Jscusmcvet Trailer Rehab Truck Tent Build

[jscusmcvet]

Some of you may have seen my thread on our 2005 Rockwood Pop up.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/145296-Not-so-Expo-2005-Rockwood-Pop-Up

After our trip to the Mid Atlantic Overland Festival earlier this month, we (I) decided I "needed" something that was perhaps one step more off road worthy and a bit more creative than our 2005 Rockwood pop up. Honestly, for regular campground camping that thing cannot be beat, but it has significant issues once you venture off the beaten track. It is clear, after this trip that the camper does NOT like to be set up in an unlevel position... We had issue "popping down" to the point that I worried and Ann had to physically bang on the lift arms to get it to go down...

So... wheels start whirling...

1) Pop up did great on second half of our adventure, in "normal" campgrounds. We do not need power or water from established sites, so everything worked out well. Hence, we are keeping the pop up... for those family trips
2) I have an old "military" trailer... I think it is actually a civilian version, potentially a bantam tc-3, left to me by my father in law. It has not VIN tag or anything remotely close to that, but we have used it for years around the homestead, for work parties in our local national forest and for special events, such as farmers day:


3) I have investigated every possible (in my feeble mind) use of this trailer with the jeep... RTT, simple cargo hauler, even a "gypsy shack". When I stumbled upon the world of truck tents. I investigated hard... and came up with a beautiful tent, made from traditional canvas, made here in US... the Kodiak Canvas Truck Tent:

Stellar reviews, quality construction, well known company... I was in. Then I called the company... THis tent would not fit my trailer, which has a 4x6 foot bed. Although length wise it would be OK, width wise it is made for a full size short bed pick up... dang it... that would not work... so back to research...

Which led me to:
https://us.napieroutdoors.com/store/catalogue/details/1/1/product_id:19/

This company has been in business for a few decades and their tent has a floor and an awning (although small). I called and described my idea to the young lady who answered the phone. She was super nice, even googling what I thought my trailer was while we were on the phone. Bottom line, she thought the compact, short bed tent would work. She identified an online retailer who had a special of 15% off and free shipping going for August. Over the weekend, Ann and I discussed it. Her comments, in the end, came down to ..."I bet we could take that anywhere" and "when you and Joe go off on your own adventures, it would be perfect for the two of you".

I took that as an OK, go for it... Wouldn't YOU? I ordered the tent. $220 shipped. I already have a cot, so I am thinking BAM, I am done...

This morning into the barn went the trailer. I started on the rust removal/rehabilitation. As always there turns out to be more than I thought/dreamed of No worries. I had already used the grinder/flapwheel on the sides and tailgate for the aforementioned Farmers Day Parade. The issue was with the front panel, the tongue and the coupler. The front panel was seriously rusted out and my FIL had deemed it worthy of about a gallon of bondo. The existing tongue was very short, the jack was bent and unusable, and the coupler would hook up but was loose enough that other than a 2 MPH tractor, you did NOT want to tow this thing.

So I got started. Lots of grinder work, some sawzall... lots of dirts, rust and sparks. In general good fun. What I am left with you see below:


Here is what I started with:


Plans are to derust, weld in new tongue (done but no pics yet - used 2.5" square 1/4" tube, attached to frame and old tongue pieces... ), exterior plywood for front panel and tongue platform for fridge and battery, likely wood (old barn wood we have on property) to replace floor, new lights, Way to rig up my cheap Smittybilt awning and other odds and ends and bang! be ready for the Appalachian Rendezvous in September....

And then more work toward a perfect rig over the winter

 

[jwilson2598]

As I said in Facebook, looks great so far and can't wait to see how it turns out.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[jscusmcvet]

Thanks Jeff! Your guys set up was one of the ones that helped Ann see that something different could be done, even with a family :ylsmoke:

 

[jwilson2598]

Glad I was an inspiration...I think that's a good thing, lol


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[jscusmcvet]

Glad I was an inspiration...I think that's a good thing, lol


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Yes a good thing, just cannot swing that much $ if we keep the pop up, so I have to get creative. I realize this set up is gonna be a rat rod among caddy's but you guys love me anyway

 

[jwilson2598]

Rat rods are good

 

[jscusmcvet]

Progress on trailer this weekend.
1) Sanded and painted... ugh ... hate this
2) Welded new tongue and supports
3) Bolted and welded new tongue storage (ammo can) and platform for battery and potentially fridge - This is an old gas tank skid
4) Installed new front tongue jack, ala harbor freight
5) Welded new safety chains
6) Assembled new tailgate chains
4) Installed Mondo flooring on bed of trailer ( if you have been in a gym in the last decade you have likely been on modno flooring)
5) Installed new Napier truck tent
6) Relaxed with a beer...


More to come

 

[jscusmcvet]

 

[jscusmcvet]

Perhaps most important, Ann likes it, so we are looking for sleeping options that are only 48" wide that can sleep 3.

 

[jscusmcvet]

Ordered this a couple days ago. Going to give this a try for a sleeping arrangement for when Ann and joe come along.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CWZE642?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

We considered one of the thicker ones, to get the sleeping level up at the windows, but this one had great reviews. It is a little too wide, but I figure we'll be able to squish it in there. Napier also makes one that would fit perfect, but the reviews were not as strong... so we'll give this a try.

Should be at home when I get off work.

John

 

[jscusmcvet]

Air mattress came in today. I like it. Nice texture to the fabric, blew up easily (although the pump was slow and took 4 D batteries... think I will get a 12v to run off the jeep). Super comfy to lay on and with a little persuasion flattened out nicely in the camper. When laying on it, with me and Joe, we had no contact with the bed of the trailer and were both comfy. You will see in the pics that at this particular moment in time Joe can sleep crossways and (due to being short people) Ann and I could sleep side by side lengthways. We'll see how it works out... but in any event I am digging this, especially for when it is just me or just me and Joe or hopefully just me and Ann at some point. Hope that if you are going to ARV you swing by and check it out and laugh at my feeble attempt to save some coin by doing something a bit different.

 

[jscusmcvet]

OK, a few more important things done:
1) Wiring for lights
2) Wiring for portable battery box (does double duty on this trailer and the pop up)
3) Mounted bottle opener... duh...
4) You see the etrailer junction box. Makes wiring a trailer easy enough for even me. I suggest, if you are wiring a trailer, you are doing yourself a disservice if you do not use this product.
5) Trimmed down the "skid plate" front deck... the fridge was not going to fit there, so trimmed it to reasonable size for the battery box and whatever else I can figure out...

So this is not a finished rebuild. But, it is a finished for now (ARV and hopefully some other camping trips this fall, including a November trip to New Orleans)... So this is a "good enough for now rebuild"

 

[jscusmcvet]

First trip in the books. Four days of mostly rain. 2 nights on my own and 1 with Ann and Joe, all of us in the trailer. Worked well, stayed dry and everyone slept soundly. As you can imagine it was bit tight space wise but no issues. A few pics:



Our 20 year old son Jonah also camped, although he was in his hammock. Despite the rain, he slept soundly, as you can see

 

[jwilson2598]

So you're saying it was a bit more wet than MAOF? Lol.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[jscusmcvet]

So you're saying it was a bit more wet than MAOF? Lol.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Jeff - it is STILL RAINING here. All good we needed it, but damn.