Side project started....HF trailer "Teardrop"

[DeckArtist]

Got the hankering to build a camping equipment trailer so I located a used Harbor Freight foldable trailer and got it. Was going to floor it with new wood and new stake rails, then add the camping stuff [tents, etc.] and tarp it for future use.

My buddy said he had a 3x4 he would give me after I told him about this one, so it will now become a 'redneck teardrop'. I will build it completely out of wood with a metal roof that is capable of having a roof rack on it.
Going to use the same shiplap I put on the Aljo inside and out and newer RV windows in black frames.

So I got the trailer home, stripped it clean of all the wiring and junk he had on it, then primered and shot it with gloss black rattle can Rustoleum.

 

[Krazeehorse33]

Phase one complete! This is going to be fun to watch. ( that looks a little bigger than 3' by 4') Thanks.

 

[tlmgcamp]

I am on my 3rd trailer of that style. The last one I bought was the all-aluminum version so it will likely be my last. They are very useful but I would suggest that you remember a couple things:

1. The frames flex a lot. I would support the frame in multiple places and establish level before you start framing so everything is straight, plumb and level when you are done

2. Watch the weight. Once the unit is built and then a couple people climb inside you might exceed the max cargo weight

Good luck with it

 

[Steven UK]

I have had one of these on my project list for a few years... but somehow it evolved into a Diesel Pusher... anyway one of the construction methods i had planned to try for the walls and roof were laminated, 1/4" Ply, 2" foam insulation and aluminum sheet. i think a lot of RV's are built this way all be it with larger panels. We can all easily find these materials at your nearest DIY store. i have not researched the adhesive yet but that should be a relatively easy process. i do have some parts set aside for the build but that is probably where they will stay... good luck, I'm looking forward to seeing the progress.
Regards Steven

 

[SMR]

Looks like a fun project. Keep us posted.

 

[Ex-Calif]

Keep us posted.

I'd consider riveted aluminum framing with stressed aluminum skin for weight purposes.

"So I got the trailer home, stripped it clean of all the wiring and junk he had on it, then primered and shot it with gloss black rattle can Rustoleum."

Almost finished, honey...

 

[Steven UK]

there is plenty of info on YouTube... i think i have watched it all... it was easier than actually building one...

 

[DeckArtist]

Phase one complete! This is going to be fun to watch. ( that looks a little bigger than 3' by 4') Thanks.

I have not picked up the 3x4 yet...that's later today. This is a 4x8.

 

[DeckArtist]

I am on my 3rd trailer of that style. The last one I bought was the all-aluminum version so it will likely be my last. They are very useful but I would suggest that you remember a couple things:

1. The frames flex a lot. I would support the frame in multiple places and establish level before you start framing so everything is straight, plumb and level when you are done

2. Watch the weight. Once the unit is built and then a couple people climb inside you might exceed the max cargo weight

Good luck with it

Yep. I will be fortifying the frame a bit before the flooring goes on. Just going to be me inside at the campsite [or deep woods].

 

[DeckArtist]

Keep us posted.

I'd consider riveted aluminum framing with stressed aluminum skin for weight purposes.

"So I got the trailer home, stripped it clean of all the wiring and junk he had on it, then primered and shot it with gloss black rattle can Rustoleum."

Almost finished, honey...

All wood and a light metal roofing...materials I work with all the time. I use a very lightweight cedar shiplap for siding and cedar framing. While it will weight a bit more than aluminum, it will not exceed the limit of the trailer by any stretch.

 

[djw2112]

I built alot of these in my day as motorcycle trailers to store camping gear and stuff. Might i suggest a few things.

1. make sure it is perfectly square so it tracks correctly.

2. reinforce the tongue, they are well known to collapse (fold up) under stress. I always changed mine out for tube steel.

3. i always liked the look of diamond plate covering the tongue area, its not that expensive and looks great, plus it helps strengthen that area.

4. alittle trick to keep it from chirping down the road as they all do. Take some small sections of water hose or some other rubber tube and insert the bolt for the leaf springs through it, it will help quiet it down. Some of the newer models came with bushings to do this but the older ones did not.

