Off-road teardrop build from Canada
- Thread starter jaydon44
- Start date
jaydon44
Observer
Hey i do remember reading this page at some point when i was using the googler a while back, thanks for posting it!
jaydon44
Observer
Ok here's what i know about registering a home built trailer in Alberta if anyone tries to search it
So i had heard lots of opinions and rumours and then read the vague info page on the AB transportation website. the website says to phone or fill out form and submit it online...i did the online form where it asked for some personal ID info/ and some info about the trailer/vehicle in question... some credit card info to pay the fee of about 140$..once submitted about a week went by then i got a phone call from a government agent who set up a time to meet me at the location of my trailer
so he showed up, didn't ask any questions at first, just pulled out some tools, used a hammer engrave set to punch the number into the frame which he said i could paint back over afterwards, then he put on a riveted thin metal plate with the same number for "redundancy," he was easy going where both items went as the trailer is still unfinished so he was making sure that the number wouldn't interfere with my build plans, once that was all done i signed a paper saying that i didn't have a bill of sale because it is self-built, then he filled out a different paper that had multiple carbon copies one for him one for registry and one for me that had description of vehicle and VIN, he gave me the copy for me and the registry and took one for himself, then lastly he got out a camera and took pictures of the trailer, and placement of the numbers on it then said he was done
i had receipts for all the building materials that i offered him, but he said not to worry about it because the VIN assignment program is designed purely to combat trailer theft and he says its up to him how many questions he askes and how much proof he needs to prove i actually did build the thing and in this case he said its obvious that i am the builder and he is confident i haven't stolen any thing like a trailer frame or parts for it
told me i can take the papers he gave me to the registry anytime now and would be able to get a plate
Keep in mind this is for an UNFINISHED camper trailer, he said it just needs to resemble a trailer of some sort before he is allowed to stamp it
i asked him about the "making up your own number" scheme and he said although he obviously doesn't encourage it; there is still ways to do that depending on the registry you go to and such because the program is a grandfather program so for now if you have a "bill of sale" for a trailer that has a VIN on it that hasn't already been used in alberta....you can get away with it...but i won't get into that
a good system to use i've heard to make up numbers is to use your mother in-law's phone number backwards hahaha
but ya I'm a good person; i advise you to follow the law!
Cheers! updates to come on the trailer for anyone who cares
So i had heard lots of opinions and rumours and then read the vague info page on the AB transportation website. the website says to phone or fill out form and submit it online...i did the online form where it asked for some personal ID info/ and some info about the trailer/vehicle in question... some credit card info to pay the fee of about 140$..once submitted about a week went by then i got a phone call from a government agent who set up a time to meet me at the location of my trailer
so he showed up, didn't ask any questions at first, just pulled out some tools, used a hammer engrave set to punch the number into the frame which he said i could paint back over afterwards, then he put on a riveted thin metal plate with the same number for "redundancy," he was easy going where both items went as the trailer is still unfinished so he was making sure that the number wouldn't interfere with my build plans, once that was all done i signed a paper saying that i didn't have a bill of sale because it is self-built, then he filled out a different paper that had multiple carbon copies one for him one for registry and one for me that had description of vehicle and VIN, he gave me the copy for me and the registry and took one for himself, then lastly he got out a camera and took pictures of the trailer, and placement of the numbers on it then said he was done
i had receipts for all the building materials that i offered him, but he said not to worry about it because the VIN assignment program is designed purely to combat trailer theft and he says its up to him how many questions he askes and how much proof he needs to prove i actually did build the thing and in this case he said its obvious that i am the builder and he is confident i haven't stolen any thing like a trailer frame or parts for it
told me i can take the papers he gave me to the registry anytime now and would be able to get a plate
Keep in mind this is for an UNFINISHED camper trailer, he said it just needs to resemble a trailer of some sort before he is allowed to stamp it
i asked him about the "making up your own number" scheme and he said although he obviously doesn't encourage it; there is still ways to do that depending on the registry you go to and such because the program is a grandfather program so for now if you have a "bill of sale" for a trailer that has a VIN on it that hasn't already been used in alberta....you can get away with it...but i won't get into that
a good system to use i've heard to make up numbers is to use your mother in-law's phone number backwards hahaha
but ya I'm a good person; i advise you to follow the law!
