Teardrop Trailer Build

[luk4mud]

@lukmud - looking nice!

A few quick questions for you:

1. is the hitch a bit of a shin-grabber? Was there a reason you had it stick out a few inches, or could it have been closer to flush with the back edge of the frame?
2. Do you remove the large center cabinet box when you are at camp? We are trying to think of how to move food quickly from TD to TV.... If the TD stays at camp, we'll need to pack a small cooler and food into the TV for day trips, trails, etc.
3. Do you know how deep the cabinets are at the foot of the bed? How deep and tall could you reasonably go without them being too much in the way? I'm wondering if in practice it is better to pack the TD cabinets with clothes and towels, or just use the same soft sided duffels we've been using and stow those in the TD. This way they can be easily moved around.
4. Which solar panel and controller are you using? Are you happy with them? Our tear will house our 63qt ARB, which draws ~20-30amps per day. So our power draw will be considerably more than yours. Hooked to a grp34 battery in the 'Cruiser, it can go for about 3 days in the heat of summer. I'd like to be able to comfortably drop the trailer for 3-4 days at a time w/o worrying about batteries, so that either means more batteries (weight, $$$, etc.) or a solar setup.

TIA for any help!

Enjoy your UT/CO trip, where all are you headed?

Hey Ben,
1. Not sure about the hitch question. I use a double stack receiver/ extender to gain a little height and even things out between the tv and td. That may be what you are referring to? I dont generally whack my shins on it but often remove it and leave it in camp.
2. Center box stays put, it has mostly pots and pans in it. Upper cabinets have some food but mostly kitchen stuff. Our food is generally transported in Frontrunner wolfpacks we keep in the tv. We like keeping the food in the ac, and the modular approach of being able to move it around quickly. The FR boxes are basically waterproof and stack really nicely.
3. Interior cabinets are 20" deep and 22" high, leaving about 12" for foot room underneath. It does not feel cramped at all in there. The light wood helps. We leave towels, heavy coats, hats etc in the cabinets and keep our day to day clothes in waterproof North Face duffles that we throw in the td when we leave camp and can be left outside at night if we choose.
4. We have the 60W Renogy solar suitcase. It can refresh my 110A AGM in a few hours, but I dont run it down much. I would think that the 100W version would work great for your needs. The panels are German made and it just feel well made. I bought extended leads from a third part website, so that I can camp in the shade and run 20' leads to the battery. Very happy with the unit so far. I originally bought a generator but am too chicken to leave it behind at a remote camp and it is a PITA to lug around in the tv. The solar, if it gets stolen, is $300, not $1,000 like the generator.
5. Headed for Willis Creek (slot canyon hike) in Utah, then on to the Great Gallery (hike) then camping near Ouray to run trails there for a few days. Of course that's just the "for now" plan, until we see something interesting along the way. Sort of like the dog who sees the squirrel in "Up".

Best,
Bruce

 

[fireball]

Bruce - great info, thanks! I was talking about the hitch at the back of the TD, by the galley. It looks to stick out a few inches. I was hoping to make that flush with the back of the TD.

Also, do you have any other attachments or tow points on the TD? Do you think they are needed? I can imagine getting in a tricky situation and wanted to be able to yank it sideways...

 

[luk4mud]

Bruce - great info, thanks! I was talking about the hitch at the back of the TD, by the galley. It looks to stick out a few inches. I was hoping to make that flush with the back of the TD.

Also, do you have any other attachments or tow points on the TD? Do you think they are needed? I can imagine getting in a tricky situation and wanted to be able to yank it sideways...

OK, understand now. I think I have whacked my knee on that receiver a time or two. It could easily have been flush mounted by AT I believe. No side anchor points but it would be easy enough to throw a tree saver onto the axle or on the frame in front of the cabin. I could pull from the fenders but they are through bolted to the cabin, so that would no end well I suspect. I just dont think I am going to need anything more than that.

 

[fireball]

Hi Bruce,

A few more quick questions for you!

Did you ever get an official wet or dry weight on the trailer? How about the tongue weight? Are you happy with how it handles and tows down the road?

I had a long chat with Mario today. I don't need as much storage space b/w the front of the cabin and the tongue box, so he thought we could cut about 12" or so out of that area. This would also allow us to move the axle back 12". I'd really like to do this to move the doors back as far rearwards as possible. Do you find it ingress/egress difficult with the doors so close to the headboard area?

