So you want to build a Wedge Camper?

[Ke4640]

Wedge Camper Build
I decided to document the build to the best of my ability in hopes that it could provide guidance for others to follow

SPECIAL THANKS: @Ripcord , andy.and.beyond (Instagram), for collaborating with me on the design and sharing ideas on the builds. As well as GoFastCampers (GFC) for being open about their product and giving me guidance along the way.

Disclaimer: This camper has not been tested in any sort of crash testing, and I would strongly advise that you use it for off-road use only. This write up is simply a guide for something I built for personal use. I take no responsibility for any damage you may or not do to your own vehicle, or any bodily hard you may or may not cause to yourself or your passengers if you decide to replicate this build and mount it to your own vehicle. Be an adult and take responsibility for your actions. Thanks!

Why build one?

- The wait. At the time of this post, the shortest wait time for a wedge camper of this style is approximately 8 months.
- The price. As many of us, I am on a budget.
- It was a challenge. This is something I've never attempted, and I figured the worst thing that can happen is I learn a thing or two.
- Access to tools. I am pretty fortunate with my job, that I have access to an entire aircraft metal shop which is set up for doing just about anything to aluminum.
- Time. I had a lot of time to think about the project, what I wanted out of the camper, and what I was going to use it for. I previously had a topper on my old truck, and having the ability to lock my bike / camping gear up was important to me. We also wanted a fast set up and break down time, and a wedge camper would do just that.

The Design

I "designed" the camper via google Sketchup. I don't have any professional knowledge of CAD, but having used Sketchup for many years for other personal projects I figured it was a good platform to start in. The camper needed to be aesthetically pleasing and flow well with the rest of the truck. There is no hiding that it was designed very similarly to the popular Go Fast Camper, with small design takeaway's from the Vagabond Drifter and various AluCab products.

Frame

I found a local welder in the Sacramento area who made the frame based on the designs I gave him. After a little back and forth, this was the final product, and measurements.

The entire frame is 1.5" Steel Square Tubing. (Measurements below)
The angles on the back / and sides are all 10 degrees. The front is 3 degrees, to follow the rear of the cab. Depending on whether you have a 6' or 5.5' truck bed, the measurements will change. I have a 6' bed, so the measurements below are accurate for the long beds.

Whether you are building this for a 6' bed or a 5.5' bed. You can use the same (top of the frame) width measurements which is 53.25" x 73 and 11/16", which will allow you to use the 80/20 measurements below for all bed configurations. Additionally, you will want to add a 1/4" thick x 3" wide steel sheet that will sit on the top of the frame, and will act as the support structure for the interior portions of the 80/20.


One of the things that I changed with my design that GFC does, is take away all the cross sections. Yes, this might make the framing less rigid, but I also don't have the camper mounted to a long travel Tacoma, nor will it ever see those types of forces put on it. We do light off-roading. This also allowed us to be have better access to my gear, and! It allowed me to put a sliding window on the front of the camper, much like the Vagabond Drifter has.

In order to mount the frame to the bed of the truck I figured using the existing Toyota rail system would be the best option. We welded on some tabs to the frame and used 90-degree brackets to connect the frame and the truck. (See last image in this section). In order to attach the brackets to the Toyota rail system, I purchased these guys from amazon.

(https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BWV49BF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1





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[Ke4640]

Extruded Aluminum AKA 80/20.
www.8020.net

Why 80/20? It is extremely strong, lightweight, and very easy to work with. Its adult LEGO's.

Similarly, to the frame tubing. I went with the 15 Series Black Ultra-Light Series Extrusions (15 Series) for the exterior framing, and the 15 Series Silver (Regular) Ultra-Light Series Extrusion for the interior framing. The reason I went with the Ultra-Light Series, should be obvious. Its light, but it’s also more expensive. I think the tradeoff is worth it.

I am not going to bore you with the exact measurements and sizes, as I have posted the PDF BUILD LIST in the thumbnails below, and you can pretty much go to 80/20 with the build sheet and order the exact same thing I did. I will hit upon a few key features of 80/20, and the assembly process.



#1 Caulk every joint, and every seal. It’s a fantastic product, but water is water, and it will find a way into your joints. I assembled the entire camper, just to find out that it all leaks. Disassembled it and had to caulk everything. This is the stuff I used on the entire camper and it has done very well.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/out/?url=https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RMROGY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1&extra=relprodinp​

$7 GE Momentive Performance Materials GE5030 Silicone 2+ Caulk, 10.1oz, black

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RMROGY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

#2 Get a set of good T-Handle Allen Keys. You will used them a lot!

