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Tue Apr 05, 2011 1:35 pm

1621 wrote: PDXWesty wrote: Why take up space (and weight) with things that are already on the van? Perminantly mounted propane and water seems redundant. So does a sink, especially in a 3'x4' trailer. The purpose of the trailer is to carry extra things that aren't already in the van. Throw a 5 gal jug in there if you need it for an extended stay.

He's got a weekender, but I do see your point.

I missed that part! I would really consider the additions then. It makes sense.

Here's a cool link:

http://compactcampingconcepts.com/hbothertrailers.htm

http://compactcampingconcepts.com/ExplorerBox.htm

Tue Apr 05, 2011 1:41 pm

Love this idea! Was looking at the HF website this morning before work at the trailers. I like the
idea of hauling the stuff that I don't want to put in or on top of my Westy in a trailer as apposed
to the hitch haul that I am currently using. Also like the idea that it's like a Tear Drop Trailers'
rear end with the kitchen set up. "I wanted one of those damn trailers before I finally got
my Westy"

Anyway here's a pic of a trailer at a VW show in Florida. The folks that own it were from
Ontario and they were on vacation like me (nice people). It may give you and idea about the
bike rack setup?

Tue Apr 05, 2011 1:50 pm

Excellent question! We don't really camp all that much in the rain and the trailer will be

stored in my garage unless we are using it, so I'm not terribly worried. I planned on

screwing and liquid nail-ing the whole thing together. On the inside of the doors I plan

on using some sort of compressible rubber gasket type stuff. Very technical, I know. LOL. But I haven't spec'd that out yet. Mcmaster.com has all kinds of stuff like that. I'm also going to get full length piano hinges and the locking handles from them too. Good stuff.

I'm keeping it simple for now. My goals are to have it be functional, and to look nice. We camp a lot (functional part) and like to attend VW Shows and a local Oktoberfest. Our Westy draws a lot of attention at the latter so I'm anxious to see what people's reactions are this year (the look nice part)! LOL.

I have a large VW Symbol from a old bus that I'm putting on the back too. I just think that'll look cool.

Tue Apr 05, 2011 2:11 pm

1621 wrote: PDXWesty wrote: Why take up space (and weight) with things that are already on the van?
I like the flip down shelf a lot, even with a full camper. It's nice to have the extra work space.
...
A bigger question is how you intend to keep the elements out. Strong winds from the road mixed with a bit of rain tends to get everything wet unless water tight.
Even if I had a full Westy camper, I think I'd rather cook and clean up outside the van... weather permitting.

I agree with 1621 with regards to keeping the elements out. I find dust to be a bigger problem than rain. It's amazing how dust, rain, and bugs can get driven into any little crack or cranny when you're doing freeway speeds. Not insurmountable, but worth considering while you're designing and building.

As was pointed out... a short trailer is hard to back up. It's a function of the distance between the hitch point and axle. My utility trailer has a 4'x6' box I built centered just forward of the axle, but it has a lot of tongue forward of that because it was set up to carry my 14' Laser sailboat. The long tongue makes it easy to back up, and I use it to carry things like firewood that don't need to live in the box. For ease of backing/parking the ideal might be an extending tongue... or maybe that's overkill for a dedicated trailer setup like this.

When mounting and loading the box, keep in mind that you want the bulk of the weight over the axle but you want some weight on the tongue. You don't want so much as to make it hard to walk around, but if the tongue tries to float off the hitch it can make the trailer squirrelly. There's some optimal tongue weight as a percentage of the trailer weight which I can't remember.

Paul

Tue Apr 05, 2011 2:20 pm

You can find some useful design and construction tips on the Teardrop & Tiny Trailers forum, http://www.mikenchell.com/forums/index.php

Tue Apr 05, 2011 2:22 pm

I too am mulling over a trailer/chuckwagon idea built on the Harbor Freight Trailer. Not as nifty and elaborate, but something that can have the cooking implements at the ready with space for the coolers and extras. I envision passenger side of the trailer lined with a camp stove, bbq grill and camp stove oven, with propane underneath. Driverside free for coolers, chairs, etc. Something that can be setup and remain dormant but at the ready for impromptu travels.

