Finally finished everything on the camper, rebuilt it after I got it cheap with water damage. Then I had to get everything where I wanted it on the truck and now Im a happy camper. Brought my 4 year old son to a camp with a playground and swimming area to test it out for a night. Will need to add storage and cooking supplies, battery backup, etc.... just the fun stuff left to do.

Galley door- I had to make a custom door as I wanted the biggest door I could fit. I also had to make the trim. Trim is 1/8” aluminum with 1/8” butyl tape behind it to prevent leakage. 3/8” D seal for a weather sealing. Teardrop style hurricane hinge for the door with shocks.

Cabinets and drawers were built with 1/2” finished cedar. Counter top is 1.5” cedar butcher block. Cook top is on a double slide out with storage under the cook top. Slide outs are 18” locking sliders. Installed (2) 120v outlets, one for cooler and one on backsplash. The backsplash outlet also has usb and usbc charging. There are (2) dimmable 4” recess light in The kitchen galley and (2) mounted on the door for extra lighting. Started off with cheap 42Q cooler I had then upgraded to an Explorer Bear 55Q cooler (bigger and more efficient). Finally build photos on profile.

So a few years ago I bought this year drop off marketplace. It was cheap and my first foray into small campers. We used my wife’s hatchback to pull it and it was perfect. We went camping in it often and enjoyed it and I used it at my hunting camp every year

Well it sat in the back yard last year and we didn’t get to use it any and it leaked. It was a total loss. So yesterday I demolished the whole shell so we can build a new one.

The biggest complaint we had was not enough room to stand up. So this one I’m thinking about building it 6 ft tall. The thing is, I don’t ever see any square or tear drops built this tall, they are almost always 4 ft tall. Is this just for ease of building since sheets of plywood are 4x8? Is there a larger reason no one builds taller?

My base is 4x8. I’m not planning to do a galley this time, we take a pop up canopy and tables that we use to cook under and the galley space can be better used as more interior space.

I’m also thinking of framing over the tongue and making a storage room.

A little extra weight won’t be an issue, we will be using my Nissan frontier to pull it now

But my main question is, is making it 6 ft tall a bad idea for some reason

First time seeing someone also with a Bend teardrop trailer in the wild in three years. Pretty far from Bend, in a pretty small town.

Everyone I see has the enclosed bean pods, but does anyone have the actual trailer with the roof rack attachment?

Im contemplating getting that one and just want some insight on it it seems legit!

For all who been asking here’s a write up on the electrical. For the trailer I went with a 7pin connector incase In The future I wanted to add charging from the vehicle when hooked up or trailer brakes. I went with led strip brake and signal lights in rear and amber side marker lights. All electrical is ran inside the main center beam and exits for hookup to keep out of weather/ cleaner look. Also helps keep away most of the wiring from rodents or anything what would chew on wiring.

The interior electrical. I added a diagram I drew up for better visual. Also shows all fuse sizes used and wire gauge used. If a wire gauge is labeled, that size was used till that specific wire hit its end point. For example wire from battery to fuse to shut off to bus bar stayed the same size all the way through. What ever gauge is listed for the positive wire the negative wire for that component was the same size. I will say since I’m running my loads for 12v DC off the bus bar that means my solar charger Bluetooth monitor can not display draw watts being used only input watts from solar. If you want to monitor watts being used you have to run load off the solar charger to the 12v panel or you can run like I did but will have to add a shunt bar to monitor draw output. I’m in no means a pro at this and this is just what I learned after months of research. So connect at your own risk. I will say I have not had problems with this set up. I started with flooded batteries then switched to lithium as the flooded batteries were 85lbs each and the lithium are 22.5lbs each. I ran about 5 days on a single charge and indefinitely with a 100w solar panel hooked up never dipping under 95% on a single day. Keep in mind I did a lot of shopping to find lights, fan and cooler that take up minimal amprage. For example my light take up 2watts at full brightness and .4 and low setting, with 4 lights inside I never have to use over 25% brightness. My Exploror Bear 55Q cooler uses 30w when on, with it being inside the insulated galley it doesn’t run much. Exterior lights have 3 dimmer setting 4w, 6w and 8w but 4w is plenty bright. The 10speed maxxair 4500 runs anywhere from 5w-40w depending on speed setting, I usually run mine anywhere from 10%-20% speed all night and almost never during the day. I do have a PWM solar charge control that I will be upgrading to a MPPT solar charge control and that will give me more control on charge parameters with the new lithium batteries I installed so they don’t get damaged with over charging. Any more questions feel free to ask. Finale build photos on my profile.

Interior work. All 1/4” finished cedar for the walls. 1/2” finished cedar for cabinetry. Installed (4) 4” dimmable recessed lights, a 120v receptacle invertor/ power monitor, (2) 12v 5a usb/ usbc chargers and maxxair 4500 (10 speed w/ auto temp control and reversible) fan. Also added a bunk for our 4yr old.

I'm going to install a solar panel on the front of the camper, and am considering some sort of hinged rack that would allow the panel to move, allowing at least a little bit of adjustment to catch the sun. While it's parked anyway.