#3 Think your project through. Pre-Load all your hardware into the aluminum. Especially the large exterior frame. Once you assemble it and caulk it. It is a very big PITA to take it all apart. Think about where / how many pieces of hardware you will need for every panel, strut, accessory, etc.

#4 Do not order Part # 3405 and # 3933. This is the hardware that was recommended to me to be used for mounting the extruded aluminum to the framing. In my opinion, this is not going to work for off road use. I opted to use https://8020.net/3299.html You would run these inside your extrusion and drill holes in the top of your frame and run the nut on the back side.




#5 When 80/20 sends you the parts. There are no assembly instructions, it took me a good 6-8 hours to figure out where and how everything came together. Thankfully, they do have very detailed instructions and CAD images on their website for each part to show how it fits into the extrusion. This was a big help.

#6 If you have a custom size design you would like to make, and not use the ones below. You would need to put together a design on paper, sketchup, CAD, etc. You can then take this design to a 8020 retailer (which you can find on their website), and have them render you a design in their 8020 program. It is a very simple process, as they basically do all the work.

#7 So how do you keep the top shut? Jeep hood latches. A little pricey, but they work really well. I used two on the back and 2 on the sides. When you install them, they come with tab on the back side which will need to be grinded off to fit the 80/20. Personally, I didn't want to drill into the 80/20 and I wanted to use the exciting hardware / extrusion to install a latch.

This is what I used on the back.

https://www.amazon.com/Rugged-Ridge...od+latches&qid=1563989024&s=automotive&sr=1-4




This is what I used on the sides. Why the extra latch? First off, the 80/20 tends to bow out in the middle from the shocks pushing up on it, this allows for a better side seal. And, added protection in case the rear latches fail.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K1G1P6C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1




#8 Speaking of shocks, I tested a few different shocks to see which work best and I settled on the 100lbs struts, again. From amazon. The brand is Suspa, and I believe it’s the same brand GFC uses. (but not the same shock) You will want to get inside you camper and figure out the height you want your latch to open and set up your shocks to open to that height. Here is the hardware I used. Including the shock.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NCV053V/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FRRBCB2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://8020.net/3894.html

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[Ke4640]

The Paneling / Skin / Doors


This was an interesting part of the build. I originally decided to go with something called HDPE, or High-Density Polyethylene A.K.A Starboard. It is a strong, chemically resistant (plastic) that basically has a lifetime warranty and is commonly used on boats. I originally decided to use this as it was cheaper (or so I thought) that aluminum sheeting, and very easy to work with.


Let my misfortune be your lesson. When I originally installed the paneling, all went well, and it looked great. But HDPE has some properties to itself that aren't the greatest for a project like this.


1. You cannot apply any sort of sealant on it due to its chemical resistance properties = causes leaks.
2. Seals won’t stick to it due to its chemical resistance properties = causes leaks
3. and so on.

I ended up scrapping the HDPE and went with aluminum anyway, which in the end was cheaper. So, here is what I did.


All the paneling on the camper is made of .080 5052 Aluminum sheets, except the roof, which is .060 5052 Aluminum. Again, I am not going to go into detail with the sizing as my sizes might be different from your project, but here is some build tips and things to think about.

#1 Starting with the forward most panel where my window resides. If you are building this for a Tacoma. Tacoma beds are not perfectly level all around. There are bed caps on all sides of the bed except for the front, which ends up dropping the front bed rail approximately an inch. Keep this in mind when building your camper and make that forward panel 1" long on the bottom end. The reason you want to do this, is to avoid a gap upfront, which will allow water, dust and all sorts of things to get into your camper. I just contoured the front panel to follow the bed contour and added a seal at the bottom like this.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LBYZH1G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



I used rivnuts to install the forward panel to the frame, with M8 bolts. If you've never used a rivnut. Look up some videos on YouTube. It's a great tool.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077JX48NN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The lower seal which I installed on the bottom half of this panel to mate up with the truck bed is linked below. Self-explanatory install, it is self-locking and will stay on the sheeting quite well.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LBYZH1G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

#2 When building the side panels. If you choose to have them all open instead of fixed to the frame. .080 aluminum is not very sturdy, but you can fix this with L channel reinforcements. You basically cut 3 pieces of L channel and pop rivet it to the sheet.





#3 The Poly-Hinge, Continuous Plastic Hinge, Living Hinge. I went with this type of hinge for a few reasons. It's waterproof, flexible, and it has been tested for over 1 million actuations. It is also extremely strong. It comes in a roll, and you may want to order more than you need. When you receive the hitch, cut it to the lengths you need, bed the hinge, place it between two 2x4's and clamp it for a few days. This will allow the hinge to take a new shape, and it will be MUCH easier to work with.

