Since I'd had a Palomino Bronco camper I new there was a registration issue, so I called to verify my home-built would need registration. There rule here states if it's a "slide-in" camper (meaning it has a floor) then it's required. If it's a shell that sits on the the bed sides, like a Leer or ARE, then it doesn't. I noticed in one state the requirement was if it extended beyond the rear bumper.
Building Camper for Small Pickups
- Thread starter Goober
- Start date
Overland Hadley
on a journey
Congratulations!
always been curious, how do you seal / finish between external siding and window frame or lathes on the corners ?
as siding it's not a flat surface do you have some special shaped parts to fit siding pattern or you just don't bother and use silicone like sealant
could you show close-up of your window ?
as siding it's not a flat surface do you have some special shaped parts to fit siding pattern or you just don't bother and use silicone like sealant
could you show close-up of your window ?
The front tie downs connect to brackets in the bed of the truck I installed using the front bed bolts and I added another nut under the bed and to Simson brackets attached the the camper using 8 bolts, since the box sides and wings are only 3/8" plywood. I used the Happijack spring loaded tie downs.
I ended up rotating these 180 deg. as I notice when I had something else tied they started to rotate on their own.
For the rear mounts I replaced the stock bed bolts with 180mm long bolts that go through floor of the camper in to the frame of the truck. I added extra nuts under the frame for these bolts too.
What keeps the wings from collapsing? The end walls support the side walls which support the wings. Look at the photo where the camper is supported by the jacks, notice how the entire camper is supported by the 18" long jack brackets? What keeps the center of the camper from sagging? Same thing that keeps the wings from collapsing.
I ended up rotating these 180 deg. as I notice when I had something else tied they started to rotate on their own.
For the rear mounts I replaced the stock bed bolts with 180mm long bolts that go through floor of the camper in to the frame of the truck. I added extra nuts under the frame for these bolts too.
What keeps the wings from collapsing? The end walls support the side walls which support the wings. Look at the photo where the camper is supported by the jacks, notice how the entire camper is supported by the 18" long jack brackets? What keeps the center of the camper from sagging? Same thing that keeps the wings from collapsing.
stioc
Expedition Leader
Cool, thanks for the info!
I still don't get how the wings support the weight without some sort of a bracing (similar to on shown in this pic where a 2x4 is clamped towards the back end to support them). The end walls make sense as they're tied to the other walls which makes a strong structure. But perhaps it's just me being dense.
I still don't get how the wings support the weight without some sort of a bracing (similar to on shown in this pic where a 2x4 is clamped towards the back end to support them). The end walls make sense as they're tied to the other walls which makes a strong structure. But perhaps it's just me being dense.
The wings don't support the weight. Think of the side wall as being a bridge between the front and rear walls. The side wall then supports the wing.
You should take a piece of card board and build a miniature camper. You'll see how this works.
(and that's a 1x2 clamped on the rear)
You should take a piece of card board and build a miniature camper. You'll see how this works.
(and that's a 1x2 clamped on the rear)
stioc
Expedition Leader
Ah I see it now! thanks for the model pic! It's the front and the back walls that support the depth of the wing which hangs over the side of the truck bed, sort of like a kitchen cabinet. That's the part I was missing and kept thinking if you put something heavy on the wing the leverage will cause the wing to rip out of the sidewall.
Got the camper weight today and it's 522 lbs. Since the tailgate is not on the truck I gain back 42 lbs. I've decided I've got more that 10lbs of junk in the cab. I'll have to see what I can lose.
(rows in chart; top to bottom=front axle, rear axle, gross)
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Mighty Dodge Ram
Explorer
Update?
