Hummelator Off-road teardrop build
- Thread starter Hummelator
- Start date
Hummelator
Adventurer
Thanks. It's been moving along pretty quick compared to building the actual trailer, which is exciting.
Based on my credit card bill I doubt I will make it out to the BC overland rally this year but should something change I will definitely let you know.
Hummelator
Adventurer
Lights caulked and riveted.
Windows installed.
Didn't make it to the scale today. Figured better to weigh it after jthe windows and door are in, plus I didn't have my spare tire mounted.
I've run out of energy so the door will have to wait until tomorrow or Wednesday
Hummelator
Adventurer
Alright we’ll i would officially call this a functional camper. Not done, but at the point where I could sleep in it.
Got the door installed and door and windows caulked.
Feels pretty awesome to have built this entirely myself. Tomorrow I’m hoping to cleaning the interior and finish the door opening with the duct putty ( actually it’s called duct seal) Thursday and Friday is suppose to rain so I doubt I wil even attempt to do any work on the camper. Over the weekend I will caulk all the seams on the interior and build the frame for the bed platform. Might take it to the scale tomorrow.
I’m on call starting next Thursday but I’d like to try and get it out the following weekend for a shake down run.
Got the door installed and door and windows caulked.
Feels pretty awesome to have built this entirely myself. Tomorrow I’m hoping to cleaning the interior and finish the door opening with the duct putty ( actually it’s called duct seal) Thursday and Friday is suppose to rain so I doubt I wil even attempt to do any work on the camper. Over the weekend I will caulk all the seams on the interior and build the frame for the bed platform. Might take it to the scale tomorrow.
I’m on call starting next Thursday but I’d like to try and get it out the following weekend for a shake down run.
highlandercj-7
Explorer
Nice work! I dig the design.
Hummelator
Adventurer
Thanks all!
Didn't do to much since the last update.
Caulked the inside seams. While it was raining I noticed a leak. Before I sprayed with the Bedliner I didn't caulk all the rivets because I got lazy and thought that the Bedliner would seal it. So today I also caulked the rivets.
Built the supports for my bed platform using wood.
Again I will be using Door sections to span across. The length of the platform is 80".
Will check on Monday if I can find enough matching sections to build the platform. Planning to attach a piano hinge to the section closest to the door so that I can flip it up and access what's stored beneath easier.
Didn't do to much since the last update.
Caulked the inside seams. While it was raining I noticed a leak. Before I sprayed with the Bedliner I didn't caulk all the rivets because I got lazy and thought that the Bedliner would seal it. So today I also caulked the rivets.
Built the supports for my bed platform using wood.
Again I will be using Door sections to span across. The length of the platform is 80".
Will check on Monday if I can find enough matching sections to build the platform. Planning to attach a piano hinge to the section closest to the door so that I can flip it up and access what's stored beneath easier.
Hummelator
Adventurer
Cut the panels down for the bed platform.
Was chatting with a buddy at work and he mentioned how on his last trailer his whole bed pivoted up with the help of some gas springs.
Originally I had planned to just have the last sections pivot but doing the whole platform would make more sense. Well almost the whole platform. I wanted to keep an 80" length on the platform and the sections were all 24" sections so I have three full sections , which will be the pivoting platform part, and an 8" piece of section that is going to stay permanently in place.
I'm going to attach some unistrut to the bottom of the sections that will run the length of the theee panels to mount the gas springs too.
I'm having a hell of a time trying to figur out what size gas strut and where to mount it exactly..
Can anyone with experience chime in on this?
I googled how to calculate a gas spring and came up with a 16 page document on how to calculate everything but it confused me more than it helped me.
I'm guessing the platform will weight around 100# once the unistrut and bedding is accounted for.
Platform is 6'L x 4'8" W x 1 3/4" thick.
Hinge will be on the top side ( likely a piano hinge or similar low profile hinge)
Platform will only pivot up to the window as it won't clear between the windows.
Thanks in advance
Was chatting with a buddy at work and he mentioned how on his last trailer his whole bed pivoted up with the help of some gas springs.
Originally I had planned to just have the last sections pivot but doing the whole platform would make more sense. Well almost the whole platform. I wanted to keep an 80" length on the platform and the sections were all 24" sections so I have three full sections , which will be the pivoting platform part, and an 8" piece of section that is going to stay permanently in place.
I'm going to attach some unistrut to the bottom of the sections that will run the length of the theee panels to mount the gas springs too.
I'm having a hell of a time trying to figur out what size gas strut and where to mount it exactly..
Can anyone with experience chime in on this?
I googled how to calculate a gas spring and came up with a 16 page document on how to calculate everything but it confused me more than it helped me.
I'm guessing the platform will weight around 100# once the unistrut and bedding is accounted for.
Platform is 6'L x 4'8" W x 1 3/4" thick.
Hinge will be on the top side ( likely a piano hinge or similar low profile hinge)
Platform will only pivot up to the window as it won't clear between the windows.
