Hi new to site: chevy avalanche questio
- Thread starter cj454
- Start date
77blazerchalet
Former Chalet owner
Interesting, I've looked at Avalanche photos for a couple of years to figure out how I might Photoshop it into a "retro-modern" Chalet. Tough to do because of the space limitations, and maybe tougher yet because of I may be able to make it look nice but someone would chime in to say the physics / weight distribution problems would make it inadvisable to do in real life.
I have yet to confirm that GM was told to ditch the Chalet/Casa Grande because of the basic platform's inadequate spring & axle ratings. Many of these have had either helper springs or airbags added, and lots of guys recommend beefier spring & axle setups. However, the old Chinook company wasn't into lightweight materials, that's for sure. I could take a lot of weight out of mine if I custom-rebuilt it with modern materials.
I have yet to confirm that GM was told to ditch the Chalet/Casa Grande because of the basic platform's inadequate spring & axle ratings. Many of these have had either helper springs or airbags added, and lots of guys recommend beefier spring & axle setups. However, the old Chinook company wasn't into lightweight materials, that's for sure. I could take a lot of weight out of mine if I custom-rebuilt it with modern materials.
I dont think this will weigh in much more than 1000lb.AC will be most of it if i put one in. I plan on using light weight materials for the sub structure and skit in in fiberglass or something TBD, maybe use 1 or 1/2in foam for insulating. I will only insulate the upper section as the bottom willbe in the truck and not need it. But I will see.
I think the bed flok might eb diamond plate or something like that. with a good frame it will be better than wood. May be put carpet over it etc. Still working it all out.
The slideouts will be the tricky part. to make the canvas or solid materials. They will meet in the middle of the unit when closed. I may need out side support depending on how far they go out and how strong a rail system i can build or purchase. Just used for extra gear storage while at camp. not ment to hold a person but i could see an option for making a bed across the back of the truck for 1 person.
I may offset the door to one side to allow for more storage or I may make it a swing wall opening all the way up.
nothing but options.
I have some ideas to use factory mount for securing it. Ill have to see as i go along.
I too have the factory luggage rack that will support the bed area. I am not planning on any fixed furnature. bench may just be the 5day cooler with pading on it. table might be a folding one i use for campign etc. all simple and light stuff.
could you post some nice pictures of your roof lifting system for me?
also any inside shots etc I fond some but lookign for detailed shots.
I think the bed flok might eb diamond plate or something like that. with a good frame it will be better than wood. May be put carpet over it etc. Still working it all out.
The slideouts will be the tricky part. to make the canvas or solid materials. They will meet in the middle of the unit when closed. I may need out side support depending on how far they go out and how strong a rail system i can build or purchase. Just used for extra gear storage while at camp. not ment to hold a person but i could see an option for making a bed across the back of the truck for 1 person.
I may offset the door to one side to allow for more storage or I may make it a swing wall opening all the way up.
nothing but options.
I have some ideas to use factory mount for securing it. Ill have to see as i go along.
I too have the factory luggage rack that will support the bed area. I am not planning on any fixed furnature. bench may just be the 5day cooler with pading on it. table might be a folding one i use for campign etc. all simple and light stuff.
could you post some nice pictures of your roof lifting system for me?
also any inside shots etc I fond some but lookign for detailed shots.
I don't think the bed would be too narrow for a standard truck camper, most are pretty narrow in the center to clear the truck fenders. Go to www.gmupfitter.com then publications then light duty then the year and download the c/k series and compare the truck bed and avalanche bed, I think width they are pretty close.
I'd look for a deal like http://columbus.craigslist.org/rvs/975044902.html
You might have to modify the front corners to clear and maybe eve shorten it. But most truck campers are wood frame with aluminum or fiberglass panels nailed/screwed/stapeled to it so shortening it wouldn't be too hard. Just remove the rear corner trim carefully then trim the outer skin then cut the frame then reattach the rear and seal and retrim everything.
Slide outs are not hard, basically build a drawer with heavy duty drawer rails.
Ok, looks like the narrowest point of the bed is 47.25", slightly narrower than a full size truck but wider than a small truck like a colorado or s10 or dakota or ranger. I'd probably start there, look for ones that were made to fit the smaller trucks and measure the width of the center. The main issue will be length, you will have to shorten it due to where the rear axle located in relation to the bed (look at the upfitter guide, its near the front). You will want to keep all the weight forward if you can.
One suggestion to start now is get the battery tray for the diesel trucks so your "house" battery can be under the hood. That moves it out from the camper area. Put any charge controllers/isolators/inverters up there, there is plenty of room, I've set my truck up that way.
There is a large empty hole under the cab behind the transfer case where I'm going to put a water tank then cover the whole bottom with a skid plate.
