Croix's Tent Trailer Build - something a little different
- Thread starter croix
- Start date
jdavis - i saw that apache come up on CL and almost jumped on it myself. pretty sure bringing home another project before finishing this one would have been bad for the marriage 
helluva deal for you though. should be a cool project. if you have any questions i will do what i can to help. good luck.
helluva deal for you though. should be a cool project. if you have any questions i will do what i can to help. good luck.Last weekend I got the rivnuts installed into the frame for mounting the body, and installed the Tekonsha Prodigy P2 brake controller with new 7 wire plug in my Jeep. I have some pictures, but trust me... photos of rivnuts aren't very exciting
I also got the door on the driver side of the body out, cut it in half, and started welding the sheet metal back in place to fill the area covered by the new fenders and larger tires. I should get that wrapped this weekend so I can get the body prepped for paint. I've been unable to find a rattle can paint that matches the Jeep closely enough so I'm afraid I will have to pay for spray. I've been trying to avoid that cost, but I don't think I'll be happy if it doesn't match exactly. It may be the old submariner in me, but I've considered painting it some off the wall color just to see how many people in the forum would lose their mind when it doesn't match the tow vehicle
Friday I will order fender flares, a stabilizer for the tongue, some components for wiring the trailer, and a dimple die. I will get the 1" steel for building the inside storage frames locally. Should be a busy couple weeks coming up.
-croix
I also got the door on the driver side of the body out, cut it in half, and started welding the sheet metal back in place to fill the area covered by the new fenders and larger tires. I should get that wrapped this weekend so I can get the body prepped for paint. I've been unable to find a rattle can paint that matches the Jeep closely enough so I'm afraid I will have to pay for spray. I've been trying to avoid that cost, but I don't think I'll be happy if it doesn't match exactly. It may be the old submariner in me, but I've considered painting it some off the wall color just to see how many people in the forum would lose their mind when it doesn't match the tow vehicle
Friday I will order fender flares, a stabilizer for the tongue, some components for wiring the trailer, and a dimple die. I will get the 1" steel for building the inside storage frames locally. Should be a busy couple weeks coming up.
-croix
Ovis Canis
Observer
That is looking great. Can't wait to see more.
I've been busy
So it's been quite a while since I've updated this thread, but I've been busy and managed to get some pics along the way. It may take a couple of post to get caught up but here goes...
I added some universal fender flares. Partly to protect the edge of my sheet metal fenders, and partly to get full coverage of the tires.
I mounted a junction box for all of the wiring and routed the cable through the tongue. I had to pull the cable later for some welding, but it's all back in place now.
This is the first frame that I built for the interior storage. This trailer is SMALL so there's not a lot of storage space. I'm limited to about 12.5" high on one side and 13.5" on the other side.
The outside access door had to be cut in half to make room for the fenders and bigger tires. Being new at welding, things got a little carried away and there was some warping of the sheet metal. My neighbor had to rescue me with a relief cut and some better welds. The new smaller door still has some small alignment issues, but nothing a flapper disk can't fix.
This is the first functional test of the air bags. You can see some forward/aft alignment issues due to rotation of the drop axle. Later on I added another tie in to the top of the axle to prevent this and fix the alignment issue. Still... it was a pretty exciting day to see the suspension in action.
Next post - paint goes on and the body gets mounted to the frame - much happiness ensues
So it's been quite a while since I've updated this thread, but I've been busy and managed to get some pics along the way. It may take a couple of post to get caught up but here goes...
I added some universal fender flares. Partly to protect the edge of my sheet metal fenders, and partly to get full coverage of the tires.
I mounted a junction box for all of the wiring and routed the cable through the tongue. I had to pull the cable later for some welding, but it's all back in place now.
This is the first frame that I built for the interior storage. This trailer is SMALL so there's not a lot of storage space. I'm limited to about 12.5" high on one side and 13.5" on the other side.
The outside access door had to be cut in half to make room for the fenders and bigger tires. Being new at welding, things got a little carried away and there was some warping of the sheet metal. My neighbor had to rescue me with a relief cut and some better welds. The new smaller door still has some small alignment issues, but nothing a flapper disk can't fix.
This is the first functional test of the air bags. You can see some forward/aft alignment issues due to rotation of the drop axle. Later on I added another tie in to the top of the axle to prevent this and fix the alignment issue. Still... it was a pretty exciting day to see the suspension in action.
