Offroad Teardrop+ concept
- Thread starter JJBiggs
- Start date
JJBiggs
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While pricing is still being worked on, our goal has been to get the 4 person under $10K. The 2 person of course would be less than that.
The prototypes will be on Expos in the field upon completion. We are also trying to get ready for some trade shows as well. Not sure which at this time, but it has been discussed.
Largest tire, as far as I can see was sized at 34" possibly larger. A 32" tire is shown in the render (at scale). Final details will be available soon. Still working out the kinks.
Thanks for the support everyone. At the beginning, I simply wanted a trailer for myself. Regardless of the outcome of this endeavor, I will have one. Here's hoping that this becomes something. Who knows?
Side note - I tried to contact the lead of Expo Portal asking to become a small business sponsor, but I have not received any reply yet. I want to do this properly and not just peddle products here without being a sponsor.
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JJBiggs
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Thanks Corey, I appreciate it.
What's the vertical tube on the front right corner for? It looks like a good place to mount an antenna mast for field day.
BTW- Your 3D models are **************'.
BTW- Your 3D models are **************'.
Ok boys and girls...the final design in on the books.
Based on the unreal positive feedback we have received (my partner is presently on tour in the Northwest and has been polling campers), we are looking to have two fully prepared prototypes completed by Nov 2010. In addition to the 4 person, we will be preparing a 2 person unit as well (no flip top sleeping area).
Much more to come. This is getting fun. :wings:
Here's a teaser. :coffeedrink:
JJBiggs
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Thanks bud. I used to live in St. Charles, MO myself not so long ago. Great town. Kinda miss it.
The tube is for the solar charging panel (more to come on that).
nwoods
Expedition Leader
Food for thought, the people that need trailers are in two general categories:
1. People with more bodies and/or stuff than will fit in their family sized SUV (like the Land Cruiser 80 series)
2. People with smaller off road vehicles with no room for stuff, like the majority of Jeep TJ owners, or 4 door JK owners who fall into category 1 and 2!
Assuming a lot of your potential customers are Jeep owners, or vehicles that frequently are equipped with 35" tires, you might really want to consider that tire size capability as a minimum target.
JJBiggs
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Noted, thanks for the feedback. More will be determined when the suspension is completed as I suspect it will be fully adjustable.
The Adam Blaster
Expedition Leader
Another suggestion, probably to complicate your build process that much more... 
Have you thought about the possibility of making your 2 person camper upgradeable later to the flip-top 4-person version?
I'm just thinking that a young couple could buy the 2-person unit when they first start camping, then later have a kid or 2 and need something larger, so normally they'd have to sell the trailer and start looking for another brand new unit.
If you made it upgradeable, they could keep their unit, come back to your installation location and give you more business.
Alternately, if they did sell their 2 person unit, someone looking to camp with a small family could buy it, and bring it to your location and give you more business.
Have you thought about the possibility of making your 2 person camper upgradeable later to the flip-top 4-person version?
I'm just thinking that a young couple could buy the 2-person unit when they first start camping, then later have a kid or 2 and need something larger, so normally they'd have to sell the trailer and start looking for another brand new unit.
If you made it upgradeable, they could keep their unit, come back to your installation location and give you more business.
Alternately, if they did sell their 2 person unit, someone looking to camp with a small family could buy it, and bring it to your location and give you more business.
I'm a JK owner and im about to upgrade to 38" or 40" mtr's and I would like to be able to run at least 35's on my off road trailer.
Uncle Roger
Observer
I printed out your renderings and put them on my desk so I could drool, er, admire them and realized something. It might be too late to change this, but it's worth mentioning, I think.
One of the nice things about your design is that you have a covered area (albeit probably a short one) under the tent where one could be somewhat out of the rain/dew/etc. It was mentioned previously that it would be great to be able to hook a tarp onto the tent platform to make it a somewhat enclosed area. As one with kids, my thought was that a bit of old carpet put there gives the kids a place to leave their muddy shoes at night.
