We
camped
in
the
teardrop four years and decided it was just too small.
I think we would still have it if we had buildt it 5 feet wide but it
was only 4 feet and it was just too tight for the two of us (or we had
grown too big). I started thinking
about all the things I would liketo have in a trailer and started
designing a new trailer for us. This would not be a teardop but rather
a more conventional type trailer. I built this one in a little bit
different order than the teardrop; I built this one from the inside out.
11/4/2007 - The first step was to
build a trailer frame. I looked around for quite a while looking for a
frame that was 6.5'x11'. There just aren't any trailer
available out there in that size because its a non-standard size. I
would have to build one myself. Here's cut steel at DenCol Steel in Denver where I
ordered the steel and then picked it up after the cut it for me.
They
carry steel in 24' sticks. You get one free cut with each stick and
each additional cut is $1.50. I basically had them just cut everything
in half. The steel was $280. I should have
had them do all the cuts but I'd already bought a cut off saw. Den Col
would have delivered but they require that you have a forklift on site!
I got the wheels from eBay and the
tires from the the Tire
Rack.com. I used 14" load range C Goodyear
Marathons because they seemed t have the best reputation at the
time I was researching them on the 'net. The axle is a 3500# flexiride
axle with 5x4.5" hubs and electric brakes. I was going to use the same
lug pattern as the truck but the hubs would have been HUGE with 8 lugs.
I settled on the 5X4.5" becasue you can find trailer wheels at Walmart
in that size. I used the flexiride
because you can adjust the ride height easily. I wanted to make sure I
could get the trailer out f the garage when I was done.
11/24/2007 Here I'm
starting to layout the frame and the axle. The water tank will live
right behind the axle so that a full tank of water won't upset the
trailer balance too badly. I'm using corner braces to try and keep
everything square.
11/24/2007 The tongue is 2x3x11G, the
frame is 2x3x14G, and the cross members are 2x2x14G. The frame is
lighter than I thought it would be but its no light weight. The
flexiride axle weighs a ton! I have to put the axle on next and then
build the outriggers. The box will be 6-1/2' wide and 11' long with a
42" tongue. This is the first time I've ever worked with metal and I
have to say I sure like wood better!
12/2/2007 Here I 've welded up the coupler
riser and bolted on the coupler. I need the extension so the trailer
would match the height of the hitch on the truck. I have a drop hitch
but going lower than around a 4" drop gets expensive so I raised the
coupler. I need to box the end of the lower tongue tube,
but I want to run the trailer wiring down the tubing. I've
already boxed the extension.
12/2/2007 I
flipped the frame over and beveled the leading edge of the tongue and
boxed it. The hole is where the trailer light wires will go. I beveled
the front so hopefully it will ride up and over anything I happen to
hit with the tongue. I saw a cargo trailer break free from the tow
vehicle after they hit the tongue on a cattle guard.
I started on the
floor before I painted the frame to keep from scratching up the paint.
Boy I sure do like working with wood better than metal. I built the
subframe and floor in a weekend. I ended up adding supports to
the
open area for the water tank after I tested it with the decking. Not
quite strong enough for my big butt. I used 2x2 for the subframe and
1/2" CDX for the floor.
Here's the decking on
and the screws located and drilled. Starting to look like something
now. Too bad I have to take it all off to paint the frame.
04/13/2008
Here's
Jean
hard
at
work.
We
used
floor
and
porch
paint
and
it
turned
out
pretty
good.
I
insulated
the
floor
but
didn't
take
any
pictures. I
just left the insulation exposed so we'll see how it holds up.
We painted
the frame with Rustbullet. I really like how the Rustbullet went on and
it seems to be pretty tough stuff. We're not going to give it a
topcoat, the Rustbullet doesn't need it and we like the color. We used
a short nap roller and the finish turned out great.
I installed the
brakes and packed the bearings. I went over to NAPA and got a
replacement set of bearings and seals so I have a spare set to throw
into the trailer someday when its finished.
I used smurf
pipe to run the trailer wiring around the frame. I wanted
to make sure the wiring was well protected as it seems like every
other trailer I see on the road has a light or two that doesn't work. I
used a trailer wiring junction box to split the wiring fron the 7 pin
plug down both sides of the trailer. That's the spare down there and it
will ride onthe bottom of the frame.
I finished the wheel
wells. Boy, the decision to use 14" wheels comes back to haunt me with
a 12" high wheel well. I wanted tires with enough weight capacity to
carry everything safely at highway speeds, I just didn't realize how
much interior room it would take. Oh well. I used leftover CDX since
its pretty common for a blowout to trash the wheel well. Everything
will be replaceable.
I got the wheels from eBay and the
tires from the the 
12/2/2007 Here I 've welded up the coupler
riser and bolted on the coupler. I need the extension so the trailer
would match the height of the hitch on the truck. I have a drop hitch
but going lower than around a 4" drop gets expensive so I raised the
coupler. I need to box the end of the lower tongue tube,
but I want to run the trailer wiring down the tubing. I've
already boxed the extension. 
12/2/2007 I
flipped the frame over and beveled the leading edge of the tongue and
boxed it. The hole is where the trailer light wires will go. I beveled
the front so hopefully it will ride up and over anything I happen to
hit with the tongue. I saw a cargo trailer break free from the tow
vehicle after they hit the tongue on a cattle guard.
I started on the
floor before I painted the frame to keep from scratching up the paint.
Boy I sure do like working with wood better than metal. I built the
subframe and floor in a weekend. I ended up adding supports to
the
open area for the water tank after I tested it with the decking. Not
quite strong enough for my big butt. I used 2x2 for the subframe and
1/2" CDX for the floor. 
We painted
the frame with Rustbullet. I really like how the Rustbullet went on and
it seems to be pretty tough stuff. We're not going to give it a
topcoat, the Rustbullet doesn't need it and we like the color. We used
a short nap roller and the finish turned out great.
I installed the
brakes and packed the bearings. I went over to NAPA and got a
replacement set of bearings and seals so I have a spare set to throw
into the trailer someday when its finished.
I used smurf
pipe to run the trailer wiring around the frame. I wanted
to make sure the wiring was well protected as it seems like every
other trailer I see on the road has a light or two that doesn't work. I
used a trailer wiring junction box to split the wiring fron the 7 pin
plug down both sides of the trailer. That's the spare down there and it
will ride onthe bottom of the frame.