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Teardrop trailer build

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Syberia

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EDIT: Photobucket fucked my images. Here's the imgur version: https://imgur.com/a/TysSx


Finally have the money (and time) to start a project that the wife and I have been talking about for a while - building our own teardrop trailer. Like some of the other examples online, we started with the 4x8 flatbed trailer from Harbor Freight and will be building everything else on top of it. We hope to at least have the basic structure done by the end of the month, so we can take it camping with her parents.

Here's what we started with, the 1720 lb utility trailer from Harbor Freight. Made a couple of modifications to it right off the bat; installed a trailer jack on the tongue (not visible in this picture) and changed over to a 7-pin connector and wiring harness (as well as running all wires through plastic flexible tubing and wrapping with electrical tape) so that our truck will recharge the trailer battery while towing it.



Attached a grid of 2x3s to the outer frame and each of the metal slats going across (don't seem to have a good pic of this, but I used carriage bolts through the unused holes that were already in the frame) and screwed down a piece of plywood.



Painted the bottom with roofing tar to seal out water



And attached panels of foam insulation to keep the cold out.





No insulation over the axle because that's where the water tank is going. A 34-gallon 42" x 20.5" x 11" tank just fits in that space.

I glued on a 1/8" sheet of birch plywood just to cover up the screw holes and bolt holes through the main decking.



I haven't installed them yet (hope to get to it tonight) but I cut out the shape of the trailer from 2 sheets of 1/2" plywood (outer walls) and 2 sheets of 1/4" plywood (inside walls). They will be separated by 1.5" of foam insulation.

 
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Justind97

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This looks awesome. After seeing the build on 12 Gauge garage I've been tempted to build one!

What kind of budget are you thinking this will end up costing?
 
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Syberia

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Justind97 said:
This looks awesome. After seeing the build on 12 Gauge garage I've been tempted to build one!

What kind of budget are you thinking this will end up costing?
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I'd guess a basic one can probably be built for $1500 or less, including the trailer, especially since I'll be using vinyl siding instead of aluminum (can't justify spending $300+ just on siding). This particular one will be more around the $2500 mark, but that's because I'm going just a bit overboard on the extras - hot water heater, shower, 400 watts of solar panels, 2kw inverter, 200 ah deep cycle battery. We want to be able to boondock with it and still have a hot shower and fire up the movie projector at night.
 
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vette-kid

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Syberia said:
I'd guess a basic one can probably be built for $1500 or less, including the trailer, especially since I'll be using vinyl siding instead of aluminum (can't justify spending $300+ just on siding). This particular one will be more around the $2500 mark, but that's because I'm going just a bit overboard on the extras - hot water heater, shower, 400 watts of solar panels, 2kw inverter, 200 ah deep cycle battery. We want to be able to boondock with it and still have a hot shower and fire up the movie projector at night.
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My buddy did a Shasta a while back. He was able to upgrade the electrical to deep cycle batteries when no power was available or use shore power that would also recharge the batteries. Its a pretty slick set-up. I wander if he could add the ability to have it charge off the truck while towing? Are you going to put in AC?
 
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Bobf

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I built one back in the 90's based on the old Mechanix Illustated article. I have some pix and hints on my web pages at http://www.Bobsplayce.net on the left margin click on the tear drop tlr. Sold it a few years ago to some newly weds in their 70's!!
 
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Syberia

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Framed out the first wall. I have to run the wiring before I can install insulation and seal it up.



Installed the second wall. Did not frame it fully yet, as I figured I might as well get the wiring out of the way.



Ran the wiring up through the bottom of the trailer in the front (the battery and inverter will be in a utility box on the tongue). 14-gauge Romex for the 120v stuff and #16 automotive wire for the 12v stuff (lights and vent fan for now; I'll put in a second run under the trailer to the back for the water pump, kitchen light, and ignition for the water heater later). Also put in a run of#12 for a combination cigarette lighter/USB ports for charging various electronics.

My phone died before I could get a picture, but I covered the entry points generously with silicone to keep water out and movement to a minimum.



It looks like a rats nest for now but the wiring will be distributed out from the front wall. I had to go ahead and put the outside plywood on because the walls were warping badly and I needed a way to keep them square.



Drilled holes through the corners to get the wiring into the side walls.



 
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Syberia

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Framed the wall on the other side



On the other wall, I finished running the wire and cut the foam insulation to shape. Wiring is hidden behind it and I cut out for an outlet box. Tomorrow I hope to have the interior plywood attached to the wall and the other side at least insulated.



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kf4zht

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I've looked at building them several times, probably with a bit more suspension and tires to go behind the Jeep. The wife isn't interested in camping in one at all, so probably not going to happen.

Watch out for those TNTTT folks. Some really good information there but like most groups there are some elitist that will have you thinking if I don't use this hinge the whole thing will leak and explode on the highway.

If it was me I would be trying to convert just about everything to 12v and only have the inverter for a couple things. A 12v PSU is pretty cheap for when you have shore power, but a big advantage on the Teardrops is being able to park them anywhere.
 
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Syberia

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Lights, fan, and pump will all be 12v and those are the necessities. Inverter will only be turned on when necessary; many of them come with remote switches which I'll mount inside.
 
