Finally starting my teardrop offroad trailer build.

[GSequoia]

Tom's too old for wood.

[old_man]

Finally got some time to work on the trailer again. I added the shocks, built the flippable tongue, the offroad hitch, and wired the temporary lights so I can get it inspected, titled, and get some license plates.





The tongue can be removed and flipped upside down so it can be pulled by a regular height vehicle.



I finished the offroad hitch as well.




I cut the OSB for the floor and have started on sealing the bottom. I first coated it with ZinZer, followed by a coat of enamel, followed by rubberized undercoating.




I also fab'd the brackets and mounted the shocks.

[old_man]

I took it out on the street for the first time and it pulls sweet. They were working on the road and there was about a 4 in drop. I went over it at about 45 and the trailer landed firm with no rebound or bounce. Now on to finishing the steel frame now that I have figured out where the counter top, drawers, sink, and stove top go.

Can't wait to get it finished.

[Fore Wheeler]

looks nice. can you show better pics of the 'flippable hitch'?


also, why not use marine plywood for the floor? just curious.

[jakeWI]

looking real good!

[old_man]

Originally Posted by Fore Wheeler

looks nice. can you show better pics of the 'flippable hitch'?


also, why not use marine plywood for the floor? just curious.

Colorado isn't exactly swamped with marine plywood.

[old_man]

[jimgrms]

Wanna build me one while your at it , Really nice work Tom looks good

[Fore Wheeler]

Great idea for the flippable tongue

[neversummer369]

Looking good old man!!

[old_man]

Originally Posted by jimgrms

Wanna build me one while your at it , Really nice work Tom looks good

I've had a ton of people asking if I am going to build a bunch more. I might once I finish this one. I am working through the design and how best to fab it with the least effort.

My design is a tad overbuilt, but I'm a pain in the ass profectionist engineer, what do you expect.

[Fred]

Pretty cool, Tom. Make me a hitch for when I lengthen the tongue on the 416.

How long is it between the axle and the horizontal rotation axis?

[old_man]

It is quite long. I probably will shorten the tongue by 8-12 inches at some point, but it really pulls nice on the highway. The overall length is 13 feet, the body is 8 feet.

[Fred]

um, Mr. Engineer, quite is not a number. I'd guess 9' from axle to hitch, judging for the photo and the specs given. The M416 is about 6'. Time to contemplate surgery.

[old_man]

I might be persuaded to fab you up a hitch like mine. I have the steel, but I am short on hockey pucks.