Teardrop Trailer Build

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A few days back someone was talking about building a teardrop trailer. Well I started mine this weekend. I started with some lengths of 2" x 3/16 channel for the frame and 2x2 angle for the body mounts.Raw materialInto the bandsaw to get cut to sizeStart tacking it togetherMore pics next postSure, I can fix it... I got a welder!!!
Reply:Tack on the trailer couplerMy feeble attempts at TIG welding (3/32 red, unknown freebie rods)Then I ran out of Argon, hopefully some more pics after this coming weekend!Sure, I can fix it... I got a welder!!!
Reply:That's a good start.  If you haven't tig welded much before i would say you have the hang of it pretty well.  For a hobby weldor looks like you have a few nice goodies in the shop there.  Keep up the pics.  I am looking at this project with interest of building one myself.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:And I thought i needed more room to work!The best things in life all come on a stick!
Reply:Your tig is looking good, not feeble at all.- John
Reply:Thanks, yeah this is my first real project using tig, normally I probably would have used mig but I need the "seat time"!!! Originally Posted by RabidfishAnd I thought i needed more room to work!
Reply:If you do the whole frame with tig you should be gettin in the groove before its over.  I will take some patience as that mig welder will woop out the welds in no time flat.  I am just trying out a mig welder that I will probably buy so before it's been Tig or stick.Your not the only one that will have tigged a trailer.Don
Reply:Keep going...Try a little more heat and a little less "hand speed" and you'll be fine...Well???Keep Going!!!    ...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterKeep going...Try a little more heat and a little less "hand speed" and you'll be fine...Well???Keep Going!!!    ...zap!
Reply:I got some more work done this weekend MIG welded the trailer coupler Added some braces to help keep it squareDonor axle and springsMore pics next postSure, I can fix it... I got a welder!!!
Reply:MIG welded the new spring hangers onPut on the springs and clamped the axle in place.It moves  I still have to weld new perches onto the axle so it can be mounted permanently and order a set of stabilizer jacks to be welded on the back. Hopefully I'll have some more updates next weekend Sure, I can fix it... I got a welder!!!
Reply:These things take time but you're doing great looks like. I've seen several of the little tear drop replica trailers. Cute as can be.
Reply:Fwalz3, we always add a second plate on the underside of the frame at the tongue jack, for stability. They have a hole for the jack to pass through and get welded at the frame, not normally at the jack. This reduces the chance of bending your coupler and lets you replace the jack if necessary.At this point, and for your project, it may seem like overkill, and we find trailers with out them, but they are usually suffering deformation of the coupler at the point where the jack bolts in place. It is an over the counter component, but easy to make also. Looks good though!City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:That's a good idea tanglediver, wish I thought of it Saturday. I was actually thinking of adding a couple of stabilizer jacks on the front as well (they're already going in the back) for extra support for when the camper is being used while detached from a vehicle, that will take the weight off the front jack. I'll definitely add the second plate on the next trailer. Thanks!Sure, I can fix it... I got a welder!!!
Reply:A couple of 3 1/2" pieces of 2" channel leftover from the frameDrilled out the holes for the spring centerpin and milled some notches for the axle to sit inMeasured twice and tacked onceI ordered the u-bolts and the stabilizers from Northern Tool. It will probably be a week or so before they come in.Everyone enjoy their 4th of July Last edited by fwalz3; 07-04-2007 at 10:47 AM.Sure, I can fix it... I got a welder!!!
Reply:Looks good. I recently had a guy building teardrops ask me to build him 5 trailers for them. It wouldn't be a bad idea to sandblast the springs and axle and replace the bearings before your new trailer is on that. Bill
Reply:Yes, I'm going to clean it up and paint it. I think I'm going to change the hubs also because they're 4 bolts (unless I find some decent rims for it). I also want to register it before it gets painted so I can stamp whatever VIN they give me onto the frame.Sure, I can fix it... I got a welder!!!
Reply:nince project , i want to build one too keep us up to date on the progress.your gona tow with ?
Reply:In Washington state, a home built trailer needs to be inspected by the state patrol and they stamp the vin and put a riveted aluminum tag on it. I don't know what your state does, but it they HAVE to stamp it, they will stamp one side of the supports going to the coupler. Leave the drivers side support unpainted and just do it after they inspect it. They may also require a receipt for your axle and steel. If you got that old axle off of something with an existing title then you may be in luck. You can take the vin off of that and stamp your new trailer with that vin number that is associated with the old axle. Then you will have no need for inspection. Good luck.Bill
Reply:WHughes, New Jersey is not so picky. I've built a couple of utility trailers before and there is no inspection and they assign the VIN # when you register it (they don't even check to see if you stamp the trailer or not). There is also no title, just the registration. When you sell it you provide a written bill of sale and a copy of the old registration. It may have something to do with what weight you are registering the trailer for, mine have always been registered at 1,000 lbs.Sure, I can fix it... I got a welder!!!
