Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I like my 4X8, quick/easy build, turned out nice...but if I would have seen Steve's Puffin a year ago I probably would have built a small standy.

I am not finnished and may have more to add as I go.

1 Get a trailer frame made or learn to make
and old one has rust and you have to get new wheels and brakes
if it needs them or has them you'll need to replace
why not start all of it new.
2. investate all windows and doors before you cut.
preplaning will be the best more
3. what do you want to put inside. Sound, ac, power (12 or 120 or both)
4. try to look at as many trailers as you can
primarly the type you plan to build
5. get or find as many plans as you can
without spending alot of money alot of money.
6. do lots and lots of drawings
show what you like on the forum
and they will tell you what will work best.
7. even if they don't like it it may be what you do so make sure
above all else it pleases you.

mine is a simple trailer I can sleep in it. It is farly light, I can use 12 volts I have wired for sound. I lack many of the shop skills that other builders have and so my trailer is very rouph. I am not bothered that the guy next to me has one that looks like it was manufacured. i made mine as best as I can and am learning as I go how to do what I failed to do before. it. took me 4 years to get this far and now if I were to redue it I could so it in 1 yr.

So the more you know the better the end result of what you wanted to get will look and become what you wanted and if not.

many of these folks have ripped out part and redone new ideas, many have sold the first one and rebuilt not 1 but 4 or 5.

what matters is that you have fun doing it. and you go out camping more often and find out wht a DOG is and if you smell waffels Doug is cooking in his fancy chef's pants in his dream kitchen in his second build and you should have seen the first one.

don't be afraid it will grow on you and then you will be hooked.
Filled with tears of happiness.

For a first effort I just got dumb lucky. The lenght width and height are perfectly suited to 2 old fat people. It pulls well with Momma's little Scion so weight is not an issue. ( I can hand roll it out of the garage) I got my woodie look and the dumb luck of finding the lexan for the see thru roof had to be an act of God. I knew I was not going for a factory unit the 6,000 to 7,000 dollars was definatly not in our budget. The $ 850 I spent on Chubby was on the installment plan a few dollars a week.
I enjoyed the build and had a ball planning on the fly for all aspects of the unit. Combo AC / DC fixtures were a science experiment that worked out great. My only complaint is that I didn't spend the money for a torsion axle in lieu of the HF spring setup. Mine still needs trimmed out and a few bells and whistles added but we have been out three times and have logged 1200 miles with only minor tire issues ( another story another time)
I am as proud as a new papa with my baby.

I'm with bobhenry in terms of being happy as can be. Ours is also great for two old/fat people.

The two charges of the project were 1) a comfortable place to sleep and 2) a clean/convenient place to make meals. We got both in spades.

We took the Kuffel Creek design and changed the back end to a shape we like better. The height is good, the layout of the galley is good. It pulls like a champ because we had a utility trailer builder make the chassis for us using a 2,500 lb Dexter torsion bar axel. It's 5-feet wide by 8-feet long which is perfect.

The only difference might be in the confidence we have in construction as a result of having built one of these once. It think it takes a couple of trailers to really figure out how to build.

I would simplify. I over engineered almost everything so it took a long time to get where I am now. Part of that was cost avoidance (or more likely, cost deferment) and part was "trying something new".

As we say in the software world, "Every new feature is a chance to screw up!"

I know this might sound a bit strange, but I am quite happy with no. 2... except:

We sleep head to back and the shelves I put in at the front look too simple. Why? They are very similar to no. 1, but there is no tv, no heater, no a/c unit. It just looks blah.... I am going to put in a bracket to hang the lcd tv on when we are parked, otherwise it will lay on the bed under the pillows while traveling..

But, the biggie, is, I left a flat spot in the contour for the vent fan. I would not do that again. It ruins the lines, to my eye. I would instead, give the roof a rounded contour and handle the minor space between the roof and vent in some fashion.... at the point where the vent sits, it is so close to flat that the space could probably just be caulked. But, it just doesn't look right to me.

This Thread is very interesting to watch and it may go on forever.....
As new ideas emerge and new products come to life we will be changed. Side outs are a thing of the 2000's few older trailer had them.

There is one thing for sure we are at the lead of camping world now even if those who make and have RV's or large trailers refuse to let go. As gas prices rise and costs spiral out of control ....

