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Welcome To The Generic Benroy Plans: Created By: Mike Schneider
Welcome To The Generic Benroy Plans: Created By: Mike Schneider
These plans where created for the sole purpose of providing a viable set of totally FREE plans to build a teardrop
trailer. The are the sole property of Mike Schneider and any sale or distribution for profit is strickly prohibited. They
may be distributed ONLY without charge!
This is a plan based on a 5 foot wide by 8 foot long teardrop trailer. The plan can easily be modified to be of almost
any width/length combination. There are lots of different ways to build a teardrop trailer and this is only one of them.
As and example: the basic plans do not include insulated walls, but could be modified very easily to incorporate that.
Read though them and get familiar with how the basics are done and then decide if you will follow them to the letter
or just use them as a general guide to build your teardrop the way you want it. The choice is up to you!
This project started as a group project on the Teardrops & Tiny Travel Trailers or T&TTT for short teardrop
discussion board found at http://www.mikenchell.com/forums/index.php. With input from the
members of the board a design was chosen that should be reasonably easy for almost anyone to
construct. The bolt together frame is readily available, eliminating the need to have one welded up.
The sidewall construction is just plywood, eliminating the complexity of sandwich wall construction.
A paint on exterior is used to eliminate the difficulties of working with aluminum and other methods of
skinning the exterior. Wiring options are kept basic to simplify things.
I could not have done this project without the help and encouragement of Kerry Young. He has kept
me on track through this project and provided valuable input, as well as editing and assembling this
plan into the PDF file that you are reading now.
Table of Contents
Step 1: Planning the design. ........................................................................................................................8
Step 2: Build your chassis 5x8 red trailer ....................................................................................................9
Step 3: Build your floor fir plywood .....................................................................................................15
Step 4: Cut out the walls ............................................................................................................................16
Step 5: Dryfit the walls...............................................................................................................................19
Step 7: Dryfit the cabinet assembly ...........................................................................................................34
Step 8: Glue up the walls and the cabinets ................................................................................................35
Step 9: Install spars 1x2 pine ....................................................................................................................36
Step 10: Stain/Paint the interior................................................................................................................37
Step 11: Install headliner 1/8 birch plywood...........................................................................................38
Step 12: Run 12v Wiring security cable ..................................................................................................40
Step 13: Trailer Light Wiring: .....................................................................................................................46
Step 14: Insulate roof R-tech & EPS ..........................................................................................................50
Step 15: Skin the exterior- Uniflex255 ......................................................................................................52
Step 16: Install the fenders round or 1940s style ..................................................................................55
Step 17: Build the hatch .............................................................................................................................56
Step 18: Painting the hatch........................................................................................................................62
Step 19: Trim the hatch..............................................................................................................................63
Step 20: Wire the hatch..............................................................................................................................65
Step 21: Build the doors birch plywood ............................................................................................68
Step 22: Install Battery .............................................................................................................................70
Step 23: Installing Roof Vent/Fan .............................................................................................................72
Things Remaining Do .................................................................................................................................76
Change Sheet .............................................................................................................................................77
Instead of being fitted in their intended place, the two cross members from the centre of the trailer are fitted
longitudinally, inside the main side rails. One inside each siderail. This converts the folding trailer into a rigid trailer.
Install a pine cross member in place of the channel cross members.
Cut off 1.4 from the 45 tongue members. Drill new holes on the trimmed ends.
Notch out the angle iron spring mount to give the axle travel clearance.
Tom found that the spring hanger was interfering with a bolt that secured a cross member.The fix was to notch out
the spring hanger in the area of the bolt.
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In retrospect, I think only rear levelers are needed. I really like the way Tom did his!
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This would also be a good time to prime the wood and paint the trailer.
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Glue and screw the last 8 long piece of 1x2. Let the glue dry overnight.