Cheers! updates to come on the trailer for anyone who cares
jaydon44
Observer
sorry long time no post
had to actually look at the date when i made my first post on here :Wow1:
aluminum is paid for and being shipped as i type, i could only find 5 foot wide 3003 in .063inch in a 5x12 sheet, wish canada would get on board with some better suppliers, WAY thicker then i wanted so im currently making a 6 foot wide metal brake to make sure i get clean bends around the roof corners
any experience on bending aluminum that thick? i only have one shot :squint:
anyways here's some pictures of the rear kitchenette cabinets that took a lot of thinking to figure out......not the first try ill admit, but i like what i got
just staining and finishing those now, they will operate on a piano hinge to rock out
ill take a few more pictures of some things i haven't shared
had to actually look at the date when i made my first post on here :Wow1:
aluminum is paid for and being shipped as i type, i could only find 5 foot wide 3003 in .063inch in a 5x12 sheet, wish canada would get on board with some better suppliers, WAY thicker then i wanted so im currently making a 6 foot wide metal brake to make sure i get clean bends around the roof corners
any experience on bending aluminum that thick? i only have one shot :squint:
anyways here's some pictures of the rear kitchenette cabinets that took a lot of thinking to figure out......not the first try ill admit, but i like what i got
just staining and finishing those now, they will operate on a piano hinge to rock out
ill take a few more pictures of some things i haven't shared
Last edited:
ratled
Adventurer
Why not see if a shop will do the bend? A PITA and probably kind of pricey but in the overall picture might be the best thing to do
GL
ratled
jaydon44
Observer
Yes I’m starting to think I might have to consider that, PITA or not, I’ll give the metal shop a call and see what they think and what they will charge
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jaydon44
Observer
What the electrical cabinet door looks like, all my switches in one place
Hole above is for the LP and CO detector
Inside the electrical cabinet, prob made the thing bigger then I needed since the battery and converter are going on the tongue, might add some shelves in there in the future
Kitchenette from inside, access from standing outside the camper or sitting inside, I will have a curtain as well to separate the kitchenette from the rest of the camper for privacy when the hatch is open, and also to make a smaller heatable space for the heater at night
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jaydon44
Observer
Got some shiny stuff finally, guess all my excuses for finishing this thing are gone
Started lookin at the tongue box
Anyone know any good links or videos or threads about building these things, I have somebody that can weld aluminum for me but I told him I’d get all the cuts and bends done before he comes to make things faster
I have .074 alum diamond plate that I have cut into 3 inch strips that I’m taking to a metal fab shop to bend into 90 degree angles to use as roof trim with putty tape
The tongue box will be made out of .125 alum diamond plate and I’ll be getting bends done for the lips at same metal shop
My roof skin is .063 mill finish 3003 alum, I think I’m going to try and bend it over the roof angles the conventional way most tearsdroppers have been doing, just with straps and boards and sheer force, if I’m brave I will score it with a skill saw first
Any help or tips greatly appreciated, I spend 10 times the hours on my computer working on the trailer then I do in the actual shop:S
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Started lookin at the tongue box
Anyone know any good links or videos or threads about building these things, I have somebody that can weld aluminum for me but I told him I’d get all the cuts and bends done before he comes to make things faster
I have .074 alum diamond plate that I have cut into 3 inch strips that I’m taking to a metal fab shop to bend into 90 degree angles to use as roof trim with putty tape
The tongue box will be made out of .125 alum diamond plate and I’ll be getting bends done for the lips at same metal shop
My roof skin is .063 mill finish 3003 alum, I think I’m going to try and bend it over the roof angles the conventional way most tearsdroppers have been doing, just with straps and boards and sheer force, if I’m brave I will score it with a skill saw first
Any help or tips greatly appreciated, I spend 10 times the hours on my computer working on the trailer then I do in the actual shop:S
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jaydon44
Observer
Just because of low ventilation/heat risk?
