How about a build thread? An offroad teardrop...

[oz97tj]

There is no section for builds, nor are build threads every really posted here, but I figured some guys may be interested and could offer input from time to time, so here goes...

I've been wanting to build an offroad teardrop for a while. After many years camping in tents, a trip last June set the ball in motion. It rained. A bunch. My trusty tent that had never leaked before, decided it had enough. There were constant streams of water coming through in multiple spots and camping was miserable. After about 3 nights of this, the little lady told me to build the trailer. Woo hoo for leaky tents!

Then we came up with a plan to take a scenic drive while on the way to Florida for our wedding and take the teardrop and camp along the way. So, here we are in February, and the wedding in is April. I've never built one of these before so this could get interesting.

I've been gathering materials for a while now, but haven't started anything until today. I started with a pile of steel.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-02-21_15-06-36_512.jpg
A torsion axle...
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-02-21_15-07-30_913.jpg
A little work done...
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-02-21_16-37-45_323.jpg
And finally with the axle mounted but still some work to do...
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-02-21_20-23-49_636.jpg

Was only able to work on it for about 3 or so hours today and that is where it ended. The frame still will get a cross brace in the center and the sides need to be finished.

The original plan was to have the wheels set into the body with only about half the tires sticking outside. However, I screwed up. When I ordered the axle, I didn't account for the deep offset on the stock Jeep wheels. They would hit the torsion arms, so I had to get some wheel spacers. This pushed the wheels out so far that my originally planned outside measurement of 65 inches would only be about 3 inches wider than the inside of the tires. 3 inches just isn't worth going through all the work of building wheel wells, so the plan is changed to narrow the cabin to fit between the tires and then standard fenders can be mounted.

Tomorrow, finish up the frame and final weld.

[QueenOfTheForest]

Sweet! Keep posting those pics :thumb: . . . I love teardrops!

[Kixx007]

Can I borrow it for a fishing trip I have planned with a buddy next fall?

[rentalrider]

Gonna be cool. Good idea.

[opie]

oz, not sure if youre a member on ExPo.. But not to long ago there was an extensive teardrop build thread. Alot of good ideas and just about every step was chronicled and photographed.

[oz97tj]

oz, not sure if youre a member on ExPo.. But not to long ago there was an extensive teardrop build thread. Alot of good ideas and just about every step was chronicled and photographed.

Yup, I'm a member over there too. I've actually cross posted this thread there too. You're probably talking about the Sawtooth build. That one is basically what put the bug in me to build my own.

[oz97tj]

Today, I didn't get as much done as planned. Did most of the final welding and got it narrowed down to the new width. Still need to do a few cross braces and such and then the frame will be done.

Also for kicks, while doing a few other things in the garage, I pulled the frame out and set it up behind the jeep to see how it would set. Looks about perfect...
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-02-22_16-51-07_157.jpg

This is how it sets right now. Doesn't look much different...
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-02-22_19-32-25_241.jpg

Back to work tomorrow. I'll finish up the welding and then next Monday will start with the wood.

[Bult4mud]

STICKY THIS....
I WANTED TO DO THE SAME THING AND HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE GLAD U TOOK THE PLUNGE FIRST AND LEARN FROM YA.

[dustyxj]

Lookin good.. I picked up a cheap pop-up camper and am considering doing a lift on it to pull behind the jeep... kinda like a jayco baja pop-up.

[OldSailor]

Looking good, Oz. I'm not familiar with teardrop trailers. Will this thing have a soft top or a hard top? Will the bunk(s) be built in, or will the trailer be set up for sleeping bags?

[phittie1100]

Lookin good.. I picked up a cheap pop-up camper and am considering doing a lift on it to pull behind the jeep... kinda like a jayco baja pop-up.

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l269/phittie1100/Jeeps/camper4.jpg

I like my Starcraft R/T, but after dragging it through the woods a couple of times we have determined that it may be an excellent "outback" camper, but it is not a "deep woods" camper due to weight and length. The little tear-drops are a slick option. I also like the military trailers converted to tent-campers.

[oz97tj]

I got wood!

