Started my camp trailer

Drawing of side profile:
http://www.hudsonhawk.net/trailer3.jpg

Began the frame this week. got the main runners and the tongue cut and fit. Going to weld it all up hopefully this weekend. Then I can cut and fit the side extensions to bring it out to 60 inches wide. The tires will be tucked up under the body for a little more then half their width.

Frame layed out: This is 47 inches wide and 8 feet long for the main box. The tongue adds about 4 feet to the overall length.
http://www.hudsonhawk.net/trailer/trailer1.jpg

It does not look like it but there is an inch of clearance between the frame and the tire sidewall.

http://www.hudsonhawk.net/trailer/trailer2.jpg

Tongue detail. There will be supports for the tongue to frame joint to keep it from breaking.

http://www.hudsonhawk.net/trailer/trailer3.jpg

Detail of the tongue to frame joint. The left side is the main frame. The right side is the tongue. The bottom piece is the cross member.

http://www.hudsonhawk.net/trailer/trailer4.jpg

Finally the mockup of the bracing for the tongue joint.

http://www.hudsonhawk.net/trailer/trailer5.jpg

The tongue, main frame runners and joint support piece are 2x2x3/16" steel. The cross members and rest of the frame are 2x2x1/8"

The hitch coupler is from Lock-N-Roll. It is designed for off-road use.

Very nice!

Very nice! Are you going to have it ready for fall camping season? What amenities do you have planned for the interior? Does the Mrs. plan on sleeping in it?

Looks like a great start. Keep the progress pictures coming.

Not ready for this fall. The plan is to have it ready for my 2 week mountain trip next summer.

Amenities:
AC cause I am tired of camping in 85 to 90 temps at night. Can't use it for dry camping but can use it wherever I have eletrical hookup.
AC/DC converter to charge battery, run LED interior lights, small automotive DVD player and fantastic fan.
Battery will allow me to camp off grid and at least have lights and fan. Plan is for everything except the AC to run on 12V DC.
Axle has brakes to assist in rough terrain and on steep hills.

Everything else will be camping equipment.
Coleman dual fuel Camp Stove and lantern for when the battery dies.
Dutch Oven and cast iron skillet.
5 Gallon water container
Ice chest for perishables
basicaly it's a hard sided tent with lights and AC.

Now, if you can only get the tongue weight down to 200#, you can pull it with your Miata.

;)

Tongue weight should only be 150 lbs if my calculations are correct and I do not own a Miata anymore.

I bet a Miata wouldn't like going where you'll take the trailer anyway.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by onething

I bet a Miata wouldn't like going where you'll take the trailer anyway.

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Yours may not, but

http://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/miata/miata1bz.jpg

Tack welded the main part of the frame together tonight. Spent the day at the State Fair of Texas so got a late start.

http://www.hudsonhawk.net/trailer/trailer6.jpg

Another day in the garage. Tacked the tongue on and made sure everything was square. One thing I hate about welding is all the prep work to get a good weld.

Now on to the finish welding. First the left side:
http://www.hudsonhawk.net/trailer/trailer7.jpg

Then the Right:

http://www.hudsonhawk.net/trailer/trailer8.jpg

Then put it onto jack stands to measure and start placement of the axle. This is where it will reside.

http://www.hudsonhawk.net/trailer/trailer9.jpg

http://www.hudsonhawk.net/trailer/trailer10.jpg

Once the axle is in place, I will finsh out the frame. I need to know where to put the wheel wells on the body.

Spring mounts are tacked in place. I had some scrap 1/4" angle lying around and decided to beef up the frame a bit to reinforce the spring hangers. I still need to do the finish welding.

http://www.hudsonhawk.net/trailer/trailer11.jpg

Close up of the spring mount.

http://www.hudsonhawk.net/trailer/trailer12.jpg

:clap: I'm enjoying this project, keep the pictures coming.

Mounted the axle today and finished welding up the main part of the frame. There is 18 3/4 inches of clearance between the bottom of the frame and ground. That makes me happy. having a problem with my hositng site. The pics are up there but can't see them for some reason.

Figured out what happened to my hosting site so here we go.

Went for a short drive today. The trailer pulls great and tracks nicely behind the Jeep.

http://www.hudsonhawk.net/trailer/trailer15.jpg

Close up of the Lock-N-Roll hitch.

http://www.hudsonhawk.net/trailer/trailer16.jpg

Now that I have almost finished my frame. It's time to start thinking about the body.

I put a boring meeting to good use today. :D I think this is how I am going to do my walls. I work better in free hand than I do in CAD.

http://www.hudsonhawk.net/trailer/trailerwall.jpg

What kind of siding are you going to use?

1/8 luan or ply. Then fiber-glass and epoxy to seal it.

Lookin' great!

The axle looks like it's set back quite a bit. Is that a departure angle thing?

Do you think it would help if you you did a cross bar in each square or a gusset in each corner? I am thinking off-road might be rough.