Another idea I've been considering is a swingout tirerack Gary Lee thing but of the shelf variety with said cooking equipment bolted down, connected to undermounted propane tank and cargo tray hitch for cooler.

Alas,if I had a nickel for every plan, I'd have to plan what to do with all my nickels.

Tue Apr 05, 2011 3:57 pm

Anyone considering the H.F. trailers should also consider lengthening the tounge a couple feet. It makes backing 'em up way easier.......$.02.....

Tue Apr 05, 2011 4:43 pm

GardenSurfer wrote: You can find some useful design and construction tips on the Teardrop & Tiny Trailers forum, http://www.mikenchell.com/forums/index.php
That's a pretty cools site... worth cluttering up my bookmarks! :)

pd

Tue Apr 05, 2011 6:40 pm

Everytime I see one of these, I think they would be cool and I start to dream.
Then I remember all the downsides of camping with a trailer. Just make sure you know all the downsides beofre you go all in and build one. Maybe rent a u-haul for a weekend to get a feel for it.

Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:32 pm

Great project. When planning what you'll put/keep in the trailer, keep in mind the incredible abuse every item in there will take in terms of vibration and pounding. Several buddies and I built up a small trailer like this we share for mountain biking trips. If you sit in the back window of a van watching a trailer like this as you go through an urban freeway system you will see that the little trailer's tires leave the ground several times a mile. Incredible abuse. Naturally a dirt forest road or similar will be even more pounding as there are no shocks and the springs (if it has them) are super stiff to carry their rated load.

Anything allowed to rub against anything will chafe, pasta, chips and cereal will be reduced to dust on a long trip, etc. A battery will sustain vibration damage, pop and carbonated liquids will explode when opened. So plan accordingly. We keep the contents of the trailer limited to spare tires, tool kits (with towels stuffed in them to limit shifting), bikes firmly mounted, etc.

Also a separate issue would be planning for anti-theft if you'll be leaving this trailer at a campsite or parking in urban areas enroute.

DougM

Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:48 pm

I wouldn't want to drag a trailer with me on every outing, but it's not that bit a hassle and it can make travel in the van much more comfortable if you've got a bunch of kids along for the ride. Yeah... you can toss stuff on the roof, but for what the OP is wanting to do the roof doesn't cut it.

As I mentioned... I've got my beater Sears trailer that was set up for my sailboat that I built a box on. It's got leaf springs so it doesn't beat the cargo up that bad... it rides pretty well. It gets things like the tents, dutch oven, stove, fuel, pots & pans, extra water, the serious coolers (a small cooler rides in the van), and other stuff that is bulky and can take a little dust and abuse. It's been from Salt Lake to Yellowstone and Southern Utah several times, Nevada, Tahoe, Shelter Cove/Lost Coast. The only time I found it a hassle is when we dragged it into San Francisco because we were going in from Oakland and leaving to the North. It acts as a bear box for the coolers & cooking stuff with a bolt on lid, which really simplifies camping in bear country.

It's butt ugly... I didn't expect to be using it for a decade... it was going to be for 1 trip to Yellowstone with the kids in my Camry, so I didn't bother painting it. If I get time for it, I would rebuild it more like what the OP has draw up in a heart beat.

Here it is in July 2007 in front of the Fallon, NV Shoe Tree that was cut down by vandals late last year.

And dropped in Great Basin Nat'l Park, NV:

pd

Wed Apr 06, 2011 3:30 am

You're right...that IS ugly! hehe.

Our goal is to camp and paddle. With four kayaks from 141/2' to 17' we need a trailer. We do fine otherwise with gear packed in the van so without the yaks no need to tow.

The whole portable kitchen idea is a neat concept and one that my wife is 100% opposed to! That ends that debate.

I would be very sad to arrive at the campground and find my Shreddies in crumbs! I think I'd go back home.

Brian.

