In search of the "perfect" camper frame

[IdaSHO]

This is how our back yard firewood reserves normally look come October.

Just ignore the brush/limb pile. That year we removed 4 birch trees from our back yard. Bugs killed them off.

And as for splitting, Ive got it easy, using my grandfathers old splitter that I have rebuilt.

Besides the new Honda motor, it is older than I am.

 

[Ford Prefect]

That looks like a really nice set up.

We use a home built job hanging off the back of my Wife's Uncle's tractor. Takes a bit of time with one up running the thing and one down splitting, but it gets the job done nicely. Mechanical splitter is certainly the way to go though! Sure beats swinging an ax!

I believe he sold some twenty or so cord this summer, plus grabbed four or five for himself. He uses that wood as much as possible, nice to not have to pay to heat the house. All he has to do is buy the permits to cut the dead standing trees, and off we go.

Well I am glad you are getting to use that truck of yours!

I guess you will have to get going on the camper now eah?

 

[IdaSHO]

We are lucky to have a passive solar home, and burn very little firewood compared to most homes around here. This 5 cord of locust should last me roughly 3 years. :victory:

The camper build will start soon enough. Im still gathering parts.

The actual camper construction will start in january. :ylsmoke:

 

[IdaSHO]

Staying on schedule...

I picked up a set of axles for this thing a few months ago. Kingpin D60 front, and Sterling 10.25 rear with matching 3.55 gears.

The D60 is a once and for all fix for the junk D50 TTB this rig has, and the gear change from 4.10s to 3.55s will be a welcomed change. Biggest benefit will be hwy MPG.

Im going through the axles now. They will be completely torn down for paint, seals, joints, and fresh brakes. :ylsmoke:

 

[IdaSHO]

The time is approaching!! The camper construction will start soon after the new-year!

Lately Ive been working on the front axle that will be swapped in.... here are some pics.

The entire thing was torn down for paint, seals, and U-joints. Everything else looked great. Typical of the king-pin D60. Even the kingpin bushing were in great shape.

Ive also been pecking away at the plans in my "spare" time

I have since downgraded the square tube subframe to 1-1/5 .065 square tubing. The walls will be framed with 1-1/2 framing as well, though insulation values will be unchanged... more on that later.

Dropping my framing (steel subframe and wood upper) from 2" to 1-1/2" lessens cost, and sheds a ton of weight. As in, 350# :wings:

here is the final version of the subframe.

Ive even produced a list of EVERY piece of that frame that will be needed for construction. 21 sections in all.

A total of 103' 6-1/2" of square tubing. For a total weight of less than 135lbs.

 

[chris_the_wrench]

I'm aways behind you starting my own aluminum framed camper, but I've thoroughly enjoyed your development.

Please continue to post your build & developments here on expo.

Could you briefly expand on the wood treatment you did for your flatbed deck?

Thanks
-Chris

 

[IdaSHO]

Thanks for the response Chris.

The used motor oil treatment is quite easy. And really, ANY used oil (gear oil, engine oil, ATF, etc... can be used)

Only trick is to thin it. That's where the diesel comes in. It must be thinned to penetrate the wood far enough to protect it. It also helps to do it in direct sunlight, on a warm day.

Most people use a 90:10 ratio. That's 90 parts used oil, 10 parts diesel.

 

[IdaSHO]

Did some brainstorming in sketchup this evening, working out the camper jacks.

1. "off the shelf" jacks are expensive as hell.
2. "off the shelf" jacks do not lower all the way to the ground

My current camper has two scary cable jacks. They are scary because there are only two of them, and because they do not rigidly mount to the camper. They support the camper, and try to kill you int he process :Wow1:


BUT, they do lower all the way down, which is of huge benefit to me. The cable design allows for this, so Im going to build my own cable jacks.

Though they will be

1. rigidly mounted during loading/unloading
2. removeable
3. very stable
4. and there will be FOUR of them.

This is what Ive come up with so far....

The Purple will be a bracket welded to the camper subframe. The dark green is the sliding sleeve, and will bolt to the bracket.

The sleeve will slide on the light green, the jack frame.

The rest is a simple matter of a boat winch, a pulley, and some cable. :ylsmoke:

 

[Ford Prefect]

I like the jacks.

How will they do raising one at a time? Will that cause instability etc?

