2022 Ford F550 - DIY - Adventure Expedition Vehicle Build Thread

[Vance Vanz]

Filleting & Fairing- CF Boxes & Wheel Wells - Inside Edges

The filleting and fairing fun continues.

I had to sand the inside faired edges of all the boxes and wheel wells from the previous layup (bonding the boxes to the floor). Clamps were used on the inside edges of the battery and water boxes, during the previous layup, so there were some additional spots that needed to be faired out. This also gave me another opportunity to fair any additional spots that needed some additional work. This is the last place I want any voids where an air pocket could be created under the inside layer/layup of CF.

After sanding all of the inside edges again and cleaning all of the surfaces, I was ready to do one last final fairing and fillet all of the inside corners of the boxes. It also takes a little extra sanding and work to get any peel ply fabric threads that may be left over/embedded in the cured resin.

Faired, filleted and peel plied:


Final faired and filleted product, all ready for layup!

 

[Vance Vanz]

CF Floor Boxes & Wheel Well Layups #2 - Inside

For the inside layup of the floor boxes and wheel wells, I wanted to have the CF/material for the inside of the box and the tabbing that would wrap up the inside vertical edge of the floor and over the top edge of the floor, be the same piece. This would provide the best structural strength for the inside of the boxes, especially for the battery and water boxes that will be supporting consistent weight. The water tank will weigh about 800lbs when full, so my water box needs to be bomber ?.

I also wanted to vacuum bag this layup. I had two options, build another set of forms that would fit on the outside of the boxes/wheel wells, or wrap the entire top and bottom side of the boxes/wheel wells with a vacuum bag and use the floor of the camper as my vacuum bagging surface. I chose the latter as building another set of forms would be a time suck and PITA. Making a vacuum bag that fits inside the box, around the edges of the floor and then over the top of the bottom side of the box was also a PITA, but the lessor of two evils. And I'm talking three full days of pure ? laying out all of the measurements on the vacuum bag, joining vacuum bagging material with seams and pre pleating everything.

Not to mention the additional time needed to prep the floor for vacuum bagging as well-sanding the top and bottom surfaces while ensuring there were no voids in the floor, or peel ply threads lurking around to screw up the seal on the vacuum bag tacky tape.


Yah, I know I could have just done a wet layup on the inside of the boxes/wheel wells and called it good, but I am trying to vacuum bag and resin infuse this entire project except for a few areas that I will need to tab. This final inside layup for the boxes is also bonding the CF to the core material and I want to make sure this bond is tight and solid.

Here are some pics of dry fitting the boxes. Since the material is also acting as the tabbing for the boxes/wheel wells, it is much longer/higher than the box.


You may have noticed that Kevlar has joined the CF party. The inside of the wheel wells are lined with CF and Kevlar.


Here is all of the material, consumables and vacuum bags ready for the layups. I can't tell you how long it takes to prep all of this when you are flying solo. Anybody want to be my CF co-pilot; I have a ton of resin infusion coming up ,?, middle finger, anything ....... ??

 

[Vance Vanz]

CF Floor Boxes & Wheel Well Layups #2 - Inside - (Continued......)

So I thought I would include the inside layup schedule of material for each box/wheel well.

Note: All seams/joints in the material are overlapped by 2". All material changes direction/orientation with each layer.​

Wheel Wells:
Base layer-CF 9.5oz plain weave
Second layer-CF 24oz biaxial 45/45 stitched
Third layer-Kevlar 9.15 oz plain stitched
Fourth layer-Kevlar 5 oz plain weave

Notes:​

1. Tabbing: Base/Second layer-2" onto vertical edge of cut out in floor. Third layer-4" (2" onto vertical edge of cut out in floor and 2" on underside of floor. Fourth Layer-5" (2" onto vertical edge of cut out in floor and 3" on underside of floor.
2. The vertical front/face edge of the wheel well, that the side wall will sit on top of, is wrapped/overlapped with the 9.5oz plain weave and 24oz biaxial 45/45 stitched. This adds additional structural support to the wheel well, where the side wall will sit on top of and be tabbed to the wheel well.
3. After the walls are in place and tabbed to the side/underside of the floor/wheel wells, I will most likely add one or two more layers of Kevlar to the underside of the wheel wells, for a total weight of 30-40oz. This will add a cap over the edges of the tabbing material for the walls on the underside of the wheel wells, as well as create some additional thickness of Kevlar for those pesky little rocks that may want to try and put a hole or dent in the bottom of my wheel wells. I will also coat the bottom of the wheel wells with Line-X or equivalent for added protection.)

