2001 GMC 2500 HD Flatbed Camper Build

[hobbsrt]

I picked up the truck yesterday. The base flatbed is on with temp lights. Ill leave to go get the camper on Sunday next week and then back to the shop it goes to get the storage, bumpers, lights, farkles and the rest completed. A couple pics for you all. Cheers, more to come in a couple weeks. I may post a couple on the trip out and back just for fun.

 

[Mundo4x4Casa]

I like the looks of your build. Lean and mean with no extra fluff. Hobbs, is this a 3-point bed for articulation? Or is the builder making it with opposing springs on a shaft similar to the MilSpec trucks? I see those large holes and thought, maybe...
I've been looking around for a replacement bed for my RAM and Lance Camper (the narrowest, least tall and lightest of the hard sides at the time). An aluminum flat bed with boxes underneath and fold up side gates would work for me similar to this one on my friend's MOG ex fire wagon with Alaskan camper:

even with a receiver rack and plastic boxes on the back it's not enough storage:

jefe

 

[hobbsrt]

a couple more pics including the sway bar. I wont be using 3 point articulation, just bolting it to the frame.

 

[chilliwak]

WowHobb that just looks so fecking cool! I wish I had a flat deck like that! Awesome!

 

[L3TT3RS]

Color me impressed. Subd.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[tyv12]

Looks amazing, do you have it directly mounted to the frame or some kind of rubber or bushing between?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[murryconst]

cool flatbed how are you mounting the camper to the flatbed
how are you doing the boxes and dealing with the turnbuckles

 

[hobbsrt]

Thanks everyone, I am pretty stoked about it. Its mounted to the frame with a bushing between the truck frame and the flatbed frame. no turnbuckles required for the grandby flatbed camper it bolts into the flatbed directly. boxes will be underneath the flatbed in front of and behind the wheels on both sides.

 

[WangosTango]

Like your build, really like the flatbed/camper combo.

 

[hobbsrt]

Had a week to go get my camper so after 3200 miles I am back in CO!! What a slog, but we got the camper mounted and used it every night coming back. No time to go remote but found a few nice places to camp along the way. The camper itself is super cool and works great. Thanks to Zach Bowman for his help with the camper and showing us the systems.

It was a good chance to shake out some things on the truck and we have a few things to deal with mechanically but mostly the suspension. The leafs are nearly maxed out so I need to add a leaf for some extra capacity. I also think there is a lot of sway - but that could just be me. I am thinking about Super Springs to help some too but with the mounting location of the sway bar I am not sure we can make it work. The air bags were great for the ride and leveling but didn't help the sway. Need to do some noodling on this one. The storage and aux fuel will add some weight lower so that should help the sway some too.

Here are some pics for you all. It'll go back to the shop to wrap up the other work now that we have the camper. Work that's left is; air compressors and tank, aux fuel tank, storage, suspension, rear bumper, front bumper, winch, gauge/switch console, led lighting, skid plates and that might be it.

Was also impressed with the 6.0L motor. No problems with the load but you definetly know its there. Got 9-10 mpg on the way back even with the Kansas winds of 25mph's or so.

We are getting close!

 

[locrwln]

Truck and camper are looking great.

Jack

 

[Mako1114]

The camper looks great. I assume the bumpers will be custom fabrication? What's going to be your total fuel capacity?

Cheers

 

[chilliwak]

The truck looks great with the camper installed Mr Hob. I used a Helwig rear sway bar and Bilstein shocks with external reseviors at their hardest setting to control the sway on my big camper. You might want to check out BDS suspension for rear leafs. They work well for me and you cant beat the price or garantee. Cheers, Chilli..

 

[hobbsrt]

Yeah I am pretty happy about the way its coming together. Chili, thanks for the ideas. I will certainly look into them. As far as total fuel I am adding an aux tank of 17 gallons to the 28 gallon tank that's in place.

 

[Abdiel]

Looks really good. I love this truck. I remember seeing this truck up for sale and I wanted to buy it really bad. My wife kept telling it was a want and not a need.