The floor can be uninsulated for 3 seasons camping, or insulated for 4 seasons camping. If you decide to insulate, cut
the extruded polystyrene on the table saw to fit into the floor recesses. Have all 4 pieces prepared before coating
the floor with roof tar.
Use roof tar to coat the underside of the floor, making sure not to get any tar on the sides where the walls will be
attached.
Press the EPS into the wet tar and screw the EPS into the recesses with 1 stainless steel panhead screws and
fender washers. Use about 12 screws per panel. Let dry. Drying could take several days or more, depending on the
temperature.
The stainless steel hardware is used because it has a fine thread and a controlled length, to help prevent you from
breaking thru the floor. (If you break thru the floor, remove that screw, grind off the tip, and screw it back in.)
Bolt the floor to the trailer with 3/8 bolts, (5) bolts per side. Use flat washers and nylock nuts.
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Step4fig1
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Then place the first sheet of plywood, good side down, and layout the Benroy profile using 2 homemade beam
compasses. A beam compass is just a length of wood with a nail in one end, and a hole for a pencil in the other end.
The short compass will have a 19 radius, and the long compass will have a 48 radius. At this time youll also want to
layout the door, and the window.
Step4fig3
Next, layout the positions of the spars.
Step4fig2
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Using a jigsaw, cut out the profile and the doors Use a belt sander to sand the profile and the door openings smooth.
Now lets layout the other wall. Remove the first wall. Set the second piece of plywood good face down on the saw
bench. Layout the door and window. Now place the first wall on top of the plywood, good side up. Using this as a
template to trace the wall profile on the plywood. Remove the template and cut the profile and the door opening. Use
a belt sander to sand the profile and door openings smooth
Tip: Initially the plan was to cut both pieces of plywood at the same time. But when I tried that using plywood, the
blade angled, making the underneath piece quite a bit smaller than the top piece. So even though it sounds like more
work, youll end up with a better quality teardrop if you cut each piece separately!
Drill and countersink holes xxx from the bottom edge of the wall, every 8 as shown on the drawing. (The
countersink should be on the outside of the wall.) The xxx should be equal to the height of the trailer side rail, plus
3/8.
Drill and countersink a hole at one of the spar locations towards the center of the wall. Drill and countersink a hole at
the final spar location where the hatch will start. These will be used for temporary spars in the next step.
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The sidewalls now need a notch for the hatch. This is a 3/8 offset cut all the way from the poplar spar to the floor.
Use a marking tool or a t-square set at 3/8. Strike a line offset from the outside profile of the teardrop 3/8, from the
spar to the floor. Also mark the floor and spar locations on the sidewall in the offset area.
Disassemble everything.
With your walls back on the saw horses, cut out the 3/8 notch with a jig saw. Save the cutouts, you will be using it as
a template to make your hatch. Sand the notch smooth with a belt sander.
Tip: If you forget to cut the notch at this point, you can cut it after the walls are installed. But it is so much easier
while laying on the bench!
Put roofing tar on the bottom edge, and on the inside edge of the wall that will be facing the frame. Youll only do
about the first 2. Do not coat the part of the wall that will be receiving the glue.
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The cabinets are all built from good grade plywood. You could use birch, cherry, oak, or any other flavor that you
like. Cut out your pieces based on these drawings
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Step6fig2
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Step 6 fig 3
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Step 6 fig 4
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Step 6 fig 5
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Step 6 fig 6
Youll assemble the cabinets separate from the teardrop, and then add it, as an assembly to the teardrop. The cabinet
assembly will also serve as a method to keep the sides perpendicular to the floor.
Youll use a combination bit to drill the holes, counter sink and counterbore the holes at the same time. Youll come
back later with some wooden plugs that you will fill the counterbored holes in with, and then cut and sand flush.
The screws should be 6 from each end (approx) and about a foot apart. Youll assemble the panels with the side
edge sitting on the ground. Use an exterior wood glue for the cabinets, something like Tightbond III.