Step Box:
Base layer-CF 9.5oz plain weave
Second layer-8.85 oz biaxial 45/45 stitched (plug piece on bottom of box only-comes up walls 2")
Third layer-CF 24oz biaxial 45/45 stitched

Notes:​

1. Tabbing: Base layer-3" (2" onto vertical edge of cut out in floor and 1" on top side of floor. Third layer-4" (2" onto vertical edge of cut out in floor and 2" on top side of floor.
2. The vertical front/face edges are wrapped/overlapped with the 9.5oz plain weave and 24oz biaxial 45/45 stitched. This adds additional structural support to the step box, where the entry door will sit on top of.

Battery Box:
Base layer-CF 9.5oz plain weave
Second layer- CF 8.85 oz biaxial 45/45 stitched

(Plug piece on bottom of box that comes up walls 2", as well as has four 6.5" wide strips that come up the side walls of the box and act as two larger hanger straps that stiffen and reinforce the plug and weight the box will see from the batteries. See picture below if needed.)​

Third layer-CF 9.5oz plain weave

(Two 8.5" wide strips that span the entire width of the box (bottom & side walls), sit directly centered on top of the 8.85oz strips/hangers, act as two larger hanger straps that stiffen and reinforce the box and are spaced to divide the box into thirds. See picture below if needed.)​

Fourth layer-CF 24oz biaxial 45/45 stitched

Notes:​

1. Tabbing: Base layer-3" (2" onto vertical edge of cut out in floor and 1" on top side of floor.) Second/Third layer strips/hangers- 2" onto vertical edge of cut out in floor. Fourth layer-4" (2" onto vertical edge of cut out in floor and 2" on top side of floor.)

Water Box:
Base layer-CF 9.5oz plain weave
Second layer- CF 8.85 oz biaxial 45/45 stitched

(Plug piece on bottom of box that comes up walls 2", as well as has four 10" wide strips that come up the side walls of the box in the main/larger area of the box and two 4" wide strips that come up the side walls of the box in the smaller side area of the box. The strips act as three larger hanger straps that stiffen and reinforce the box. The strips/hanger straps are spaced to divided the box into fourths. See pictures below if needed.)​

Third layer-CF 9.5oz plain weave

(Plug piece on bottom of box that comes up walls 3", as well as has four 12" wide strips that come up the side walls of the box in the main/larger area of the box and two 6" strip for the smaller side area. The strips/hanger sit directly centered on top of the 8.85oz strips/hangers.)​

Fourth layer-CF 24oz biaxial 45/45 stitched

Notes:​

1. Tabbing: Base layer-3" (2" onto vertical edge of cut out in floor and 1" on top side of floor.) Second/Third layer strips/hangers- 2" onto vertical edge of cut out in floor. Fourth layer-4" (2" onto vertical edge of cut out in floor and 2" on top side of floor.)

Base and second (covered)/third layer plugs


Second/third layer strips/hanger material


Here is everything layed out and prepped right before the layup of the water box

 

[Vance Vanz]

CF Floor Boxes & Wheel Well Layups #2 - Inside - (Continued......)

I layed up the wheel wells first and then moved onto the water box, step box and finally battery box. It was a long week and long days of cranking out a box every day. After the wheel wells, I wasn't really focused on taking pictures, I was in the trenches of just trying to get all of the boxes done in a week. So, I guess I didn't take any pictures of the vacuum bagging for the other boxes. Sorry in advance, but they're not much different than the wheel wells.

Here are pictures of the vacuum bagging for the drivers side wheel well:


I was low on vacuum bag material, so I had to use multiple pieces, which created more seams in the bag than I would prefer. None the less, it still worked great, but just took some additional time to construct.