Plywood that is. Today I went and bought all the wood I'll need minus some luan. I started cutting the floor out. I had to add 1/2 inch spacers under the floor to make the floor all flat. My trailer frame has a 2 1/2 inch tongue and the rest is 2 inch. The extra half inch was supposed to hang off the bottom, but due to the axle crown I had to actually use the flat part for the bottom which made the bottom the top. I could have built some spacers for the axle mount to lower it a bit, but I figured wood spacers would be easier to work with. So, long story short, I had to cut out spacers for under the floor but I don't have pictures.

Here is the floor completed...
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-02-28_15-44-40_452.jpg

I then started the walls. The first one was drawn out and cut with a jigsaw. The second was just placed over the first and traced out with a router.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-02-28_18-11-53_102.jpg

I then routered the bottom inside edge of both sidewalls so they would be partially sitting on top of the floor.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-02-28_18-50-30_132.jpg

Both walls went up smoothly so I used some scrap from cutting the walls out to hold it all up.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-02-28_20-09-44_237.jpg
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-02-28_20-10-03_393.jpg

I also cut out the wall / closet or whatever you want to call it that is at the front of the cabin, and mounted it. I still need to cut out the center though. I'm thinking of cutting a large hole in the center to give it a bit more character, but we'll see how it looks. I didn't get any photos of it installed.

Tomorrow, cut the rear wall / partition and mount it all up. Once I'm comfortable with the fit of things, I'll pull it all back apart and flip the floor over to epoxy it up.

[rentalrider]

Looking good JR. Nice progress!

[dustyxj]

I would have just routered the floor to clear the tongue, as with the 1/2" spacers it's just more space for mud to pack in..

[oz97tj]

I would have just routered the floor to clear the tongue, as with the 1/2" spacers it's just more space for mud to pack in..

Yeah that could work too I suppose. I didn't even think about that. I don't really think the mid would be anymore of an issue as it would be anyway though. If mud wants to pack in there, the frame will give it plenty of places to hide.

[dustyxj]

LOL can't wait to see it finished, I have thought about this before myself.

[oz97tj]

Well, today took way longer than it should have. The dreaded snoopy neighbors kept interupting progress. lol Twice, guys walking by, saw the teardrop in the driveway and decided to check it out a little further. Each guy took over an hour of BSing. Guess next time it needs to stay in the garage! Both guys were real nice though and I got to meet some neighbors that I've never met before so it was good day.

Anyway, got the galley partition all mocked up, tore it all back apart and epoxied the bottom.

Sitting out in the sun. It was a balmy 38 degrees...
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-01_15-25-47_852.jpg

Galley partition...
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-01_17-44-29_402.jpg

I didn't take a photo of the bottom of the floor being epoxied. I'll give it a good couple days to cure, and then I'll reassemble and work on the ceilling and roof.

[lgottler]

Anyone ever make the tongue removable (hitch pin in a std. receiver that is welded to the trailer frame)? I was thinking it would make it nice to walk around it without taking your shins out. Plus add some security by pulling the tongue off when you park it....?

[oz97tj]

I've seen them with adjustable length tongues that people do that with. Mine isn't set up that way but it does have a receiver at both ends so I can swap from a ball hitch to an offroad hitch or whatever and be pulled from the back of a trailer.

[joe_jeep]

looks sweet oz!

[oz97tj]

This weekend wasn't so productive. Yesterday I spent about 6 hours driving to go pick up my doors, vent, and some other misc. items. I got home to find some family had came to visit unexpectedly so that pretty much took up the rest of my evening.

Today, the plan was to cut up a couple sheets of plywood into strips for the roof spars, cut the doors, glue up the roof spars, install roof spars and put on the end pieces of the roof. It didn't quite happen. It started with my table saw not cooperating, so I had to run to Home Depot and rent one. Got it home and cut up all the strips. After returning it, I came back home to glue up all my roof spars. Installed the ones at the back to close up the bottom part of my galley and started installing some at the front. Then I started on the drivers side door. It ended up taking me about 90 minutes to cut the hole. I just wasn't with it or something because no matter how many times I measured, it was still not big enough. Finally after cutting it waaaaay too many times, I got the door in. Then I put up a sheet of the roof on the front. It didn't cooperate either. After another hour or so to get one piece on, I gave up for the day.

I only took one pic after I got the door in. I didn't take any more as I was just too frustrated.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-08_19-16-26_463.jpg

I need to finish what I set out to do in the next day or so. I'm putting on the front and back pieces of the roof so I can climb under it and do another coat of epoxy and seal up all the joints and edges. I'm thinking this will make the final epoxy much easier as I wont have to worry about any of the parts on the bottom. Hopefully I can get back in the groove again...

