Travel trailer, cargo trailer or.....

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sat May 14, 2011 8:14 pm

I wasn't necessarily aiming that at you, FJ.
I know, you know how to use a trailer.
But, you brought up tongue weight, and, it seemed a good spot to make sure, folks considering this, know they need a lot of weight on the tongue, to avoid several issues.

ibdave · Post by **ibdave** » Sat May 14, 2011 8:42 pm

ygmir wrote:I wasn't necessarily aiming that at you, FJ.
I know, you know how to use a trailer.
But, you brought up tongue weight, and, it seemed a good spot to make sure, folks considering this, know they need a lot of weight on the tongue, to avoid several issues.

Yup, what barney said...

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Sat May 14, 2011 10:14 pm

It's a 3500 pound axel upjohn.

Â¡Niers! · Post by **Â¡Niers!** » Sun May 15, 2011 9:21 am

Pretty impressive FIGJAM!!
I've been tossing around an idea of doing something similar. My thought was to build a small teardrop style camper with built-in jacks to lift it off the flatbed so I can pull it out from under and still use the flatbed.
I dunno....that specific design won't happen this year.
For this year, I'm gonna build a removable canopy to mount a solar array on top. With a couple deep cycles and an inverter, I'll provide our small camp with all the power we'll need for the week. Not to mention the hauling capabilities.
I was also thinking of using it for a porta-potty. Slap some privacy walls or curtains up and BAMF!

I love this kind of stuff!
Once again, FIGJAM awesome job! Looks great!

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sun May 15, 2011 9:42 am

I've also toyed with the idea, of a cab over camper, on a trailer.
you can pull out from under it if you want the trailer for something else.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Sun May 15, 2011 10:10 am

Â¡Niers! wrote:Pretty impressive FIGJAM!!
I've been tossing around an idea of doing something similar. My thought was to build a small teardrop style camper with built-in jacks to lift it off the flatbed so I can pull it out from under and still use the flatbed.
I dunno....that specific design won't happen this year.
For this year, I'm gonna build a removable canopy to mount a solar array on top. With a couple deep cycles and an inverter, I'll provide our small camp with all the power we'll need for the week. Not to mention the hauling capabilities.
I was also thinking of using it for a porta-potty. Slap some privacy walls or curtains up and BAMF!

I love this kind of stuff!
Once again, FIGJAM awesome job! Looks great!

I had a plan for that last year, but the person I sold my flatbed to did'nt go to BM.

My concern would be clearance in transport.

Those flatbeds are about 3 to 4ft up, then add 6.5 ft for a stand up pod, with a floor maybe 7ft, now the clearance is 11ft which will also effect fuel use.

My last pod was thrown together on my brothers trailer, so I stayed with 4ft cause that what sides he had on it.

Clearance was 6ft, but crawling in and out all week, not good for my back.

If I needed the truck while I was there, I would run the shade across the pod and angle down to the ground, then the truck would be unhooked for use.

When we design things like this, not only do we get just what we want, but it hatches even more creativity in the process.

If I had your welding skills, I think I would try the exoskeleton idea.

Thanks for the compliment.

Â¡Niers! · Post by **Â¡Niers!** » Sun May 15, 2011 11:20 pm

FIGJAM wrote:
Â¡Niers! wrote:Pretty impressive FIGJAM!!
I've been tossing around an idea of doing something similar. My thought was to build a small teardrop style camper with built-in jacks to lift it off the flatbed so I can pull it out from under and still use the flatbed.
I dunno....that specific design won't happen this year.
For this year, I'm gonna build a removable canopy to mount a solar array on top. With a couple deep cycles and an inverter, I'll provide our small camp with all the power we'll need for the week. Not to mention the hauling capabilities.
I was also thinking of using it for a porta-potty. Slap some privacy walls or curtains up and BAMF!

I love this kind of stuff!
Once again, FIGJAM awesome job! Looks great!

I had a plan for that last year, but the person I sold my flatbed to did'nt go to BM.

My concern would be clearance in transport.

Those flatbeds are about 3 to 4ft up, then add 6.5 ft for a stand up pod, with a floor maybe 7ft, now the clearance is 11ft which will also effect fuel use.

My last pod was thrown together on my brothers trailer, so I stayed with 4ft cause that what sides he had on it.

Clearance was 6ft, but crawling in and out all week, not good for my back.

If I needed the truck while I was there, I would run the shade across the pod and angle down to the ground, then the truck would be unhooked for use.

When we design things like this, not only do we get just what we want, but it hatches even more creativity in the process.

If I had your welding skills, I think I would try the exoskeleton idea.

Thanks for the compliment.

I was pretty impressed last time I saw this trailer.

Not sure if you know what I was really talking about FIG.
My flatbed trailer is less than 2ft high. It's 5' x 9' and has a 3500lb axle. When I talk about a teardrop style camper....I'm not talking about something you could stand up in. Plus, it would be more contour and less resistant to wind. When I talk about a solar canopy......the canopy would be stowed away during travel.

Still love what you've done. Brilliant!!!

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Mon May 16, 2011 8:20 am

When you said flatbed I thought truck. My mistake.

Â¡Niers! · Post by **Â¡Niers!** » Mon May 16, 2011 9:38 am

FIGJAM wrote:When you said flatbed I thought truck. My mistake.

Oh, ok....I kinda figured that was the case. I wasn't specific enough.

By the way....what's the exoskeleton idea? You talking about the removable canopy thing?

