Budget Skamper Fix/Build

[Ponyracer]

Are you still keeping the smaller skamper? If so I considered building a flatbed like an XP, then put a standup fuel tank or spare tires in front of the camper behind the cab.....

 

[JohnnySkamp]

That is one bad @ss Ford. She sits real nice.

 

[ToolBox Guy]

Awesome!! It's about time. haha!

I haven't updated my fullsize thread in a while, I've been busy modding my mini expo rig...Yamaha TW200!

Now I'm the slacker.

 

[SLO_F-250]

Hey Dan! "grandma/champagne" haha Ill take that as a compliment! :elkgrin:

Ponyracer, Keeping the lil skamper for sure. She'll last many more years now that I have lots of hours in on fixing it up. Flatbed is a dream, time, and $$$. Im concentrating my efforts on some upgrading and beefing up the ford a bit. I plan on getting another 200k outta it. :truck:

Thanks for the compliment Jonny!

Toolboxguy, Thats going to be a sweet lil expo rig! Ill hopefully get a thread started up this weekend, but have some fun things planning for the ford. Gauge pillar is sitting in the garage right now and Ill be installing it this weekend! Cant wait!

 

[SLO_F-250]

Hey Guys,

Thought I would post some updates... Still havent had to work on the camper much. I guess that is a good thing since I am out using it!! Again, been concentrating my efforts more on the ole truck, but anyways I thought I would throw up some more picts of recent adventures. What do you think about the new look of the rig?

Camping at Montana de Oro State park. Rode (mountain biked) all weekend long. Had a great time!!

Pict of the "new look"

Then last weekend we made it back up to Pacific Valley. We were able to snag a spot for the weekend at Plaskett Creek Campground. Just my favorite spot! We rode, I surfed, we hiked, and we relaxed! Great weekend!!!

Dinner!

Camp Set up...

A little Sunset action...

Riding some of the fire roads. WOW are they steep!!!

Messing with the camera settings and sipping a cold one. :sombrero:

All in all great trip. I have been very impressed after 2 years of use the old skamper is sure holding up well. Its pretty much dialed in and we are enjoying it a ton!! Nothing really planned but a battery isolator and just keeping it up.

and yes Brett, Im going to get a thread going on the rig one of these days! haha Ill finish it off with two teaser picts of parts sitting in my garage.... :wings:

Cheers,
Paul

 

[ToolBox Guy]

Nice!!


I dig the new "Blacked out" look you have going.

Is that a North Shore rack your using? Can you post some more pics of it set up with the bikes on and closed? If you have any. Thanks.

 

[SLO_F-250]

Nice!!


I dig the new "Blacked out" look you have going.

Is that a North Shore rack your using? Can you post some more pics of it set up with the bikes on and closed? If you have any. Thanks.

Thanks!!

Nope, not a north shore rack. That is where I got the idea, so I fabbed it up myself using a used Yakima swingout as the base. That was so I can keep the bikes on and use the camper. North Shore doesnt have a swingout design yet. I felt that was a big thing I wanted. Plus since we are constantly in and out of our campers, we would have to take all the bikes off, then unhook the rack to use our campers. That is when I decided to grab some metal and my welder. haha

It was a pain, but finally got a good version 1.0. I do have some more picts. Ill get them up soon. I aslo am debating selling it for cheap to the right person. I just find that I never use the 4 bike option and only 2. Might go with standard Thule and make another swingout adapter for the Thule Rack. Well see. Still working on the truck..... haha

 

[Saiyan66]

Hey Paul, just saw this and realized you are just down the hill from me (I'm in A-town). I see that your girl rides too, so we should get together and go mountain biking somewhere. A couple friends and I do MDO pretty regularly but I'm looking to get my wife out riding more so another female along would be great so she doesn't feel like she is the only girl in the group. Also if you need any help with stuff on the truck let me know. I have access to tools and am pretty handy with mechanical stuff. The truck looks great, now just time for some bigger meats!

Tim

 

[xdbx]

Lately, I've been thinking about a vertical tiregate and a tire-based bike rack similar to what you'd find on a wrangler. Thst way youd get your swingout and potential for more. What's your opinion?

For me, I think I can fit my 33" spare on as still get one of my motos on the hitch rack. That's the deal breaker for me. Just measured a "prerunner" style last week and it was much longer than I anticipated making it a no go.

 

[SLO_F-250]

Hey Paul, just saw this and realized you are just down the hill from me (I'm in A-town). I see that your girl rides too, so we should get together and go mountain biking somewhere. A couple friends and I do MDO pretty regularly but I'm looking to get my wife out riding more so another female along would be great so she doesn't feel like she is the only girl in the group. Also if you need any help with stuff on the truck let me know. I have access to tools and am pretty handy with mechanical stuff. The truck looks great, now just time for some bigger meats!