[dustyxj]

What are you going to skin the outside with? or are you just going to paint/varnish it..? I had considered using FRP from home depot as an outer skin if I built one. Never needs painting, easy to clean, available in white, gray and tan colors, and you can use trim pieces for outside corners, inside corners, seams, and edges..... just a thought.

[oz97tj]

I didn't want any trim pieces or anything and want to keep it as durable and snag free as possible so I'm just going to epoxy and paint it. This, in my mind, is also the best way to completely seal everything.

I've purchased West Systems epoxy and it's easy to use and basically encapsulates whatever you epoxy in a hard plastic. It's awesome stuff, and extremely durable.

[dustyxj]

sounds good... same thing boat builders use, should hold up great.

[oz97tj]

This morning I decided to do a little more work. I got the rest of the roof spars installed, the hole for the vent framed, and reinforced the area where the hatch hinge will be.

This shows the front part of the roof I installed over the weekend.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-11_11-30-23_346.jpg

Here you can see the roof spars.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-11_11-30-31_230.jpg

And here is the back. I'll skin it in the next day or two.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-11_11-30-47_531.jpg

[oz97tj]

No pictures this week. Finished welding up the trailer last night. Well mostly anyway. I had to do a little welding on the bottom and I had to do a little welding around the recievers. I'm about one weld away from being done, but of course I ran out of wire.

I then got the passenger side door installed and a few other unglamourous little odds and ends. Then went shopping for my ceiling panels, but nobody had what I was looking for in stock. Now, I need to call the place I got my 4x10 walls from. I'm guessing they will have it, but they close at 4 pm and it was later than that so I was out of luck. To make myself feel better, I bought a new air compressor, staple and brad nailer. lol

In the next couple days, I'll pick up some more welding wire and finish that up, paint the frame, and do one last coat of epoxy on the bottom of the tear. Then I'll place the cabin back on the trailer and bolt it down for the last time. Now let's hope I can find my ceiling materials...

[300Grand]

Very cool Oz! Where did you get 4x10 sheets of plywood?

[oz97tj]

Very cool Oz! Where did you get 4x10 sheets of plywood?

The only place I found them was Michigan Lumber in Flint. I purchased ACX which was $67 a sheet. If you want to stain the wood instead of paint, I'd step up to the cabinet grade stuff, but it's like $112 a sheet.

[oz97tj]

Looking good, Oz. I'm not familiar with teardrop trailers. Will this thing have a soft top or a hard top? Will the bunk(s) be built in, or will the trailer be set up for sleeping bags?

Sorry, I somehow missed your post. I'm sure you've figured out by now, but I'll explain anyway. Hard top. Queen size mattress. Galley in the back accessable via a hatch.

Let's build you one!

[oz97tj]

So, it's official. I'm a bonehead! After installing the ceiling and such, I use my router to cut out the hole for the vent. I knew the vent was up there sitting on the roof spars, but I figure with it being 2 inches above the hole and my router bit only sticking out about a quarter inch, the two will never make contact. I was wrong.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-22_22-34-12_392.jpg

Luckily, I only screwed up the screen. Just did a search and they are cheap. I purchased a replacement on Amazon for like $13 bucks. I got lucky!

Anyway, to back up a bit, this is what I've been up to...

I skinned the back twice. First time, the masonite board didn't like the bend and broke. Had to do it again, but this time with some kerf cuts.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-21_22-18-20_605.jpg

I finished up the frame now, except for the spare tire mount, which will wait until the cabin is mounted to I can get as tight as possible. Also had to buy two different tongue jacks. The first one I thought was long enough, but it was fully extended to level the trailer out, so I'd be screwed if the base sunk into the ground a bit. Here is the longer one.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-21_18-04-20_181.jpg

All the wiring ran. I have a florescent light for the interior light. It has a switch on it, but I thought it would be nice to have switches at both doors. I also needed switches for the patio lights. I found some dual switch (one of which is a 3-way) panels on Ebay. I figure I can drill a hole into the solid wall to run the wire, and then meet it with another hole where the switches will be. Most of the wire will be ran behind the door frame, but I also had to drill through the wall above the door to hide the wire coming from the ceiling. This is what it looks like, but it'll be all hidden with the ceiling and the door.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-22_18-29-19_74.jpg

The ceiling has been installed with some white masonite with a "knock down" type finish. All glued up with some brads to help hold it. I also had to do kerf cuts on the back of all the bends as it didn't want to cooperate. I was litterally cutting on the ceilling panels for hours. Seeing as my table saw isn't functioning, all the kerf cuts were done with a skill saw. Not fun.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-22_20-32-53_533.jpg

That's all my photos for now. I'm waiting for my switches to arrive before I install the roof as I want to be sure my wiring is all working properly.

