How To Put a Wall Tent On Wheels | Plans For Building a Lightweight Tent Trailer

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How To Put a Wall Tent On Wheels
Plans For Building a Lightweight Tent Trailer

How To Put a Wall Tent On Wheels
Plans For Building a Lightweight Tent Trailer

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Get a restored copy of these Vintage How To Put a Wall Tent On Wheels Plans with 7 Pages of Enhanced and Enlarged Figures and Illustrations and Searchable Text.

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This one sleeps four, weighs only 800 pounds with a full load - and even a VW pulls it easily
By Phil Geraci

Lid halves swing out as beds for youngsters, when the trailer box is opened. Metal studs (shown with arrows) slipped into pieces of pipe support wings at corners.

A HOMEMADE tenting trailer can have all the advantages of one you'd buy, and at considerably less cost. Here's proof - a low-slung, lightweight trailer (500 pounds empty), built at a parts cost of around $100.

It's the work of Robert D. Lane of Altoona, Pa., a handy fellow with a welder. He built it for his son, Robert Jr. of Green Haven, Md.

Lane made every effort to keep down weight so the trailer could be towed by a VW. Camping equipment used by the younger Lane, his wife, and two youngsters raises on-the-road weight to only 800 pounds, a total their VW hauls with ease.

Wall Tent Folding Camping Trailer set up.

The trailer was designed to fit a standard 7 ft. by 7 ft. sidewall tent. An ingenious combination of 1/2 in. pipe and 3/8 in. iron rod supports the tent while it's in use. A water-proof tarp, sewed by an upholsterer, fits over the trailer on the road.

Figure 1. Tent On Wheels Body and Tent Frame Assembly with Dimensions

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Featherweight traveler. Lane used 3 in. standard steel channel and 1 1/4 in. by 1 1/4 in. angle to weld up the frame. The angle forms the sides of the frame, and vertical corners for the trailer box. Using flake-board for the box kept weight down.

Figure 2. Tent On Wheels Chassis and Frame Assembly with Dimensions

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Four adjustable legs, one at each corner, level the floor of the trailer at the campsite. For transit, these swing up out of the way. Wire hooks welded to the end frame members slip into holes drilled in the steel-plate feet of the legs.

Fenders are required by some states can be made by a local by a local tinsmith. In summer, trailer rides on VW wheels with snow tires. In winter, the owner swaps wheels with the beetle.

A 3/4 in. nipple, welded to the side of the tongue, supports the power cable. The cable then passes through 3/4 in. holes drilled in the frame to a white light over the trailer license plate and twin red stoplights. The lights came from a junkyard.

Axle and springs were salvaged from a 1936 Plymouth and spring reduced to four leaves. Hub to fit VW wheels was made from 1/2 in. sheet steel. VW rims and tires cost builder $24.

Bottom edges of the tent's sidewalls are clamped under strips of 1/2 in. wood screwed to the trailer box wings. For traveling, the pipe and rod supports are removed and the tent folds within the box.

Telescoping levelers in the stowed, travel position.

Telescoping feet at each corner level trailer at campground. Wrench is used to tighten set screw over a range of about 9 in. a wire hook on the frame holds up leveling foot on the road.

U-shaped tongue support was welded up from two pieces of angle. Support swings back and is chained up for traveling. Most states require safety chains, as shown in the photo above.

Raise high the ridge pole. The tent goes up in less than five minutes. Here's how:

1. Level the trailer, remove the weather-proof tarp that's snugged over the trailer in transit, swing back the wings, and put the pipe support in place at each corner.

2. Erect the tent by crawling under it and putting the framework in place, in this order: Attach the ridge pole to the rear pole (the one opposite the door). Assemble the double front pole, put it in position, and stretch the tent enough to allow the ridge pole to drop into place. The end poles fit into holes drilled in blocks screwed to floor. Finally, put the outriggers in place.

For sleeping, two air mattresses for the two adults are laid on the plastic-covered floor, and one mattress on each of the wings for the two small youngsters.