Critique my tear drop design

[Bumzo1]

After perusing through many of the build threads of on this site it made me really want to build a trailer of my own. Right now it is planned to be a summer project in a few years when I have the funds and the time so as of now it is just in the planning stages. When I started designing my tear drop I decided that I like the grasshopper style over the actual tear drop curved style. My biggest inspiration for the shape was the Sawtooth XL build but I decided that I wanted it to be a bit larger and have more amenities so I blended the interiors of a few different trailers. The trailer was designed to go down some moderate trails and logging roads but not to take it rock crawling.

Here is the sketchup file It is to scale except for the frame which I am going to need some advice on.

The box is about 9'7" total length but only 8'8" on the frame. I'm not sure of the optimum length of the tow bar so any insight on that would be great. It is 68" with a track length of 62" to match my '05 Grand Cherokee. It will be riding on a leaf sprung 3500# axle with 5x5 hubs and 32" tires to match the TV.

Interior dimensions are 66"x84" and includes a front shelf for glasses or small items and 2 12v ports to charge cellphones or cameras. The rear has 2 cabinets, one of which will house the 12V distribution and battery, there is also a stereo and an open area that will be covered with mesh to store duffel bags or soft cargo. There will also be a vent fan to keep air flowing.

In the kitchen the cooler will be mounted on a slide out. There will be a 20 gallon water tank mounted just in front of the axle along with a water pump located in the lower cabinet in the kitchen. It will be connected to an instant hot water heater mounted on the right side of the kitchen which will double as a shower and water source. The entire trailer will be outfitted with a 12V system to power LED lights, water pump, vent fan, radio, 12v ports for cameras and cellphones, and possibly a DVD player if I feel like being techy.

Well thats about it if you have any suggestions please post them

 

[stomperxj]

Not a bad design at all. Looks good. I'd move the axle back though. It looks like it would be tail heavy. The Sawtooth XL is a little tail heavy when unloaded and its almost 2 feet shorter than your design...

Have you decided on your construction style yet? IE, stick framed or sheet style walls?
You could do your frame really similar to mine. its simple and was easy to build.
I see you have some really tight radii on your corners on the front. I did 6" radii on the front of mine and it was a royal pain bending the plywood around. I'd say 8" minimum and 10" is better...

I like it. Glad I could inspire you to start designing

Jess

 

[Zelix]

I like it. It looks cool. I agree with the axle placement.

 

[Bumzo1]

Not a bad design at all. Looks good. I'd move the axle back though. It looks like it would be tail heavy. The Sawtooth XL is a little tail heavy when unloaded and its almost 2 feet shorter than your design...

Have you decided on your construction style yet? IE, stick framed or sheet style walls?
You could do your frame really similar to mine. its simple and was easy to build.
I see you have some really tight radii on your corners on the front. I did 6" radii on the front of mine and it was a royal pain bending the plywood around. I'd say 8" minimum and 10" is better...

I like it. Glad I could inspire you to start designing

Jess

Thanks, how did you go about carving out the sheet walls? It seems like that would be the easiest way to go about it but carving it out with a router seems like it would take a very long time. When I did my model I wasn't really thinking of radii, I was mainly trying to get the shape down and make it look good. How much do you think towing the trailer hinders your capability?

Thanks :chef:

 

[Sal-XK]

What are you going to use to power all the equipment? I was thinking a marine battery with a solar panel on top to keep it charged or a small generator or combination of the both. Or are you going to just use hook ups at camp sites?

 

[JPK]

Looks good. I would put a nose box on the front perhaps for your battery, but also for other stuff, like chairs, straps, etc. The propane bottle would go in front of the nose box, and in front of a Jerry can or two. At about 12.5" diameter, the bottle can easily fit in front without clerance issues.

JPK

 

[Bumzo1]

I went back and did a slight redesign moving the axle back some and overall adding more detail. Also living in texas I'd only be able to camp one month out of the year otherwise so I added an A/C unit.

and of course one with the tow vehicle

 

[Photog]

For axle placement, I read somewhere that the optimum length would have the distance from ball to axle be the same as the tow vehicle's wheelbase length.

Then you want 10%+ of the trailer weight on the tongue, for stable towing.

 

[stomperxj]

Thanks, how did you go about carving out the sheet walls? It seems like that would be the easiest way to go about it but carving it out with a router seems like it would take a very long time. When I did my model I wasn't really thinking of radii, I was mainly trying to get the shape down and make it look good. How much do you think towing the trailer hinders your capability?

Thanks :chef:

I used a router for the insulation pockets but that was very time consuming and i don't think i gained a whole lot by doing so. I'd do a stick framed wall if i were to do it over and add 3/4" insulation. I don't think the trailer hinders me too much but I haven't taken it through anything super hard yet, only gravel roads and some off trail stuff...

I like the new renderings. It looks really good. I like how you have the entire back as a hatch instead of splitting it like mine.