So, as I sat looking at the rendering with the tent open, it started bothering me, as if something was wrong with it. After a bit I realized the problem. With the door opening at the front of the trailer, you have to leave the shelter of the overhead tent to get into the trailer. If you moved the hinges to the front of the trailer, then one would be in the middle of the sheltered area when entering the trailer. I don't know if it's too late to change this but if not, it would be a huge improvement, imho.
This would also have the benefit of, in the extremely unlikely situation where the latch failed while on the road, the air moving past would hold the door shut rather than pulling it open and possibly off. (Yeah, pretty darn unlikely, but still, doesn't hurt.)
Also, Approximately how tall will the trailer be?
btw, your trailer looks so good it's practically NSFW.
One of the nice things about your design is that you have a covered area (albeit probably a short one) under the tent where one could be somewhat out of the rain/dew/etc. It was mentioned previously that it would be great to be able to hook a tarp onto the tent platform to make it a somewhat enclosed area. As one with kids, my thought was that a bit of old carpet put there gives the kids a place to leave their muddy shoes at night.
So, as I sat looking at the rendering with the tent open, it started bothering me, as if something was wrong with it. After a bit I realized the problem. With the door opening at the front of the trailer, you have to leave the shelter of the overhead tent to get into the trailer. If you moved the hinges to the front of the trailer, then one would be in the middle of the sheltered area when entering the trailer. I don't know if it's too late to change this but if not, it would be a huge improvement, imho.
This would also have the benefit of, in the extremely unlikely situation where the latch failed while on the road, the air moving past would hold the door shut rather than pulling it open and possibly off. (Yeah, pretty darn unlikely, but still, doesn't hurt.)
Also, Approximately how tall will the trailer be?
btw, your trailer looks so good it's practically NSFW.
JJBiggs
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Excellent. That is what was bothering me as well. I knew I missed something. Awesome.
JJBiggs
Supporting Sponsor | SEES
There has to be a limit with the trailer. Any trailer for that matter. While the larger diameter tires are nice for rigs, not so much for trailers. Axles take a beating and having that rotational mass on each independent trailing arms. Super larger tires on a trailer is not quite that logical, but I get where you guys are coming from.
My preference is a smaller off-road tire (say 32"-34") with a narrower contact patch. But that is my preference.
That said, there still has to be a limit on the trailer. Take note of how the military setups are. Simple. Simplicity is the key for anything that is engineered. The more complex the more thing there are the go "sproing."
JJBiggs
Supporting Sponsor | SEES
Another suggestion, probably to complicate your build process that much more...
Have you thought about the possibility of making your 2 person camper upgradeable later to the flip-top 4-person version?
I'm just thinking that a young couple could buy the 2-person unit when they first start camping, then later have a kid or 2 and need something larger, so normally they'd have to sell the trailer and start looking for another brand new unit.
If you made it upgradeable, they could keep their unit, come back to your installation location and give you more business.
Alternately, if they did sell their 2 person unit, someone looking to camp with a small family could buy it, and bring it to your location and give you more business.
I like the idea, but it will not work with the way it has been engineered. The composite panels are the key to this rig. I will keep that suggestion in my hip pocket thought.
That said, I am thinking that this trailer might be able to be purchased as a DIY kit to be assembled by the purchaser. The kit would included a completely prefabbed trailer frame, pre-cut wood, exterior panels, and electrics. As a result, the pricing would be reduced.
Uncle Roger
Observer
Another question... given your design, can the trailer be used for sleeping without the tent deployed? I'm guessing the answer is yes, but just wanted to make sure. Thanks!
JJBiggs
Supporting Sponsor | SEES
Yes. The thought is, if the weather gets really bad you could close it up and have a solid structure to keep safe.
Once again, a big thank you to everyone for the feedback. I hope this comes together. I am getting anxious to get fabrication started. :coffeedrink: