Budget Skamper Fix/Build

[SLO_F-250]

I had a few questions from new user xdbx. Welcome to the forum xdbx!! So I thought I would post up the email I sent him for info for anyone else in the future.

The question was about my drawer/shim underneath the camper and the structure of the camper. the structure is SUPER simple. Just 1x2 frame "studs" with the exterior skin. See my fridge install posts for pictures of this.

Shot from Underside: Note I painted everything for weather purpose, but you can see the hat channels and then the angle iron I welded to the side of the hats.

Here is a shot from the back as I was lifting it up on the rig. You can see the angle and bolts, bolting the box on there. The drawer simply just slides into there. No rollers bearings.

In all honesty, it was a really basic design. 2x10's on the side, 3/8" ply underneath, a 2x6 on the back, then bolted to the sides.

I have tons of picts, so hit me up if you need a few more. :smiley_drive:

 

[xdbx]

Paul,

Not sure I can emphasize this enough, but THANK YOU! :clapsmile

Here's a picture of mine in town yesterday.

What I forgot to tell you on the phone was that I'm also hunting for some longer hardware to space out the jack blocks enough to take the camper back off. Right now... I cant/wont. Getting it on there was one of the sketchiest things I've ever done i :Wow1:

I'll start my own thread for you once I get my act together...

 

[SLO_F-250]

Dan,
Nice looking setup you got there! As far as getting it on and off the truck, I got longer bolts, and sandwiched 6x6 blocks between the mounting points and jacks. Yes, it is sketchy, but just make sure you are on flat ground and have something ready to put it on just about the same height as your bed.

I figured while I was at it, I should post another Skamper Trip report: Carizzo Plain National Monument last weekend. We camped off Elkhorn road on the east side set next to the Temblor Range. Sorry for the bad picts, I really gotta work on my photography!

The $$$ Shot!!

Camp is down there somewhere.

Version 2.0 of my bike rack. Fully tested on this trip. Swings out to access camper without taking the bikes off. Capacity = 4 bikes. Worked Great!

Still have some finishing touches. As you can see I ran out of time to paint some if it! haha

View From Camp:

Great weather, good scenery, some flowers, and a good time. Only bad thing was my propane fridge took a crap on me. I tore it out of the camper today and will have to get some input from you guys. http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=871421#post871421 There is the thread I started in the General Section. Please help if you can. I need the fridge working. Im headed to Utah in May for the first extended road trip in the Skamper.

Thanks and Happy Camping!
Paul

 

[georox]

I've got a line on a Skamper 072s and am going to try to fit it to a F-150 shortbox. In research, I found this forum and your posts. Looks like I'm going to need to fabricate something to raise the camper to clear the cab and siderails as you've done. My question is, where does the weight end up - on the bed or on the siderails? I've never owned or used a truck camper and have always assumed that they rested on the truck bed - but in the photos your shim boxes appear to hold most of the weight.

 

[Herbie]

OK, I think we're going to need a lot more info and photos for that bike rack!

Facing a similar problem with my Dutch-Door van, so a "swing away" bike rack would be a great solution. The usual "swing down" hitch mount rack is an option for me, but I'd like to reserve the hitch for other things...

 

[SLO_F-250]

I've got a line on a Skamper 072s and am going to try to fit it to a F-150 shortbox. In research, I found this forum and your posts. Looks like I'm going to need to fabricate something to raise the camper to clear the cab and siderails as you've done. My question is, where does the weight end up - on the bed or on the siderails? I've never owned or used a truck camper and have always assumed that they rested on the truck bed - but in the photos your shim boxes appear to hold most of the weight.

Hey Geo, Stoked on the old Skamper. So yours being the 072S must fit full size short beds? Not going to lie, Im kinda jealous! :drool: To answer your question, I am not sure exactly if the weight should bear on the side rails or bottom. As you know, no information is available on those old Skampers. My thought process figured that since the jacks lift it on the side rails, the rails can handle weight, but the bottom defiantly needed to be supported. In designing my boxes and bottom drawer, I tried to make it fit as perfect as possible to somewhat split the weight. Im not 100% sure that is correct or not, maybe someone has another idea, but after using it fairly frequently and on dirt roads it as held up great. Good luck on the build, and I look forward to seeing the progress so keep us posted. :elkgrin:

OK, I think we're going to need a lot more info and photos for that bike rack!

