2020 Ram 5500 DIY Composite Panel Camper Build Thread

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

How will you be controlling the bags from the inside ? Individual control or ?????? Just curious.

They will be all individually controlled manually from inside.

Will make it super easy to level at camp, air down for trails, bla bla bla.

Each bag will have its own gauge and switch.

Thanks to that @java fella for the idea and heads up on the dump switches.

More test fitting (click for larger):

 

[zb39]

Thats awesome. I have the air lift 3H system from Kelderman on mine. Does a great job. You have an awesome build going here. I have enjoyed following it.

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

Thats awesome. I have the air lift 3H system from Kelderman on mine. Does a great job. You have an awesome build going here. I have enjoyed following it.

Thank you very much!

Do you have a build thread?

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

2 of the storage boxes are finally here, and some updates on how i moved the cabover support to make it all work.

Again, very thankful to have friends smarter than me to make my silly ideas actually happen:

DISCLAIMER: Yeah, I was 6-7 beers deep when I did the voice over [insert laughing middle finger]

 

[Victorian]

I like to see this rig in person

 

[Ninelitetrip]

Don't recall if you mentioned it. How did you decide which side to put the spare tire? Really nice job on the storage, lined up really well, look well built.

What kind of beer and how much?

 

[Alloy]

Did the top/side sides of the box get sealed so water doesn't get between the box and wall?

 

[180out]

are you going to expo west this year? I would like to see that air ride up close as I am still on springs and considering my options.

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

Don't recall if you mentioned it. How did you decide which side to put the spare tire? Really nice job on the storage, lined up really well, look well built.

What kind of beer and how much?

Logic was, i wanted my storage box on the same side as the door, that is usually facing towards "camp". Thats about it really!

Thanks.. HPIs quality and fitment impressed the hell out of me on my Tundra, so having them do these was a no brainer.

About 7-8 Coors Lights!

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

are you going to expo west this year? I would like to see that air ride up close as I am still on springs and considering my options.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

No... Not a chance!

I legitimately don't understand the concept of the entire thing...

Its literally the equivalent to paying an entry fee to go to a shopping mall if you really think about it. For real.

Vendors display their wares, and charge you to come see them. W.T.F.?

These trucks are made and built to get away from the masses, not sit in a parking lot packed in like sardines with them, talking about who paid the most for their Wok (that should cost around $20)!

Your profile says you are in Bishop, i am in SoCal as well, and could probably meetup somewhere at some point to camp and BS if you'd like.

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

Ok... The giant thorn in my side is FINALLY pulled out and can button this thing up for some cool photos soon!!!

I get asked a TON if i am happy with Total Composites and what i would do differently if i did it all over again...

I can say i am 95% happy with everything from start to finish with this kit, and Andres' awesome responsiveness.

The ONE thing i feel i am legit unhappy with, to the point its unacceptable in my opinion was the provided caps for the radius...

The caps provided are almost 45/90 degree angles, and look very odd and "JV Squad" when used on the radius style front. I've been told this is just how it is and thats that.

Which leads me to the what would i do over again if i built another...

The freaking radius curve in the front vs a 45 degree angle!!! I am happy now, but doing it all over again, i would do a 45 degree angle instead of a radius front. It looks cleaner, and is a metric ton easier to get looking proper and professional.

I am super fortunate to have some crazy talented friends to help when things are above my head, and this was. But their free time is limited, so i dont have any say in the timeline, which i am perfectly ok with.

Good friend finally got a lull in his workload and was able to whip these up for me finally, so i can button this all up.

They still need a finish sand to prep for powdercoat, but you get the idea. The 2 on the left are what he did to perfectly fit the radius front panel, and radius of the extrusions, and the one on the right is the one provided.

I think what bothers me most about all this is the nice clean radius caps are provided with the slide in campers, but not for the kits costing almost twice as much. Frustrating! Ughhh!

Anyway, super stoked to finally get this thorn out of my side! Woohoo!

 

[Alloy]

Ok... The giant thorn in my side is FINALLY pulled out and can button this thing up for some cool photos soon!!!

I get asked a TON if i am happy with Total Composites and what i would do differently if i did it all over again...

I can say i am 95% happy with everything from start to finish with this kit, and Andres' awesome responsiveness.

The ONE thing i feel i am legit unhappy with, to the point its unacceptable in my opinion was the provided caps for the radius...

