FM82 Offroad Teardrop Build

[FireMedic82]

Lol I sure hope you're wrong man.

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[VanIsle_Greg]

I say 1200#

My CDN M101 with the RTT, lid, 13 gal water, food, propane and all my gear and food it around 1200# now. PHAT little trailer. I am going to order up some trailer brakes with the hand brake option ASAP!

 

[skersfan]

My bare frames with axle and wheels weighs in at around 1200. No rear door on it then. But I had skid plates. I have a little more upper frame work on mine than you I think, but it does add up quickly. My last one with 40 gallons of water, 20 of propane and all the goodies came in at 2700 pounds. But mine are designed to roll over and still get home.

I am wondering if that box in the rear is going to survive? It appears to stick way down, on the part of the trailer that normally hits and sometimes very hard. I have not seen your design on the frame, meaning if there is protection for it, IE skids, ramps and the like.

 

[FireMedic82]

I am wondering if that box in the rear is going to survive? It appears to stick way down, on the part of the trailer that normally hits and sometimes very hard.

Yeah...about that..I didn't put enough thought into that before I got to far along lol. The box is intended for storage, so my thought was to keep it accessible with bedding inside. One good thing that I have going for me though is that I don't intend to have it on trails that demand much clearance. My biggest concern is the transition from a downhill slope to flat ground, which could even be a problem in town. The protection it has around it is the 11ga. 1" angle that it's encased in. You can see it well on a few of the previous pics I posted. I know it's going to hit, but hopefully it will survive. If not, I may have to stiffen it up or take it out entirely. Hopefully not.

On the subject of weight. I won't be out on long enough to need more than a few gallons of water max. Oh and no large propane tanks (as of now anyways). If I see that I am under my weight goal, I would like to add in a propane tank, but that will be later.

 

[Septu]

None taken. Looks are deceiving with these pictures for sure. Just out of curiosity..how much do you think it will weigh? I'm going with 980lbs. I'll post a pic of the final weight when I'm done.

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When you're done? 1600.

 

[skersfan]

My guess is between 1600 and 2000. But that is not too heavy if the trailer is balanced. But 1000 pounds of tongue weight is a problem for a single axle. Most seem to build away with the tongue getting things added. Need to counter balance the tongue. if you are 60 40 on the frame, the loading needs to be the same, IE additions of weight. Water is the hardest part. Having 20 gallons of water, 10 gallons of fuel setting on the tongue, then a dual battery set up. That seems normal here. It can be done, but the trailer changes towing characteristics in the field. You use the water (140 pounds, 60 in fuel gone. Plan ahead for that. Trying to keep any water, fuel low and in the center of the trailer is the best, over the axle is the safest, at least on line with the lowest part of the frame. Below that, it becomes a hazard. My first trailer I did not think I needed skid plates, and it worked for nearly 4 years, just knocked a hole in the front tank above the axle. On a flat fire road, backed over at hidden cut off sign post.

Every thing you do with these, are about surviving, the trailer and you. We seldom come to that extreme, but that should be the guide line I think. Living in Socal, mine is my earthquake shelter. I can live in mine for about 3 weeks with out any outside help. IE water, propane, fuel, survival food, shelter, heat, AC if needed and two 180 degree awnings With a topper over them. Doubtful I will ever need it for that, but I wanted it that way just in case. The big one out here, where I live, just off the San Andreas fault, could keep the roads, electricity and water off for months. Remote areas are nice to live in, but being with out the main stays of civilization can become a reality in seconds I guess. Maybe that is the reason I over build mine.

I sent you another pm, any questions let me know. I can draw out what I meant and fax it too you if needed.

Bob

 

[FreeRangeFJ]

Being an owner of one of Bob's creations I can attest to his knowledge and understanding of balance when it comes to trailer construction. My trailer weighs in at about 2700lbs wet, plus my gear yet I hardly notice it's back there, and that's with my FJ Cruiser. I suspended the tongue for a scale while I loaded it up for use and the weight did not fluctuate more than 20lbs as provisions were added. filling the 42 gallon water tank for example increased the tongue weight by about 20lbs, (amazing, but possible due to it's location over the axle) but mounting my generator at the rear offset that weight, and so on throughout the whole loading process. No matter how much stuff I pile on this trailer the tongue weight stays relatively constant. Properly distributed weight is the difference between a pleasurable 3500lbs and a downright cumbersome and awkward 1500lbs. I actually have another teardrop that weighs a 1000lbs less that Bob's model that demonstrates this concept quite clearly as it is too unbalanced and tongue heavy to be towed by my FJ. Weight does not matter as much as distribution; within reason of course.

 

[FireMedic82]

So, I went to pick up a couple more pieces of metal tubing today, and found out some useful info. The 11 gauge 1" square tubing weighs 1.436 lbs per foot.

If that holds true, then the trailer will be at 701.56 lbs after all of the framing. I expect to have ~3.5 sheets of aluminum composite for the siding, which couldn't weigh no more than ~60-70 lbs, and then add in the 1/4" interior walls that would probably weigh 40-50 lbs. The doors may ~40-60 lbs. Windows, maybe ~40 lbs. The air conditioner that I will be using weighs 35 lbs. The oak cabinets may weigh ~50-70 lbs. 3/4" birch counter top may weigh ~20 lbs. The cargo box and metal on the front probably weighs ~60 lbs. All maximum totals put it up to 1,096.56 lbs.

Since I won't have a water tank on board and no propane cylinder as of now, I think I will be able to stay under my goal of 1,200 lbs. That's good news!

 

[skersfan]

Great to see you on here Free Range, and thank you for the kind words.

 

[silvrzuki77]

Dont forget your axle, springs, and tires!! Lol

 

[FireMedic82]

Come on man lol. I didn't forget those. I pulled the trailer to the scale to weigh it. Came back a breezy 400 lbs

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[FireMedic82]

Got my star gazer window in today. It measures 18x40.



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[FireMedic82]

I'll go ahead and beat you to the punch on the issue of leaking. What I plan to do, just as a precautionary measure is to have my roof rack serve as a weather seal for the window in times of rainy weather. The rack will have (in theory) a front section with a ring and rubber seal that will fit over the window, and will unlatch and fold backwards, exposing the window. It is just ideas, but I feel sure that it will work one way or another.

Here's my current idea.

 

[dcollier32]

Little photoshop fun.

Man, that looks good. Is that the design you are shooting for?

 

[FireMedic82]

Thanks! Yeah, that's what I'm going for. With me, it's always subject to change though lol

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