Lowering all the way to the ground will take forever with four jacks as well. Could you perhaps build a frame that is the full size of the camper but can be disassembled when not in use? Then use two small electric winches from an ATV. Use the cable remotes and you can mount the two winches between two of the posts, with a cable to each from the winch. Then you can raise and lower all of them at the same time, and the ease of use, I should think, would be significantly greater. (Just spitballing)

Love the idea just the same!

Brian

 

[IdaSHO]

Short of electric jacks, these will be no more unstable than any off the shelf camper jack.

Raising and lowering takes time, and you have to do dance from corner to corner. Lowering/raising 4-6 inches as a time.
Which is no different than the two jacks I have right now. And really, they do great, they are just WAY dangerous as there are only two of them.
Loading/unloading with anything more than a 4mph wind is a death sentence.

Simplicity is the name of the game here. I dont need to get any more complicated that this. Nor do i want to add weight/cost.


Doing it this way will also allow me to break them down for transport easy. I plan on stowing 2 of them at all times, to use as stabilizing jacks when camped in storms (wind) :ylsmoke:

 

[chris_the_wrench]

I'm loving your build. I've re-read it a few times since rediscovering it the other day, and I've come up with a couple more questions for you.

I had long ago given up on a "floating" or pivot mounted flatbed, but yours looks pretty solid, functional and yet straight forward.

In regards to the flatbed:
Do you have any idea about the weight?

One place I struggled with, in the design process, long ago when contemplating my own "floating" flatbed was the fuel fillers are fixed to the bed and the tanks are fixed to the frame. Does yours have any issues with that? Does the rubber fuel filler hose accommodate the different movements of the frame and bed?

Thanks
-Chris

 

[IdaSHO]

I weighed the truck with and without the flatbed. Its pretty beefy, weighing nearly 650# But it needs to be so stout in order to survive the duties it performs when the camper isnt loaded.

I bet if you were to make one with the simple goal of hauling a camper you could cut that figure in half.
This bed uses heavy gauge steel, and full 2x6 (1.5 inch thick) decking. Many wood flatbeds use 1x (3/4") thick decking.


The fuel fillers do present a problem. I struggled with them a good deal, made them work, but in the end they still have their issues.

The soft rubber filler hoses flex more than enough to survive the movement of the bed, never get close to being crushed, and isnt a concern.


The biggest issue is slope from the filler neck to the tank. There is VERY little. This proves tricky when filling. Far from impossible, but you have to know what you are doing.

 

[windsock]

Simplicity is the name of the game here. I dont need to get any more complicated that this. Nor do i want to add weight/cost.

Are you going to be carrying a high lift jack in your camping travels? If so, drill a series of holes through the range of expected movement in your posts and bases and use a bolt to pin the leg at the required height you acquire with the high lift. You can lift the camper between legs and this lifts two legs at a time or at each leg as required. No winches, no ropes and using something (high-lift jack) for a multiple purpose.

 

[IdaSHO]

Not going to drag the highlift around my camper, sorry. That thing is just too heavy to do that every time. Plus, if I did use it to lift one side at a time, I would need more jack points.

Having 4 stationary mechanical jacks is safe and simple. :ylsmoke:

 

[HowardH]

At the risk of appearing to hijack this thread I would like to ask a few questions and make some comments.

River boats are not uncomfortable. I can spend days in mine fishing and running the river. :sombrero: BTW how would a Fuso Canter 4x4 pull my boat? Boat and trailer up to 9000 lbs.

I am having difficulty coming to grips with all the negative comments about wood. Wood boats are strong, quiet, light weight, long lasting and durable. I can't imagine a wooden camper being subjected to more and greater stresses then a salt water boat. I understand that many here are opposed to it but you can also find many marine engineers and architects who advocate wood construction. I suspect what we are familiar with plays a greater role in our decisions then we realize or want to admit.

Sometimes we ignore other areas to gain performance while fixated on certain items. While reading all the pro and con comments regarding Idasho's material choices and the alternate suggestions I couldn't help but think/wonder if camper attachment methods and suspension and tire choices wouldn't have a greater effect on the campers durability and longevity then construction materials, assuming proper construction methods were used.

Why wouldn't a camper with an uni-body type shell constructed of plywood epoxied and covered with fiberglass give you a strong light weight finished product? Make walls and cabinets, bed supports etc. all part of the structure to provide support and strength. No need for a framework and you could use thinner plywood on the outside then adhere ridged insulation and another layer of plywood for the inside. Mount it on a flatbed and start using it.