A.R.E. Aluminum DCU “camper lite” build

[Bella PSD]

Painted!!:wings:

Also got the double beadlocks on and 37" BFG Baja tires. I have camped over night one night the way it is now. The two roof vents helped a lot as it was very hot. I'll post up pictures of the roof vents next.

Louie

 

[Bella PSD]

The roof vent I went with was a dual opening two-way roof vent. The vent opens forward or reverse. The vent can be used to draw air in or out. I mounted two vents, one vent on the front of the camper and one vent at the back. That way I can draw air in the front and out the back as a drive. On rainy days I open both towards the rear so the rain stays out. I have noticed very little dust coming in when they are both open forward drawing air in. I think it creates a positive pressure and keeps the dust out.

You can get the vents here
http://www.horsetraileraccessorystore.com/vents.htm

Started out by making a template for cutting the hole in the roof.

The vents bubble out giving you no loss of space inside.

Hole Size is 5 3/4" by x 11 1/4"

 

[Every Miles A Memory]

One question, can you close the vent completely or does it always have to be opened in one of the directions?

This looks like a great idea since I have the same cap on my truck!

 

[Bella PSD]

The vent closes down flat. I went with this style for two reasons. The 2 way opening and the smaller size. Because of the roof rack I only had room for a small vent on the front and back of the cap. A regular RV vent would not fit. Oh, and this vent is all steel, not plastic.

 

[altfj]

hows the build going. Any more pics on the interior?

 

[bcrez]

Interior.

I noticed the storage compartments jut into the main area. I am looking into a topper like this and thought it might make sleeping in a loaded one pretty cramped. I own a tacoma so this would be even worse. Whats your thought? Will you sleep in this topper when its done?

Btw awesome truck.

 

[Every Miles A Memory]

I noticed the storage compartments jut into the main area. I am looking into a topper like this and thought it might make sleeping in a loaded one pretty cramped. I own a tacoma so this would be even worse. Whats your thought? Will you sleep in this topper when its done?

Btw awesome truck.

We have this same cap but only ordered the storage boxes on one side...the drivers side. They just in about as far as the wheel well. We left the passenger side to be a full length window that swings out.

Makes loading and unloading things great and doesnt mean you have to climb into the bed to get something out of the back.

If I was to build a sleeping platform, we'd still have about the width of a double bed back there with the toolbox on just one side.

In a TACO, you'd easily have a single bed or more.

 

[bcrez]

Awesome. Thanks.

We have this same cap but only ordered the storage boxes on one side...the drivers side. They just in about as far as the wheel well. We left the passenger side to be a full length window that swings out.

Makes loading and unloading things great and doesnt mean you have to climb into the bed to get something out of the back.

If I was to build a sleeping platform, we'd still have about the width of a double bed back there with the toolbox on just one side.

In a TACO, you'd easily have a single bed or more.

 

[TRDFAN]

any new updates? I am slowly copying your build, with some smaller modifications of my own. Ill post some updates of my own later. Great truck!!

 

[thecriscokid]

The vents are great. Any ideas on insulating the topper? Your truck is a bigger more bad azz version of what I am doing.

 

[huntsonora]

Any updates?

 

[thetonka]

This is great. I just showed my wife and much to my surprise she said she would rather have a set up like this than the giant toy hauler we had built. Go figure.

 

[Black Watch Armory]

Pick or your rig

We have this same cap but only ordered the storage boxes on one side...the drivers side.

Mind posting picks of this setup? I've been thinking of doing the same, Box on driver's side, window on psngr side.
Thanks,
BWA

supposed to say picks "of" your rig, sorry

 

[Every Miles A Memory]

We ended up selling this cap to another member on this forum as we swapped out our bed for an Aluminum Flat Bed. But here are some photos to show you what I was talking about. These were taken the day it was getting installed at the shop

Drivers Side with the Tool Box

Passenger Side with the full length Win-Door - Awesome option and so worth any extra expense

Double Barn Doors - You can see how deep the tool box comes into the truck bed. It's not all that big, but great to store recovery gear and extra tools that you don't want down in the bed.

This combo is really nice as you can work out of the back of the truck and have an awning over top of you while cooking or dressing

 

[ethernectar]

I went with a DCU setup on my tundra as well. A little different side door format (all open), and the big single door on the rear that opens up for shade/shelter. The yakima rack is a temporary solution, I plan on doing something custom.