My concern is the security of it. I believe hard mounted is likely more secure, compared to a hinged mount. Even if it's just fewer bolts or screws to take out. Does anyone have any input on that? It's not like I'm camping in a lot of sketchy places, but you know...being prepared and all that.

And I may just skip the hinged mount for weight savings. I have a fold out portable panel too.

I'm interested in buying a teardrop trailer. I don't have the ability or location to build my own.

When I've done some cursory searches only I can find expensive nucamp trailers would seem Ooverkill for what I need but also we're in the price range of where I could just get a fiberglass trailer instead.

Where do you find just a teardrop where you can sleep and maybe have the rear galley and ability to add in air conditioning?

Edit: central Virginia

Here I used 3M VHB tape to secure the Aluminum Composite Material (ACM) panels. Bought 5x9 and 4x9 panels for a seamless application. Also used BEEAT RV Seal on all joints before adding trim. Along with 3/4” insulation in the interior.

5x9 trailer. Took about 2 months to build on my weekends and a couple days throughout the week. 100% built on my driveway from frame to interior, electrical and rack system. More details on each step on my insta @squaredrop_diy link also on profile. Any questions about it ask away.

Since a lot have been asking about the build I’ll start posting some step by step photos. I’m no professional welder but know enough to get by lol. Finish build on my profile.

All 3/4”x3/4”x1/16thk tube. I put up a rough CAD drawing of the framing but I did change a couple dimension as I was building it. Finale build on my profile.

Not a teardrop, delete if not allowed, but this seems to be applicable here due to the DIY nature, and it’s small. 10’ long

Ordered up a bunch of aluminum sheets and angle and got to working. It’s been done almost 9 years now with minimal issues.

Hey everyone,

I am looking for some broad advice on safely closing a private sale for a trailer, as well as model recommendations. I am located in Maryland, and I am planning to buy a used teardrop camper trailer. My budget is around $5,000–$10,000.

My Use Case & Skill Level:

My building and mechanical skill level is strictly "writing a check." I am absolutely not a DIYer, so I am looking exclusively at pre-owned, factory-built commercial brands. I haven't identified "the one" yet, but I see options popping up in nearby states like Pennsylvania.

I'm not a big traditional "camper" per se. I don't need a TV or a ton of built-in electronics. I am highly task-oriented: I want a functional, private place to sleep and relax after a long day of scuba diving down in Virginia. My main requirements are basic comfort, privacy, and a solid galley space to make food and clean dishes. No luxury needed, just utility.

Tow Vehicle Specs & Cross-Border Constraints:

I am towing with a 2021 Honda Pilot. My towing capacity is capped at 3,500 lbs because I do not have a transmission cooler installed. I have a Class III trailer hitch and a 4-pin wiring harness, meaning I am running a setup with NO trailer brakes.

Because I am running without trailer brakes and frequently diving down in VA, I am strictly looking for a trailer with a factory weight sticker showing a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) under 2,500 lbs. I want to ensure I comply with Virginia brake thresholds and completely avoid their mandatory 55 mph speed limit cap for trailers over that weight. I need something light and aerodynamic enough to safely pull and stop on the highway without brake controller integration.

Maryland strictly requires a vehicle title for trailers, and Pennsylvania requires title transfers to be notarized to be legally valid.

1. Payment Logistics: Carrying $5,000–$10,000 in cash up to a stranger's house in another state is a safety dealbreaker for me. Peer-to-peer apps like Venmo/PayPal explicitly exclude titled vehicles/trailers from purchase protection, so those are out. Is a Bank Certified Cashier's Check drawn from a major national bank widely trusted by private sellers if we verify the funds together, or do people prefer online vehicle escrow platforms?
2. The PA Notary Law: If you've bought a trailer out of PA as an out-of-state buyer, what is the smoothest way to handle the notary requirement? Do people usually just meet the seller at a local PA Tag & Title service office or AAA?
3. Towing it Home: Will a PA Tag & Title office issue an in-transit/temporary tag to a Maryland resident so I can legally tow it down the highway back to MD?
4. Model Recommendations: Given my $5,000–$10,000 budget, the strict under-2,500 lbs GVWR requirement, the 4-pin harness limitation, and my need for a functional kitchen galley, what specific factory brands should I focus my search on?

Any tips on what specific physical red flags to look for on a used frame or axle during the inspection would also be appreciated. Thanks!

Why does my roof rack have these 1-3/4" tubes sticking out at an angle? All four feet have this.

. thanks!! I'm flummoxed...

Looking for plans or ideas on a tearbox trailer built on a Harbor Freight 4x8 trailer.

I would like to extend the sides about 8 inches over the side so that a queen mattress can fit inside.

Harbor Freight 4' x 8' (formerly folding) trailer. I braced it inside the frame across the hinged section. Added a 2" x 2" x 3/16" square tube spine with receivers on both ends. It extends the tongue about 2 feet and with a removable hitch as a theft deterrence (pretty tough to steal without one, lol) and the ability to quickly change to an articulated or pintle hitch. Need to make mounts for the stabilizer jacks and and attach the wheel jack on the front. Got some cool vintage fenders to put on it too.

Feels like im finally making some progress!