Thanks in advance
Hummelator
Adventurer
Future plans for the build:
- large deep cycle battery
-Small inverter
-mount some marine speakers to outside
-wire exterior lights
- install interior lights ( will use battery powered lights for now )
-Build some sort of storage cabinet between bed platform and rear wall to the left and right of the door.
-slide out kitchen from beneath platform.
-30# propane tank- possibly two as I bought a propane fire pit for when the fire bans inevitably come.
-possibly stabilizer jacks depending on how much the movement of the trailer annoys me
-Small portable heater ( around 400w) for those colder nights
-Finish walls with some sort of automotive carpet- like bed rug
-flooring, possibly Lino in the entry way
-Awning
Plans for this year:
-Window treatments.
-Foam mattress
- large deep cycle battery
-Small inverter
-mount some marine speakers to outside
-wire exterior lights
- install interior lights ( will use battery powered lights for now )
-Build some sort of storage cabinet between bed platform and rear wall to the left and right of the door.
-slide out kitchen from beneath platform.
-30# propane tank- possibly two as I bought a propane fire pit for when the fire bans inevitably come.
-possibly stabilizer jacks depending on how much the movement of the trailer annoys me
-Small portable heater ( around 400w) for those colder nights
-Finish walls with some sort of automotive carpet- like bed rug
-flooring, possibly Lino in the entry way
-Awning
Plans for this year:
-Window treatments.
-Foam mattress
Hummelator
Adventurer
So I gave up on trying to calculate the formula for the gas sprig to figure out how much weight and size and placement and blah blah blah.
I winged it.
Went to princess auto and picked up two 47# gas springs and mounted it where I thought it would be good... and it worked!
Instead of using unistrut to mount to the bottom of the panels I used some aluminum 2x2 which I got for free.
As you can see in the last photo the platform runs into the window frame so I will need to either install some sort of stop on the wall and make up a cable to prevent it from opening to the point of contact of the window.
Also. Took the trailer to the scale this morning.
Overall trailer weight is 1480 LBS give or take 20 LBS
Tongue weight is 200 LBS give or take 20 LBS
It was a roadside scale so it doesn't give you the exact weight- measures in 10 KG increments ( about 22 LBS)
It is much lighter than I was expecting. About 700 LBS lighter.
Going to be taking it BC out this coming weekend.
One of my moms friends passed away in the okanogan and she can't drive long distances with out falling asleep so I'm going to be driving her out... firgured instead paying for a hotel we can camp a few nights ( which she loves to do too) which will work out great.
As for interior lighting, I was reading though eatsleepwoof's KISS thread and saw he used some magnetic rechargeable lights for camping lighting.
I found one on amazon that has a few light setting which should work good.
Who knows. If the light works great I may not even bother with hard wiring interior lights.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B018V6XMC2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I winged it.
Went to princess auto and picked up two 47# gas springs and mounted it where I thought it would be good... and it worked!
Instead of using unistrut to mount to the bottom of the panels I used some aluminum 2x2 which I got for free.
As you can see in the last photo the platform runs into the window frame so I will need to either install some sort of stop on the wall and make up a cable to prevent it from opening to the point of contact of the window.
Also. Took the trailer to the scale this morning.
Overall trailer weight is 1480 LBS give or take 20 LBS
Tongue weight is 200 LBS give or take 20 LBS
It was a roadside scale so it doesn't give you the exact weight- measures in 10 KG increments ( about 22 LBS)
It is much lighter than I was expecting. About 700 LBS lighter.
Going to be taking it BC out this coming weekend.
One of my moms friends passed away in the okanogan and she can't drive long distances with out falling asleep so I'm going to be driving her out... firgured instead paying for a hotel we can camp a few nights ( which she loves to do too) which will work out great.
As for interior lighting, I was reading though eatsleepwoof's KISS thread and saw he used some magnetic rechargeable lights for camping lighting.
I found one on amazon that has a few light setting which should work good.
Who knows. If the light works great I may not even bother with hard wiring interior lights.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B018V6XMC2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Hummelator
Adventurer
Decided to use cables to prevent the platform opening to much as opposed to it bumping into a stop. I know i would continually catch stuff on the stops.
Also,
When I first decided to build the trailer, I bought a few door handles for when I built the doors and hatch.
When they built the door I ordered they used a silver handle for the black door... can’t say enough bad things about vision manufacturing. What a joke of a company.
Anywho... I decided to swap one of my black handles for the silver.
I’m thinking I might pour a little more money into this trailer this year. I would like to take it hunting in the fall so I’m thinking I’d like to get the battery in and I may also pick up a small firman generator.
Also,
When I first decided to build the trailer, I bought a few door handles for when I built the doors and hatch.
When they built the door I ordered they used a silver handle for the black door... can’t say enough bad things about vision manufacturing. What a joke of a company.
Anywho... I decided to swap one of my black handles for the silver.
I’m thinking I might pour a little more money into this trailer this year. I would like to take it hunting in the fall so I’m thinking I’d like to get the battery in and I may also pick up a small firman generator.