Crazy camp trailer idea, advise?

[CamoDeafie]

If all goes well this week and the next, I would be able to start a small camp trailer project soon, but want to run this by you guya first...
See, I have this tent/shelter halves thing

And I really don't use it much if at all.. wellm the idea basically is to have a tent trailer of some kind... depending on the size of trailer that I can get... my Kia's limit is 3500 GTW with 350lb Tongue Weight, so a small utility or similar single axle trailer is the way to go..

But anyways. Idea.
Memory foam mattress pad on plywood floor, foldable maybe.
Internal inverted V frames with nail/stud poking up to hold shelter halves up, 14"-17" high wood vertical side walls, cut plywood triangle for one end under the wedge section, leave other end squared off, maybe add bug net screen doors where the open end would be.. wedge end would be fold out with a support pole or two to the trailer side, again, depending on what trailer I can get and its size.

Assuming 4x4 smallest trailer, storage box under main plywood floor of tent. Will need to measure the actual shelter half pieces to figure out how big a floor I would need...

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[mtwarych]

I suggest you use marine grade plywood for this project.

Marine grade plywood is expensive but it will resist swelling and delamination the longest for you.

I would also suggest some form of kickstand to keep your project from any tipping while you are snoozing away unless you intend on keeping the trailer connected to the hitch while sleeping.

 

[Joe13]

I'd buy a used enclosed trailer and call it good.

I had a 13' and it was only 1200#'s so plenty of room to add stuff.

 

[albin25]

Not crazy, sounds like a fun project.
Could be more cost efficient to just buy an old used teardrop or motor cycle type folding camper but if you got most of the stuff just laying about...what the heck

A few years ago I was thinking of making a clunky old duck boat I had laying around, into a sort-of "teardrop" camp trailer. something I could sleep in, in a parking lot the night before fishing.
It folded in half over itself and the bulkhead at the fold simply needed to be higher than the waterline to be watertight. The trailer didn't have crossmembers so I could back in on, fuel and battery were located outboard. Removable front bench seating would be used as fillers to support the inflatable bed.
But I ended up just selling it before my true genius could be realized (or dashed by reality?)

 

[edslhead]

My neighbor has a tent trailer sittin out front with garbage piled on top. You could just hook up to it and be good to go.

 

[Member 34319]

What about crafting something to put on the roof of the vehicle vs towing?

I've seen many foldable tents that attach to the roof and I figure it's similar in design to what your stating.

 

[cigars]

Just get one of these. Your imagination is the limit.
Edit: added more respectable pics.

 

[Camelfilter]

Just get one of these. Your imagination is the limit.

Yup!





However no bueno for @CamoDeafie at this time.

Good ideas tossed about though...

 

[CamoDeafie]

Yeah. I'm gonna have to postpone this idea indefinitely, at least until I get another job.

On the other hand, I noted that there exist a much easier, simpler way to have a shelter/sleep system attached to my vehicle... although pricey, it is at least more affordable than what would equal another running vehicle at the end. As I already have a hammock, and I can use my BCUSA 10x10 tarp attached to my roof basket and to the poles and lines as a tailgate shelter, this could work better for me.

www.mcleanmetalworksmfg.com/product-page/hammock-mount-1

 

[DirectDrive]

I wouldn't monkey with a homemade trailer/tent concoction.
And tent trailers are problematic in this climate.
Therefore save up for a small hardtop camp trailer.
Tandem axles are a plus but more importantly a shower is a must-have.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Hmm. According to the factory info, my car's max tow weight is 2,000lbs, while the 1.25" hitch reciver has 3500 GTW and 350 Tongue Wt. Stamped on it... all this means simply... a small lightweight trailer. Unfortunately, a small enclosed trailer thats about 8ft long is still way more money than I can throw at it, at least to the point that it makes more sense to just get a 2nd running vehicle thats either a pickup truck, a longer SUV, or a van

Edit; but that is why I was thinking of the pup tent idea, because the canvas can be easily removed and stored indoors, whereas the wood materials would definitely need to be painted/coated/marine grade stained to stand up to the weather.
Alternatively, building a lightweight wateproof non-fabric shelter trailer is going to be real interesting to keep under 2,000lb and have room for two.

 

[notazombie]

Yeah. I'm gonna have to postpone this idea indefinitely, at least until I get another job.

