Pop-up trailer frame weight

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Pop-up trailer frame weight

Postby buba1 » Mon Jul 29, 2019 3:01 pm

Hi,
New here.
Thinking about finding a 7x9 ft ot 7x10 ft pop-up trailer and strip everything off to the frame.
Build on the frame a teardrop or rectangular form that would allow 4 people to sleep.
My storage is limited and I am not allowed to have a trailer on the driveway, therefore the platform needs to be in the garage stored vertically against a wall.

Question: how much does a pop-up frame, tongue, axle, wheels weigh?
Approximate, not exact numbers.
Please try to answer question, do not ask why :D frame will be stored vertically and do not suggest other recipes as they do not exist and I am not interested...
Thank you
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Re: Pop-up trailer frame weight

Postby S. Heisley » Mon Jul 29, 2019 9:18 pm

:thinking: Go online and look at trailer frames for sale. Look at Harbor Freight, Northern Trailer, etc, and see what the shipping weight is. Your actual weight will be slightly different (less) but only by the amount of cardboard that it's shipped in.
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Re: Pop-up trailer frame weight

Postby buba1 » Wed Jul 31, 2019 12:21 am

HF is 4x8 why would I waste my time looking for it's weight?
I can calculate trailer weights based on length of stock and dimensions, but that is not the point of the question.
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Re: Pop-up trailer frame weight

Postby greygoos » Wed Jul 31, 2019 1:28 pm

Why would anyone waste their time answering your question?
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Re: Pop-up trailer frame weight

Postby tony.latham » Thu Aug 01, 2019 6:59 am

greygoos wrote:Why would anyone waste their time answering your question?


How high is your garage?

I’ll guess 300 pounds. But why try to store it vertically?

T


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Re: Pop-up trailer frame weight

Postby GTS225 » Fri Aug 02, 2019 6:49 am

My guess is that the man lives in a condo, and has only one garage space. If not a condo, then a controlled access community. Association rules don't allow for a trailer of any type, including a camping trailer.
He's probably also looking to build a folding shell on it, that can be folded down, and thus store vertically against one garage wall.

Buba1; You're going to have a hard time with this, as a folding system is going to be less stable and "weatherproof", when set up, than a glued-up shell. Additionally, it's going to take two guys to stand it up and let it down from the garage wall for use, as the finished weight will be ore than one should/can handle.
Further, if you're looking for a 7' width in the enclosure, with the wheels outside, then you're looking at a vertical height greater than 8', which is the typical height of a single-stall garage. This suggests that you're only choice is a wheels under configuration.
Sorry, but I have no experience with pup-up frame weights, so couldn't venture to even hazard a guess in that regard.

Roger
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Re: Pop-up trailer frame weight

Postby S. Heisley » Fri Aug 02, 2019 4:28 pm

GTS225 wrote:
Buba1; You're going to have a hard time with this, as a folding system is going to be less stable and "weatherproof", when set up, than a glued-up shell. Additionally, it's going to take two guys to stand it up and let it down from the garage wall for use, as the finished weight will be ore than one should/can handle.
Further, if you're looking for a 7' width in the enclosure, with the wheels outside, then you're looking at a vertical height greater than 8', which is the typical height of a single-stall garage. This suggests that you're only choice is a wheels under configuration.
Sorry, but I have no experience with pup-up frame weights, so couldn't venture to even hazard a guess in that regard.

Roger


I agree; but it's not impossible, as long as he has a second person and a way to keep it from falling down, on top of him or his vehicle. Also, any pop-up frame can weigh differently than another, depending not only on the make but also any modifications that have been done to the wheels, tires, axle, etc.

Buba1: If you decide to buy the pop-up, you could pull off the walls and roof, maybe leaving the deck, and go get it weighed. If you decide not to continue with the project for whatever reason, there is a huge market for flat-bed trailers and you could probably make your money back plus some.
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Re: Pop-up trailer frame weight

Postby Philip » Sat Aug 03, 2019 8:13 am

The popup frames I have worked with came in around 250 to 300 lbs with no decking. One person could pick up one side.

I rebuilt 6 popup frames to flat decks for resale many years ago.

Somethings to remember on popup frames.

#1 as built the frames do not have much welding on them. Do a complete reweld of all sections.
#2 for most usage other than a popup. The axle location is wrong. You will need to relocate the axle.
#3 popups do not have brakes on the axle. Prepare to replace the axle to get brakes.


Myself unless it was a haul it off for free. I would build a new frame. If your not capable of making one contract it out. The 6 I rebuild were mostly all free. The most I would pay for one is $50.
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Re: Pop-up trailer frame weight

Postby Stainless 2 » Sun Aug 25, 2019 5:39 am

I am currently building my first small trailer on a pop up frame, a mid 80's Scamper. It is approx 6'4" x 10' without the tongue. I would find it way too heavy as a frame with decking to attempt to stand it on end as you are suggesting. I did not weigh it first, but I could lift each side to get it up on jack stands. If I was guessing, I would say after removing the lift tube and with the torsion axle and wheels I was probably working with a starting weight of 300 - 350# before the 3/4" floor decking install. I chose this pop up to restore because of it's light weight and wide tires to take on the beach. The canvas and top were in poor condition, but I got it for $200. PINS has notorious soft deep sand spots and I could not get the rental Jayco on skinny tires past 6 miles before sinking it.

If I were to start again, I would likely get a custom Frame built from Aluminum, and use a Timbren axle-less suspension setup.

If I were looking to get something to your specifications, the recipe does exist if you have an open mind. I would look at doing something like the Sylvan or Livin Light designs, and have a detachable box and folding tongue, and the most cost effective frame would be a HF type folding trailer kit. Just my $.02. :)
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