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The first step is to assemble the main portion of the cabinet, as shown in this picture
Step 6 fig 7
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Then youll come back and add the electrical raceway, and the cabin cabinet divider partions
Step 6 fig 8
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Last but not least, youll add the cabinet doors and sliding doors
Step 6 fig 9
Step 6 fig 10
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The bottom back groove is created by installing the cabinet bottom. The bottom front groove was created when you
built the face frame.
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Now all that is left is to slip the sliding doors into the groove. The doors start out at 14 1/8 high. You should be able
to slip the door into the deep track at the top, then into the groove at the bottom. If the doors are too tight to fit
into the bottom groove, cut off 1/16 and try again. Repeat until the doors slip in.
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Also notice in this picture, the spars are not installed above the cabinets. Thats so you can install the headliner. See
step 11 for the installation of the remaining spars.
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Tack into position with a pneumatic stapler. If you prefer not to see staples on the inside, then prop the ceiling in
position with a series of sticks of various lengths wedged into position. Let dry.
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Using a small drill, drill a hole in each corner of the framing where the vent fan will go. Connect the holes with a line
using a black magic marker. From the inside, cut out the hole for the vent fan with a jigsaw and a fine tooth blade.
You could also use a laminate trim bit to cut the hole out.
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At the end of the raceway, on the drivers side, drill a hole for the 110v inlet, and install.
Cut out your rectangular holes for your 110v plugs in the bulkhead wall and also in the raceway front.
Drill your holes for your 12v plugs in both the bulkhead walls and the raceway front.
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Mount the 12v converter on the bulkhead wall, either the cabin side or the galley side.
Run the wires from the 12v converter to the fuse block and the busbar. If you really want to get fancy, you could add
a double pole double throw switch that will let you switch your power source from battery to power supply, depending
on if you are camping in the wild or at a campground with electricity.
Run wires to any 12v plugs you installed in the raceway.
(Wiring diagram required)
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Drill a hole through the ceiling skin of the cabinet, through the bottom of the cabinet and thru the raceway for a piece
of conduit. Press fit the conduit into the hole, so that its flush with the top and bottom of the cabinet. See conduit in
red in the next picture. I am also showing the power supply mounted inside the cabinet. The wires can be pulled up
thru the ceiling, and down thru the conduit to make your connection.
Pull 16-2 wires from all the lights locations, vent fan location, and 12v plug locations down through the conduit in the
cabinet to the fuseblock and busbar. Youll be drilling holes thru the roof spars to pull your wires. Try to place the
wires exactly 6 from each edge. Later when you attach your roof, youll avoid the area 6 from the edge, so that you
dont accidentally put a nail or screw into your wiring, causing a short.
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As you attach each light, youll connect the other end to the fuseblock and bus bar as shown in the photo below.
Pull the 110v wiring as shown in the photo above. The first plug should be a GFI plug. The remaining plugs can be
standard household plugs. Wire the plugs in parallel.
(Wiring diagram required)
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http://www.electrical-online.com/howtoarticles/voltagetesters.htm
Turn on the power converter. Test the 12v circuit with a tester similar to this one.
http://www.pilotstore.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=1544
Later when we install the hatch well be pulling some more wire into the electrical raceway.
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2. Attach the White wire (ground) to the small hole in the trailer tongue using a self tapping screw. Purchase enough
white wire to extend to the rear of the trailer and connect the front and rear right side marker assemblies for ground.
Attach one end to the ground screw with the existing white wire.
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3. Route all of the wires (including the additional white wire) through the trailer tongue and down the left connecting
rail. On a Harbor Freight or Red trailer youll tuck the wires inside the side rails and attach with nylon clamps or cable
ties. If you are using a custom fabricated trailer made from 2x2 tube, you can run the wires underneath the tube,
along the inside edge of the tube, or even inside the tube as illustrated in this picture.