Reply:wpould you mind posting the plans for this trailer? i would really love to make one with my new tig/stick machine. i wanna make it with c channel on the bottom so it can hold three dirts bike and the i can lift a wooden box on it with an a frame and endless chain. so i can put all my tools in it.http://datingsidorsingel.com/
Reply:Cheeseclip, the plans I bought were copyrighted and prior to purchasing you had to agree not to distribute them (blah,blah, blah) so I can't post those. After researching and planning to build one of these over the years I have come across a decent amount of free plans. The one I would recommend (and wish I found before paying $60.00 for mine) are at http://www.mikenchell.com/forums/index.php. You'll see them at the top index and they're called "Generic Benroy Plans". I tried to attach them here but the file is too big. These plans are much more detailed than the ones I have and are for a slightly larger teardrop. My plans are for a 4'x8' which I realize, as I am drawing the template out on a piece of plywood, is kinda small!BigDaddyCool, the trailers are really small and light and can be towed with just about anything. I am putting a Jeep CJ together that I will be using to tow with, that way I could camp almost anywhere. It will also go behind my 23' Class C camper as a guest room. I have a wife, three kids and a dog so the Class C is even too small for us at this point Sure, I can fix it... I got a welder!!!
Reply:i tow my utility trailer whit my super mini toyota echo hatch, since my old GMC s-15 is pretty much gone due to rust ( i live in the rust belt , Quebec)I plan on doing it ultra light and small ( some tow tears whit motorbike so)nice job keep up the good work
Reply:All this interest in teardrops, cool. The frame is looking good! I've been looking into it for a couple years now. I will tow mine behind my 69 mustang. I found a bunch of free plans. some aren't very detailed but I can fill in the missing information. I want to frame the body with angle and lay fiberglass for the skin.Freedom of speed
Reply:Its been awhile since I've posted any updates on this project, with a wife, three kids, full-time day job and part-time night school "me time" has been a little scarce lately. Anyway, enough with the excuses...I added another cross-brace for the tongue/trailer jackWelded in my name, just in case it disappears on meAdded some stabilizersPainted. Sprayed it with Rustoleum black mixed with acetone (learned that trick somewhere on this site)The beginning of the foot for the trailer jack. Next post...Sure, I can fix it... I got a welder!!!I found an old sprocket while going through my junk that I could use as a foot. Needed a little work thoughWelded up the cuts that were in the sprocketWelded the pipe to the sprocketJust needs paint and a real boltNext post...Sure, I can fix it... I got a welder!!!
Reply:All done with the metal work except for the safety chains and fenders. Fenders can't be done until after the body is built. That may take me some timeSure, I can fix it... I got a welder!!!
Reply:fwalz3 - I dont want to get off subject, but I'm curious about the added acetone to paint.  What is it's purpose?-my Dad is "Jose" so I guess it follows I'm Hose B...My play tools:1. an old Lincoln tombstone older than I am2. a little Lincoln wire feeder3. and my Dad's Pipeliner that's older than he is...
Reply:The acetone is used to thin the paint so you can spray it with an automotive type spray gun (spray cans get too expensive!). I put a link to the post where I got the idea from...http://www.weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread...ight=rustoleumSure, I can fix it... I got a welder!!!
Reply:Thanks fwalz3.  I might try that sometime.  Sounds like a good way to higher than a kite too...  In all seriousness, with a booth and lots of ventilation, no sparks, etc. that sounds like a great way to stretch a limited volume of paint as well as atomization issues with guns such as those used for cars.  I do some airbrushing myself.-my Dad is "Jose" so I guess it follows I'm Hose B...My play tools:1. an old Lincoln tombstone older than I am2. a little Lincoln wire feeder3. and my Dad's Pipeliner that's older than he is...
Reply:acetone in paint and such is a common practice.  i use it in some clearcoat applications when i build and finish cabinets.  all thinners and solvents have the same dangers.  acetone will quicken the drying time of you paint which is a plus in some situations.
Reply:Sweet job!  One question: are you actually saving money vs buying a used one that is similar?  Or are you doing it this way because welding and creating things is fun!  Also, not to change subjects at all, but is that an old Honda CB 750 in the background?  (the one with the red tank).   Thanks, and excellent work bud!Have a Jeep Cherokee?  Click Here!