Expedition Camper: One view

[haven]

Here's my thinking about the expedition camper, a vehicle for long-term adventure travel.
Chip Haven

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An adventure travel camper is a vehicle designed to be driven safely and reliably over unimproved roads anywhere in the world.

In addition, the camper needs to provide comfortable, self-contained living quarters for at least two travelers for weeks at a time.

While it is possible to travel with a Jeep and a couple of sleeping bags (and many have done so), most people want more comfort, convenience and security on a long journey.

After much experimentation, vehicle builders around the world have arrived at the same conclusion: The dimensions for an adventure travel camper should be 18-23 feet long, 7-8 feet wide, and 9-11 feet tall.

A vehicle with substantially larger dimensions will experience frequent problems with obstacles on primitive roads. If the vehicle is much smaller than this, then the camper is not spacious enough for two people to live in it for an extended period.

Longer means dragging the undercarriage or hanging up when climbing sharp inclines, such as climbing out of a ditch or driving onto a ferry.

Wider creates problems negotiating narrow streets in villages, passing oncoming trucks on narrow roads, and traversing a cliffside path.

Taller means tree limbs, roof eaves, rock overhangs, and old tunnels are obstacles. A taller vehicle also has a higher center of gravity, which can lead to a rollover hazard when traveling across a steep hillside or over very uneven terrain.

 

[haven]

part 2

Expedition camper: One view (continued)

The adventure camper needs four wheel drive or a winch and other recovery equipment for travel under uncertain road conditions.

And the engine should run on diesel fuel, which is cheaper and in more plentiful supply in remote locations.

The weight of truck chassis and camper typically reaches 10,000 lbs. Add in the weight of travelers and their gear, and the total vehicle weight becomes closer to 12,000 lbs. Include a margin of safety, and a medium-duty truck like this Ford F-450 is required.

Another serviceable chassis is a medium duty cab-forward truck like the Mitsubishi Fuso

The Mercedes-Benz Unimog is another popular choice

Compared to a cab-forward truck, the pickup truck-style cab of the F-450 sacrifices some room in the camper. But the powerful engine lets the F-450 travel at high speeds when the road is good. Just be careful not to exceed the speed rating of your tires!

Even though an adventure travel truck has four wheel drive and extra ground clearance, it is not intended for serious off-roading. The vehicle is too large and heavy to pretend to be a Jeep.

In addition, the consequences of getting stuck off-road with a broken rig are severe. It could be many days before a tow vehicle large enough to recover the camper could be found. My expedition camper is intended to be driven where some semblance of a road already exists.

When a rear wheel travels over a bump on a rough road, the truck's frame twists a little. If the camper were firmly attached to the frame, it would be twisted, too. After many miles of travel on rough roads, the twisting motion will damage the camper walls and frame.

The solution is to use a flexible mount that allows the camper to pivot, rather than be forced to absorb the torsional load. Some campers are mounted on springs, others on a mount that pivots.

This camper by Action Mobil shows off a very flexible torsion-free mount. Imagine the stress on the camper if it were not free to pivot parallel with the rear axle.

An expedition camper that meet these criteria is not a new idea. The basic design has been in use since the 1960's.

Today's vehicles, construction materials, and modern appliances make the expedition camper more comfortable and capable than ever.

This cabin on Mercedes-Benz Unimog chassis, designed by Stephen Stewart, meets all the criteria mentioned above.

 

[Christian P.]

very impressive overview. thanks for posting that.

 

[FusoFG]

Chip,

Nice overview of what makes an expedition camper. I pretty much agree with everything.

you said:

"The weight of truck chassis and camper typically reaches 10,000 lbs. Add in the weight of travelers and their gear, and the total vehicle weight becomes closer to 12,000 lbs. Include a margin of safety, and a medium-duty truck like this Ford F-450 is required."

I agree that it requires at least a medium duty truck (class 4 and up).

But it's more about payload than gvwr. I think you need at least 8000 pounds of payload for a camper and gear for 2 people.

Some 4x4 F450s only have 5700 pound payloads. Maybe it's at least an F550.

Tom

 

[taco2go]

Very nice summary, bringing together some familiar photographs, getting the expo juices flowing- made my morning-:wings:
Can't wait for OJ to do a thorough 3 part series

 

[haven]

A second view

Stephen Stewart wrote an lengthy essay to help members of the Silk Road Motorcaravan Club choose an expedition camping vehicle. You can find it here
http://www.xor.org.uk/silkroute/equipment/choosevan.htm

Stephen has experience building a Unimog camper, and then driving more than 90,000 miles across Europe, Asia and South America. He wrote the essay while traveling home from Argentina via cargo ship.

Stephen created a series of web pages describing the process of building his Unimog camper. See them here http://www.unimog.org.uk/mymog/

Chip Haven

 

[theMec]

Excellent overview, Chip.
I have to add though that every one has their own idea of an expedition vehicle. In my case, I need more 4wd capability than the big rigs above. I don't seek out bad roads, I just need to travel them sometimes to get where I'm going in the Western US. I also need speed since I do a lot of weekend trips. As you know, 80mph is common on western interstates. I also don't like to cook inside unless the weather is out of hand. I enjoy the elements in my face.

My idea is a build up of my 3/4 ton Dodge Cummins. Yes, it'll be a modest buildup but I don't have a lot of spare cash. I have a few ideas. I really like something like this Aussie Gadabout:
http://www.gadabout.com.au/index.html
but I won't have the resources to make it look so nice. We'll see.

BTW, what is your expedition truck?
Thanks again!

 

[Chucaro]

Hi mates,
Here in Oz we have this beauty.
http://www.amesz.com.au/view/navigation/59