Mini Truck Camper

[Maria]

today we got our bed platform frame in. during our research, it seemed like most people used wood and made theirs removable. well this really is a purpose built trailer and Daniel is a welder sooo here you have it! made of 1x1x.065 square tubing

that's Daniel lounging on it when it was just tacked in and before he put in the vertical supports!

the insulation is very nearly complete save for the one crevice that is housing the 5th black widow we've found in the camper shell. *shudder*
hopefully with their hiding spots gone, they won't find it such an enticing place to live. any tips for natural ish remedies for getting rid of these? i tried eucalyptus oil, on cotton balls I put all around, but the next morning they wove their web right on over the cotton ball! so much for that.

the last picture is Daniel and his niece hard at work

 

[ober27]

Looking good! It's always nice to have an extra welding helmet around so kids can watch and learn. Are you planning drawers , or will you be able to access the storage from above through the platform? At the rate you're going you'll be camping soon.
Keep the photos coming.
Darin

 

[-Dan]

Got most of the tube welded in but the welder ran out of argon gas so we had to stop. Hard to believe there is just under 40 feet of tubing in that small bed. The 1"x1"x.065 is really light weight material, don't know the exact weight but it probably doesn't weigh more than a 10` 2x4.

The last picture is the left over tube in a coffee canister, not much left!

 

[Maria]

Looking good! It's always nice to have an extra welding helmet around so kids can watch and learn. Are you planning drawers , or will you be able to access the storage from above through the platform? At the rate you're going you'll be camping soon.
Keep the photos coming.
Darin

thanks man! we won't build drawers, we have those under the bed storage things that we can access when the doors are open. for the other areas, we are going to put finger holes and access it from the top. we got some interlocking foam pads to cover the plywood, and we will glue that down to each piece. (finger holes? i don't know what to call them. . . lol hopefully that part it done in the next day or two and can post pictures)

and mini truck campers aren't just for camping anymore! we are going to LIVE in it for the summer season we are adventure guides, that's why we are heading to Wisconsin, for work. thing is, they can't give us staff housing together since we're not married. so we said f it (< that's kind of our motto lately) and started this.

any bets on how the employer reacts when we roll up? i can just hear it now, we are going to be "those crazy people from California"

now, we better quit updating and get to work!

 

[matthewp]

Awesome work folks! Your skills show through in the quality of work!

 

[-Dan]

I like your low buck recycling creativity! I chop a lot of stuff up too. Its really fun being creative and making useful things out unwanted or unused items. Keep it up and keep the pictures coming! Heck campings/exploring is pretty fun as well....but I like chopping stuff up the best. :ylsmoke:

we are on a grill cheese and noodle type of budget here. Thanks!
Here is how I made our axle;

I borrowed an axle from a tandem axle trailer that I purchased years ago. The guy i bought it from used to hall his small dozer on it.

 

[-Dan]

Awesome work folks! Your skills show through in the quality of work!

Thanks!

 

[-Dan]

I ended up taking over 30 inches out of the axle width to give me a finish WMS off exactly 60" (2" wider than the Mitsubishi axle). It took me most of the day to make a jig for narrowing the axle and i don't have any pictures of it. I am not sure of the rating of the axle but it is 1.75" solid stock. I cut it right down the middle, then put a 45° bevel on all 4 sides of both halves leaving about a.75" landing that did not get a bevel. Then I clamped it in the jig and started welding. I think there are about 4 passes per side. Then I ground the welds smooth and welded a piece of angle iron over the top/back of the axle to act as a small truss like brace and give the axle a finish outside diameter of 2"x2".

Then flipped the axle to gain some clearance and about 3" of lift. The bearings spin the same direction when flipped in this manner.
Then bought some new U-bolts and bolted it in using the stock shocks (still both good to my surprise) in spring under configuration.
I plug welded the stock Mitsubishi spring plates and re drilled them to retain the lower shock mounts.

 

[Toyotero]

Very cool project, I dig the truck-bed trailer campers.... I especially like the topper with the doors.


It looks like you put a lot of frame in front of the bed, lots of space for storage. Be mindful of the tongue weight!

