Budget Basecamp (AK Camper on a service bed)

[pith helmet]

Somehow I think you have this under control. You are brave to submit to such public inspections!

 

[LilKJ]

We have lights! All of the cabinets have lights on pressure switches that automatically come on when the door is opened. Also have recessed lights on a dimmer in the ceiling. Love how well lit this thing is.

 

[LilKJ]

Finally got the table cut to the right shape so people can fit around it and it still has enough room. What a pain.



Also was happy to find that a full-size propane cylinder fits in one of the cabinets. You can see the start of my outdoor kitchen in the compartment to the left of the propane. That's a 2 burner camp stove tucked away up there.



Stove shelf folds out for cooking. I'm excited about this part.

 

[pith helmet]

Outside kitchen is cool, I like the fold out for the stove.

 

[LilKJ]

Can you even call it overlanding without custom tile? lol

 

[LilKJ]

...and we have a happy little stove. I finally feel like I'm in the homestretch with this project.

 

[LilKJ]

The fun parts of the build are over and it's a slog now. Finished up the rust repairs in the service bed and am coating the interiors of the compartments with POR-15. Slowly wiring up all of interior lights for the bed compartments and the trailer lights. Decided that this cabinet is just going to be firewood storage. If the length fits in the cabinet, it fits in the stove.

 

[LilKJ]

Trailer wiring is working now. Spent the day building the slide-out porch.

Porch slide


Porch In



Porch Out



Whole thing will measure 6ft x 4ft extended. Have a few more supports to install, some painting to do, then get the floor and stairs on.

 

[LilKJ]

More hardcore overlanding... spent the day painting and staining the porch, drawers, and stuff.

 

[givemethewillys]

Been following along on this build on the earlycj5 forum, just wanted to say great job on the build. I've always wanted an Alaskan. Loving your idea to throw it on a service body.

I bet you guys will get a ton of use out of it!

 

[LilKJ]

Mandatory overlanding porch is almost complete.

 

[LilKJ]

Slowly ticking boxes and getting things hooked up.

Propane mounts finished and the cabinet is finished. Only thing left to do here is run the lines.



Electrical cabinet layout is all set. All that is left here is to cut a bunch of cables and connect everything together. I decided to space everything out so I never have to fight with with wiring in a cramped setting.

For reference-
Top Shelf: Inverter, Blank space in middle will hold Ryobi charger, shore power AC battery charger
Middle Shelf: Solar charge controller, House battery fuse box, master fuses, battery
Bottom Shelf: 7 pin trailer power distribution, small charger for breakaway battery, breakaway controller.



Had to run some wires in preparation for the solar panels. Keeping wires out of trouble is not an easy task on a telescoping roof as it turns out. Solution presented itself in the form of a large drag chain made for a CNC machine. Houses the solar wiring and will flex in one direction when the roof is lowered.

 

[LilKJ]

Knocked out most of the wiring and charging today. Pretty psyched on the clean install of the anderson plug. Mounted one to the truck as well and will make a jumper between the two when I want to hook up the charging. This will make it so that I don't have a bunch of loose wiring to contend with on the trailer tongue.

 

[LilKJ]

Big step today. Trailer is now sitting on a 7k lb axle and 33's. It has officially become an off road trailer.

 

[LilKJ]

Another big step today... trying to get things ready for our first family outing. It's always that last 2% of buttoning everything up that seems to take the longest.