[yj_hank]

Great job. I dont know if I could take on a job like that. Please keep the pics coming and best of luck on the project.

Henry

[oz97tj]

My switches arrived,and they are a little deeper than I was hoping. Looks like I'll have to make some sort of plate to space the switch out a bit. Shouldn't be too difficult.

The roof will go on as soon as the electrical is tested. Then the hatch will be framed up. Then epoxy Monday or Tuesday...

[oz97tj]

Great job. I dont know if I could take on a job like that. Please keep the pics coming and best of luck on the project.

Henry

I'm sure you could do it. It's just cutting wood and sticking it together. People always make projects out to be bigger than they really are. Anything, whether jeep or teardrop or whatever, it just a series of small steps. If you can cut a 2x4 in half, you can build a teardrop.

[yj_hank]

Saw you on expedition Portal. This will be great for the U.P. Expeditions. My bronco is completly disassembled and I have had no off-road vehicle for almost a year. I hope to have it on the road this summer. I was signed up last year for the U.P. Expedition but had to bow out due to no longer having the jeep. I would sure love to go next year though.

Henry

[oz97tj]

Yeah, I'd love to tag along with those guys as well. We met up with them briefly on Gay beach two years ago. Through email, I had some of the GPS info so was able to hit some great sections without being in their group. However, I was still driving more or less blindly up there just looking at GPS and maps. The organizers know the UP like the back of their hands and can really show you some great scenery and trails. I won't be able to attend this year due to my schedule being too booked up this summer, but maybe next year. Or I'll just have to explore on my own again. I may try to do this towards the end of this summer too if I can find the time.

[rentalrider]

Finish this darn thing up!!! I totally plan on sleeping in it tomorrow night when you guys start snoring :bootyshake:

[oz97tj]

hahaha. Well, it does have a ceiling and the wiring should be all buttoned up tonight so lights and such will work. However, it's stuck in my garage not mounted to the trailer currently.

Then again, all the girls will be at the house tomorrow night so you may get invited in... Just will have to dance for them. lol

[OldSailor]

Sorry, I somehow missed your post. I'm sure you've figured out by now, but I'll explain anyway. Hard top. Queen size mattress. Galley in the back accessable via a hatch.

Let's build you one!

Sounds cool, Oz, but my "camping" days are far behind me! I just turned 70, and my old bones (and other parts) need the creature comforts, like A/C, running water, etc! (g)

[oz97tj]

This weekend was busy!!! Had a bachelor party where we went and helped homeless and then studied the bible... After some recovery time, got a bunch of work done.

I finished the wiring and tested everything and then installed the interior light.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-28_16-03-02_553.jpg

Then started working on installing the switches. Seeing as I have solid walls, I routered out a pocket for the switches.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-28_16-00-49_670.jpg

It wasn't quite deep enough for the wiring and the switches so I needed to create a spacer. A hole was drilled from the door to run the wires. There is a 3 way switch at both doors to control the interior light and there is a patio switch.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-28_17-02-42_516.jpg
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-28_20-49-04_515.jpg

Finally got around to the hatch. I'll admit I was a bit nervous. Cutting the walls was stressful. There is no fixing a screw up there. Luckily, it worked out well.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-29_15-05-32_594.jpg
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-29_15-22-31_19.jpg

The idea is there is a raised lip that will keep out any water.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-29_15-28-15_590.jpg
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-29_15-28-59_192.jpg

Needs a little trimming still, but you can see where the seal will sit.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-29_15-30-04_135.jpg

And this is with the rest of the stringers in. I messed with the latch for a while, but didn't take a photos. It still needs some stuff made to be functional.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-29_16-52-48_165.jpg

Then the roof was skinned.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-29_19-16-59_392.jpg

And finally, got a coat of epoxy on.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-29_23-43-07_821.jpg
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-29_23-43-46_866.jpg

Will do a couple more coats of epoxy over the next few days.