On the other hand, I noted that there exist a much easier, simpler way to have a shelter/sleep system attached to my vehicle... although pricey, it is at least more affordable than what would equal another running vehicle at the end. As I already have a hammock, and I can use my BCUSA 10x10 tarp attached to my roof basket and to the poles and lines as a tailgate shelter, this could work better for me.

www.mcleanmetalworksmfg.com/product-page/hammock-mount-1

For just a few dollars more you could buy this little guy from my dad. I camped in it a couple months ago. Small and light enough to be pulled by his Harley so your Kia wouldn't have any problem.
View attachment 483945 View attachment 483948

 

[41mag]

eah. I'm gonna have to postpone this idea indefinitely, at least until I get another job.

The factors limiting such projects seem to be
a mixture of time/money/skill/focus/tools/desire;
I've seen way more of these projects become like "shortcut that's not on the map"....

where time/effort/expense to race to that next goal (using that very project you describe) is thwarted due to lack of any one of the list above.

Good luck.

 

[DirectDrive]

Hmm. According to the factory info, my car's max tow weight is 2,000lbs, while the 1.25" hitch reciver has 3500 GTW and 350 Tongue Wt. Stamped on it... all this means simply... a small lightweight trailer. Unfortunately, a small enclosed trailer thats about 8ft long is still way more money than I can throw at it, at least to the point that it makes more sense to just get a 2nd running vehicle thats either a pickup truck, a longer SUV, or a van

Sorry, but that's Toy Grade suitable for a bike rack or similar.
You need Man Grade which is going to be minimum 1/2 ton pick up and 2" receiver and 2" ball.
And even that will have limits that you have to live with.

I would just keep tent camping and saving until you can get a set up that will serve you for several years down the road.
If you go Funkytown Method, you'll be getting rid of whatever it is in a season or two.

 

[orygun]

@CamoDeafie I have an older version of your tent that I used to camp out in the back yard when I was a kid. This thing was intended to be carried split between two GIs. Each had half of the poles and one half of the skin. Two guys made a tent, one guy had a shelter.

I never thought it would be good for anything else, but you might have a good idea here.

 

[Camelfilter]

Sorry, but that's Toy Grade suitable for a bike rack or similar.
You need Man Grade which is going to be minimum 1/2 ton pick up and 2" receiver and 2" ball.
And even that will have limits that you have to live with.

I would just keep tent camping and saving until you can get a set up that will serve you for several years down the road.
If you go Funkytown Method, you'll be getting rid of whatever it is in a season or two.

Yah, this.

If you all enjoy hammock camping, then just simply continue doing so. Easy enough fir a decent portion of the PNW using tree savers. Then for those circumstances where you just can't locate 2 suitable points tarp it.

I've bike camped extensively in the past with a Hennessy hammock, and when no suitable points available, just used the bike and another point as a ridge line for ground shelter setup.

Shure, we all enjoy/want the luxury of off the ground camping, but best to do it well the first time round, vs incrementally wasting time & $$$.

Also, I camped in a cheapo large big box store tent for several months the first time I moved out here. Was a pretty decent tent actually for the price, just used a real tarp over it for rain.

Best tent I ever owned was a single wall Zeus EXO! Lightweight, roomy, bomb proof, held its value too (sold it in Nepal for about what I paid). Note single wall would not be a great idea for out here (too wet), unless extended time at altitude. But just pointing out options. I'd buy another one if they still made it.

 

[CamoDeafie]

How affordable/cheap would it be to build a lightweight teardrop style trailer on a small utility trailer frame? I'm thinking maybe "poor mans fiberglass" using thin plywood, canvas or sturdy outdoors fabric (Cordura or Sunbrella polyester) skin, whatever glue and paint is needed to waterproof it... at least for the side walls and roof, while floor would likely be marine grade plywood panels.

 

[notazombie]

About this much...
Teardrop Trailer
Old pics. Its got the cooler fenders, a mattress, and some storage nets in it now.
He's pretty much breaking even on the materials at this price.

 

[CamoDeafie]

And thats on a 4ft by 4 or 5ft Harbor Freight utility trailer frame, correct? Hmm I wonder if I can save some by utilizing the Bargain Center prices or ReStore items for some things.. not sure they would have good plywood though

Edit; I see that someone has made a teardrop trailer using pallet wood but the antifungal/anti-insect coatings and such used on pallets seems to be bad for humans...

 

[CamoDeafie]

What about taking a literal page from boatmaking/light plane and doing "skin on frame" teardrop but cover the skin in resin/dope/shellac coating to make the skin stiff enough for wind resistance?