Gladiator Pop-Up Pass Through Camper Build

[ITTOG]

I have these. Cheap but work just fine.

 

[Mules]

For those of you who don't know Dan Grec, he is the author of The Road Chose Me series of books. He's been watching this forum and I think we almost convinced him to do a Gladiator Expedition build this year, but sadly, he went the Wrangler route.

Great video Dan, but I obviously have a bone to pick with you about not choosing a Gladiator this time






And you forgot to compare to mine! It's pretty nice to easily jump into the Gladiator's back seats. The camper backrest folds flat and the seats slide back giving access to the cab. If the weather is bad, the kids like sitting in the Gladiator back seats, while the wife and I are walking around and cooking in the back.

 

[ITTOG]

For those of you who don't know Dan Grec, he is the author of The Road Chose Me series of books. He's been watching this forum and I think we almost convinced him to do a Gladiator Expedition build this year, but sadly, he went the Wrangler route.

Great video Dan, but I obviously have a bone to pick with you about not choosing a Gladiator this time

Yeah I thought he made a big mistake using the wrangler until I saw his video on why. After seeing that, I think he did make the correct choice. The extra floor space is too valuable and the departure angle is much improved.

 

[Mules]

Yeah I thought he made a big mistake using the wrangler until I saw his video on why. After seeing that, I think he did make the correct choice. The extra floor space is too valuable and the departure angle is much improved.

Alright, you've got me on the departure angle. I have to admit I've dragged the trailer hitch more than once in the dirt.

 

[Mules]

I found a perfect spot for my solar generator, in the sink cabinet. It currently charges off the 400 watt Gladiator inverter. This way, whenever the truck is running, it charges the battery. As long as I drive about an hour a day, this is enough to keep the battery charged and keep my ICECO JP42 fridge running, as well as making coffee and meals on my electric appliances.

If my power supply runs a little low, I just idle the truck when I'm cooking.

On my list is to add a 100 to 200 watt solar panel to the top.

One other note is to not throw away the foam packing material when you get your power supply. It makes a nice trimmable cradle for the power supply, so it doesn't bang around in the cabinet.

 

[Mules]

Mess Kit and cooking:

Mess Kit:

The $7 Harbor Freight tool bag works out nicely for my mess kit, and fits in my kitchen cabinet.

The little round electric pan/griddle pictured also works as an electric plate for my coffee pot. The pockets in the tool bag are great for keeping the utensils organized.

Option #1 Electric:

With this electric setup I don't have to worry about cooking breakfast indoors or cooking indoors if the weather is bad. I can also cook outside on the tailgate if I want.

Option #2 Fire:

I try to carry some charcoal and a hatchet to start a fire in the evenings. It just doesn't feel like camping if I can't cook brats, steaks, or burgers on the campfire at night. I have a small folding cooking grate to put over the fire, if there's not a fire pit available.

Option #3 Cowboy Wok / Discado::

I'm still working on this. It works great for large groups, but is simple too large to lug around if I'm camping by myself. I'd like it a lot more if I got a smaller Disc and a 5lb propane tank. It makes a nice table though and is awesome for fajitas or a big breakfast!

 

[VanIsle_Greg]

Camp setup looks great!

 

[Mules]

Has anyone seen a Gladiator with a Wilco Offset Hitch mounted spare yet? Or has anyone found a reasonably priced swing away hitch mounted spare option? I still want to mount a 38" spare to the back of my Gladiator, but don't want to spend $4,000 to do it.

I'd like the spare to be on the passenger side to offset the weight of my kitchen and water tank on the driver side of my truck. I also don't want to replace my stock gladiator bumper just to mount a spare.

 

[1000arms]

Does anyone have a recommendation for collapsible tent poles. I carry a 10 x 12 tarp in my truck for those rainy days, and need some poles. My ski poles are too short!

If you haven't done so already, I suggest that you search for "adjustable tent poles".