Facing a similar problem with my Dutch-Door van, so a "swing away" bike rack would be a great solution. The usual "swing down" hitch mount rack is an option for me, but I'd like to reserve the hitch for other things...

Herbie, I was in the same dilemma. I really wanted a swing out rack and there are no good ones on the market. I came across an old Yakima swing daddy for free. The old version of this. I hate the racks that hang the bike that way so I decided to modify it to my liking. A buddy showed me a picture of the North Shore Racks and this is what I came up with. I modified their idea and added to it since the swingout for us camper people is key. Ill get you some better pictures later this week. At first I was thinking of making more and selling them, but time has not allowed me to. There is defiantly ways to improve it, but the thing rocks IMO. Easy to unload/load, handles off roading well, swings out, and holds 4 bikes (my version 1.0 held 6). :ylsmoke: There is one other rack on the market that I found to swing out, but its pricey and cant remember the name right now. Ill get back to you.

Paul

 

[georox]

Paul -

Yeah, the length of the 072s is given at 86-87 inches so it will hang just to the middle of the bumper. So the tailgate will have to come off if I'm using it with my MTB rack. Specs say that the F-150 box height is 22.3" and the seller says that the floor to the side of the camper is 17 plus - so I'm thinking a slide box like yours with 2X6's on end should get me just high enough.

Given that the overall width of the Ford F- series is 78.9" and the width of the camper is 78" - just how difficult was that Skamper to load up for the first time? Based on your photo it looked very interesting.

Thanks for the info

- George

 

[SLO_F-250]

Paul -

Yeah, the length of the 072s is given at 86-87 inches so it will hang just to the middle of the bumper. So the tailgate will have to come off if I'm using it with my MTB rack. Specs say that the F-150 box height is 22.3" and the seller says that the floor to the side of the camper is 17 plus - so I'm thinking a slide box like yours with 2X6's on end should get me just high enough.

Given that the overall width of the Ford F- series is 78.9" and the width of the camper is 78" - just how difficult was that Skamper to load up for the first time? Based on your photo it looked very interesting.

Thanks for the info

- George

George,
That thing is going to fit like a glove! My advice for getting it on your truck. Bring some 2x6 pieces about 8" long each, a fully charged cordless drill, drill bits (3/4" i think), and (6) new 3/4" Bolts about 2.5"-3" long just in case. When you get there you can drill the holes in the 2x6's to widen out the jacks another 3". If your measurements are correct that is about all you need.

Getting mine on was a fiasco. Yours should be much easier. See the below picture. I have 6x6 blocks sandwiched at the jack points to widen them out to get on my rig, but your camper is wider since its the full size. Youll only need 2x's I think.

Let me know how it goes. Just be prepared to drill and mount when picking it up so bring the necessary tools and don't forget the longer bolts. Ill try and measure the exact diameter you'll need when I get home. They might be 5/8"

Paul

 

[SLO_F-250]

The first "Long" Skamper Adventure!!

Hey Everyone,

I just got done with my first extended "overlandish" trip to SW Utah in the skamper, and I have to say, everything worked GREAT! My full trip report which I will be adding to each day for the next week or so can be found here. Just wanted to say thanks to all on this website for the inspiration, info, builds, and help along the way.

A shot from the trip. Plenty more to see on the Trip Report Page

Cheers,
Paul

 

[Stereo]

Under-bed storage plus battery storage question

Hi Paul. Welcome back! I'm glad all went well and I'll be checking out your trip report soon!

In your absence, I've been busy with my Skamper. I got the 4" tall underbed storage built and secured the lid with a piano hinge to keep the hinge butt profile low under the mattress. (No peas for this princess! Ha, ha.) I then stopped into a local slide-in camper manufacturer to see what their storage units looked like. To hold the bed up, they used a single hydraulic lift like are used on topper back windows and was told I could get them at any auto supply store. I was warned that if I got too strong a lift, it wouldn't stay closed.

I weighed my storage lid and mattress and estimated additional weight for bedding for a total of about 33 pounds. With that figure, I headed to the nearby NAPA.

My first question was whether the weight load ratings were per lift or based on a pair. I was told they were for one lift. I then asked if I only needed to know the total weight or I had to figure in distance from axis, etc. The first guy advised me it would handle the total weight so I got a 35 pound lift.

To get enough height to easily access the back of the storage area, I located the lift about midway between the hinge and the front. It didn't hold the weight. We then went to 45 pounds. It held the lid and the mattress but sunk with additional weight. A 60 pound rated lift worked without popping up.