Next post - paint goes on and the body gets mounted to the frame - much happiness ensues
Paint and body mounting
The body was primed with black and then about 6 rattle cans of rustoleum rust-stop gloss merlot were applied to the sides in two coats. In the shade, this is a perfect match for my Jeep. In the sunlight... not so much (which you will see later). You might notice how hazy this picture looks. We had three rattle cans going at a time and the garage got pretty... well... hazy.
You can see in this pic that the storage frames are done. They were hit with the merlot as well. They will all be covered eventually, but we had plenty of paint and figured a little extra rust protection couldn't hurt.
This is why I had to pull the cable out of the tongue. Welded a stabalizer in place. I went with the stabilizer instead of a jack because it's simple and cheap. The trailer is so light that I can lift the tongue with one hand while I line up the receiver on the Jeep with the other so I didn't feel like I needed a jack. Later on when I add water tanks etc. I may have to re-address this decision, but as long as I keep the balance right I think I'll be good.
This is the piece I added to correct the air bag alignment issue. It's crude but effective and easy to remove/replace/upgrade if necessary.
And here it is mounted to the frame behind the Jeep with no air in the bags. You can see what I mean by "not so much" regarding color in the sunlight. It's close enough for me.
Back end. I'm really happy with overall height and track width. Track width is actually within 1/8" of the Jeep.
Next post - electrical and other details.
-croix
The body was primed with black and then about 6 rattle cans of rustoleum rust-stop gloss merlot were applied to the sides in two coats. In the shade, this is a perfect match for my Jeep. In the sunlight... not so much (which you will see later). You might notice how hazy this picture looks. We had three rattle cans going at a time and the garage got pretty... well... hazy.
You can see in this pic that the storage frames are done. They were hit with the merlot as well. They will all be covered eventually, but we had plenty of paint and figured a little extra rust protection couldn't hurt.
This is why I had to pull the cable out of the tongue. Welded a stabalizer in place. I went with the stabilizer instead of a jack because it's simple and cheap. The trailer is so light that I can lift the tongue with one hand while I line up the receiver on the Jeep with the other so I didn't feel like I needed a jack. Later on when I add water tanks etc. I may have to re-address this decision, but as long as I keep the balance right I think I'll be good.
This is the piece I added to correct the air bag alignment issue. It's crude but effective and easy to remove/replace/upgrade if necessary.
And here it is mounted to the frame behind the Jeep with no air in the bags. You can see what I mean by "not so much" regarding color in the sunlight. It's close enough for me.
Back end. I'm really happy with overall height and track width. Track width is actually within 1/8" of the Jeep.
Next post - electrical and other details.
-croix
Electrical and other details
Tail lights and license plate installed. Also put the original rear stabilizers on - I love those things and I'm still trying to work out a way for the original front stabs to mount up.
Electrical all run through wire loom inside the frame. You can also see in this pic the corrected angle on the air bags. Oh yeah... LOVE the air bags :victory:
Even threw the first stickers on for some bling
New shorter outer access door. Still need to touch up paint part of this. You can also see the side marker light mounted (not yet wired).
The compressor for the air bags will be mounted in the tongue box (which I will buy this Friday). For testing/setup purposes it is a jumbled mess of air lines and wires. The good news... overnight air leak test indicates that I am leak-free. No decrease in ride height and pressures are the same for both left and right bags.
This is the control for the air bags; mounted just inside the outer access door. It is from an old Rancho RCX kit (so is the compressor) that I got from a buddy that never installed it. It's designed to split front and rear but I split left and right. This way I should be able to level the trailer when parked on uneven ground. The trailer gets lowered before setup so that the rear door reaches the ground at the right angle, and then raised to ride height before hittin the trail. Height is adjustable from 3.75" (bump stops) to 9" (shocks limit upward travel). Air lines and wires are jumbled here too - until I get the tongue box and can get final lengths before tidying up.
Wire through the tongue and plug installed. If anyone ever tells you that wiring a trailer is fun, just go ahead and call them a liar. Maybe even ********** them. There are like four different "standards" for wiring a 7-way plug. Blue wire is for trailer brakes... oh wait... there is no blue wire in this cable... aghhh. Nevertheless, everything worked when I was done.
Tonight I start on the interior. I'll be getting the insulation in and skinning the storage boxes. Then I should be able to get the beds installed and tent back on. Getting close to camp ready. Halle-friggin-lujah!
Tail lights and license plate installed. Also put the original rear stabilizers on - I love those things and I'm still trying to work out a way for the original front stabs to mount up.
