20ft container DIY

[tanuki.himself]

Hey everyone, has anyone thought about or tried drop down decks to give heaps of outdoor room?

a lot of toy haulers in the US can do this with their rear doors - cable stayed and/or with drop down legs with safety railings around. And a growing number of standard RVs are building them onto the sides. Its a nice idea, especially if you want to keep the toddler in a relatively safe environment, and on the same floor level as the inside of the cabin. Downsides are weight, if you have a large opening it can weaken the rest of the box structure so you may have to strengthen the wall and roof above it, space will still seem quite limited and you need to have available space to put it out. Personally I'm opting for a decent ground sheet and shadecloth walls that reach the ground from a 270 degree awning to give me more space

 

[The Artisan]

If you are fixed on using a container, Check out the expandable ISO container/shelters. There are dozens of manufacturers. You might get lucky to find the right one surplus.
Btw, fold down deck is great idea. My friend built that on his E450 shortbus outside its wheelchair door. It lowers using a handwinch, but needs legs extended to be strong enough.

I plan to use 60" 600 lb drawer slides for my front deck. Think of a large pull out drawer.
Kevin

 

[Peter_n_Margaret]

No problem attaching things to FRP. You simply need to spread the loads. Depending on the application, this may be as simple as gluing on a piece of flat aluminium and attaching to that.
This is a crude example that uses a riv nut to allow something to be bolted inside of one of my boxes,

Other stuff can simply be glued direct to the skin - as in these box/drawer slides.
The hinges are pop riveted to the skin with aluminium pop rivets with aluminium pins to limit the pull-up pressure.
This was built 15 years ago and has been 100% reliable.

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

 

[vintageracer]

It really boils down to this: Your frame idea is good. True, it will weigh more, but not that much if you just use the frame and not the sides.

Ya it will weigh more all right! A LOT MORE!

As I posted early in this thread a 20 ft container has a TARE weight empty of 5, 030 lbs. That's Heavy!

Let's say you just want to use the frame. IF by removing the walls of the container for schidts and giggles lets say walls comprise 75% of the total container weight the remaining frame as you call it will still weigh in at 1,250 lbs. Now I don't know about you however "I" find that to be real stretch that removing the walls alone will lighten a 20 Ft container weight by 3,750 lbs!

I have nothing to back up this opinion however "I" think you would be fortunate if the frame as you called it weighed in at as little as 2,000 lbs. 2,000 lbs is still a bunch of weight from which to START a build a camper to mount on a truck.

Ya better have a BIG ******$ truck to haul it around!

 

[danf]

Thanks everyone, it's clear that the container wouldn't be amazingly suited I think it would be easier and cheaper to Fab a frame if necessary, but I'm leaning towards it not being necessary now. I love the idea of the BlissMobil being a 20ft container and being able to be shipped, but at the end of the day there is always RORO and for the number of times I plan to ship it around (no idea yet) may as well just pay the extra for RORO.

One other question - Regarding subframes, is there a guide as to which trucks require one, and which construction methods? Thanks

 

[Peter_n_Margaret]

In Oz, the box sub frame mounting to the vehicle method of choice is the coil springs system used by All Terrain Warrior in Yandina Queensland.
Details vary, but something like this is simple and seems to work well. This is on a Canter. I think there were a total of 6 of these.
How much movement should be allowed for depends on the flexibility of the chassis used.

Our OKA has a very stiff chassis so we have the back mounted on about 1 dozen rubber blocks with vey little movement possible between them.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

 

[Victorian]

I never understand why people like those "containers" soo much for a camper. They ad so much extra weight and complexity. They are also VERY difficult to insulate against condensation.
Interesting part starts at 8.20 and 10.30 As for the argument about making the camper removable: No matter how "easy" you make it, its never fast. There are just way too many lines and fasteners to disconnect. How would you take it off the truck?
When I was at Unicat, we constructed several "removable" campers. The customers came back after the trip and said that this was the most stupid idea they ever had. It was all sweet and organized when the box was removed in a european port for shipping. But as soon as they needed to install it in Africa or Asia they regreted that method. They where not allowed into the ports to supervise the assembly... Can you imagine letting someone else with NO expirience put it back together for you?

 

[danf]

Thanks guys, very helpful re:subframe.

I really wish the expo builders in Aus weren't ludicrously expensive because I don't particularly want to do this all myself lol.

 

[MOguy]

We bought a bunch of steel containers at work. You have to keep them very level if you want to be able to use the doors on them. They flex very easy. Like mentioned earlier they are like trampalene if you try walking on them. They are designed for stacking. I would NEVER EVER consider getting one myself for any purpose at all other then for scraping.

 

[MOguy]

Loading them extremely heavily ?
My 20' containers serve as parking for my Landcruiser collection. After a winter one container, its concrete piers usually sinks about 20-50mm. The container is easily strong enough to teeter-totter on opposing corners. Its kind of fun trying to drive in and stop right at its balance point. Its doors work fine.

As an aside.
I plan to fit a garage opener to one of them.
The plan is with its doors shut, weld the doors together. Then cut away its hingepins on the desired latch side.
One large swinging door will be easier/cheaper to fit an opener to.

Our new ones and some used ones we bought were delivered on roll off trucks designed to transport the containers. The ones we acquired were from around were I work and often brought in with our fort lift.

We use some that are flat on level ground with a thick gravel base and they are fine. They were bought brand new. Other we have were bought used our acquired used. Some are placed on concrete, they hold up better. Other are built into structures for training. We even have 8 foot ones for storing equipment. The short ones seem to hold their shape in less than ideal conditions. They 8 foot ones are constantly moved around with a fork lift and do hold up better than the longer ones just sitting there. We buried the side of one and it wasn't long before we couldn't even open the door.

I have been dealing with them for years, some even leak after a while and the floors have deteriorated. They serve a purpose but nothing long term.

If I were storing a vehicle of any value I would build a more traditional structure. Far more cost effective in the long run.