DesertDreaming
New member
Looking to convert a flatbed into an overland camper. I'm going to be starting with an existing 10x7 flatbed frame (about the same footprint as a small Scamp) and lengthen it to a 13x7 (about the same footprint as a medium Scamp). Hoping to build light and end up under 2000lb, on a 3500lb axle. This will require swapping to a sprung axle and repositioning it for proper weight distribution. The axle I want to put on has 5 on 4.5 lugs.
So, working from the ground up, I'm thinking about wheels and tires. We've got 31" tires on the jeep, and I want to at least match the jeep's ground clearance. I measured somewhere around 8-9" from the ground to the bottom of the differential. With a 2 3/4" trailer axle, I should need only 23" tires to achieve the same ground clearance. I do want a tire that is essentially an all-terrain tire. Good on the highway, tough enough for the trail. If I use the same size tires on this trailer as the jeep, it will sit too high to open the rear gate with the trailer attached.
So I'm looking for what wheel/tire options make the most sense. I'd like to save money where possible, but I really didn't find any ATR tires that small. So I think we're looking for tires somewhere between around 25-28", and the right wheels to go with them, but for this application I'm happy with any recommendation that is affordable and durable enough for the application.
I'm also up to my ears in ideas for the walls, floor and roof. NO wood on this build. I'm currently thinking of an aluminum frame, insulated with rockwool, with fiberglass or FRP panels inside and out, and conduits for electrical etc. This seems to make sense in my head. But when I start thinking about how I would install doors windows and fixtures I start to get a little woozy. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. This project is in the "back of the napkin" stage.
So, working from the ground up, I'm thinking about wheels and tires. We've got 31" tires on the jeep, and I want to at least match the jeep's ground clearance. I measured somewhere around 8-9" from the ground to the bottom of the differential. With a 2 3/4" trailer axle, I should need only 23" tires to achieve the same ground clearance. I do want a tire that is essentially an all-terrain tire. Good on the highway, tough enough for the trail. If I use the same size tires on this trailer as the jeep, it will sit too high to open the rear gate with the trailer attached.
So I'm looking for what wheel/tire options make the most sense. I'd like to save money where possible, but I really didn't find any ATR tires that small. So I think we're looking for tires somewhere between around 25-28", and the right wheels to go with them, but for this application I'm happy with any recommendation that is affordable and durable enough for the application.
I'm also up to my ears in ideas for the walls, floor and roof. NO wood on this build. I'm currently thinking of an aluminum frame, insulated with rockwool, with fiberglass or FRP panels inside and out, and conduits for electrical etc. This seems to make sense in my head. But when I start thinking about how I would install doors windows and fixtures I start to get a little woozy. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. This project is in the "back of the napkin" stage.