5. while you have the frame available in that condition use this stuff or something similar to treat the inside of the frame against rust. Eastwood Internal Frame Coating Aerosol Black

6. Run the electrical (lights and power) and water now, its much easier.

Finally, remember to have fun with it, it can get frustrating at times trying to find material and deciding weight over convenience.

Best of luck...

 

[Old_Crow]

I had one of those Harbor Freight 40"x48" trailers. Here's what I did with it:

 

[Onyrlef]

I had one of those Harbor Freight 40"x48" trailers. Here's what I did with it:

Those small trailers I've looked at had quite restrictive speed limitations. Those tires are making a lot of revolutions i.e., a relatively increased coefficient of friction. I'd be interested to know the speed rating.

 

[Onyrlef]

Got the hankering to build a camping equipment trailer so I located a used Harbor Freight foldable trailer and got it. Was going to floor it with new wood and new stake rails, then add the camping stuff [tents, etc.] and tarp it for future use.

My buddy said he had a 3x4 he would give me after I told him about this one, so it will now become a 'redneck teardrop'. I will build it completely out of wood with a metal roof that is capable of having a roof rack on it.
Going to use the same shiplap I put on the Aljo inside and out and newer RV windows in black frames.

So I got the trailer home, stripped it clean of all the wiring and junk he had on it, then primered and shot it with gloss black rattle can Rustoleum.

I'd only make sure my axle will support the weight, not only are you going to carry the camping parapernalia but now you have the structure as well.

 

[Pedro Dog]

What happens to the motorcycle if the trailer has a blowout? Seems very dangerous to me.

 

[xvz12]

I've been towing a trailer behind my motorcycles for many years....I can't speak of a blowout(I am very meticulous about my tires), but I did hit a huge chuckhole once, at highway speed that flipped my trailer completely over. Didn't bother the bike at all, I just pulled over & flipped the trailer back over. Skinned the top pretty badly, but no other damage. My hitch is designed to allow a full 360° rotation, to prevent the trailer intoducing any torque effects on the bike at extreme angles.

 

[Ex-Calif]

What happens to the motorcycle if the trailer has a blowout? Seems very dangerous to me.

Probably similar to have a bike tire blowout. Exciting but not life ending. I have had more than a few bike flats while trail riding, albeit at speeds <45mph.

I reckon the trailer gets pretty "draggy" and maybe some yaw but probably less exciting than a front bike tire flat.

OTOH - Not many guys ride bikes because they are the safest thing on the road - LOL...

 

[Old_Crow]

Those small trailers I've looked at had quite restrictive speed limitations. Those tires are making a lot of revolutions i.e., a relatively increased coefficient of friction. I'd be interested to know the speed rating.

I don't have that rig anymore. My wife rode her own bike when we traveled and she was the factor limiting our speed, not the trailer. She tended to cruise around 60mph. If I had been by myself, I probably would have been doing 65-70. I'm never really in a big hurry to get anywhere.
Never had a blowout on the trailer in 5 or 6 years of towing it. One time I pulled it from Arkansas to Tennessee, then to Mobile, Al and back through Mississippi to Arkansas one time and it's been on a trip to Colorado, Yellowstone, Sturgis, and back to Arkansas. Most of the other trips were within Arkansas or into Missouri or Tennessee. I pulled it to a party in Tennessee one time and came back with an antique coffee table tied to the top of it.

 

[DeckArtist]

Those small trailers I've looked at had quite restrictive speed limitations. Those tires are making a lot of revolutions i.e., a relatively increased coefficient of friction. I'd be interested to know the speed rating.

Easy enough to find out and yes I already know what it is. The tires are what is rated and they are not going to be staying one the wheels after it is built. Since the wheels are only 12" I will need to get a tire rated for more than these are and besides, any trailer that is bought used is likely going to need new tires....common sense tells us that.

 

[DeckArtist]

I'd only make sure my axle will support the weight, not only are you going to carry the camping parapernalia but now you have the structure as well.

Yes, I also know what the axle is rated for and common sense will also tell you not to exceed that rating. No, the extra camping gear goes inside the truck or in the bed. Having had a lot of experience with vintage campers and extensive knowledge of teardrops [my buddy builds them], there won't be any weight issues.

Just found some Kenda 4.80x12 radials that I will be adding soon. 81 MPH rating and 1200 lbs per tire weight rating.