Ive seen many rigs running this set up and haven’t heard of any problems, also planning to put a small vent on each side to help combat that theory and to reduce heat on the PD battery charger I’ll have in there, i like the idea of everything in the box clean and concealed
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ottsville
Observer
There's probably no real safety reason not to put them in the box if you are venting the bottom of the box so any propane leakage would settle out. But having propane and electric in the same box kind of freaks me out a little. That would be my main concern, but I also like having plenty of storage outside the bedding area for things that the trailer needs that are likely to get dirty - chocks, rug, hoses, power cord, etc. It's nice to have plenty of storage for those things on the trailer so you don't have to load them in and out of the truck.
Heat is not an issue - rver's often cover their tanks with black covers. Hell, I've ridden around with a full tank in the trunk of my car in summer.
Really nice build so far though. I like that you have set up to cook inside in bad weather.
What are you doing for stabilizing/leveling jacks?
Heat is not an issue - rver's often cover their tanks with black covers. Hell, I've ridden around with a full tank in the trunk of my car in summer.
Really nice build so far though. I like that you have set up to cook inside in bad weather.
What are you doing for stabilizing/leveling jacks?
jaydon44
Observer
That is a fair concern having batteries bouncing around right next to offgassing propane tanks haha, ultimately on the right side of the trailer I’d like to have about 3 batteries stacked in some sort of rack with the converter on top and propane tanks side by side on the left and then a sealed divider to separate the electrical side, just finished welding up the box I’ll post some pictures
Haven’t though to much about stabilizers I have a few good spot to tack/bolt some on and I know that there are a ton of products out there to choose from so I’m not going to stress it right away, any recommendations?
jaydon44
Observer
Good news, I found a custom fab shop that will take the .063 sheet I have and make the bends for the roof for me, big relief they seemed jacked to help out, just have to wait for some snow to melt because I have to drop off the camper at the shop and then haul the 5x12 sheet of aluminum down there, 85 bucks an hour is what they quoted me and it shouldn’t take more then a few hours once they have the stuff
Finished welding up the front box, it’s big! I love it
Huge milestone in the project, I do believe it is downhill from here, once the roof skin is bent and I can install the rest of the aluminum I will be sprinting towards the finish
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Finished welding up the front box, it’s big! I love it
Huge milestone in the project, I do believe it is downhill from here, once the roof skin is bent and I can install the rest of the aluminum I will be sprinting towards the finish
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jaydon44
Observer
So the fab shop did a great job of bending the metal for the roof, only charged me 90 bucks, I’ll be back to get there help with my tongue box
Spent the next chunk of time fitting appliances and cutting out windows and doors and stuff, the 0.063” was pretty dang thick for the router tracer bit, wouldn’t want to go any thicker, even here I burnt out one bit before learning to slow it down and only do a couple feet at a time, the 0.050” sides were night and day easier to cut
Drilled and cut all holes oversized to compensate for aluminum expansion/shrinkage in temp fluctuations
Now in the middle of sealing it all with the trim I made
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Spent the next chunk of time fitting appliances and cutting out windows and doors and stuff, the 0.063” was pretty dang thick for the router tracer bit, wouldn’t want to go any thicker, even here I burnt out one bit before learning to slow it down and only do a couple feet at a time, the 0.050” sides were night and day easier to cut
Drilled and cut all holes oversized to compensate for aluminum expansion/shrinkage in temp fluctuations
Now in the middle of sealing it all with the trim I made
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highlandercj-7
Explorer
WOW, it's looking awesome already. I dig the thick walls. Better insulated and more solid.