You might also find "driveway markers" for plowing useful. Cut the point off the sharp end, sand to a smooth rounded end, and slip into channels sewn in tents, tarps, and/or webbing. They can be held in a curved shape to give strength and shape a "structure". Two of them could even be taped together at the right length for your camping tarp, then un-taped when you are done (good electrical tape). Or make couplers finding the right diameter rube, cutting to length, and then putting a plug in the middle of the tube.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-72-in-Reflective-Rod-in-Orange-31674/304685893

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-48-in-Reflective-Rod-in-Orange-31474/304685319

 

[Mules]

If you haven't done so already, I suggest that you search for "adjustable tent poles".

You might also find "driveway markers" for plowing useful. Cut the point off the sharp end, sand to a smooth rounded end, and slip into channels sewn in tents, tarps, and/or webbing. They can be held in a curved shape to give strength and shape a "structure". Two of them could even be taped together at the right length for your camping tarp, then un-taped when you are done (good electrical tape). Or make couplers finding the right diameter rube, cutting to length, and then putting a plug in the middle of the tube.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-72-in-Reflective-Rod-in-Orange-31674/304685893

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-48-in-Reflective-Rod-in-Orange-31474/304685319

Thanks! I already picked up some new tent poles, but these 6ft rods have me thinking of all sorts of possibilities for awnings.

 

[1000arms]

Thanks! I already picked up some new tent poles, but these 6ft rods have me thinking of all sorts of possibilities for awnings.

View attachment 785734

You are welcome.

 

[Mules]

I'm still interested in building a 270 awning for my camper, but for now I created this cheap tarp system for about $35 plus some tent spikes I already had. I bought heavy duty screw together tent poles because the pieces were short enough to get in this small tool bag.

$7 tool bag
$12 10' x 12' tarp
$15 screw together tent poles
Rope, bungees, and tent spikes

 

[ITTOG]

Check out this DIY 270 Awning. Looks nice.

 

[dstefan]

Here’s how I made an awning for my old rig. Still use it on my Ovrlnd camper sometimes. Just added awning track on sides and back.

Here you go: https://www.busdepot.com/a7905 Sorry, I see I had a typo in the name! Didja find a lot of beer or some new friends?? ?
Its a good ripstop fabric, semi-opaque, reflective (in the grey color) about 8’ square. It comes with a ridiculous amount of heavy formed steel poles that go around the perimeter and two support poles with clips to attach to a VW van gutter as well as two 11’ or 13’ heavy shock corded fiberglass poles to form the dome shape. Takes about an hour to setup that way. Holds in hurricanes up to level 4!

Throw all that ********t away, except the fabric. Buy 8’ of Keder strip from Sailrite, or your favorite local Keder strip emporium. Find somebody to sew it on one edge - regular sewing machines cant handle it. I got a local awning shop to do it for $20, and have also had a local shoe repair shop do it on another project (gutter for my 23Zero).

The awning fabric has interior corner flaps that velcro together for their silly perimeter pole system. I sewed by hand one side shut on each to form a pocket. Better to have whoever sews your Keder on do that for you, but I didn't realize in time. Not hard, but you need a real HD needle and a thimble.

Ask the Amazon Fairy to leave these at your door:

I don’t recall, but I think I needed either roughly 11 or 13 foot lengths to form the cross pieces that dome up the center. Figure that out, or in a day or two I can measure mine, and reduce the length of the shock corded poles (real easy to remove a section and cut one to exact length with a hacksaw as the end ferrules are held by the shock cord and pop out real easily).

Set up by sliding the awning in the track and putting the shock corded poles in the interior pockets you sewed and add your favorite awning poles. If you can tension out your awning poles the way I described in my first reply you can get away with no guylines or stakes if its not too windy. REI carries some real nice telescoping poles if you need them.

Nemo and others have similar awnings for about the same price, but they’re rectangular or narrowed to fit an SUV backhatch width. I really like the width and depth of my setup better for shade. The awning itself is really well made Has 2-3“ drop down sides and velcroed flaps on the inside edges you could attach a wall to, etc.

Hope that helps. It sounds more complicated than it is to do. Here’s a better picture from my old rig. You can sort of see how the tailgate cables help spread the poles.

View attachment 717222

 

[Mules]

Here’s how I made an awning for my old rig. Still use it on my Ovrlnd camper sometimes. Just added awning track on sides and back.

You're the man! Nice DIY awning.