[dustyxj]

lookin good oz... can't wait to see it finished.

[oz97tj]

Mixed some fairing filler in with my epoxy to create a putty for filling.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-03-30_12-56-52_779.jpg

After final sanding and last coat of epoxy.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-04-04_13-59-38_892.jpg

Frame all painted up. Sawhorses work well as a rotisserie.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-04-04_14-30-34_437.jpg

Axle back on. Safety chains welded up.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-04-04_16-22-44_422.jpg

Working on paint. I was going for more of a desert tan color, but I guess the color card looked way darker in the store. It's barely darker than white.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-04-05_12-26-57_79.jpg

Back on the frame.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-04-05_19-07-34_602.jpg

I mounted taillights on the back of the frame and routed all the wiring inside the frame. I then pulled the frame to the scales. The frame, minus the sleeper, weighed 480 lbs. I then went and got my plates so I'm all legal now.

Still waiting for my fenders to arrive, and I need to wrap up the hatch, which I'm going back out to work on tonight. Slowly but surely...

[yj_hank]

Looking great Oz. How much time would you guess you have invested so far? I look forward to seeing the finished project.


Henry

[oz97tj]

I don't really know to be honest. Id guess 40 or 50 total. Then again, a bunch of that is scratching my head. Lol. If I wasn't under such a time crunch, there are definatly things I wish I would have done differently but couldn't. Im really looking forward to the next one.

[oz97tj]

Well its together. Tows great too. Im typing this while laying in it in a walmart parking lot in ripley, west virginia. Tomorrow morning, after about 4 more hours, we should be on the blue ridge parkway.

Ill even use real campgrounds the rest of the trip! Lol

[sumpter1]

Let's see the finished product!

[DDS4X4]

WV, you were on a tight schedule.
GREAT job!

[oz97tj]

Now we are in NC. I've been pulling it along the parkway with no issues. It really does pull nice. Slept pretty good in it last night too.

I don't know how to post pics from my photobucket account on here using my phone. If you click on my above photos though you can see them in my photobucket.

[jeepfreak81]

How did the Galley turn out? Do anything cool there?

[Evil Queen]

that is really awesome

[oz97tj]

How did the Galley turn out? Do anything cool there?

Not exactly finished. Lol. Its campable, but not done. Galley isn't finished. Cabinets inside aren't finished. Some other odds and ends too.

On the bright side, its currently 330 AM and its been raining for a few hours now and im still dry!

[GL08JK]

Great job on the build. Looks good.

[JerryD]

Looks GREAT! :thumb: Need to paint it red, tho. And you're using the wrong tow vehicle!!! ;)
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-04-11_13-56-11_175.jpg
(Hope you don't mind me taking the liberty of linking to a pic in your album)

[oz97tj]

The Edge is way more comfortable, gets better mpg, and has more power than the JK so it got towing duties for this trip.

Thanks for posting the pic.

[sumpter1]

Nice work!

[dustyxj]

http://cgi.ebay.com/US-Military-M101-M101A1-Trailer-Parts-M37-Powerwagon-/190520596758?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5be99916

This looks like it would be a good start for an offroad teardrop trailer...

[oz97tj]

Maybe. But you are limited to what's there unless you change things around to fit what you want, but then you may be further ahead starting from scratch. Itjust depends on the size and such options you want.

I looked around some and ended up figuring id be time and money ahead to build my own. I have just over 200 bucks in steel on mine.

[jeepfreak81]

http://cgi.ebay.com/US-Military-M101-M101A1-Trailer-Parts-M37-Powerwagon-/190520596758?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5be99916

This looks like it would be a good start for an offroad teardrop trailer...

All you would be getting out of that is the steel really, the axle and wheels would be far to heavy to want to drag down a trail, and the excess weight would just suck fuel when towing.

A good chunk of the theory of teardrops and off road trailers are about saving weight and maximizing efficiency.

[Renegade II]

A M101 is a big trailer to pull through the woods, IIRC the one I towed home for a buddy is about the width of a H1. I'd go more for a M416 sized trailer for trails.