Electrical all run through wire loom inside the frame. You can also see in this pic the corrected angle on the air bags. Oh yeah... LOVE the air bags :victory:
Even threw the first stickers on for some bling
New shorter outer access door. Still need to touch up paint part of this. You can also see the side marker light mounted (not yet wired).
The compressor for the air bags will be mounted in the tongue box (which I will buy this Friday). For testing/setup purposes it is a jumbled mess of air lines and wires. The good news... overnight air leak test indicates that I am leak-free. No decrease in ride height and pressures are the same for both left and right bags.
This is the control for the air bags; mounted just inside the outer access door. It is from an old Rancho RCX kit (so is the compressor) that I got from a buddy that never installed it. It's designed to split front and rear but I split left and right. This way I should be able to level the trailer when parked on uneven ground. The trailer gets lowered before setup so that the rear door reaches the ground at the right angle, and then raised to ride height before hittin the trail. Height is adjustable from 3.75" (bump stops) to 9" (shocks limit upward travel). Air lines and wires are jumbled here too - until I get the tongue box and can get final lengths before tidying up.
Wire through the tongue and plug installed. If anyone ever tells you that wiring a trailer is fun, just go ahead and call them a liar. Maybe even ********** them. There are like four different "standards" for wiring a 7-way plug. Blue wire is for trailer brakes... oh wait... there is no blue wire in this cable... aghhh. Nevertheless, everything worked when I was done.
Tonight I start on the interior. I'll be getting the insulation in and skinning the storage boxes. Then I should be able to get the beds installed and tent back on. Getting close to camp ready. Halle-friggin-lujah!
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Interior and tent install
My little tent trailer is almost camp ready, which is cool since I have to use it in about three weeks. All I really have left is the tongue box (will be delivered Friday), which will allow me to permanently mount the battery and air compressor. Then I can tidy up the last of the wiring, do some touch-up painting here and there, and pack it as full as I can with camp gear. Now for some progress pics:
Initial insulation fitting - some pieces had to come out and get trimmed to make room for cabinet facing. I used the highest R-Value that I could get locally (3.something) in a 1/2" (floor & beds) and 1" (walls) polystyrene. It's not a lot of insulation, but plain sheet steel has a MUCH lower R-value so I'll take the improvement.
Cabinet facing installed. I used inexpensive 1/8" hardboard. I'm sure that sooner or later it will absorb moisture and become useless, but the stuff is light, cheap, and fairly easy to work with. The flexibility and ease of cutting/carving/whittling was useful when trying to fit square sheets into a 50+ year old trailer with less than straight lines. When it does fail due to moisture I'm only out $24 and I can use them as templates.
Storage doors installed and faces painted the same "Soft Iron" color as the trailer frame. Had to add some reinforcing pieces to hardboard to keep the doors straight and fit the openings. Turned out "OK". They are functional but kinda sloppy. This is an area that I will spend more time on when I replace the cheap hardboard.
In a nod the trailer origins I re-installed the original "Vacationeer" plaque.
I got my bottle opener mounted. A good friend of mine brought this back from the Silver Gulch Brewing Co. in Anchorage Alaska. I think it looks pretty good
Next post - it starts to look like a camper.
-croix
My little tent trailer is almost camp ready, which is cool since I have to use it in about three weeks. All I really have left is the tongue box (will be delivered Friday), which will allow me to permanently mount the battery and air compressor. Then I can tidy up the last of the wiring, do some touch-up painting here and there, and pack it as full as I can with camp gear. Now for some progress pics:
Initial insulation fitting - some pieces had to come out and get trimmed to make room for cabinet facing. I used the highest R-Value that I could get locally (3.something) in a 1/2" (floor & beds) and 1" (walls) polystyrene. It's not a lot of insulation, but plain sheet steel has a MUCH lower R-value so I'll take the improvement.
Cabinet facing installed. I used inexpensive 1/8" hardboard. I'm sure that sooner or later it will absorb moisture and become useless, but the stuff is light, cheap, and fairly easy to work with. The flexibility and ease of cutting/carving/whittling was useful when trying to fit square sheets into a 50+ year old trailer with less than straight lines. When it does fail due to moisture I'm only out $24 and I can use them as templates.
Storage doors installed and faces painted the same "Soft Iron" color as the trailer frame. Had to add some reinforcing pieces to hardboard to keep the doors straight and fit the openings. Turned out "OK". They are functional but kinda sloppy. This is an area that I will spend more time on when I replace the cheap hardboard.
In a nod the trailer origins I re-installed the original "Vacationeer" plaque.