I chose to install the hinge wedged between the framing and the 80/20. This allows the hinge to act as a barrier between the 80/20 and the frame, and also a cavity where I can inject a ton of caulking to keep the entire thing waterproof. It's also a lot more aesthetically pleasing.

Installing the hinge is probably the more meticulous process of this entire build. You must align 3 panels, the hinge, the 80/20 and the frame all together with clamps, drill all your holes and then install it all at once. I urge that you spend a lot of time measuring and re measuring.

https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=125113&catid=597 (Order the 3" if using 1.5" tubing.)




#4 Hardware. I've included the link for the hardware that installs the 80/20 to the frame, this is the same hardware that will be used to install the hinge, as it is wedged between the frame and the 80/20.


Exterior Doors

This is the hardware I used to install the all the exterior door panels to the hinge.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079H5NQ7Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KPZDLTJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009EF90X0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

When using this specific hardware, it will hit the frame when you try to close the door. Therefore, either use shorter bolts, or you will need to grind them down as I did for the doors to close.

The seals used for the exterior door are linked below. They are self-explanatory to install. Nothing required except to squeeze them onto the edge, they are self-locking.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NDR2A3W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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[Ke4640]

Top Sheet of Camper

Use the same hardware as was used for the exterior door above, minus the nuts. The nuts used are listed in the original 80/20 build sheet included here as Part # 3320.

https://8020.net/3320.html

When mounting the top sheet. I used a thin foam seal on all the mating surfaces of the aluminum sheeting and the 80/20 to keep noise down and create a tighter seal.​

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$17 Foam Strips with Adhesive, High Density Soundproofing Window Insulation Foam Gasket Tape Weather Strip 1" Wide X 1/8" Thick X 33 Feet Long (1in 1/8in)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071RDDC2R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Underside Camper Sheet (Over the cab portion)

Again, I used .080 aluminum here, and mounted this portion of the sheet with the following hardware.

https://8020.net/etcatalogsearch/search/keydesresult/?etkeydes=3933


I ended up getting the bolts from ACE Hardware in a pinch. So, I honestly cannot remember the exact bolt I used. This is something you will need to mess around with and figure out.


Locks

I debated on using a few different style locks, and it ultimately came down to price. The ones GFC uses are super nice! but, they are also expensive. In the end, I went with these lockable ones from amazon. They are pretty easy to install except for one aspect. The locks are made to be installed on a thicker material about .5-.75". As you are using .080 aluminum, you will need to make some sort of backing plate to make this work. Here is an example of what I made.​

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$26 MIZUGIWA Marine Boat Stainless Steel Flush Hatch Lift - Locking Style
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0758BWCZJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1



Struts

The struts I used for the doors are the same exact ones I used for the latch; except they are 45lbs Suspa strut from amazon. You will want to set the height of your doors and attach the struts respectively. I went from the frame to the L channel on the door. The hardware used is similar to some of the hardware on the rest of the build.
​

https://www.tacomaworld.com/out/?ur..._title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1&extra=relprodinp

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041EBSTS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077JX48NN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NCV053V/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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[Ke4640]

The Tent


Originally, I had no intentions of making the tent portion. I was going to outsource the project, because I don't know how to sew, nor did I really have any interest in learning how to sew. but as many things with this project. Budget drove it in another direction.


My idea was either received with no call back from upholstery shops, rejection to even try to make it, or ridiculous quotes upwards of $2000.00. So after very short deliberation with myself, I bought a heavy duty singer sewing machine, you guessed it, from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VWXZKG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1


As with the rest of this write up, I am not going to get into the nitty gritty of camper tent construction. Your design might be different, and you hatch angle might be different, so therefore you'll have to mess with the sizing of your tent. but here are some takeaways.


#1 I used 600D Fabric, it is waterproof on one side, has pretty good UV resistance characteristics, and overall good heavy duty canvas for this application. I ordered an entire roll of it from amazon for relatively cheap. Link below.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O4KA3F4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

#2 Watch some videos from https://www.youtube.com/user/Sailrite1

#3 When fitting the fabric and trying to get the sizing right, I basically used trial and error and a lot of measurements. One thing I do recommend is using the entire piece and not cutting each side and sewing it together. You will need about 10 yards of fabric to do it all as one piece.

