Is a teardrop right for us?

[fireball]

Hi Guys,

A few quick questions from a potential new teardrop owner. First a bit about us, then the questions. Our crew consists of my wife and I and our two kids, 11 and 13, and our 90# siberian husky. The family camping, off roading, expedition, adventure vehicle is a 99 Land Cruiser. We've been doing the ground tent routine which works great for long stays where we can unload and setup and stay for a few days. OVer spring break we did a week long trip with 4 or 5 new locations and setup and teardown got to be a bit cumbersome. You all know the routine: unload truck, setup ground cloth, tent, air mattress, sleeping pads and sleeping bags, rainfly, pull out awning if needed, setup back of truck for kitchen. All told it's a long process!

We've got a few trips planned this summer including a 15-18 day trip to Ouray, CO. This will include 4 nights in Ouray but a bunch of stops along the way on the way out and back. Most of our local trips are to PA state forest and to VT, NH area. Tight trails, trees, primitive spots and sometimes a campground so the wife can have a hot shower!

Here are the teardrop questions:

1. How is sleeping in the TD with a RTT above? Wife and I would be below, kids up top.
2. Can the TD still have a power vent to circulate the air with the RTT above?
3. Height and size - I'm 6'2", wife is 5'6" and dog is big! Would a 4.5x9' be sufficient (i.e. the Krawler 459) or do we need bigger? One thing I've seen on some models is the galley door and potential attached awning might be a bit low for the tall guys?
4. Last question for now...the idealization of the teardrop is that you've got it loaded up and ready to go, all you need to do is fill the cooler and hook it up and you're ready to go at a moments notice. Is this the REALITY for those that own it? No more dragging the camp gear down out of the attic, no more worrying about getting to camp after dark and setting up in the dark, etc.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[libarata]

A teardrop, with a rooftop tent on it sounds nifty. Is there a reason you would not have the RTT on the vehicle? My next question, is where the canine would go?

 

[fireball]

Dog will be in the teardrop or in the truck. The LC is pretty big as it is, so I'm trying to get everything on the trailer. That way I can drop the trailer and be as compact and light as possible for the off-roading adventures.

One of my main questions is where are you guys actually towing these things? Most of the camp spots we go to are pretty tame getting to them, the hairy stuff I wouldn't be pulling the trailer through and wouldn't really need to. These definitely aren't paved roads but not sure they necessitate the heavy duty suspension and beefiness of some of the marque brand TDs.

 

[Flymaui]

My husband and I are about the same heights as the two of you. We have plenty of room in our AT teardrop (same size as 459). It would not be comfortable with both of us AND a husky! I can't answer the RTT questions, although our fan does not stick up past our roof rack. With the galley door open, I have a hard time reaching it to close, so plenty of clearance for walking under (not sure which awning you are thinking of). We leave our teardrop packed. The only thing we have to do is fill up the water tank, put perishable foods in the fridge, and pull it out of the garage. We can be on the road in under a half hour. Hope this helps!

 

[Flymaui]

On second thought, with regard to clearance under the galley door, the AT might sit higher than the 459, can't remember. The most challenging place we have taken our trailer was while camping in the Maze district. With the beefier suspension our stuff didn't get bounced around nearly as much as our buddy's utility trailer. While towing on smoother trails, it's easy to forget that it is even back there.

 

[SoCal Tom]

Seems like a decent option to me. I'm a TD owner, and mine is pretty much loaded and ready to go with 30 minutes notice. After each trip I run the dishes through the dishwasher, and take care of any maintenance, but it's pretty quick and easy.
One thing I would keep an eye on, is the location of the RTT vs the swing of the galley hatch.
Tom

 

[mvbeggs]

Teardrop?

I agree with others. I've had an AT Chaser and currently own an AT Teardrop. The beauty of owning a trailer, any trailer, is that they can be left packed for the next trip. Makes getting out the door a piece of cake.

I also agree with Flymaui, no room in the inn for a 90lb husky. If you purchase the sidewalls for the awning, the enclosure makes a perfect spot for your 4 legged buddy or extra sleeping space.

The one thing we loved going from the Chaser to the Teardrop is the simplicity of setup and breakdown of camp. If we open the awning, setup and breakdown, takes about 10 minutes. If we don't open the awning, setup and breakdown, is the length of time it takes to open the galley door and unfold a couple chairs. It's awesome!