If your close by OH it looks like a fun project if you would want some help.
I see your looking at DIY, I've thought the same too. Looking at wood working forums I see that a certain type of cedar wood is water resistant which I thought of using so if I don't get an area sealed well I won't have to worry about frame rot. I've seen fiberglass 4x8 panels at hardware stores but they have been textured so I was thinking of asking about ordering plain flat ones. They are usually used for shower stalls or public restrooms.
I'd look for a deal like http://columbus.craigslist.org/rvs/975044902.html
You might have to modify the front corners to clear and maybe eve shorten it. But most truck campers are wood frame with aluminum or fiberglass panels nailed/screwed/stapeled to it so shortening it wouldn't be too hard. Just remove the rear corner trim carefully then trim the outer skin then cut the frame then reattach the rear and seal and retrim everything.
Slide outs are not hard, basically build a drawer with heavy duty drawer rails.
Ok, looks like the narrowest point of the bed is 47.25", slightly narrower than a full size truck but wider than a small truck like a colorado or s10 or dakota or ranger. I'd probably start there, look for ones that were made to fit the smaller trucks and measure the width of the center. The main issue will be length, you will have to shorten it due to where the rear axle located in relation to the bed (look at the upfitter guide, its near the front). You will want to keep all the weight forward if you can.
One suggestion to start now is get the battery tray for the diesel trucks so your "house" battery can be under the hood. That moves it out from the camper area. Put any charge controllers/isolators/inverters up there, there is plenty of room, I've set my truck up that way.
There is a large empty hole under the cab behind the transfer case where I'm going to put a water tank then cover the whole bottom with a skid plate.
If your close by OH it looks like a fun project if you would want some help.
I see your looking at DIY, I've thought the same too. Looking at wood working forums I see that a certain type of cedar wood is water resistant which I thought of using so if I don't get an area sealed well I won't have to worry about frame rot. I've seen fiberglass 4x8 panels at hardware stores but they have been textured so I was thinking of asking about ordering plain flat ones. They are usually used for shower stalls or public restrooms.
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my truck will take a 4x8 piece ov playwood flat in the bottom so i know its 48 wide but my top narrow due to the rail system the truck has. I have to work around that.
as for the pattery i alreay have 2 up front so i am good on that. have a winch and other goodies so i put in the 2nd battery back in 02 when i got it.
i too was looking at those fiberglass shower pannels for the outside skin. but like you said they were bumpy have to find flat ones.
what kills me in the sale panel i have so none of those will slide in my bed. I have flat side walls too so it will have to be custom.
Im gonna play with it.
thanx for the offer to help I am in FL come on down its warmer here...
but ill take any ideas you have for things as i go along.
as for the pattery i alreay have 2 up front so i am good on that. have a winch and other goodies so i put in the 2nd battery back in 02 when i got it.
i too was looking at those fiberglass shower pannels for the outside skin. but like you said they were bumpy have to find flat ones.
what kills me in the sale panel i have so none of those will slide in my bed. I have flat side walls too so it will have to be custom.
Im gonna play with it.
thanx for the offer to help I am in FL come on down its warmer here...
but ill take any ideas you have for things as i go along.
77blazerchalet
Former Chalet owner
I have two photos in my for sale thread, and there's lots here from a different one. I'll get a close-up shot of the scissors lift this weekend, it's a good guess they are the same as those used on Toyota Chinooks from 74-78.
I was thinking a small truck cap might still work if you just cut it and make it fit around the sail panels, but it depending on how much modification you have to make it might just be easier to start from scratch because I'm thinking the sides of the bed are higher too which would make the part of the camper than sits on the truck bed sit higher. would be interesting too if you could make something that had openings so you could still get those side storage bins open.
I had thought about getting the oversized marine marine plywood to make a floor, you can get it like 5x9 or so. That way I could make the floor section all one piece just by cutting the sections out that fits in the bed so you have a T shape with the top of the T being the part that sits on the tailgate. I really want to make a truck camper that looks like a truck cap, i.e. something that the sides match the sides of the truck rather than sticking out. something like http://www.centurycaps.com/highc_gmc.php then where that line is on the cap thats at the truck roof height that part will lift up.
How much budget do you have?
I had thought about getting the oversized marine marine plywood to make a floor, you can get it like 5x9 or so. That way I could make the floor section all one piece just by cutting the sections out that fits in the bed so you have a T shape with the top of the T being the part that sits on the tailgate. I really want to make a truck camper that looks like a truck cap, i.e. something that the sides match the sides of the truck rather than sticking out. something like http://www.centurycaps.com/highc_gmc.php then where that line is on the cap thats at the truck roof height that part will lift up.
How much budget do you have?
OK so i came up with more ideas fort this last night.
