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Fox Mulder · 08-02-2018, 11:43 PM

Hi Guys,

Long time lurker, first time poster, excluding my intro post. I have a good sized trailer that is really too big to tow with my wife’s 17 Subaru Forester. We love her car, but sometimes we need to take more with us, when we go camping for example. I have a truck, but we get 30-33 mpg out of the Forester when we are eco friendly drivers. I have a pretty good skill set, and would like to build a small trailer, bigger than a motorcycle trailer, maybe 3x5 platform and 3 foot height inside. That’d give me 45 cubic feet of space.

So, after reading everything I can find on trailer aero, I’m still looking for the best answer in my situation. I’ve read aerohead’s boat tail thread, as well as the one wheel trailer thread, and a few others, as well as what I can find on the net. I know the gap is a good place for reduce aero, but my wife is not going to go for anything crazy there. I can minimize the tongue as much as is practical, and I’m not sure what that length really is. Most people are saying the tongue should be a min of half the cars width. I’ve looked at aero friendly designs like the Airstream Basecamp, and I think I could make a shape like that on a smaller scale if it was appropriate. I should be at least 2 feet under the roof edge of the Forester, so I’m not sure it’s worth it to make a curved front. Although I think that could be as easy as radiusing the corners.

So, what’s the best design for what I need? A mini base camp? Or is a box on wheels that is narrower and shorter than the tow vehicle and in its wake already as aero as it needs to be? I was going to attempt to look at it with the template, but I wasn’t totally sure on placement relative to the tow vehicle and trailer relationship. I was initially thinking a box with the tires inside the body, so essentially skirted, and maybe with a roof that slopes to match the template and a Kamm back on the tail.

Let me know what you all think. Also, if you have experience with small trailers, I’d happily take any opinions on what you’d use... I was initially thinking a single place snowmobile trailer, but I haven’t found one. Boat trailers are abundant, but would require a fair amount of work. I could use one of the Harbor Freight kits also, but opinions seem mixed on them.

Thanks much for your help!!!

08-02-2018, 11:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
Fox Mulder EcoModding Lurker Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: Mid-Michigan Posts: 15 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Tiny Cargo trailer ideas Hi Guys, Long time lurker, first time poster, excluding my intro post. I have a good sized trailer that is really too big to tow with my wife’s 17 Subaru Forester. We love her car, but sometimes we need to take more with us, when we go camping for example. I have a truck, but we get 30-33 mpg out of the Forester when we are eco friendly drivers. I have a pretty good skill set, and would like to build a small trailer, bigger than a motorcycle trailer, maybe 3x5 platform and 3 foot height inside. That’d give me 45 cubic feet of space. So, after reading everything I can find on trailer aero, I’m still looking for the best answer in my situation. I’ve read aerohead’s boat tail thread, as well as the one wheel trailer thread, and a few others, as well as what I can find on the net. I know the gap is a good place for reduce aero, but my wife is not going to go for anything crazy there. I can minimize the tongue as much as is practical, and I’m not sure what that length really is. Most people are saying the tongue should be a min of half the cars width. I’ve looked at aero friendly designs like the Airstream Basecamp, and I think I could make a shape like that on a smaller scale if it was appropriate. I should be at least 2 feet under the roof edge of the Forester, so I’m not sure it’s worth it to make a curved front. Although I think that could be as easy as radiusing the corners. So, what’s the best design for what I need? A mini base camp? Or is a box on wheels that is narrower and shorter than the tow vehicle and in its wake already as aero as it needs to be? I was going to attempt to look at it with the template, but I wasn’t totally sure on placement relative to the tow vehicle and trailer relationship. I was initially thinking a box with the tires inside the body, so essentially skirted, and maybe with a roof that slopes to match the template and a Kamm back on the tail. Let me know what you all think. Also, if you have experience with small trailers, I’d happily take any opinions on what you’d use... I was initially thinking a single place snowmobile trailer, but I haven’t found one. Boat trailers are abundant, but would require a fair amount of work. I could use one of the Harbor Freight kits also, but opinions seem mixed on them. Thanks much for your help!!!