Teardrop style trailer

skersfan

Supporting Sponsor
2.5 1/4 inch wall thickness will allow a strong back bone with 2 inch access for winch or tow receiver. With 35 to 38 inch wheels and tires I would stay away from any angle on the main frame. Box tubing 2x2 120 wall is your friend. Ends do not twist and allows for a very strong frame. I hate angle in the upper walls, but I am sure you can make it strong enough. I designed mine to survive a roll over so I did overkill in them to say the least.

With drop axles like in your picture, you have several bolts that become very important, normally an air bag and the bounce that goes with it. With the size of wheels and tires you are planning on using, besure you trianglize the frame. brace corners with triangles.

In 45 years of trailer building, from large two car carriers, 5th wheels and toy haulders with FJ Cruisers in them, I have never found a place to put angle iron in any strength situation. Weak, bends and rusts easily. You can get more strength from Box tubing even in the 1 inch 065 wall thickness. And will most likely be lighter. Easier to keep squre.

Have fun, take your time and build what you want. But plan it out, spend a fair amount of time on the plan.
 

98dango

Expedition Leader
I actually ment 2.5 not 2". My thought was this I'll have a 2x8 rear bumper/step a 2x4 front frame with 2x2 1/8 front tongue supports that go threw the front cross member to the frame. So I thought angle would be fine as bracing in between.
 

stomperxj

Explorer
Getting an independent suspension setup to work correctly, line up and not chew tires to bits is going to be hard. Ask Adventure Trailers how many arms they throw in the "out of spec" pile. My trailer had 31" tires and I had 20"+ to the bottom of the frame. I personally would not use 35" tires from my experience using a teardrop but to each his own. I'll also resonate that you can build a lot of this frame from 2x2x.120 sq tube.
 

98dango

Expedition Leader
Oh I know none of it is easy. I also know I can build every thing out of box tube. I happen to just have 3 piles of angle that I would like to use up.
 

matthewp

Combat Truck Monkey
My trailer had 31" tires and I had 20"+ to the bottom of the frame. I personally would not use 35" tires from my experience using a teardrop but to each his own.

Very true point! The taller your wheels/tires, the taller your trailer will be off the ground , the taller the door into your sleeping area, the taller the kitchen counter.... See where this goes? There's a LOT of things affected by the simple decision of tire size!
 

fireball

Explorer
I don't have a link because I am on my phone right now but I am doing some design on a teardrop that we are going to build/have built and I posted a sketch up drawing with all of the galley dimensions. My drawing assumes a 33 inch tire size. Had to do some cardboard mockup at home to make sure it was going to be workable. It's not ideal but luckily my wife is a bit on the taller side and I am 6'2".
 

98dango

Expedition Leader
So back to this and a ton of fun. Our move has been postponed sort of. We still have to move but not as far only 50 miles and I can still use my I laws shop. We looked at options and are back to this.

I like the ideas brought up hear. We have changed the plan slightly. My wife wants simple I tend to over design and make things way more complicated than need be. So ifs is out 38s out wife wants easy to get parts and easy for her to fix. I am still looking to a torsion style or air bag. A trailer is a 3 point so flex is over rated it is the suspension just need to keep it from beating it's self to death.
 

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