hello! interested in homebuilt travel trailer for high MPG.

[Giovanni LiCalsi]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

Ideally I would like an aluminum frame trailer but think that might push costs up a bunch. The composite panels were already the plan but I would like to use prebuilt ones meaning they would be flat. There is a supplier out side of Olympia, WA that does aluminum clad 4'x8'x2" for under $200 each. If I homebuild the panels in place I could do gradual curves but I have not actually tried to build my own. I want to keep the weight under 2500# loaded, preferably under 2000#.

Shouldn't a single axle be better in this application?

You can easily form the aluminum panels and the high-density polyethylene foam boards can be steamed to form into a curved shape. This is much stronger than polyurethane foam board. The foam boards are made in China and are inexpensive. The foam board surfaces can be heated with a radiant gas heater until tacky and then the 3-M adhesive can be applied to bond the aluminum sheets. You will not need much if any framing on the interior because the Inrekor panels act as a monocoque body. This type of construction has been proven on British caravans.

[freebeard]

Welcome to ecomodder.

The camper needs to sleep 3+dog, have standup room, a bathroom, and be all weather.

<2000lb? Define bathroom. Maybe a toilet seat that hinges down on the outside with a privacy curtain?

I posted this in 'Which Trailer shape is better??', but I'll put it here too.



Did you see this thread? http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ted-26565.html I don't think a Harbor Freight trailer is the best chassis.

Giovanni LiCalsi likes Inrekor. I like Polymetal. It doesn't include insulation, but can be rolled into simple curves.

[Hersbird]

I don't have the cross bars but could delete the rest as well. I planned on putting the wheels inside the shell but thinking about it probably should make some way of fixing a flat w/o having to drop the whole axle LOL!
I would like actual rv toilet with small holding tanks and a shower above, basically a wet rv bathroom.

[JRMichler]

With your size and weight targets, don't be surprised if you end up with a Porta Potti and sponge baths.

Aluminum frame construction is not out of the question. Check www.eaa.org for good info. The construction techniques for a lightweight aluminum trailer are exactly the same as for aluminum airplanes.

[Hersbird]

I will check that out JR, and I do have a buddy who works for the biggest aluminum supplier around CDA metals and another who is a aluminum welder exrtodinare although he has moved to Spokane.
I don't think the weight goals iare unreasonable. Jayco makes this with a metal frame and 20' long at 2650# dry