4. Separate the Yellow/Brown and Green/Brown wire pairs for approx 6 at the location of the front left side marker
assembly.
5. Connect the wire lead from each marker light to the Brown harness wire by soldering and shrinkwraping as
illustrated here:
(You will need approximately 60 additional wire to connect the right side marker. Attach to a crossmember to reach
the right side) Connect the white wire to the ground side a each marker light.
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6. Continue to route the wires down the left frame channel to the left tail light assembly location, using wire clips
(provided) to hold the wire in place. Separate the Yellow/Brown and Green/Brown wire pairs for approx 6 and
repeat Step 5 above. (you will need additional splices.)
7. There are a couple ways to get from the trailer into the hatch with your wiring. You can run the wires
inside the wall before you skin them, so that they come out into the electrical raceway. You could run
gray plastic conduit thru the floor into the galley cabinet and then horizonally and up again into the
electrical raceway. Which ever method you choose, youll want to end up with all 4 wires in the
electrical raceway so you can make the connection to the hatch wiring there.
8. Connect the wire leads to the tail light assemblies as indicated in the chart below.
Brown - Tail Lights
Yellow - Left Turn/Brake
Green - Right Turn/Brake
White Ground (To all lights)
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Step14 Fig 1
Test your insulation for fit. It should fit snugly.Once you got it fitting well, glue it in place with some titebond or some
polyurethane glue. For the pieces that you bend around the curve, you can shoot some brads into the spars thru the
insulation to keep it in place, or use some duct tape to keep it in place. Youll have to remove the duct tape once the
glue is dry.
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Using a combination of EPS and R-tech, your insulated Generic Benroy will look something like this
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Step15 Fig 0
There are a number of different ways to skin the exterior, aluminum, filon, pvc and more. I chose to paint the exterior
with Uniflex255, a boat hull paint from the rot doctor. I figured if it was good enough for boat hulls, it was good
enough for the teardrop.
The rot doctor recommends treating all surfaces with CPES before patching or painting. The CPES is a thinned out
epoxy that penetrates into the grain of the wood, and hardening, creating a tough, durable seal, and will prevent the
wood from rotting.
Step 15 Fig 1
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Once the CPES is dry (at least several hours), the next step is to patch all holes and defects with Fill it Epoxy Filler.
Step 15 Fig 2
Let the Fill-It Epoxy filler cure overnight.
The next day use a combination of belt sander and random orbital sander to sand all that Filler smooth.
Step 15 Fig 3
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Finally mix up your Uniflex 255 and apply with a solvent resistant roller.
Step 15 Fig 5
_________________
Step 15 Fig 4
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Step 16 Fig 1
The fenders are part number 126701 from Northern Tool. You will fasten them to the body using spacers and bolts.
Determine the length of the spacer by centering the fender on the tire, and measuring the distance between the body
and the fender. I measured 1 7/16. Cut 5 pieces of tubing to length for each side.
Drill clearance holes in the fenders for the bolts. Using the fender as a template, drill 5 pilot holes in the body.
Fasten the fender to the body by running the bolt thru a flat washer, the fender, and the spacer.
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Step17fig1
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Step17fig2
The 4 inside ribs need to be cut back 1 at the top and 7/8 at the bottom, because they will fit inside the main frame.
Step17fig3
Create the main frame. Cut 2 spars, 1 wide x 56 long. Glue and screw the ribs to the ends of the spars. Your
main frame will be 58 wide. That will leave a gap on each side. If you insulated your walls or built a different
width teardrop, adjust the size of your main frame accordingly. The key is to leave a gap to the inside of the walls
on each side.
The next two ribs are positioned so that they can be used to mount your tail lights. I positioned the next rib so that I
had an opening of 9 . I later came back and added another piece against the outer rib so that my finished
opening was 8 wide. Adjust this dimension to suit your tail lights.
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Step17fig4
Finish framing in your tail lights with pieces of 1 spars. My finished opening height was 5 , but again, adjust
this to fit your tail lights.