The caps provided are almost 45/90 degree angles, and look very odd and "JV Squad" when used on the radius style front. I've been told this is just how it is and thats that.

Which leads me to the what would i do over again if i built another...

The freaking radius curve in the front vs a 45 degree angle!!! I am happy now, but doing it all over again, i would do a 45 degree angle instead of a radius front. It looks cleaner, and is a metric ton easier to get looking proper and professional.

I am super fortunate to have some crazy talented friends to help when things are above my head, and this was. But their free time is limited, so i dont have any say in the timeline, which i am perfectly ok with.

Good friend finally got a lull in his workload and was able to whip these up for me finally, so i can button this all up.

They still need a finish sand to prep for powdercoat, but you get the idea. The 2 on the left are what he did to perfectly fit the radius front panel and the one on the right is the one provided.

I think what bothers me most about all this is the nice clean radius caps are provided with the slide in campers, but not for the kits costing almost twice as much. Frustrating! Ughhh!

Anyway, super stoked to finally get this thorn out of my side! Woohoo!

View attachment 676413

More work but I like the radius bend with the curve allot more than the mitre.

Your friend did a nice job on those.

 

[Victorian]

Ok... The giant thorn in my side is FINALLY pulled out and can button this thing up for some cool photos soon!!!

I get asked a TON if i am happy with Total Composites and what i would do differently if i did it all over again...

I can say i am 95% happy with everything from start to finish with this kit, and Andres' awesome responsiveness.

The ONE thing i feel i am legit unhappy with, to the point its unacceptable in my opinion was the provided caps for the radius...

The caps provided are almost 45/90 degree angles, and look very odd and "JV Squad" when used on the radius style front. I've been told this is just how it is and thats that.

Which leads me to the what would i do over again if i built another...

The freaking radius curve in the front vs a 45 degree angle!!! I am happy now, but doing it all over again, i would do a 45 degree angle instead of a radius front. It looks cleaner, and is a metric ton easier to get looking proper and professional.

I am super fortunate to have some crazy talented friends to help when things are above my head, and this was. But their free time is limited, so i dont have any say in the timeline, which i am perfectly ok with.

Good friend finally got a lull in his workload and was able to whip these up for me finally, so i can button this all up.

They still need a finish sand to prep for powdercoat, but you get the idea. The 2 on the left are what he did to perfectly fit the radius front panel, and radius of the extrusions, and the one on the right is the one provided.

I think what bothers me most about all this is the nice clean radius caps are provided with the slide in campers, but not for the kits costing almost twice as much. Frustrating! Ughhh!

Anyway, super stoked to finally get this thorn out of my side! Woohoo!

View attachment 676413

Kevin, feedback like yours is incredible important to us. Thank you! Since you first mentioned the caps we went to work and developed our 45 degree frp extrusion. although the radius looks nice it’s not very user friendly for do it yourself builds. Therefore we are now offering our kits in 2” panels all around , this in return allows us to us the new 45 degree connection. The other benefit of 2” panels through out is the fact that windows and doors are way easier to be mounted than in the 3.23” panels.
the first units are out in the wild and see in the picture below, they look nice. We learn and evolve with each build .

 

[2wheel-lee]

I agree with you on the radius curve thing being super hokey. It really made the whole thing seem rather... well... I guess they are unfinished. I have to say that was on my list of cons for not going with the TC panel system. I thought as long as I'd have to go DIY on a slightly more complicated angle, I may as well go DIY on all the rest of the easier angles. But as time has passed, it looks like I'm going another route that will better meet my needs.

 

[Alloy]

Kevin, feedback like yours is incredible important to us. Thank you! Since you first mentioned the caps we went to work and developed our 45 degree frp extrusion. although the radius looks nice it’s not very user friendly for do it yourself builds. Therefore we are now offering our kits in 2” panels all around , this in return allows us to us the new 45 degree connection. The other benefit of 2” panels through out is the fact that windows and doors are way easier to be mounted than in the 3.23” panels.
the first units are out in the wild and see in the picture below, they look nice. We learn and evolve with each build .

That's a good improvement just to bad the 45° extrusion wasn't made with a 3-4"R. Maybe that can happen if there's a switch molded corners.

Wonder about insulation in the 45° to prevent condensation over the bunk.