I would recommend trying on a teardrop for size before purchasing. I don't think length is going to be an issue. Width is what you should be concerned about.

Good luck.

 

[fireball]

Thanks for the info everyone, very helpful!

@mvbeggs - what size is your TD? I've been looking at the 5' models. But also keeping a keen eye on the used market so might have to compromise a bit.

 

[Hilldweller]

Hey Ben,
Good idea to start the thread.

Our LG is a 6x10 so the bed is about 68"x80". Sleeps me (6'5", 235), wife (5'5" size 3), and 50 pound pit mix very comfortably. I wouldn't really want a 5 wide and keep the dog inside ---- but our dog can't take the cold and my wife never considered a narrower trailer.

Thinking about the RTT above and Fantastic Fan, I think your roofrack would need to be on risers of some sort. Park the trailer, raise the bars, open the tent. We sleep with the vent open ALL THE TIME, even in single-digit temps. Found out the hard way how airtight the cabin of the teardrop is.
The lid opens well above the load bars ---- and I had them move the struts so the hatch would open higher. See if you can tell from this pic:

Worst road it has seen is the wrong way up the Glorietta Baldy outside Santa Fe. 9500 feet of twisted log-covered mayhem.
Followed Bunduguy's gps up the mountain but it didn't take the track he expected... LOL
He and Frenchy met us there later. Only they took a road and not a trail.

You can see bits of that on this old slideshow:

Do you know JJBiggs yet? I'll ping him and ask him to chime in. He's got a trailer design up his sleeve that might be what the doctor ordered for you.
And here's the other one I mentioned to you: http://www.chaletrv.com/folding-trailers/

random shots of teardrop life on the road

no set-up time in perfect weather

more set-up for extended stay

warm and dry; I think this is when Andy decided to get a teardrop

Paul's Conqueror Conquest

 

[fireball]

Well it looks like this is getting a bit more serious! We have been talking to a builder and trying to work out a final design. Would like to get some input from folks....

I would like to be able to tow this thing a variety of places. Would definitely like to be comfortable on forest service roads and light trails, but we will likely spend at least 3-4 weeks out west next year in CO and UT so don't want the trailer to limit us. Right now we are considering a 5x10 with a custom shape that will allow for more galley and interior room, including a niche at the bottom of the cabin area for the dog to sleep. The total width would likely be ~84" which is about 8" wider than the Land Cruiser. Total length will be in the 165-175" range. Is this too big?? Could possibly make this work at 54"W. Could also loose a little length, although not from the cabin would have to be exterior storage space on the tongue.

Any thoughts or advice based off my poorly drawn sketchup models below?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Yulli]

I'd look into a leaf spring, airbag, or a-arm/coil spring suspension if you wanna do a bit of off road use. I know the LG uses a torsion axle and I'm sure it works fine but I was skeptical of the ground clearance and size tires I could run.

I have a SoCal Teardrops trailer in the works now. It has OME leaf springs and adjustable shocks. After reading enough reviews and articles I was confident with that set up. Plus it has plenty of ground clearance and fits 35s without problem.

 

[fireball]

I am talking to AT about one of their chassis, a builder to do the cabin and wiring and perhaps doing all the cabinetry and finishing touches myself.

SoCal and AT finished products are both out of my price range. We looked at a Little Guy and they were OK....but won't do the custom cabin configuration I have shown in the photo above. I really like the hatch being horizontal to the plane of the roof...that will give weather protection during short stops, allow for use of the foxwing awning, and give us add't interior space that allows for the "dog bed" 22"Dx37"W area at the foot of the queen size bed.

 

[Yulli]

The AT teardrop is a SoCal except for the frame and suspension. SoCal supplies most of the AT stuff except frame and suspension. Doing a frame from AT is a good idea though if you can find a cabin builder who isn't as expensive as AT or SoCal.

 

[fireball]

Which SoCal model are you going with? Any custom stuff or upgrades? We need to fit the dog somehow! I've been looking at some used stuff and a few good deals have come along in the last few months, just not sure how to fit myself, the wife and a 90# dog into the cabin of a 4.5x9!

 

[Yulli]

I got the Krawler 459. I didn't do any custom touches, just went through the build list and added what fit my needs. Fitting a dog would be hard. I got an ARB awning with the new room attachment so you always keep the dog there but it could get cold. But you can add a 12v exterior plug to the trailer and use a heating blanket for the dog if it's outside.