One question about the trailer axle, was that how it was mounted on the original trailer? With the bend at the end pointed down, I'd be wary of it wanting to flip over. It might be more secure to go spring over and flip the axle.



Subscribed.

 

[Mc Taco]

One question about the trailer axle, was that how it was mounted on the original trailer? With the bend at the end pointed down, I'd be wary of it wanting to flip over. It might be more secure to go spring over and flip the axle.

Are you saying that the square tube will rotate in the square U-bolts? I know on the face of it that sounds impossible, but speed and weight can exert great force. That would certainly be problematic if it occurred at highway speeds. Would 'outriggers' coming off the axel to the front and rear help to keep the axel from rotating? Sort of gussets but only attached to the axel, not the springs.

 

[FredB]

Just weld a spring plate on the bottom of the axle, like a normal leaf spring mount. A piece of c-channel upside down. Are you using a centering pin?

 

[Toyotero]

Are you saying that the square tube will rotate in the square U-bolts? I know on the face of it that sounds impossible, but speed and weight can exert great force. That would certainly be problematic if it occurred at highway speeds. Would 'outriggers' coming off the axel to the front and rear help to keep the axel from rotating? Sort of gussets but only attached to the axel, not the springs.

And time, it may heal all wounds but it breaks machines.
My concern is the torque that force against the wheel would exert on the axle/spring mount. It would try to twist it in the u-bolts and once the axle is slightly out of line, the weight of the trailer would then work to twist it also.

I think what McTaco is describing is a good solution, something to this effect.

 

[-Dan]

Very cool project, I dig the truck-bed trailer campers.... I especially like the topper with the doors.


It looks like you put a lot of frame in front of the bed, lots of space for storage. Be mindful of the tongue weight!

One question about the trailer axle, was that how it was mounted on the original trailer? With the bend at the end pointed down, I'd be wary of it wanting to flip over. It might be more secure to go spring over and flip the axle.



Subscribed.

Are you saying that the square tube will rotate in the square U-bolts? I know on the face of it that sounds impossible, but speed and weight can exert great force. That would certainly be problematic if it occurred at highway speeds. Would 'outriggers' coming off the axel to the front and rear help to keep the axel from rotating? Sort of gussets but only attached to the axel, not the springs.

Just weld a spring plate on the bottom of the axle, like a normal leaf spring mount. A piece of c-channel upside down. Are you using a centering pin?

And time, it may heal all wounds but it breaks machines.
My concern is the torque that force against the wheel would exert on the axle/spring mount. It would try to twist it in the u-bolts and once the axle is slightly out of line, the weight of the trailer would then work to twist it also.

I think what McTaco is describing is a good solution, something to this effect.

View attachment 155976 View attachment 155977

thin

I have a spring pad with a hole that fits the center pin perfect. However in retrospect a longer one would have helped combat axle wrap.

I don't want to run the axle spring over with the bend facing up because it would jeopardize ground clearance.

I have been thinking about this and I think what I will do is make a link from the top of the axle centerline to the fixed leaf spring mount area, similar to an axle wrap bar commonly found under high horsepower and crawler style rigs to prevent the same thing.

and Thanks!

 

[Maria]

when we aren't working on the project during the day, or updating here, we are usually both perusing this forum! I love reading others' adventure stories and getting ideas. Thanks for all the feedback so far!

Today the ups man brought us our toilet! its a Palm Springs portable camping version, courtesy of Amazon. I'm pretty impressed with the sturdiness.

I got the interlocking foam pads cut to fit and ready to glue down. we found out that Daniel's king size memory foam topper fits in the bed and comes up about 5 inches on each side, which makes a nice little nest. of course then we spent an hour laying in it and dreaming about being on the road. . .

yesterday we went to town for supplies. town is an hour away, so we tried to get everything in one shot but of course- our list of things we forgot is growing longer than what we remembered. . .

if we really wanted to, we could tow it into the forest and camp tonight! that's an amazing feeling.

 

[Pilotblake]

Seems we have the same idea. I just use an inflatable bed in the trailer for now. The tent makes more room for the kids, and ability to stand without being outside. Still building the setup but have camped in it as is.