Removable Teardrop Pod

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Removable Teardrop Pod

Postby drhill » Tue Oct 07, 2014 10:38 pm

I spent a lot of time searching the web for ideas on building a teardrop with a removable pod. I wanted to be able to remove the pod fairly easily to be able to use the trailer as a utility trailer for hauling firewood, lumber or whatever. The removable pod concept worked out pretty good so I thought I should share it

So first I welding up a 5' x 10' flat deck trailer and have removable sides for it for use as a utility trailer. The deck of the trailer has a layer of ¾ plywood on it. I put the stake pockets on the inside of the frame, rather than outside as is normally done. I did this for a cleaner look when the teardrop pod was installed but it turns out that makes it much easier to install and remove the pod. I had planned to just use a pry bar to lift the pod enough to shim it, pry some more and block it up until I could fit a scissor jack under the pod. But I found it easier and no pry bar damage to just lift from below through the stake pockets. I jack it up and support it with a couple 2x4’s supported by the garage wall on one side and stands on the other side, the stability provided by the garage wall. The trailer can be pulled out from under the pod and used for other purposes and then parked back under the pod again. It takes about a half hour to remove or replace the pod. Not something you want to do everyday, but worth it to have the versatility.

I also made the axle movable by welding the spring mounts and fender mounts to 2x2x1/4” angle and then bolting that to the frame. A 10’ deck would normally have the axle 6’ from the front of the deck. I mounted it there, but also drilled the holes to move the axle either 4” or 8” forward or back. I did end up moving the axle 8” forward to bring the tongue weight down with the bike rack installed on the tongue.


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Re: Removable Teardrop Pod

Postby mrwall1 » Sat Oct 25, 2014 6:28 pm

Nice! I had a similar idea, I built the pod completely separate from the trailer, then I Lag bolted the pod to the trailer... Although for now, we have decided to leave it on the trailer...
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Re: Removable Teardrop Pod

Postby drhill » Thu Dec 11, 2014 3:30 pm

We are getting some nice weather in Calgary now so decided to install the new cabinets in the galley.

This is the temporary galley constructed of pallet wood in August just so we could get out using the teardrop.
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And below is the new red oak galley.

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installing the cabinets took less time than figuring out how to post pictures again.
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Re: Removable Teardrop Pod

Postby KCStudly » Fri Dec 12, 2014 7:20 am

Nicely appointed. I like the knife block, especially. :thumbsup:
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Re: Removable Teardrop Pod

Postby drhill » Fri Dec 12, 2014 10:01 am

I'll have to post a close up of the knife block in a month or two. The pepper inlay is done with a router. Google woodwhisperer router inlay for a long but very detailed youtube video of the technique. I used purple heart, walnut and ebony. The purple heart needs to be exposed to UV for at least a few weeks for the surface to regain its colour after being sanded.
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Re: Removable Teardrop Pod

Postby drhill » Tue Dec 16, 2014 6:30 pm

apparently it is just exposure to oxygen that restores the color to the purple heart and it is already a nice color. I put the first coat of finish on it today. I have always liked the circular knife block design. Had to build the teardrop so I had a place to put one.

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Re: Removable Teardrop Pod

Postby Vedette » Wed Dec 17, 2014 1:01 am

Great Job Neighbour! :thumbsup:
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Re: Removable Teardrop Pod

Postby len19070 » Wed Dec 17, 2014 9:00 am

I had a similar idea for marketing my Bear-Bonz Teardrops.

I would have a customer contact me and contract to build one.

I would instruct them to go out and purchase, register and Tag a specific utility trailer from a National distributor (Mostly Tractor Supply)

I would build the Teardrop "Box"

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They would drive to my Shop with there registered trailer, we would bolt the Box to there frame and away they'd go.

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This saved the customer a Lot of money in useless "double" transfer fees.

One customer has informed me that his Teardrop "Box" is now removable.