We will have our escape pods as one person coined it. I have heard from frends all over the place that they are seeing more teadrop and tinny travel Trailers then ever before.

While forum like ours give them a place to get information and free plans. We are doing humanity a service inso making recreation affordable and making an emergancy like storms, fire, and homelessness a bed to sleep on and place to eat.

Ron Dickey

SteveH wrote:I LIKE this thread. Didn't vote, because I've not built a Teardrop, but it gives me a "heads up" on what NOT to do.
Steve

I agree. This thread IS part of my design. While I'm building a 5 wide Outback style, I noticed that a better galley was the #2 'do over' reason.
I poked through the galley gallery(up to 185 so far) and noticed, with no insult intended, that I wasn't too impressed with the practicality of a lot of the galleys. It might just be me, but I only took away a few tidbits of how I'd like mine. Haven't decided much on the overall design. Just a few things I 'think' I'd like to have.
JMTC.

Russ,

Many are not carpenters, and many are prefectionist. They all have one thing in comin Camping and getting away.

It has been said before that many are not done in mod designs, not because they can't but more that they like you do not know what they want in a Galley. It was said that at the first Nationals many went home and started ripping their trailers apart after seeing a new idea or a better design. that is what this is all about learning, looking, commorodery, new freind ships, and making camping even more fun that most campers could ever emagine.

I have freinds now from all over the world. And if you were to look at my trailer you would see a basic trailer at event people do not come running over to see my trailer, when camping outside of CA, only californians came over to see it, is that a teardrop, Well no I would say but it is home made! It is the best trailer I have ever made and it is the first one I have ever made. But your trailer will be the best too. While every trailer out there has some little thing that makes the magic for them.

There is not insult taken, we live for people to ask questions like why did you do this, you might look at that, and it might help you understand the next step. Many Galleys are unfinished many trailers will be replaced by # 2 or #5 others will always only have that one love that they made. There is no perfect Galley and even the ones seen as the best are being rebuilt to this day. But many have not done anything more then put in shelves and put on those shelves what they feel they need while others are like you looking to see what others have done so they can go to the next step.

So, enjoy your build, your camping and enjoy those new freinds you will make as you travel across the teardrops of life.

Ron D.

Understood. And there's my problem...I'd like to design it "right" straight away. Like that's possible. I'd like to think I might build another one but right now I'm pressing hard to get this one started.
I will admit I'm a little over loaded with info and possibilities.
What other's TD's look like and the 'what would I do differently' threads seem to have a wealth of usefull info in them.
I'm lookin' and learnin' and plannin' my buns off. I'm exhausted, overwelmed and excited all at the same time.
More input please... yikes.

Russ, there are lots of options but they are others opinions and ideas. I'd suggest, build the size/profile you want, within the budget you have. There's no right or wrong on anyones design or ideas! Forget about anyone elses options, think about how you camp and what is important to you. All the bells and whistles don't mean a thing if you never use them, unless resale is strictly your goal.

You can't be happy building what you don't want, won't use or believe in. I sold a very basic tear, no air, no 110, no water, and was very happy with the return. Build what you want and enjoy what you build. I believe that if you make your building process a fun and enjoyable time, the quality will show. Spend time sitting in a chair as you go, stare at it, and let the creative juices flow. A hard timeline, may restrict your creativity, don't let that happen....Just my opinion. Doug

My first (which is still only 98% finished) was based on the Weekender profile, specifically Joanne's Desert Dawg.

I chose that mainly beacause I thought, being all straight lines, it would be easier and quicker to build.

Although I love the result and it's totally usable and comfortable I plan on using a teardrop profile for the next one. In fact I'm bidding on frame for it already! This one will be for my daughter and I plan to make it lighter than ours as she will be towing with a smaller car, so not only will hers be smaller but lighter to as I will use single skin walls instead of double skin with insulation which we used on #1.

I have learnt a lot from building #1 and hopefully will learn even more doing the next one. As they say "third time's a charm" so maybe 2009/10 might see #3 on the starting blocks!

IanJ

I think a custom frame would be the thing to do differently.

I posted the other option, I would have worked out my cost ( which I did)
but I would double it after working it out

Sparksalot wrote:I think a custom frame would be the thing to do differently.

Just where I'm going to start...soon I hope.