 

[Vance Vanz]

CF Floor Boxes & Wheel Well Layups #2 - Inside - (Continued......)

Passenger side wheel well vacuum bagging:


Regarding using the floor as my vacuum surface. I had no issues, it just requires a little extra clean up of the residue from the tacky tape after pulling the bag off the floor. A simple razor scraper and then some 60-80 grit sand paper does the job pretty quick.

FYI: The masking tape in the pictures within the layup was used to hold the bleeder breather in place. Since I was doing these layups solo and only have so many hands, I had to use the masking tape as a helper, to keep everything in place.

These solo inverted layups, with large pieces of material, also required some cardboard forms/pieces to aid in the placement of everything. I again had to use some interesting yoga poses for the layup. There isn't much room between the truck and the camper floor and the layup table and the camper floor, now that everything is sitting side by side in the shop.

Since it's such a tight space, I also accidentally touched the back of my neck on the face of the wetted out wheel well and didn't realize it until about 45 minutes after the epoxy had sat on my neck. Let me tell yah, skin does not like epoxy resin ?. Just keeping it real I guess ?.

All of the boxes were completed this past week. I took some pictures of the wheel wells, after the peel ply had been removed, but somehow they were either deleted or lost. I will retake them tomorrow and get them posted soon.

 

[Vance Vanz]

CF & Kevlar Wheel Well Layups #2 - Inside - (Continued......)

I found the wheel well photos!

I took some close ups as well.

Note: The black lines in the Kevlar are just my layup reference lines, black sharpie.

Inside the Wheel Well


Tabbing under the floor

 

[Vance Vanz]

CF Layups for Floor Boxes #2 - Inside - (Continued......)

Well, I finally got the inside layups of the floor boxes complete ?.

Although, the floor and floor boxes are a bit ugly now that everything is getting sanded in preparation for bonding the exterior/interior walls, subfloor, brackets, etc.


Dry fit of the lithium batteries. Snug as a bug. At least I know my tape measure still works.

 

[ITTOG]

Awesome work. Thanks for the great detail in every step. Top notch.

I am assuming that may be the most expensive camper floor ever built. However, also probably the strongest as well.

 

[Blowby]

Can't believe how much work you have put into this and thanks for sharing!
Fascinating for a newbie like myself and truly appreciate the details you are willing to share.

 

[Vance Vanz]

Awesome work. Thanks for the great detail in every step. Top notch.

I am assuming that may be the most expensive camper floor ever built. However, also probably the strongest as well.

Thanks for the supportive words ITTOG; I appreciate it ?!

You are welcome for the detailed info and steps. Happy to take the time. Hopefully it is information that others can use if/when making decisions on what and how they may want to build something-or not build something. Heck, as long as it has taken me so far, it may even persuade others to have someone else build their rig/camper ?.

Yah, carbon fiber is not cheap and trying to meet or exceed what a professional shop would do if they were building the same thing out of CF (without being able to use a monocoque mold) is what I'm after. Maybe I'll post the final price tag at the end, or ................ maybe I won't want to know by then.

I'll keep putting one foot in front of the other and hopefully we'll see some resin infused walls soon.

 

[Vance Vanz]

Can't believe how much work you have put into this and thanks for sharing!
Fascinating for a newbie like myself and truly appreciate the details you are willing to share.

Hey Blowby,

Thanks for taking the time to comment.

I'm definitely climbing a mountain on this one and the peak is currently NO WHERE in sight ??. It's going to be a looooooooooooooong haul, but luckily I'm in it to win it!

De nada, related to the details. I'm glad you and others are appreciating them. I wasn't sure if they were going to be a bit dry and put everyone to sleep.

 

[zackchien]

Hey Alloy,

I'm glad you mentioned bouncing and potholes, thousands of them! It is one thing that distinctly stood out to me when reading another build thread while conceptualizing my build. The gentlemen stated "the three and four point subframes are great for eliminating torsional flex, so are the rail on rail spring mounts. But, no one said anything about the thousands of miles of wash board roads in Central and South America that are going to rattle your camper and rig to death!" , ......... ?, ............