Take lots of pics when you start your build

 

[Xrunner]

Nice sketches.

It looks like your AC unit vents into the galley though? Do you plan on leave the rear hatch open for ventilation?

 

[Bumzo1]

Thats what I had planned when I did this rendering seeing that it will be used mostly during the day and not so much at night but I was looking through another persons build thread (http://littleswissteardrop.com/air.html) and they put the air con underneath one of the bottom cabinets and vented it out the bottom. I've also seen some people that put it into a closed box with an air inlet and an air outlet tube venting it out through the bottom with the help of a fan. (http://www.mikenchell.com/forums/vi...rder=asc&highlight=inline+pipe+fan+c&start=15) Those are both of the options I've been considering and may change it when I actually start building.

 

[Rezarf <><]

For tounge length, I would suggest making it long enough to be able to "jack-knife" the trailer. Dirt/logging roads hardly ever have a good turn around spot (at least those I run here in CO) and the ability to make a good 10 point turn on a double track and get the trailer moving in the other direction is WAY better than unhooking and spining it that way. Just my .02

 

[Heifer Boy]

Looks good. Jess' build was excellent and I look forward to seeing yours too. Grasshoppers are a great shape.

When are you planning on starting the build?

Excellent SketchUp drawings too. Waaaaay better than anything I can produce. :sombrero:

 

[JPK]

Bumzo1,

If you intend to take the trailer off road, I would suggest that the triangular steel tongue framing be widened to be full frame and "house" width to protect both the corners of the frame and the corners of the house. An added benefit is more room for a storage/battery box and fuel (for your generator, needed for your A/C) or extra water along and a propane tank. Gear up front helps offset kitchen weight too, helping with balance.

On the A/C, I'm having a custom teardrop built and here in MD we need A/C too. The builder is in Utah and its dry there, so I coached him on the design so it would work in humid environments. There are positives and negatives to venting top or bottom, but few negatives to venting horizontally. If you box in the rear of the A/C unit you can run a vent horizontally right or left behind the interior cabinet or in front of a kitchen cabinet using flex duct. Unobtrusive, attractive, ar at least not ugly vent covers are available, check especially the marine market. You may also want to consider an adjustable return grill from cabin into the A/C box to recirc some cool air, you will need some sort of vent or return in the cabin to allow an equal volume of air out as the A/C unit fan is bolowing in. Anonther thing to consider is condensate. If the A/C is running in a humid environment it will sweat freely, and you will need a pan and drain. You will need a screen on the exterior end of the drain line to keep it insect free and so unclogged.

There are some small A/C units available in the 5,000btu range. When I was looking for the unit that will go into my teardrop I found a unit with low draw on start up that I think will start on a 1kw generator. I won't know until I try it out, but most all of the units I looked at had specs that indicated the need for a 2kw generator to handle the draw at start up.

JPK

 

[Bumzo1]

Looks good. Jess' build was excellent and I look forward to seeing yours too. Grasshoppers are a great shape.

When are you planning on starting the build?

Excellent SketchUp drawings too. Waaaaay better than anything I can produce. :sombrero:

Thanks but unfortunately I'm still looking at a few years before I begin due to lack of funds and space to build. I just enjoy the process of designing and refining so that I know I'll have the best design when I do go to build.

Bumzo1,

If you intend to take the trailer off road, I would suggest that the triangular steel tongue framing be widened to be full frame and "house" width to protect both the corners of the frame and the corners of the house. An added benefit is more room for a storage/battery box and fuel (for your generator, needed for your A/C) or extra water along and a propane tank. Gear up front helps offset kitchen weight too, helping with balance.

On the A/C, I'm having a custom teardrop built and here in MD we need A/C too. The builder is in Utah and its dry there, so I coached him on the design so it would work in humid environments. There are positives and negatives to venting top or bottom, but few negatives to venting horizontally. If you box in the rear of the A/C unit you can run a vent horizontally right or left behind the interior cabinet or in front of a kitchen cabinet using flex duct. Unobtrusive, attractive, ar at least not ugly vent covers are available, check especially the marine market. You may also want to consider an adjustable return grill from cabin into the A/C box to recirc some cool air, you will need some sort of vent or return in the cabin to allow an equal volume of air out as the A/C unit fan is bolowing in. Anonther thing to consider is condensate. If the A/C is running in a humid environment it will sweat freely, and you will need a pan and drain. You will need a screen on the exterior end of the drain line to keep it insect free and so unclogged.

There are some small A/C units available in the 5,000btu range. When I was looking for the unit that will go into my teardrop I found a unit with low draw on start up that I think will start on a 1kw generator. I won't know until I try it out, but most all of the units I looked at had specs that indicated the need for a 2kw generator to handle the draw at start up.

JPK

Wow thanks for the info, for the intake vents on either side of the A/C do you plan to vent them both or just one side? Also I believe most A/Cs automatically recirculate some of the air if the face is exposed which I plan on doing to utilize the thermostat control.