For anyone following along at home, here's a link to the Renogy Solar products. They look like a very high quality product at a good price. They also have 10% off labor day sale coming up in a few days!

 

[Septu]

This would also allow us to move the axle back 12". I'd really like to do this to move the doors back as far rearwards as possible. Do you find it ingress/egress difficult with the doors so close to the headboard area?

Am gonna chime in here. I have very little space between my doors and the front of my TD. While it's possible they could be moved back a bit, I don't have any issues other than the height of my TD (it's around mid/upper thigh), and the lip of the door sill (it bites into my thighs) when getting out. My TD came with a 9" stool from the PO, and that worked great until I ran over it. Replaced it with a 6" one, that's not quite tall enough... but it works. So while perhaps moving the doors back would make things easier... I've yet to notice any issues entering/exiting due to the door placement.

 

[luk4mud]

Don't have an actual weight on it (need to stop at a truck scale on my next trip), but my best guess is around 1300- 1400. Tongue weight is light- I actually have to add some weight to it in the form of a 7 gallon water jug to balance things. Tows GREAT behind the JK. Tracks really well, the air suspension is the bomb. I run it at about 55 psi on the highway. HTH

Hi Bruce,

A few more quick questions for you!

Did you ever get an official wet or dry weight on the trailer? How about the tongue weight? Are you happy with how it handles and tows down the road?

I had a long chat with Mario today. I don't need as much storage space b/w the front of the cabin and the tongue box, so he thought we could cut about 12" or so out of that area. This would also allow us to move the axle back 12". I'd really like to do this to move the doors back as far rearwards as possible. Do you find it ingress/egress difficult with the doors so close to the headboard area?

For anyone following along at home, here's a link to the Renogy Solar products. They look like a very high quality product at a good price. They also have 10% off labor day sale coming up in a few days!

 

[silvrzuki77]

Turned out awesome my friend! Congrats!

 

[Yulli]

I just read your article in the cool tears online mag. Cool stuff.

 

[luk4mud]

Cool Tears

I just read your article in the cool tears online mag. Cool stuff.

Thanks!

Anyone looking for the article, it is here:

http://www.cooltears.com/readcurrentissue.html

Really super guy runs that site and they have some nice DIY and manufacturer articles.

 

[fireball]

Nice article Bruce, looks like you're out having fun with it! When you get a chance to weigh it I'd be very interested to know the "official" results. Mine's going to be a bit "chunkier" and worried about weight distribution!

 

[luk4mud]

Colorado with the Teardrop

Just back from the "big" trip with the teardrop. The trip took us first to Kanab, to tour some slot canyons with a local overnight. Then onto a remote camp spot above Kodachrome Basin. Next, we went into the Horseshoe Canyon area of Canyonlands to hike the Great Gallery. Then onto a remote spot outside Ouray, with a motel stop in between.

Things I learned/ confirmed observations:
-The trailer is a very easy tow behind the JK. MPG averaged about 15, and that's with alot of hills. We are down to 3rd on the big hills though. I figure we would have averaged about 17 without the trailer.
-Trailer sleeps warm. The lows were in the 40's and we barely used the heavier blankets. We could have run the fan, but did not really need to, except in Canyonlands where it was warm.
-Energy consumption is very low. I checked the batter after 3 nights camping in Ouray and was "down" to 12.69 volts, so maybe 3/4 or so. That is easily recovered in transit so I may have no need for a solar system at all.
-3 nights camping then 1 night in a motel is the ticket for us. Motels dont mind a "small" trailer in their lot either.
-Lots of interest in the trailer at gas stations, BLM offices, etc. I must have handed out 25 business cards for Sierra Madre Teardrops.
-You dont have to apologize in Colorado or Utah for owning a 4X4, or offroad trailer.


Most importantly, wife is VERY happy with this setup and is already talking about the next trip, and all the places she can go now ... dreams of taking up fly fishing again, hiking on the Mogollon Rim, etc.
Here are a pictures, hope you enjoy them.

 

[RandomAbstract]

Nice job on your teardrop. Are you using Thule components for your roof rack? I was thinking of going that way and would enjoy your feedback.