Space the remaining 2 ribs equally as shown.
Place a backing plate for your license plate light and holder in between the two center ribs as shown.
Place another backing plate at the bottom for a handle.
Step17fig5
Glue a bunch of 1 wide spars across the width of the hatch. The placement doesnt need to be exact, just do it
roughly as shown. This creates a torsion box effect, which helps prevent the hatch from twisting.
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Step17fig6
All the joints are held together with water resistant glue like Titebond III and galvanized drywall screws. Drill and
countersink with a bit like this to keep the wood from splitting.
Skin the hatch with 1 layer of 1/8 Baltic birch plywood, or two layers of 1/8 luan. Allow 1 overhang on each side.
Glue and fasten the skin to the ribs with staples or nails. Be sure to set the heads below the surface of the skin. You
will come back later to patch the holes with a fiberglass putty.
Step17fig7
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The aluminum trim will be added later after the hatch is painted. Right now lets temporarily install the hurricane hinge
and see how things fit. Install the hurricane hinge to the hatch with 3 screws; one on each end and one in the middle.
The hinge should hang over the body by 3/8, and over the hatch skin by 1/8. Then install the hurricane hinge with
the hatch to the roof with 3 screws.
Step17fig8
Check the fit. The bottom of the hatch should have 1/8 to clearance with the floor. If necessary, clamp a guide
board on the hatch and trim off 1/8. Check the fit again. Repeat until you have 1/8 clearance.
Step17fig9
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With a router and a laminate trim bit, or a jigsaw, cut out the opening for the lights.
Step17fig10
Congratulations on successfully building your hatch. That wasnt so bad, was it?
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Step19fig1
Install a piece of 1/8 x 1 flat aluminum bar on the bottom edge of the hatch flush with the end of the angle.Fasten
with stainless steel flat head screws. Then add your taillights, and license plate light. Round over the bottom corner of
your aluminum angle.
Step19fig2
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Step19fig3
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Youll be pulling two sets of wire thru the ribs in your hatch. A set for the dome lights that youll install in your hatch,
and a set of 4 strand auto wire that youll be feeding your tail lights and license plate lights with.
First the dome light. Decide on the placement of your domelight. Drill holes through the ribs and run wire from the
domelight to the vicinity of the hinge.
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Next run your 4 strand auto wire to the tail lights and license plate light.
Heres where the wires go
Wire Function
Wire Color
RIGHT TURN & BRAKE LIGHTS
GREEN
LEFT TURN & BRAKE LIGHTS
YELLOW
TAIL LIGHTS
BROWN
GROUND
WHITE
BACKUP LIGHTS (OPTIONAL)
RED (6 PIN PLUG REQD)
Dont forget to run a brown and white wire to your license plate light.
Finally, skin the inside of the hatch, pulling your wires thru before gluing your skin down.
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On the other side, connect your tail lights. Put some weatherstripping around the opening, and attach your tail lights.
(I ignored the backup light portion of the taillight, but if you are running a 6 pin plug from your tow vehicle, you could
hook that up as well.
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Step21fig1
With your doors properly sized, cut out the opening for the window.
Step21fig2
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Stain and polyurethane the inside surface of the door to match the cabin. Paint the outside and the
edges with CPES and Uniflex.
Bend some deadsoft T-molding around the edge and fasten it with stainless steel flat head screws. Also
fasten a straight length along the bottom edge. Attach a stainless steel hinge along the long vertical
edge. Install your door handle. I notched out the T-molding with a grinding wheel for the door handle.
Finally, install a window in the opening, with a good bead of silicone caulk for water proofing.
Your door should now look like this.
Step21fig3
Hang the door on the body with stainless steel flat head screws. Pick a length that wont break through
the inside of the wall
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Create a bracket across your tongue to mount the battery box to. You can bolt or weld on angle iron for this purpose.
