Camping with pets can be tough – both on you and your small(er) friend.
It’s even more difficult when you don’t own an RV, and you travel by motorcycle.
Related: Finally a Sleek, Modern, and High-Quality Teardrop Camper With a TON of Windows.
So this man decided to build a teardrop camper for this dog, Maggie. It’s two and a half feet wide, four feet long and weighs about 225 pounds – light enough that his motorcycle can tow it.
Besides being a marvelous engineering achievement, it’s a touching show of love for one man’s best friend.
He designed the trailer on a computer, and used a CNC router to cut out the main pieces.
Once he had all the pieces cut, the frame went together like a LEGO set. He used glue, staples, and some screws to assemble the basic frame in just a couple of hours.
The trailer is made mostly of 1/2″ birch wood, with an aluminum composite outer skin. He used some PVC corner trim to waterproof the seams.
With the trailer flipped, he installed the axle, wheels, and tongue. The camper frame was through-bolted with galvanized hardware to a piece of 3/4″ plywood. He used a 2″ x 6″ as a mounting platform for the axle and springs. The tongue is just a piece of 2.5″ heavy-walled aluminum.
He found this window on a boat at a boat junkyard near his house.
The boat window was in pretty rough shape, but after some sanding and painting it looked great.
All it took was a simple jigsaw to cut the opening for the window.
Installing the brake and turn signal lights.
And a porthole window in the front.
The window is just at the right height to allow Maggie to look out while sitting in the camper.
That’s a LEXAN rain cover over the front porthole window. It was cut using a CNC router and bent in an oven to fit over the curved exterior of the camper.
Step for Maggie to use to get into the camper.
Rigid foam insulation fitted between the support ribs. Later he added more spray foam for a super cozy finish.
Freshly painted.
Carpet padding in between side supports.
Another layer of carpet on top and some foam cushions. The cushions are made from 2″ foam and vinyl over 3/8″ plywood.
Here’s more info about making the cushions in case you like them,
I don’t have any progress photos, but basically I just cut the plywood to size, cut a rectangle of foam the same size, and stretched the fabric over and stapled it from the bottom. I have to go around the fabric and remove staples, tighten, loosen until I got the shape consistent, but it’s just tedious work. The pads had to be small enough to fit through the door if I ever wanted to take them out to clean etc. so that is why there are 3 of them like this. I used automotive carpet on the walls. Same as the foam, just cut to shape and spray adhesive to attach. I also stapled around the perimeter of the carpet.
Maggie seems to approve.
The builder, his teardrop, and his dog Maggie.
This loving dog owner went to great lengths to keep his pup comfortable and happy while motorcycle camping together. I just wonder where he sleeps?
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Glad you liked it. That sure is a coincidence with your dad’s dog’s name.
Thanks for sharing this, Eric. The thought and workmanship that went into this beautiful trailer is obvious and Maggie sure does seem to love it! I’d give anything to see that cute little head poking up into the wind on the highway. lol My father’s last dog was named Maggie, too. I’ll bet she would have enjoyed having a rig like this. 🙂