Also, welding is really easy to pick up. I went to school for fabrication, but it's not needed if you just wanna be a backyard hobby welder. I highly recommend heading over to Home Depot and getting their $500 Lincoln mig welder, then to Airgas and pick up some Co2 and just start practicing. Just a couple days of practice and some advice from Airgas and you'd have it down good enough to get some cool stuff done.
Seems to me that you'd be great at it.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Mon May 16, 2011 12:36 pm

The exoskeliton would be an exterior (or interior) frame.

It would eliminate the need for any wood framing.

My thought was 2 inch angle at the four corners and around the upper edge, then 2inch strap where the plywood buts together. Make sure all this is plumb and square.

Bolt he roof in first, then the walls, then the deck. If you ever needed to replace a panel, just unbolt it and switch it out.

Ive got a 250amp stick welder that serves my needs, and I realy don't need to weld that often, that's why I don't get the practice to make pretty beads.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Thu May 19, 2011 6:48 pm

This is the BSS. (Bench, Step, Storage.)

Built a box 5ftx12in.x12in.

Add a piano hinge and brass latches.

Went too bin#16489-j and find..................

NO awsome handles.

Build awsome handles.

Don't want to bend over to lift this box.

Make handles awsomer!!!

All the shade gear fits in this BSS!

It goes in the playapod, under the bed.

When camp is set up it sits just outside the door for a step or guest seating.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Tue May 24, 2011 5:56 am

The rack bracket was just 2 pieces of angle butted together to create a foot.

This made a nice platform to weld the rails too.

Drill the bolt holes BEFORE welding the angle together.

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Tue May 24, 2011 2:50 pm

FIGJAM wrote:The rack bracket was just 2 pieces of angle butted together to create a foot.

This made a nice platform to weld the rails too.

Drill the bolt holes BEFORE welding the angle together.

Why? Other than ease of de-burring the holes...

-Badger

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Tue May 24, 2011 5:07 pm

Drilling the 6" piece of steel was easier than haveing to wrestle the rack upside down to drill holes, plus I could use my drill press instead of the hand held.

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Tue May 24, 2011 6:00 pm

Ahh.. I thought you were talking about just the bracket piece, not the whole rack.

-Badger

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 6:25 am

I loaded the Pod with everything except food and ice to do a test drive.

It tracks and pulls like it's not even there, but the cost to pull is closer to 3.5 mpg instead of the 1 mpg as originaly estemated.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:09 am

Sail Man · Post by **Sail Man** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:19 am

Minxy wrote:Geez, what an excellent set-up! I wanna come by your camp and check it out!

Damn Figjam, what a way to reel in all of the ladies

btw, nicely done.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:28 am

I would like more detail about how you attached the uprights of the frame to the base.
I'm trying to frame a trailer now, and I'm not satisfied with my options.

Sail Man · Post by **Sail Man** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:39 am

FIGJAM wrote:GEFDJ gyre.

LMFAO

Sail Man · Post by **Sail Man** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:43 am

FIGJAM wrote:Ok, the gauntlet is in the dust!

I'll find a solution, and it wont be any of those.

Impale and epoxy barbies in place?

Now, what part of the barbie to impale?

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:58 am

It looks to me that you used the steel framing to attach the framing to, but I don't have the same height available.
Did you use any attachment at the base of the 2x4s?

That's the weak point for me, especially for opening sides.
I'm not ready to alter the steel frame, or have time now.

My front and lower panels will be attached to the frame, but height mandates a rear gate and I planned opening upper sides, hinged.

So the uprights are crucial for me.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:02 am

OK,I get it.

If you look at the first pic in the thread, the uprights were already in place,

The prior owner had 2x4s bolted on for side rails.

I did cut the welds on the top rail so that I could change the angle to fit flush with the inside corners.

Above the rail, I used lag bolts and washers to pull the ply at the seams.

If you building from scratch, I would run the corner angle clear to the top, then use angle around the top edge, and 2 inch strap over the middle seams.

That way you could illiminate the need for an inside frame other than some cross braces to support the roof.

With that exoskeleton, I would install the roof first, then the walls, then the deck.

Make sure everything is plumb and square.

I useed lag bolts through the ply and into the upright 2x4s.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:04 am

Sail Man wrote:
FIGJAM wrote:Ok, the gauntlet is in the dust!

I'll find a solution, and it wont be any of those.
Impale and epoxy barbies in place?

Now, what part of the barbie to impale?

ALL!!!!

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:37 am

Thanks.

I have about 16" height.
Sometimes I need the lower level frame for things.
I will alter the frame to some degree eventually, or buld another trailer.

I had always thought about a foldup frame, to keep aair drag down.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:53 am

Sail Man wrote:
Minxy wrote:Geez, what an excellent set-up! I wanna come by your camp and check it out!
Damn Figjam, what a way to reel in all of the ladies

btw, nicely done.

Hey, It ain't Doc's RV, but what the fuck it's only my 2nd year!!!

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 2:25 pm

"If you're going to pass out in the desert, do it in a playapod!" bump

Jax Dee · Post by **Jax Dee** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 9:54 pm

Holy crap, how awesome! And I must say from one person to another with back issues, this is inspiring. I try not to let my health problems get me down and to see what you've accomplished here is really great.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 4:54 am

Last day bump!

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 6:36 am

ALERT!!!

For the first time in a long time, I under engineered.

I went to slide out the shade rack, and it was binding up just a little.

Took it clear out, and sure enough, it was bowed.

Instead of rebuilding the whole thing, I'm adding some 1/8th" strap to the top for more strength.

Go a little larger on the tube with 1/4" sidewall tube and even better, use rectangle tube instead of square.