Mount the battery box on the bracket. Bolts thru the bottom and into the bracket should do.
You now have several options.
- Run just the wires from the battery box to the wiring raceway or use flex-conduit to run the wires back to the
raceway.
- If just wires, they can be run into the box under the lid. Attach the wires to the side of the box on the outside.
- When using the conduit, run the conduit up outside of the box and extend it to the top of the side and secure it to
the box with a conduit strap. The wires can then be run into the box under the lid.
IMPORTANT: Use 10GA stranded wire. Solid wire has a tendency to break from extended vibrations that occur
when towing the teardrop.
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VERY IMPORTANT: Connect a 30-amp circuit breaker to the positive side of the battery and then connect the black
wire to feed power to the tear. (Example pictured below)
Connect the white wire to the negative side of the battery and run both wires back to the wiring raceway in the
teardrop. Route wiring under/through the frame or run though flex conduit that is mounted to the underside of the
frame. (Illustration/picture here)
In the wiring raceway, connect the black (positive) wire to your fuse block. Connect the white (negative) wire to your
ground bus.
Insure that you use the mounting strap that should come with the battery box to secure the battery in
place. This strap should have mounting brackets that can be secured to the brackets you put on the
tongue for the box to be mounted on.
Installing in the teardrop
Warning: If you install your battery inside the teardrop, you must enclose it and create a vent to the outside. Gases
build up when a battery is charged or discharged and these must be vented to the outside.
The best place in the teardrop to put your battery would be inside the lower galley cabinets.
Create a boxed in area large enough for your battery (and a battery box if you choose to use one) Dont forget to
create a removable access.
You can put a vent hole in the bottom of this space and run a tube out through the bottom of the teardrop. A size
should be plenty and the small size will help keep road debris and water from coming up into the box.
You should waterproof your battery box area or place a plastic battery box inside the wooden area that you created.
Accidents do happen and if your battery leaks, you dont want it soaking into the wood of your floor.
Wire the same as in the Installing on the tongue section above.
Insure to use straps to secure the battery in this location.
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And in Step 12 you should have pulled the wiring to the vent location as in this photo:
Hopefully, you pulled the wiring to the correct side of the rough opening created in Step 9!! The wiring for a fantastic
fan is typically on the drivers side (street side) of the teardrop. If not, you will have to ensure that there is enough
wire to run around the vent/fan to the side with the wires to connect it.
Now you place the vent/fan into the opening with the hinged edge towards the front of the trailer. DO NOT secure at
this time.
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Make sure that the wiring you pulled in Step 12 will make the connections with the vent/fan. This is also a good time
to check the interior trim fit and make sure that it goes in properly. If it does not fit right, then figure out if you need
to trim the opening or move the wiring for a good fit. Most fantastic fans ship with a decorative flange that is much to
high to use. Youll have to cut the flange down to fit.
When you are satisfied that the wiring and interior trim are going to be correct, remove the vent/fan and put a good
bead of polyurethane caulk around the outside perimeter of the opening. Reinsert the vent/fan and put in the
securing stainless steel pan head screws. Any excess caulk can be cleaned with mineral spirits or just left to dry and
removed with a razor blade later.
Go back inside and connect the wiring. I recommend soldering the connections, but you can use good crimp
connectors also. There are automotive connectors the come in male and female parts that will allow you to
disconnect the vent/fan if you ever need to remove it, eliminating the need to cut the wires.
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Once the wires are connected and you ensure that the fan works, just install the interior trim piece and secure it with
screws.
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Things Remaining Do
Install
Install
Install
Install
Install
Install
Install
Install
Install
Install
hatch latches
interior lights
porch lights
running lights
rain diverters
aluminum backsplash
gas struts
stove
propane
tongue chest
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Change Sheet
This page will list changes that have been made to this document after 01/31/2006
02/05/2006
02/22/2006
02/22/2006
02/26/2006
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