[oz97tj]

A M101 is a big trailer to pull through the woods, IIRC the one I towed home for a buddy is about the width of a H1. I'd go more for a M416 sized trailer for trails.

I agree. However, decent 416s run a good chuck of money. Not to mention I just wouldn't feel right using just the frame. The trailers are too cool for that. Building, or starting with a basic bolt together frame (if the light duty would fit your needs) is the way to go in my opinion.

[jeepfreak81]

I agree. However, decent 416s run a good chuck of money. Not to mention I just wouldn't feel right using just the frame. The trailers are too cool for that. Building, or starting with a basic bolt together frame (if the light duty would fit your needs) is the way to go in my opinion.

Any issues with the tires rubbing the fenders? It looks really close.

[oz97tj]

Any issues with the tires rubbing the fenders? It looks really close.

No not yet anyway. When I set them up there was a bit more clearance but it appears its settled a bit since I've pulled it. However, I purposely hit some speed bumps in the parking lot pretty fast.just to see how much it would compress in big bumps (off road) and it still didn't hit. I guess it may be trial and error.

[oz97tj]

Well, I've returned from a 3500 mile test run. Overall, it did real well. However, I did learn a few things.

1. The mattress I have sucks. Its fine for a short time, but after half a night, it feels like the foam is all compressed and no padding, so I need to do something different there.

2. I had some leaking issues. I was lucky though. On the way down(when we were sleeping in it), I only hit about 20 minutes of light rain while driving. Upon setting up camp that evening, I noticed near both doors the sheets were a bit wet. I figured it must have came in through the doors. That night it rained all night and there were no leaking issues at all though, so it's obviously only an issue while driving.
The big problem was on the way home. We made a 19 hour drive from Florida back to Michigan and it rained most of the way, quite hard at times as well. When I got home at around 2 AM, I was taking a few things out of the camper and noticed the mattress was soaked. I flipped the mattress up and the entire floor was wet. Also, when I flipped the mattress up, a bunch of water was squeezed out and started running out the back passenger side corner (it was parked on a slight hill).
Here is what I think happened. I built the walls to hang down past the floor over the frame rails. It was all tight when I was framing it up. I then took the cabin off the frame and epoxied everything. When we set the cabin back down on the frame, it was a tight fit. The epoxy obviously added too much thickness that I didn't account for so when we persuaded the cabin back onto the frame, it must have seperated the floor / wall seams and this is were my leak is. At least I was lucky enough not to have this issue until I was home and I didn't need to sleep on a wet mattress.

3. I made the sleeping area 80 inches long. This is what a standard queen size mattress is. However, most bed frames allow at least another 6 or so inches room between the head and foot boards. I didn't think of this either. So when sleeping in the tear, with pillows under my head (which pushes me down a bit) my feet are against the back and I can't exactly stretch out. Luckily, I built a small chest that takes up about 6 inches of floor space at the front of the trailer at the head of the bed. I am going to remove this, and now I should have plenty of length to stretch.

Overall, it was a great trip. The camper pulled great. Hardly even noticed it was there. Even in the mountains, sometimes driving a little too aggressively because it was just entertaining, the trailer pulled with no trouble.

Here is a few photos. One of it hooked up to the wifes Edge in the mountains...
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-04-11_13-56-11_175.jpg
And one of just a cool shot from the top of Clingmans Dome.
http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt303/oz97tj/Teardrop/2011-04-13_10-50-36_382.jpg

Now, along with the aforementioned fixes, I need to finish the cabinets inside and the galley area.

[sumpter1]

Thanks for the update.

[yj_hank]

Nice job. Hopefully you will be able to post some more pics of it in use this summer. Now how to install A/C in that bad boy should be next on the list!


Henry

[oz97tj]

Nice job. Hopefully you will be able to post some more pics of it in use this summer. Now how to install A/C in that bad boy should be next on the list!


Henry

I've thought aboard that some. Most people are using small window units but they are way overpowered for the job and run off shore power only. And heavy. Id like to find a better solution. Not sure what that is yet though.

On the other hand, I slept in it on the way down in 80 degree temps and with the windows open and the fan on even just low, it cools it nicely. So maybe I wont need AC.

[phittie1100]

Here is a few photos. One of it hooked up to the wifes Edge in the mountains...


I'll bet that phrase still takes some getting used to!

Pics look great, glad to hear it works almost as good as it looks, the problems all sound fixable.