In addition to the materials and layup methods chosen for the camper, which make it very stout, I also oversized the mounting surface areas on all three mounting points for the subframe. Every three point subframe I have seen on comparable cab overs, including ER's, have smaller surface areas than I decided to go with. I did this intentionally. I will also be installing 1" thick 60 durometer neoprene rubber pads on all three mounts. I chose rubber pads over polyurethane for this very reason, it is better at absorbing vibration and noise. I also have a thicker walled polyurethane pivot bushing, for the rear pivot, then most run on a three point subframe. Mine is used for the trailers on semi trucks. This was done primarily to handle higher load capacities, but it will also absorb vibration better than the thinner walled bushings.

What is the dimension of that PIVOT bushing

 

[Vance Vanz]

What is the dimension of that PIVOT bushing

Hey zackchien,

Here you go

 

[Vance Vanz]

Resin Infusion - Internal Walls

I was finally able to get a panel resin infused, other projects were pulling me in different directions for several days.

I decided to resin infuse the internal walls first, then I will move onto the larger external walls which are going to be a little more in depth/detailed. Pretty much all of my internal walls go floor to ceiling to help support the load of the roof. I will have quite a bit of equipment up there and I will also be walking on it to get surf boards, hang out, have some espresso in the morning, etc.

Internal wall(s) layup schedule & resin used:
3/4" Divinycell H80 core skinned with a base layer of 50K Biaxial Weave (0/90) 23.59oz (800gsm) followed by a 2nd layer of 3K 2x2 Twill 5.7oz (193gsm). The total thickness of the composite panel is around 13/16". I'm using PRO SET INF-114 Infusion Epoxy and INF-212 Slow Infusion Hardener.

Amount of Epoxy used (Resin and Hardener):
There are calculations out there for the amount of resin CF cloth will take/consume, but it is a little harder to get accurate information on what core material, flow mesh, peel ply and tubing will take/consume. I decided to also include the amount of resin my layups take, in case it is helpful information for others. Note: my core material has 1/8" holes every 2", my resin hubs are 1/2" and the tubing is 1/2" OD 3/8" ID. For this layup it was 218 ounces or 1.7 gallons.

First two layers of CF down with the 5.7oz layer 3/4" longer to wrap the front edge of the core material. This will make finishing much easier (not having to core out the foam and then back fill the edge with fairing material) and it will also add some additional rigidity/strength at the end/on the face edge of the panel.


Next is the core material and spray tacking the 5.7oz CF to the face edge


And finally CF placed on the other side of the core and wrapping the face edge again with another layer of 5.7oz

 

[Vance Vanz]

Resin Infusion - Internal Walls (Continued......)

And now the consumables,

Peel Ply


Flow Mesh


Internal Spiral Tubing & Hubs (Resin Supply & Vacuum), as well as sealant tape


Vacuum Bag


Testing softer vs harder lines while under full vacuum

​

Note: the softer tubing can work down to about 20"Hg, (from my testing) but below that (20-30"Hg) it starts to collapse a bit. I didn't want to risk having issues, so I used the harder tubing, although it is a little more pesky to work with.​

External Resin Feed and Vacuum Lines, as well as the layup under vacuum/on a vacuum test

Note: I could have ran the internal spiral supply line on the side of the panel, length wise, as opposed to in the middle/on top of the panel and only ran one supply feed hub/bucket at the center of the line-And also only ran one internal spiral vacuum line/vacuum hub on the opposite length wise side of the panel. This could have worked, although it would have taken some time for the resin to flow across the 4' wide panel, as this is a 4'x8' layup.​

​

I chose my specific layout of the supply/vacuum lines, because it is more conservative and it also resembles what I will need to do on some of my larger infusions, Ex. 7-2" W x 12' L or 7-2" W x 18'-2" L panels-with various cutouts for doors, windows, AC unit, etc. On my larger panels, I will have multiple resin supply lines, feed buckets, valves and vacuum lines, etc. Plus, I'm doing these larger layups solo, so the more practice I can get running multiple feed lines/bucket/valves and vacuum lines the better ???!​