Wed Apr 06, 2011 7:33 am

bjrogers86auto wrote: You're right...that IS ugly! hehe.

Our goal is to camp and paddle. With four kayaks from 141/2' to 17' we need a trailer. We do fine otherwise with gear packed in the van so without the yaks no need to tow.
Yeah... I should pull the box off, replace the bottom (it's the only part that's showing its age), and paint it. I kept it as a simple box because it works for camping, hauling building materials a machines, and it's still low enough that I can toss the Laser or my sea kayak on top. That's the main reason the tongue is so long too... both those boats need the clearance and the Laser needs to be balanced over the axle.

For my purposes it would be great to pull that box off and clean it up, then remount it in such a way that I could easily remove it. Then I could set it up to haul the Laser down low, or have a multi-tiered boat hauler (2 Lasers, Laser & Canoe, etc), and whatever other utility bolt-ons I decided to make for camping or hauling. It would also be nice to be able to easily shorten and lengthen the tongue.

pd

Wed Apr 06, 2011 8:43 am

Volksaholic wrote: It would also be nice to be able to easily shorten and lengthen the tongue.

pd

Sleeve it..
My old Hobie 16 trailer has an extra long tongue, and it can be unbolted and removed to shorten the trailer by 6'. I don't think that was the intended design... but what the hey.. it works.
Its an old Highlander, I beleive.

Check the outside dimensions of the existing square tube.. And then look for corresponding larger square stock.. or even channel using twice as many bolts. That would would fine work for modest loads..

A word for the wise, too.
Invest in good wheel bearings and keep them well packed. If the trailer is doused (boat) repack annually.
Seized or burned bearings can really ruin a day.

Sadly, though.. talking about trailers is more fun than actually using them.

Wed Apr 06, 2011 8:47 am

The snowbear brand of trailers has the extendable tongue. I leave mine extended most of the time. On occasion I shortened it when we just had the bikes on it.

The other neat feature are the stake pockets on the side. They allow me to mount my uprights and crossbars for the boats and easily remove them for other options. It's pretty good but I have spent far too much time reconfiguring things over and over. One day I might get it right!

It will be interesting to see what the OP comes up with.

Brian.

Wed Apr 06, 2011 8:57 am

This Snowbear Transformer trailer looks awesome!

http://www.snowbear.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=103&Itemid=294

I can think of a lot of uses already. They probably retail for way too much though.

Wed Apr 06, 2011 9:44 am

j_dirge wrote: Volksaholic wrote: It would also be nice to be able to easily shorten and lengthen the tongue.
My old Hobie 16 trailer has an extra long tongue, and it can be unbolted and removed to shorten the trailer by 6'. I don't think that was the intended design... but what the hey.. it works.
I wonder if it was a design feature to allow you to float the boat on shallow beaches/ramps. On of my Finn trailers pivots in the middle to "tip" the transom into the water for shallow launches.
Quote: Check the outside dimensions of the existing square tube.. And then look for corresponding larger square stock.. or even channel using twice as many bolts. That would would fine work for modest loads..
That's about what I had in mind... and use a couple of locking hitch pins to lock it in the short or long position.
Quote: A word for the wise, too. Invest in good wheel bearings and keep them well packed. If the trailer is doused (boat) repack annually. Seized or burned bearings can really ruin a day.
On the small boat trailers I generally repack the wheel bearings every Spring. The utility trailer got them repacked before our 2007 trip to CA, but it's due for a repack/inspect this Spring too. It's also good to keep the tires fresh... those little wheels do a lot of spinning on a long, hot, Summer road trip!

pd

Wed Apr 06, 2011 11:06 am

PDXWesty wrote: This Snowbear Transformer trailer looks awesome!

Probably pretty easy to tow too, seeing how it's just hovering there in the driveway.

Thu Apr 07, 2011 7:11 am

The fun begins, pics added....

Thu Apr 07, 2011 8:22 am

You should get a VW of some sort in the pics or the moderator might remove them.

Glad you found the trailer!

Brian.