DRE's New FWC Project
- Thread starter elmo_4_vt
- Start date
2012Taco
AlumEscape
I'm sure a FT900 would be crazy to work on.
The rear was finished today, Looks nice, but I hope the front settles a bit. Still need to adjust the steering linkage to re-center the steering wheel.
Don
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So what's next? Exhaust and intake? Flatbed?
elmo_4_vt
Explorer
Ordered a blue-tooth double-din stereo last night as that was one thing that always annoyed me in the old truck, not being able to listen to music while driving in the sticks. This will also allow me to hook up a rear view camera to use while trying to back up this thing.
As far as the exhaust and intake, I'm going to hold off on the exhaust until after the flat bed, so I know how everything lines up. The intake will probably happen sometime in January though.
Now for the flatbed... I actually just made the order through Main Line Overland today for a Alum-Line unit. 8'-6", full width box on the top, and two under-body boxes. Very similar to the one shown above on the Dodge:
6-week delivery they say.
Don
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2012Taco
AlumEscape
Ordered a blue-tooth double-din stereo last night as that was one thing that always annoyed me in the old truck, not being able to listen to music while driving in the sticks. This will also allow me to hook up a rear view camera to use while trying to back up this thing.
As far as the exhaust and intake, I'm going to hold off on the exhaust until after the flat bed, so I know how everything lines up. The intake will probably happen sometime in January though.
Now for the flatbed... I actually just made the order through Main Line Overland today for a Alum-Line unit. 8'-6", full width box on the top, and two under-body boxes. Very similar to the one shown above on the Dodge:
6-week delivery they say.
Don
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Nice, lots of storage with that bed setup.
Good call on holding off on the exhaust. Speaking of, I know you'll be losing the underbody tire so if you weren't putting anything else under there like a water tank or something you may want to consider routing the exhaust out the rear driverside. This would keep fumes away from the cabin door and awning area on idle.
They wanted to put a bumper on my flatbed too. But when I pointed out the Hawk overhangs the bed by 12" and renders a bumper and "steps" useless the company building the bed went along with it. Saved weight and a few bucks and I think looks "cleaner".
NOTE: Wisdom of hindsight: I should have made the bed 1 1/2" shorter at the back.
NOTE: Wisdom of hindsight: I should have made the bed 1 1/2" shorter at the back.
elmo_4_vt
Explorer
I figured the bumper wouldn't add much, but will hopefully be the first thing hit by a car, and be more easily replaceable or fixable. How long is the bed portion of yours?
Don
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Too cold and dark to go measure Don but the final sheet we wound up with says 80" and I had to fight to get that. But at least with the 2012 Ram 2500 frame we could have gone to 78 1/2" or 79" without touching the frame and wound up right where the camper starts its "upsweep". (To be fair FWC is "vague" on the overall length of the flatbed hawk as in "78"-80") I did have a 1" square section of thickwall tubing welding across the front of the flatbed as a "stop" in the case of a serious accident.
Mat Mobile
Adventurer
Subscribed. :drool:
P.S. Nice bed design with the angled back.
P.S. Nice bed design with the angled back.
elmo_4_vt
Explorer
Just a small update while I'm waiting for things to show up for the truck and FWC. The ARB bumper and flatbed should be here within a week or so, and I finally got an update on camper delivery as the 1st or 2nd week of March. Starting to get close. I'm still trying to figure out what the next mods are for the truck, and am thinking that I'll try a programmer with a mild program (60hp and 100ft/lb), and the corresponding intake and exhaust system. I still want to re-gear for the larger tires, but that will get pushed a little while funds in my toy budget rebound.
Since I'm waiting though, I figured I'd take the time to post up some information about the trailer I plan to be towing when camping if we need to bring a lot of stuff. I really like enclosed trailers when possible in order keep contents dry and more secure. Since I'm trying to sell my current cargo trailer, turned camper, I set our looking to see what else I could find that would fit our needs. Mostly, I needed something that could fit either my large bike (Super Tenere) or two dirt bikes (mine and my son's) as well as have a setup for an outdoor kitchen. The kitchen part is important for us. I'm not a big fan of cooking in the camper unless I have to do to condensation and smells, and my wife stated that she won't want to cook if she has to be separated from everyone else. I called around to a few places and wasn't having much luck find what I was looking for, and it looked like I was going to have to build it myself. Luckily though, looking through the trailer section here, I found what I thought would be perfect for this. A company in Montrose Michigan that makes custom aluminum trailers that seemed like a good fit and their pricing was good. The trailer that I saw belongs to member "dcg141":
My drawing already looked a bit like that, but just with the wheels recessed into the body and the front opening a little larger. Adding a picture of his trailer to make sure the company understood what I was talking about and we have this spec sheet:
They have been great to work with so far, and sent me some progress pictures today:
I'll keep sharing pictures as they come. Hopefully picking up the trailer will be the first trip in the new camper in late March.
Don
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Since I'm waiting though, I figured I'd take the time to post up some information about the trailer I plan to be towing when camping if we need to bring a lot of stuff. I really like enclosed trailers when possible in order keep contents dry and more secure. Since I'm trying to sell my current cargo trailer, turned camper, I set our looking to see what else I could find that would fit our needs. Mostly, I needed something that could fit either my large bike (Super Tenere) or two dirt bikes (mine and my son's) as well as have a setup for an outdoor kitchen. The kitchen part is important for us. I'm not a big fan of cooking in the camper unless I have to do to condensation and smells, and my wife stated that she won't want to cook if she has to be separated from everyone else. I called around to a few places and wasn't having much luck find what I was looking for, and it looked like I was going to have to build it myself. Luckily though, looking through the trailer section here, I found what I thought would be perfect for this. A company in Montrose Michigan that makes custom aluminum trailers that seemed like a good fit and their pricing was good. The trailer that I saw belongs to member "dcg141":
My drawing already looked a bit like that, but just with the wheels recessed into the body and the front opening a little larger. Adding a picture of his trailer to make sure the company understood what I was talking about and we have this spec sheet:
They have been great to work with so far, and sent me some progress pictures today:
I'll keep sharing pictures as they come. Hopefully picking up the trailer will be the first trip in the new camper in late March.
Don
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elmo_4_vt
Explorer
Another small update... The flat bed is done and shipping out this weekend. So this weekend I'll be taking off the old bed and rear bumper so that I can be ready for setting the new next week! I still have to figure out how to wire in the existing backup alarm and the new rear view camera, but hopefully that should be pretty apparent once I dig into it. Anyone need a new 8' pickup bed or very clean bumper?
The bed ready for delivery. Looks very nice from the pictures. Hopefully all the dimensions are on:
Don
-
The bed ready for delivery. Looks very nice from the pictures. Hopefully all the dimensions are on:
Don
-
2012Taco
AlumEscape
Another small update... The flat bed is done and shipping out this weekend. So this weekend I'll be taking off the old bed and rear bumper so that I can be ready for setting the new next week! I still have to figure out how to wire in the existing backup alarm and the new rear view camera, but hopefully that should be pretty apparent once I dig into it. Anyone need a new 8' pickup bed or very clean bumper?
The bed ready for delivery. Looks very nice from the pictures. Hopefully all the dimensions are on:
Don
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That bed looks amazing.
Arya Ebrahimi
Adventurer
Dude, I feel like I am always one step behind you. First the utility body camper, now this. I guess I'm 2 steps behind you now since I didn't go the enclosed trailer route haha. I've been doing a ton of research on FWCs and ATCs various flatbed options. I've got a '15 F250 CCLB that I want to do very similar things to, although I think I would go with the Granby or equivalent from ATC.