I am not considering making it like the snugtop. but with the added room over the cab.
What kills me is i had a snugtop and sold it. probably cost me more to get the windows i need than i paid for my used topper. I need the sale panel windows and I need the back glass from a snugtop.
The used the 6 screws across the top of the roof and the 2 on the side handles. I did not take any good picture of how it was sealed to the truck on the uprights... but i can work that out.
so instead of making it a free standing self contained like the blazer one i would use the bed of my truck and gain some room from having to fit a frame in there. I lose some room because of the rail system it has. Ill take detailed pictures of my bed.
but if the camper top sat on the top i could gain that room back. also i have see some people put boat hatch covers in the bed to gain access to the side pockets. I was going to do thiat but never did. I would if i can get this camper top to work as that would give you more storage etc.
yes the rusty wheels are grinding.
here is a picture of what i was messing with last night...
I am not considering making it like the snugtop. but with the added room over the cab.
What kills me is i had a snugtop and sold it. probably cost me more to get the windows i need than i paid for my used topper. I need the sale panel windows and I need the back glass from a snugtop.
The used the 6 screws across the top of the roof and the 2 on the side handles. I did not take any good picture of how it was sealed to the truck on the uprights... but i can work that out.
so instead of making it a free standing self contained like the blazer one i would use the bed of my truck and gain some room from having to fit a frame in there. I lose some room because of the rail system it has. Ill take detailed pictures of my bed.
but if the camper top sat on the top i could gain that room back. also i have see some people put boat hatch covers in the bed to gain access to the side pockets. I was going to do thiat but never did. I would if i can get this camper top to work as that would give you more storage etc.
yes the rusty wheels are grinding.
here is a picture of what i was messing with last night...
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yes the top would popup like in the drawings. I cannot show that in legos sorry.
i was consider having it stick out and either resting on the tgate or removing the tgate when its in.
there is not a lot of room in the back its a 4x5 bed.
but with the mid gate down its a 4x10 bed area.
well here is some picts of my truck
rail system
I made a custom bedslide for it. for likek $100 in parts compared to the 7 or 800 they wanted for one.
I wont post all picts check them out here
http://s171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/corvettejoe/av_camper/
rail system
I made a custom bedslide for it. for likek $100 in parts compared to the 7 or 800 they wanted for one.
I wont post all picts check them out here
http://s171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/corvettejoe/av_camper/
Hmm, I didn't think about it before, how much weight can the av bed rails carry?
The popup section is complicated and it going to take a bit of work to make work, thats why I keep thinking modifying an existing truck camper that pops up might be easier to start with. You would just have to cut some traingles out in the front and maybe shorten it but the lift mechanism would already be there.
The popup section is complicated and it going to take a bit of work to make work, thats why I keep thinking modifying an existing truck camper that pops up might be easier to start with. You would just have to cut some traingles out in the front and maybe shorten it but the lift mechanism would already be there.
Sportsman Matt
Adventurer
I'd hate to be the one to say it, but you won't be able to fit a camper on the Avalanche. Best bet would be to trade it in for a 2500HD with a crew cab and 6 1/2' or 8' bed. Reason is that the COG would be too far back for the vehicle to be safely driven, and don't consider the roof rack on the Avalanche as anything better than decoration unless you plan on removing the headliner and attaching a sub frame to the inner cage of the crew compartment and securing the frame to that. Most GM roof racks are held on with sheet metal screws or rubber bushings that expand when the screws are inatalled in them. They will hold a canoe, kayak, ladder, etc off the roof of the vehicle due to gravity but wil not prevent anything like a camper from lifting off the roof due to wind load or shift in the center of gravity lines. I would strongly recommend looking into a newer vehicle and then looking at camper options than try and fit something onto the Avalanche.
I keep looking at the rear axle center line too. A camper is going to put a lot of weight behind the axle I'm afraid.
Why are you against a rooftop tent when a popup camper will have the same kind of material?
You know what could work, build sidewalls and and a back that looks sort of like that shell but leave the roof open then put a tent on to make something like http://www.earthroamer.com/tab_xpedition_vehicles/xvjp1_overview.html scroll all the way to the bottom.
Why are you against a rooftop tent when a popup camper will have the same kind of material?
You know what could work, build sidewalls and and a back that looks sort of like that shell but leave the roof open then put a tent on to make something like http://www.earthroamer.com/tab_xpedition_vehicles/xvjp1_overview.html scroll all the way to the bottom.
yes this is what i was thinking to begin with.
i appreciate all the good info., I see these on truck etc so why wouldnt my AV roof rack hold something like this if I made it? The side wall would be canvas on the upper section Look at the jeep on the bottom of this page
I this is why i think my luggage rack would hold what i want.
http://www.autohomeus.com/gallery/index.php