that it is close enough to the walls that it will not interfere with sleeping, I hope
3) Framing: Since it won't have regular framing, I have to plan the loads better so I know where to reinforce the foam, correct? I.e. interior shelves/cabnets, galley shelves/cabnets, deep cycle battery mount.I used a combination of slots in the walls to hold the shelves to roof flashing for extra shelf edge protection and support.
4) Axle position: I'm guessing the axle may have to go further back then a "normal" TD, as the foam weighs less so a galley would be relatively heavier? Is there a standard axle position for foamies? Looking to get close to the minimum tongue weight since I'm towing with a sedan. I'm not planning a super elaborate galley, some counter space, perhaps a small sink, some canned food/spice/general storage, a Coleman white gas stove, cooler.I moved my axle back till it hit the bolts supporting the rear inner cross member bolt
5) Does anyone do a thin ply, varnish/poly interior for a wood finish with foam construction, or to most foamie builders go with the KISS method?However you want. That is what is great about foam.
6) Any other general suggestions that you may have for a foamie/TD newbie?I bought some poster board foam from the dollar store and made a model. Really puts things into perspective on strength and design features in miniature before you tackle the big one.......
Good luck and have fun. You can read my build thread from the link in my signature.
jseyfert3 wrote:Does flipping the bottom spring do anything special, or just remove it from "working"?
jseyfert3 wrote:1200-1500 lbs? From what I've read, that seems kind of heavy for a foamie. You do have a lot of wood in yours though. The wood interior would be nice, but I guess paint would be a lot cheaper and lighter...
jseyfert3 wrote:You are an engineer, correct? (I think I read elsewhere that you were)
jseyfert3 wrote:I bought a 400 lb bathroom scale...
KCStudly wrote:An ASME plus more than 30 years of real world hands on experience. Actually, I have been mechanically minded and influenced by mechanical engineering all of my life (8/1965). Dad went to CALPOLY and was a pipe support engineer. He was in on the pioneering beginnings of computer assisted design; keypunch cards and all. Apple doesn't fall far.
KCStudly wrote:jseyfert3 wrote:I bought a 400 lb bathroom scale...
Kind of a said state of affairs. Not long ago at all, bathroom scales in the US only went up to 300 or 350 lbs.
KCStudly wrote:Good luck with your build.
KCStudly wrote:By all means, if you are ready, hit the sale; but don't rush yourself too hard. Do your research (seems that you are ) and keep studying the forums. There are so many "lessons learned" to benefit from, and lots of "oop$$$" errors to avoid, that it just makes sense to absorb it before getting to far into a build.
Sounds like you are doing swell.
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