The Free Camper Trailer Project
- Thread starter jeep4x4greg
- Start date
jeep4x4greg
Observer
good call on extending the running boards....definitely a must do....i'll taper them in and out at angles though, so they snag less...so i'll still remove the parts in red...i'll just have to put new/modified pieces back in.....details. good idea
the "door" you mention is actually a drawer that pulls out the side for the sink/stove/counter top. ...though i may replace it with a general storage area and put the stove on a slide out off the rear. The human door will be on the rear of the trailer....not shown in the fancy high-tech drawing
the "door" you mention is actually a drawer that pulls out the side for the sink/stove/counter top. ...though i may replace it with a general storage area and put the stove on a slide out off the rear. The human door will be on the rear of the trailer....not shown in the fancy high-tech drawing
jeep4x4greg
Observer
I'm not sure I can flip it since it has bend int he axle tube for toe-in/out....
i was planning on getting a replacement straight axle and running a spring over...that's for later though since this one works fine for now...I don't even have the truck I want to pull it with!
jeep4x4greg
Observer
I chopped up the frame pieces I wanted to remove and picked up a bunch of 14ga 1x1 steel tube for the frame.
But I'm starting to have 2nd thoughts on using the 1x1 as my main frame pieces.
I'm thinking I may have to get some 1.5" or even 2" for the main frame pieces. I want to tie the roof rack into these pieces so I want them to be pretty stout in case I end up putting a RTT up there as family expands....
But I'm starting to have 2nd thoughts on using the 1x1 as my main frame pieces.
I'm thinking I may have to get some 1.5" or even 2" for the main frame pieces. I want to tie the roof rack into these pieces so I want them to be pretty stout in case I end up putting a RTT up there as family expands....
Titanpat57
Expedition Leader
The engineer who use to certify my plans when I was a builder, use to always say "you never get credit for anything standing"...
meaning that put into what you need to, to ensure it'll withstand loads and and everything else you throw at it. You'll never be dissapointed in overbuilding, or spending money on quality materials. I know for a first trailer, with expenses as they are, many times we are putting these together with what we can. But that said, stop and think about what really want out of trailer.
It's never ceases to amaze me what guys make out of "nothing"...with a little ingenuity, drive, desire and some skills...you may amaze yourself too!!
The build has tons of potential...good luck and tear into it!!:victory:
meaning that put into what you need to, to ensure it'll withstand loads and and everything else you throw at it. You'll never be dissapointed in overbuilding, or spending money on quality materials. I know for a first trailer, with expenses as they are, many times we are putting these together with what we can. But that said, stop and think about what really want out of trailer.
It's never ceases to amaze me what guys make out of "nothing"...with a little ingenuity, drive, desire and some skills...you may amaze yourself too!!
The build has tons of potential...good luck and tear into it!!:victory:
indiedog
Adventurer
Greg how wide will the finished internal cabin be? Just wondering if you could raise the bed base up to be at the top of the wheel arches and use under for storage. You could then widen the body again to cover the wheels even if only part cover. This gives you immediate low level storage, and a wider bed/kitchen. This would mean re-attaching some side supports outside the main rails.
jeep4x4greg
Observer
Indie dog.
The finished inside dims going to be the size of a full-size bed (52inch x 76inch...roughly..the framing will make it an inch or so narrower, but should go un noticed)) plus an extra foot at the bed (for shoes n such) and an exta foot or so at the head for storage. the bed is going to be split in 2, lengthwise. one half will fold up against the wall and will have a table (for eating, writing, maps, etc) that folds down off the bottom. the other half will stay put, and serve as a bench. Underneath the bench/bed (will be about 12" off the floor) there will be a long drawer that will house either storage or the "kitchen".....It will be accessible when the door is open, or by lifting the bench side up on a hinge...if that makes sense. The door will be the entire back face of the trailer, and will have an awning that covers it in the event of bad weather.
I think I'm going to opt against going wider that the frame is now....partially because I don't want to complicate the project and add cost for materials, and partly because I want the body pretty narrow so that I can accomodate outside storage above the fenders (thining of moving the spare tires there as well as the fuel cans and maybe some more storage boxes)
The finished inside dims going to be the size of a full-size bed (52inch x 76inch...roughly..the framing will make it an inch or so narrower, but should go un noticed)) plus an extra foot at the bed (for shoes n such) and an exta foot or so at the head for storage. the bed is going to be split in 2, lengthwise. one half will fold up against the wall and will have a table (for eating, writing, maps, etc) that folds down off the bottom. the other half will stay put, and serve as a bench. Underneath the bench/bed (will be about 12" off the floor) there will be a long drawer that will house either storage or the "kitchen".....It will be accessible when the door is open, or by lifting the bench side up on a hinge...if that makes sense. The door will be the entire back face of the trailer, and will have an awning that covers it in the event of bad weather.
I think I'm going to opt against going wider that the frame is now....partially because I don't want to complicate the project and add cost for materials, and partly because I want the body pretty narrow so that I can accomodate outside storage above the fenders (thining of moving the spare tires there as well as the fuel cans and maybe some more storage boxes)
Last edited:
jeep4x4greg
Observer
a few more pics
going to get some 3" wide x 3/16 flat stock and wrap it around the area I cut off with the proper "fish mouth" ....
Since I'm going to get some heavier tube for the frame of the camper I'm going to get a little extra and make a new cross member up front too right at the cut off....
I'm having a lot of fun with this....even if it isnt as fancy as some other builds... I haven't had a "project" since I sold all the jeeps when I was getting laid off about a year and a half ago....didn't know how long i'd be jobless so sold everything off to be sure I had money.
going to get some 3" wide x 3/16 flat stock and wrap it around the area I cut off with the proper "fish mouth" ....
Since I'm going to get some heavier tube for the frame of the camper I'm going to get a little extra and make a new cross member up front too right at the cut off....
I'm having a lot of fun with this....even if it isnt as fancy as some other builds... I haven't had a "project" since I sold all the jeeps when I was getting laid off about a year and a half ago....didn't know how long i'd be jobless so sold everything off to be sure I had money.