Happy Trails

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Re: Removable Teardrop Pod

Postby drhill » Wed Dec 17, 2014 3:27 pm

That's a nice looking pod. It surprises me that more people don't build them removable. Maybe because so many people have a truck anyway. I don't have a truck and would really miss having a utility trailer.

One little thing that helps with the removal and installation is the tie-down bolts that I use. I haven't thought of a name for my teardrop but these I call the wife saver bolts as they save the wife from holding a wrench on the other end. The bolt heads are welded to the steel strip.
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I cut some short lengths of pipe that I place on the trailer deck, then lower the pod onto it. I can then easily slide it around to line up the bolt holes (1/16" oversize) and drop the bolts into place, then pull out the pipes and do up the nylock nuts from below the trailer. The bolts all go through trailer cross members.
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Re: Removable Teardrop Pod

Postby mrwall1 » Fri Dec 19, 2014 10:31 pm

drhill wrote:That's a nice looking pod. It surprises me that more people don't build them removable. Maybe because so many people have a truck anyway. I don't have a truck and would really miss having a utility trailer.

One little thing that helps with the removal and installation is the tie-down bolts that I use. I haven't thought of a name for my teardrop but these I call the wife saver bolts as they save the wife from holding a wrench on the other end. The bolt heads are welded to the steel strip.
127053

I cut some short lengths of pipe that I place on the trailer deck, then lower the pod onto it. I can then easily slide it around to line up the bolt holes (1/16" oversize) and drop the bolts into place, then pull out the pipes and do up the nylock nuts from below the trailer. The bolts all go through trailer cross members.


Do you have any pictures lowering it down on the trailer.... or could you explain what you use.. to raise and lower the pod?
thanks
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Re: Removable Teardrop Pod

Postby drhill » Sat Dec 20, 2014 10:57 am

Mike - I should take some pictures of the raising/lowering. And I just might put the pod back on the trailer today so I can move it into a better lit work area. Being my first build, I just wanted to get it done and go camping. I didn't build any cabinets inside so that is my next project.

When researching how I was going to build I came across this thread about a removable pod.
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=35474
The first couple times I just used boards protruding through the stake pockets and raised and lowered the tongue jack to get the pod a few inches off the deck. Then I slipped a car scissor jack in to raise it high enough so the fenders would pass under the stand supporting the pod. That process worked, but was slow. Below are a couple pictures I have showing the stake pockets and the pod sitting on some blocks.

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I later came up with a better way and that is using a floor jack with a board across it and a board at each end sticking up through the stake pockets. The boards are fastened together so I am not fumbling with a bunch of loose pieces. I will post some pictures of this later, because as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.
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Re: Removable Teardrop Pod

Postby drhill » Sat Dec 20, 2014 6:07 pm

So here is a picture of the pod supported in the garage. The trailer can be pulled out from under it.
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here is the floor jack being used to lower the pod onto the trailer. It looks rather precarious with all those blocks, but one end or the other is always on something firm. In this picture the back of the pod is still on the stand.
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Lowering the pod onto the trailer takes about 15 to 20 minutes and it would take another 5-10 minutes to do up the anchor bolts. So not a job you want to do every day but I think worth it to have a double duty trailer.

And a better picture of the galley
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Re: Removable Teardrop Pod

Postby starleen2 » Sat Dec 20, 2014 9:01 pm

I've always liked this concept from:

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=31995

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Re: Removable Teardrop Pod

Postby mrwall1 » Sat Dec 20, 2014 11:41 pm

I like it!! I had thought of a couple different ways, I thought of the idea of mounted on corner jacks like on a camper... ( or like the fancy ones in your picture!! would work!!) or I thought about a pallet jack, but they don't go high enough... and the other thought was to have some eye bolts on the roof and an over head winch system....

thanks for showing, I am really enjoying the thread!!

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My New 7x16 Continental V Nose Build
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Re: Removable Teardrop Pod

Postby S. Heisley » Sun Dec 21, 2014 8:01 pm

starleen2 wrote:I've always liked this concept from:

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=31995

Image



Thanks for that, Scott. I was trying to find that just a couple days ago! :thumbsup:
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