#4 Windows, again. Watch some YouTube videos on how to sew windows in. The material I used is from Home Depot and it was very easy to work with as opposed to using traditional No-See-Um fabric. It's also a lot heftier and has great UV protection. You can see inside the camper with the top popper. Which is also a nice benefit.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076NCJRZZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

#7 So how do I mount the tenting to the camper? Well, I decided to use buttonholes. The sewing machine has an automatic setting that will make a buttonhole for you as big or small as you want. Again, watch some YouTube videos. Its super easy. Once I had all my material mounted on the inside of the camper with double sided tape. I marked all my holes for the mounting holes. Made the holes and mounted the material straight into the 80/20 extrusion using the following hardware. T-Nut / Material / Washer / Bolt. I like using this method because the holes are honestly very strong, and it gives me adjustability to move the fabric and get it just right inside the camper.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07L116LTN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (SIDE NOTE FOR THIS PIECE OF HARDWARE: Amazon sells these for about 1/3 of the price that 80/20 sell these T-Nuts and they fit perfectly into the 15 Series extrusion)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BSCWH5K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

#8 I used a nylon bungee style cord to help pull all the fabric in during closure. Again, I just made a small material patch and sewed the cord into it and mounted it to the extrusion.

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[Ke4640]

What is the future?


1. New Frame / Truck mounts. I want to redesign them a bit, make them sleeker, and add more of them for my own personal sanity.

2. Redo the fabric. There were more additions I wanted to make for rain proofing the tenting, which I didn't when I initially made it. Mainly because we live in northern California and it won't rain here until December.

3. I am going to add gas struts to the inside panels for easier opening and closing.

4. Touch up paint and clean up the areas where the latches hit the frame.

5. I don't know, maybe sell it and build another one?

Overall Cost was approximately $3500.00 to me. Considering I spent $900.00 on HDPE that I didn't need, and various amounts of hardware from ACE that is now collecting dust on my work bench.


In all seriousness, thanks for reading and I hope this helped / inspired someone to attempt this. This project took a lot of sweat equity and time. Please reach out if you have any questions, or contact me via Instagram @kirill.evdok or email Evdokimov.kirill07@gmail.com. You can also view my dedicated stories on IG where I documented the entire build.

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[calicamper]

? The why is pretty much exactly why I’m thinking of building my own trailer. It’s pretty dang clear by all these builds that there is market need for the multi use solutions that support active outdoor activities.. Get er done.

 

[d-tail_wagon]

I am grateful for those that have already gone down the path of producing their own DIY wedge campers as I am designing my own with practically the same top wedge portion as you have created. Thank you for taking the time to write up what you did as this will greatly help as I get near to making the plunge down the path of building mine!

Camper looks great as well!

 

[d110pickup]

This looks interesting and useful . . . Please continue!
Thanks

 

[otis24]

Nice Work!

I just started building a flat bed wedge camper.

If you don't mind sharing where did you get your hinges for the wedge top?

Nevermind...found it.

80/20 T-Slot Panels & Door Components | Aluminum Extrusion Hinges

Lift-off hinges and standard hinges for 80/20 T-slot extruded aluminum profiles. Lift-off hinges, captive hinges, and concealed hinges in plastic and aluminum.

8020.net

View attachment 529357

1





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[Ke4640]

? The why is pretty much exactly why I’m thinking of building my own trailer. It’s pretty dang clear by all these builds that there is market need for the multi use solutions that support active outdoor activities.. Get er done.

Yeah there are certainly many options out there to purchase one. but for me. The price and the wait, was not something I wanted to commit.

 

[Ke4640]

I am grateful for those that have already gone down the path of producing their own DIY wedge campers as I am designing my own with practically the same top wedge portion as you have created. Thank you for taking the time to write up what you did as this will greatly help as I get near to making the plunge down the path of building mine!

Camper looks great as well!

No problem! Hope that it helps. I updated the entire post. So all the info should be in there now. Reach out if you have questions!

 

[Ke4640]

pretty much what I am building, follow the build on Instagram @83mmax

Ill check ya out man!

Nice Work!

I just started building a flat bed wedge camper.

If you don't mind sharing where did you get your hinges for the wedge top?

Nevermind...found it.

80/20 T-Slot Panels & Door Components | Aluminum Extrusion Hinges

Lift-off hinges and standard hinges for 80/20 T-slot extruded aluminum profiles. Lift-off hinges, captive hinges, and concealed hinges in plastic and aluminum.

8020.net

I actually just posted the entire PDF breakdown with all the parts in POST #2. Check it out.

 

[jwiereng]

Thanks for the nice build report.

Where does the water go that runs down the tent fabric when open?

 

[jwiereng]

Is your screen fabric fine enough to prevent the no-see-ums from entering?