Tim

Hey Tim! Good to meet ya. We can probably set something up soon for sure. Unfortunately I broke 2 of my fingers while racing the XC race at sea otter this past weekend so I am off the bike for a few weeks. Still finished the race at 26th out of 44. Not bad for crashing on mile 3 out of 15! haha My Girl does ride. I built her a bike when we started dating. She is still learning, but having another girl around to ride with is great! I appreciate the offer for help and will keep you in mind. Have much knowledge on the 7.3L powerstroke? I have a small oil leak I am going to try and chase down.

Lately, I've been thinking about a vertical tiregate and a tire-based bike rack similar to what you'd find on a wrangler. Thst way youd get your swingout and potential for more. What's your opinion?

For me, I think I can fit my 33" spare on as still get one of my motos on the hitch rack. That's the deal breaker for me. Just measured a "prerunner" style last week and it was much longer than I anticipated making it a no go.

Dan,

Sorry for not getting back to ya. Personally I do not like the racks that hang bikes by there top tube. Always seems awkward to me, rubs the cables on the frame, and it hard to load more than 2 bikes. I would weld in an adapter to you swing-out for a Thule Rack. This is the one I plan on getting and will have a hitch on the swing out for it to mount to. Its more work, and more $$ but bikes are expensive and I would rather the scratches be from me eating dirt! haha

That is where I am at too. Still trying to figure out what I want to do for the rear bumper. Especially since I plan on going 35's next time I need new rubber. I keep debating on 1, 2, or 3 jerry cans. I rarely stay on dirt long enough to need to fill up on diesel in the sticks, so I would just use them for water, but because of the 8-5 job, 3-4 day weekends are what I use the rig for 95% of the time. I feel like all the add-ons might just be for bling and not function! haha haha Like I said, still debating.

Ill post some picts of the bike rack in the next post.....

 

[SLO_F-250]

Nice!!


I dig the new "Blacked out" look you have going.

Is that a North Shore rack your using? Can you post some more pics of it set up with the bikes on and closed? If you have any. Thanks.

BIKE RACK TIME!!!!

I stumbled across North Shore Racks some time ago. I really liked the design and liked that you could have up to 6 bikes. Only thing was with our pop-ups, every time you needed to get in and out of the camper you would have to take the bikes off, and possibly the rack as well. The design was simple so I figured I would give it a shot. I picked up a used Yakima Swingout rack of Crailslist for $40. It was going to be easier to cut the mounting stuff off and just use the swingout part as a base. From there I built up the rest from scratch.

My version 1.0 had places for 6. I decided to decrease it to 4 as I would probably never use all 6. Version 2.0 is just the modified first one. While it is not pretty, and could use some tweeking, as many other projects, time becomes an issue and the list builds up. So I have just used it for the past year with no complaints.

How the bike's front fork attaches to the rack.

Here you can see I just have pieces of angle with a thule strap for the rear tire seat/attachment.

Rack fully extended.

Folding in. Note that there are two pivot points. This is very important. Only having one will not work. You need the additional one at the end pivot the bike as needed.

Rack Closed

Let me know what you guys think and if there are any questions. I personally love that I can get in and out quickly without taking the bikes off. I can also set up camp, and not even mess with them. They just stay locked up. Quite a handy drying rack too! haha :elkgrin:
Cheers,
Paul

 

[Saiyan66]

I don't have a lot of experience with the 7.3, but have a couple friends that do. Where is your leak at roughly? Does it look like the top of the motor? Front or back?

 

[Ponyracer]

Sharp looking rack man! I'd like to have the 6 bike one for the back of my skamper, but $730!!!! Wow, one more thing to add to the list of items to build!!

 

[ToolBox Guy]

I like the way you set up the rack. Looks like it works great.

Time to get busy desiging something I guess.

 

[SLO_F-250]

I don't have a lot of experience with the 7.3, but have a couple friends that do. Where is your leak at roughly? Does it look like the top of the motor? Front or back?

Tim,
Im not 100% sure where. I plan on cleaning the motor up this weekend and trying to track it down. I would like to do new seals at the high pressure oil pump and rebuild the fuel bowl anyways, so I am hoping the leak is there. If its at the turbo pedestal, then bam, turbo rebuild it is. Probably a good idea anyways with 210k....

Sharp looking rack man! I'd like to have the 6 bike one for the back of my skamper, but $730!!!! Wow, one more thing to add to the list of items to build!!

Thanks! Yea $730 is nuts!! Good luck with the build. It wasnt too bad, but getting the angle of the fork mounts is tough. That was alot of trial and error. Hit me up if you got questions

I like the way you set up the rack. Looks like it works great.

Time to get busy desiging something I guess.

Maybe by the time you get yours built I'll get that dang truck thread going!! haha... 3weeks and counting till the new bike build begins!! :wings:

Got the Warn Grill Guard on. Mabye Ill get a winch to go on it one day. What do you guys thing?