Sikocycles
Adventurer
How will you attaching to the frame. Following this build because I will be starting one soon
Offroad teardrop build
- Thread starter 97kurt
- Start date
97kurt
Adventurer
Before I put the floor together, I mounted the frame for the floor onto the trailer and drilled holes through the frame in 8 spots. Installed T-nuts into the floor to line up with these holes. So when I mount the tear to the trailer I will run a bolt from underneath into each T-nut. I also hope to use some construction adhesive in spots as well to be extra safe.
97kurt
Adventurer
Things are getting real.
I made an absolute mess of my garage when I used the router to trim the edges and cut out the door profile. I used a whiteside 3 flute flush trim bit that did not even flinch at .040 the aluminum. Took about 25 min to do all the trimming and about 2 hours to clean up all the alluminum glitter that I made. Vacuum attachment on my router did not help that much at all.
Moved onto the roof with the .063 aluminum (5x10 sheet). I used a skill saw to cut it down which worked great.
Was really worried about bending the .063 stuff after the reading I did a few months back, but it looks like it is not gonna be as bad as I thought. One strap alone nearly holds it to the shape.
I made an absolute mess of my garage when I used the router to trim the edges and cut out the door profile. I used a whiteside 3 flute flush trim bit that did not even flinch at .040 the aluminum. Took about 25 min to do all the trimming and about 2 hours to clean up all the alluminum glitter that I made. Vacuum attachment on my router did not help that much at all.
Moved onto the roof with the .063 aluminum (5x10 sheet). I used a skill saw to cut it down which worked great.
Was really worried about bending the .063 stuff after the reading I did a few months back, but it looks like it is not gonna be as bad as I thought. One strap alone nearly holds it to the shape.
Buffalobwana
Observer
Nice work. Thanks for the details. Always something to learn in these building threads.
97kurt
Adventurer
The anodized aluminum came from SAF in Redding CA http://www.saf.com/ I ordered enough of it that it was free freight. Looks like their east coast office is in Atlanta.
I got 2 sheets of 4x10 .040 Clear Anodize A31 (SAFC204)
and 2 sheets of 5x10 .065 Clear Anodize A31 (SAFC204)
The .065 was a pain to bend on the hatch and the 5x10 sheets are nearly double the price of the 4x10 ones. If you can live with a seam then go with the thinner stuff.
The trim is Universal Molding 20-1305, ask your local RV retailer to order it for you and you can get 16' pieces for $30 to $35 each.
SAF was awesome to work with, they even sent me samples when I asked.
I got 2 sheets of 4x10 .040 Clear Anodize A31 (SAFC204)
and 2 sheets of 5x10 .065 Clear Anodize A31 (SAFC204)
The .065 was a pain to bend on the hatch and the 5x10 sheets are nearly double the price of the 4x10 ones. If you can live with a seam then go with the thinner stuff.
The trim is Universal Molding 20-1305, ask your local RV retailer to order it for you and you can get 16' pieces for $30 to $35 each.
SAF was awesome to work with, they even sent me samples when I asked.
Sikocycles
Adventurer
Props sir. Awesome build.
Lucky j
Explorer
Very nice
Indeed!
hansshanks
New member
looking great
97kurt
Adventurer
From Memorial day weekend.
Its still pretty far from done, but it works great and I probably will not complete the storage area till this winter. Suspension has a negative camber issue already that I am working on, switching out the leaf spring bushings to solid aluminum ones this weekend to see if that helps. If the suspension is a total fail then I will just do leafs like everyone else. The trailer did track perfectly and handled great on the 2+ hour drive to the campsite the other weekend at least. Now I just need a bigger engine :-(
Its still pretty far from done, but it works great and I probably will not complete the storage area till this winter. Suspension has a negative camber issue already that I am working on, switching out the leaf spring bushings to solid aluminum ones this weekend to see if that helps. If the suspension is a total fail then I will just do leafs like everyone else. The trailer did track perfectly and handled great on the 2+ hour drive to the campsite the other weekend at least. Now I just need a bigger engine :-(