I got my bottle opener mounted. A good friend of mine brought this back from the Silver Gulch Brewing Co. in Anchorage Alaska. I think it looks pretty good
Next post - it starts to look like a camper.
-croix
Looks like a camper
After spending as much time as I had on the interior working in cramped spaces with tiny screws, I was really glad to begin outside work. Not to mention, this is the point where it all really comes together and looks like it should.
Beds going in. I used 3M Super 77 adhesive spray to hold the 1/2" insulation under the beds. That stuff works pretty good... and fast
And here it is with the tent installed. Almost forgot how good this canvas is (only used twice).
Interior shot.
All buttoned up with cover installed.
When the tongue box arrives Friday I will wrap up some details and be "Camp Ready". It nowhere near done, but I will at least be able to camp in it. I'll probably work on my Jeep for a few months, but after that the trailer will get two 10 gallon water tanks, power distribution, solar, heater, hot water, etc. It's going to be tough to get all that stuff in this tiny camper. Comparing the size of this trailer to a regular pop-up tent camper is kinda like comparing car camping to backpacking. When backpacking you only take what you need and minimize size and weight of everything. The same applies to a trailer that is 48"x76"x16". Looking forward to makin it work :victory:
-croix
After spending as much time as I had on the interior working in cramped spaces with tiny screws, I was really glad to begin outside work. Not to mention, this is the point where it all really comes together and looks like it should.
Beds going in. I used 3M Super 77 adhesive spray to hold the 1/2" insulation under the beds. That stuff works pretty good... and fast
And here it is with the tent installed. Almost forgot how good this canvas is (only used twice).
Interior shot.
All buttoned up with cover installed.
When the tongue box arrives Friday I will wrap up some details and be "Camp Ready". It nowhere near done, but I will at least be able to camp in it. I'll probably work on my Jeep for a few months, but after that the trailer will get two 10 gallon water tanks, power distribution, solar, heater, hot water, etc. It's going to be tough to get all that stuff in this tiny camper. Comparing the size of this trailer to a regular pop-up tent camper is kinda like comparing car camping to backpacking. When backpacking you only take what you need and minimize size and weight of everything. The same applies to a trailer that is 48"x76"x16". Looking forward to makin it work :victory:
-croix
Mark Harley
Expedition Leader
Very nice results!
Thanks for the kind words. It's not "expo" worthy yet but almost camp worthy. The tongue box is supposed to be delivered today so I can get the battery and air compressor permanently mounted. That should wrap it up for its inaugural trip in a few weeks. I tidied up the wiring last night and got the electric brakes connected and adjusted. I wasn't sure that such a small trailer needed the brakes but after testing last night I'm glad I got them.
Over the next several months I will be working on the "expo" worthiness. It will get two 10 gallon water tanks, water pump, water heater, electrical distribution/converter panel, shore power connection, inverter, solar, propex heater, two propane tanks, and now that I have a welder I'm working on a design for a removable rack. I'd like to say that it will be done at that point, but based on what I've seen here they are never really "done"
Over the next several months I will be working on the "expo" worthiness. It will get two 10 gallon water tanks, water pump, water heater, electrical distribution/converter panel, shore power connection, inverter, solar, propex heater, two propane tanks, and now that I have a welder I'm working on a design for a removable rack. I'd like to say that it will be done at that point, but based on what I've seen here they are never really "done"
DonBeasley
Adventurer
Thanks for the kind words. It's not "expo" worthy yet but almost camp worthy. The tongue box is supposed to be delivered today so I can get the battery and air compressor permanently mounted. That should wrap it up for its inaugural trip in a few weeks. I tidied up the wiring last night and got the electric brakes connected and adjusted. I wasn't sure that such a small trailer needed the brakes but after testing last night I'm glad I got them.
Over the next several months I will be working on the "expo" worthiness. It will get two 10 gallon water tanks, water pump, water heater, electrical distribution/converter panel, shore power connection, inverter, solar, propex heater, two propane tanks, and now that I have a welder I'm working on a design for a removable rack. I'd like to say that it will be done at that point, but based on what I've seen here they are never really "done"
OK "expo worthy" is a broad term and means anything from a $99 Wally tent to a $.5M rig---everyone has a different definition. Mine is that your rig has some of your long hours and a few drops of your blood on the rig and I am absolutely sure yours meets that definition.
You are right that they are never done. They go into hiberation for a while, sometimes, but they always come back to life so that we can have fun with them.
Keep the pictures coming.