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SteveH-CO

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Nice looking build!

A little late to mention this, but should you weld the frame in a few areas to beef it up and prevent loose fasteners (over time) from wreaking havoc? You could also douse the fasteners all with threadlocker...
 
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Syberia

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Might have been a good idea but too late now. They are nylocks and the few I've used on my motorcycle have never come loose so hopefully I'm ok. The plywood really straightened out the frame and took a lot of the flex out, and I'll be adding stabilizer jacks to all 4 corners to further distribute the weight and keep things balanced so hopefully it's ok.
 
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aka Larry

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Syberia said:
Might have been a good idea but too late now. They are nylocks and the few I've used on my motorcycle have never come loose so hopefully I'm ok. The plywood really straightened out the frame and took a lot of the flex out, and I'll be adding stabilizer jacks to all 4 corners to further distribute the weight and keep things balanced so hopefully it's ok.
Click to expand...

On my HF trailer I used the stock bolts and had to end up replacing them all with nylocks, so good call.
 
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Syberia

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Maybe HF has improved the kit, but it came with all nylocks. Since I didn't install the post brackets on the side, I had a bunch of extras that I used on the carriage bolts that hold the wood down.
 
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PatDoody

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I have the same trailer I use to move motorcycles and stuff.. I tow it with a VW golf. I welded the hinge in the middle and put a piece of AL diamond plate on it. It made a racket bouncing around before I welded it solid. The wood frame should deaden all the sound. Ive never had a problem with the bolts coming loose and ive been across the country with it a few times. Usually cruising at 80mph with no sway or issues. Ive also been wanting to build a teardrop off of one of these trailer chassis. So cheap and includes a title cant go wrong.
 
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Syberia

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Finished the walls today. First I neatly routed the cables out of the way so they won't get cut when I make the door and window openings.





Cut out a hole in the insulation for the electrical box (I used 1.5" shallow old work boxes for this) and pulled the wires through.



Made a matching hole in the wall panel and mounted the box.



I used some screws through the back of the box to make sure it's attached to the inside and outside of the wall.



Insulated the other wall, put up the inside panel, and mounted the outlet box.





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Syberia

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They are 7.5" and the mattress will just be one of those memory foam pads from IKEA, about 4-5 inches thick.

Installed outlets, that's the extent of my work today:



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brownbagg

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there a camper supply house where you can buy the door complete and just cut hole and screw hinge, so you dont have to fabicate the door
 
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Syberia

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brownbagg said:
there a camper supply house where you can buy the door complete and just cut hole and screw hinge, so you dont have to fabicate the door
Click to expand...
Already have the door and a window from eBay, but I want t I get it put together and the siding on before I install them.

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Syberia

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Busy couple of days:

Added 2x3 bracing inside of the front wall to support our backs when we sit up and lean against it to watch TV.



Insulated the wall using 3/4" foam on the bottom to make room for the wiring and 1.5" foam on the top.



Covered with 1/4" plywood and stuck the wires through for a couple of USB ports for phone charging. They will be mounted under a small flip-up shelf.



Time to start on the roof. I ran slats across the top every 7" using 2x2s on the curved portions and 2x3s on the flat portion.



Framed in a 14" x 14" square for my vent fan. The extra 2x3s will also serve as mounting points for a rack of solar panels later.





Skinned the inner roof with 1/8" plywood which BARELY bent itself into the radius I needed. Drilled a hole for the wires for the light to come down and ran them through the ceiling supports.







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Syberia

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Covered the ceiling in white vinyl (mostly so you'll never know we damaged the plywood putting it up) and installed the dome light:



Yeah, it looks kind of bad. It was our first time using contact cement, which is especially difficult when your work is above your head. We'll cover the worst looking part, where it meets the "headboard" of the bed, with molding later.
 
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Syberia

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HOTFR8 said:
I have been following this and I have to say I admire the timber work. Mine is steel framed and aluminum clad.
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I have much more wood working tools and experience than metal so it's easier (and probably cheaper) to do it that way. I considered aluminum siding but the reality is that just added lots of unnecessary $$$ to the build that I couldn't justify so I'm going with vinyl instead. I'd rather spend the money on creature comforts.

A small update, it's been raining and the ground has been soaked and my garage is too small and cluttered so I haven't done much lately. Just got in my huge battery so we're going to take it with us tent camping this weekend to run our projector and an electric blanket. Should easily last 2 days.

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Syberia

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Cut a hole for the door, I still need to cut out some of the Styrofoam and install 2x2 bracing on the straight parts to keep the wall together though.



Installed the dividing wall between the sleeping area and the kitchen. Mosrly to force the back of the trailer to be square. Right now it's just one sheet of plywood but I'll insulate it and install the inside piece later. Need to make sure I put studs in the right place for my TV mount first.



Ripped a piece of 2x2 at an angle matching that of the back of the trailer to give me something to attach the roof to.



Cut out the inside portion of the vent hole, so I'll be able to cut out the outside part once the roof is up.



Started installing the skin for the roof. Got the back curve and the flat part done, but the wife didn't want to help me anymore so I'll do the rest today probably.



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