I also rewired a bunch of stuff with advise from DWH.

I pulled the cooler and will put in shelves to hold plastic storage bins. I'm going to make the storage area below the bed a top-loading box instead of front-loading and put a cooler in there, lining the box with additional rigid insulation for longer cooling.

I have a new question for you. I got lots of advice about batteries in your absence including the necessity of venting it. I don't have a vented space in mine. The previous owner just had it in the box below the bed. I'm thinking of putting the battery on the outside but I'd welcome ideas about what to carry it in to prevent theft and allow for waterproof wiring connections. Where do you have your battery?

 

[Stereo]

Source for lights?

Also, I'm wondering where you found your LED lights that match the light socket.

Thanks.

 

[SLO_F-250]

Hi Paul. Welcome back! I'm glad all went well and I'll be checking out your trip report soon!

In your absence, I've been busy with my Skamper. I got the 4" tall under bed storage built and secured the lid with a piano hinge to keep the hinge butt profile low under the mattress. (No peas for this princess! Ha, ha.) I then stopped into a local slide-in camper manufacturer to see what their storage units looked like. To hold the bed up, they used a single hydraulic lift like are used on topper back windows and was told I could get them at any auto supply store. I was warned that if I got too strong a lift, it wouldn't stay closed.

I weighed my storage lid and mattress and estimated additional weight for bedding for a total of about 33 pounds. With that figure, I headed to the nearby NAPA.

My first question was whether the weight load ratings were per lift or based on a pair. I was told they were for one lift. I then asked if I only needed to know the total weight or I had to figure in distance from axis, etc. The first guy advised me it would handle the total weight so I got a 35 pound lift.

To get enough height to easily access the back of the storage area, I located the lift about midway between the hinge and the front. It didn't hold the weight. We then went to 45 pounds. It held the lid and the mattress but sunk with additional weight. A 60 pound rated lift worked without popping up.

I also rewired a bunch of stuff with advise from DWH.

I pulled the cooler and will put in shelves to hold plastic storage bins. I'm going to make the storage area below the bed a top-loading box instead of front-loading and put a cooler in there, lining the box with additional rigid insulation for longer cooling.

I have a new question for you. I got lots of advice about batteries in your absence including the necessity of venting it. I don't have a vented space in mine. The previous owner just had it in the box below the bed. I'm thinking of putting the battery on the outside but I'd welcome ideas about what to carry it in to prevent theft and allow for waterproof wiring connections. Where do you have your battery?

Also, I'm wondering where you found your LED lights that match the light socket.

Thanks.

Hey Laura! Thanks. The trip was great, and I am still working on getting picks on the trip report thread.

Good to hear you are working on the skamper. I like your hydraulic storage mod. Mines just a pipe that supports it, but when the bed has everything on it its a pain to raise, and my Girlfriend doesnt like to use it. I think Im going to have to do something exactly like you did.

As for the battery. To my knowledge venting is a pretty light term. Just look at the plastic cases you buy to put them in. From everyone I talked to, venting just means dont seal it off. So I put mine under the seat in the middle of the camper near the front of the truck. Basically the step you use to get up on the bed. Its under there next to the water tank in one of those plastic cases. Plenty of venting, and all my wiring is right there.

I did have it outside of the camper in front of the passenger side wheelwell, but that was a pain cause I would have to mess with it every time I needed to take the camper out. Plus I couldnt take it out to plug into the charger if I wanted.

For the exact LED lights, Ill have to get back to you. I forgot where I found em. They were about $15 a pop though, but since Ive had them, I know you can get them cheaper. I like mine alot, and love the fact that you dont have to worry about the battery.

Let me know if you have any more questions, and get some picts up of all the work youve been doing!
Cheers,
Paul

Pict for fun. Scenic Byway headed to Zion....

 

[dbesselt]

Great camper

I just picked up the same camper and came across your thread. Just wondering if you could tell me what the spring loaded round hole thing, that is located about the sink water discharge is/does...thanks

 

[bob91yj]

Kind of looks like a "city water" connection with a broken hose connector. The spring loaded part should be the check valve to prevent back flow when using the house water pump.

 

[SLO_F-250]

WOW! Been while since Ive been on here. Still racking up the trips with the ole skamper. Last thing to do is get my heater working again.

dbesselt,
Pretty much what bob91yj said. I have yet to actually use mine though. Good luck!