Isuzu npr 4wd

SkiFreak

Crazy Person
You're only after a rough idea, so I would simply use the formulae for a torus.
Google "volume of a torus" and you will find many online calculators.
 

DzlToy

Explorer
A Monster Valve Power Tank will fill a 37X12.50R17 tire from 15 PSI to 60 PSI in under 60 seconds.




Unless you need to air up and air down on a regular basis, CO2 is the way to go. There aren't any under-hood or small/portable air compressors that will outflow a PowerTank.

12V/24V air compressors make no sense to me. They are loud, expensive and have very low flow rates compared to CO2 or an engine driven compressor.

Years ago, a friend installed a large inverter and 'job site' air compressor in the bed of his rock buggy, something like this IIRC.




You will not find a 12/24V compressor that will output 8 CFM at 90 PSI. He installed a 200A alternator and a 'high-idle' switch to increase engine RPM while the compressor was running.

Oasis Manufacturing makes compressors in the USA and offers an engine driven model (YC-4000) based on a modified York 210 series compressor. The shaft should not exceed 2000 RPM and at 1800 RPM, provides 9+ CFM at 100 PSIG. This engine driven compressor will fill a 5 gallon tank from 0 to 150 PSIG in less than one minute. There isn't a 12VDC compressor in the world that will do this.

So, you must decide, do you want a COTS solution, e.g. VIAIR, ARB, etc., at the expense of time to refill your tires or do you want to air up quickly using a custom solution to obtain this high performance?




You can air up from 20 PSI to 60 PSI on a 35" tire in 38 seconds. You can do this 32 times before needing to refill your 20 lb. Power Tank! The same size tank can also remove 720 lug nuts using a 1/2 in. impact wrench before being empty.
 

gator70

Active member
Building spring brackets

Short bracket is welded to subframe, long bracket bolts to truck frame
 

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gator70

Active member
Sub frame design

5" c-channel with gussets
 

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gator70

Active member
The habitat comes with a matching frame underneath the composite floor. The cad drawing for both dimensionally matches.

The habitat has a subfloor 2" x 4" inner frame, with welded plates for bolt through connection to the frame on the underneath of the composite floor.

18 grade 8 connection bolts over a span of 3700mm x 2200mm

(images not actual , rather for illustration purposes)
 

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gator70

Active member
On the spring brackets theses designs were a inspiration.
 

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gator70

Active member
Crew cab, cab over queen bed is part of the habitat design. The clearance from cab roof to bottom of habitat cab over bed is still in discussion.

We spoke with a builder who used the chev zodiak as a platform and he spaced his at 4 inchs of clearance.

Spring choice with the spring brackets is part of this discussion.

The Isuzu frame twists a good amount.

We want to accommodate more movement mid - to frame end, and mimic cab movement with the spring brackets close to the truck cab.

Earthroamer builds don't seem to have a lot of clearance space.
 
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SkiFreak

Crazy Person
You did not really answer my question, but from your photos I can only assume that you are relying on the bolts that hold your springs to provide all of your stabilization.
 

gator70

Active member
Habitat - Custom made for my build

Composite habitat (Brand New – One year warranty)


  • 5700 mm X 2200mm x 2200mm
  • 3700 mm on frame length
  • Composite thickness 55mm
  • Fully steel frame connected to composite floor/ subfloor
  • Truma stye water heater, space heater
  • Dometic RTX 2000 air conditioner
  • 600 amp hr battery bank
  • 1000 watt solar panels on roof
  • 3000 watt AC inverter
  • Two solar disconnect switches
  • One main battery disconnect
  • Two fuse boxes
  • LCD battery monitor
  • Two water tank gauges
  • Switch panel with 12 switches, various controls
  • 30 amp shore power outlet, with superior automatic transfer switch
  • Huge skylight over bed (with bug screen and retractable shade)
  • Seven opening windows with dual pane (with integrated shades and bug screens)
  • Two large wall mounted exhaust fans, one in dinette area, one in bathroom
  • Two wall mounted small interior circulating fans
  • Cassette toilet, model, bench seat (extra cassette incl - 2 in total)
  • Window in shower, sink in shower
  • Large shower with 6ft 7inch height
  • External outside wall shower
  • Large three bench dinette, retractable dining table, sleeps two
  • Large queen bed, sleeps two
  • High end two gas burner stove
  • Large kitchen sink
  • Exhaust fan over gas burners
  • Seven 110vac outlets (one external), 12, 12volt outlets (two external)
  • Twelve overhead interior lights
  • One entrance door exterior light
  • One exterior door safety handle
  • Full bug screen exterior door
  • Superiors secure exterior door lock
  • 12 volt 75 cubic feet refrigerator, freezer
  • 12 volt microwave
  • 12 interior storage cabinets
  • 3 exterior storage compartments
  • 110 ltr grey water tank
  • 150 ltr freshwater tank
  • 12volt water pump with accumulator
  • One extremely large rear storage box in aluminum with fold down cooking table. (1600mm wide , 880mm tall, 4400mm deep)
  • One full width side retractable awning
  • One full width rear retractable awing
  • 12 external running lights
  • Two full tail lamps
  • Full four camera, four lcd monitor security system
  • Compete perimeter of roof with steel brush guards
  • One professional cab side pass through door
 

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Deleted Member 183

Well-known member
I have to give you an A for ambition!

However as the saying goes: The proof is in the pudding!

How about you first build your rig. Field test it for a year or two. HONESTLY post here on ExPo about your failures (and successes)!

AND THEN START TO PITCH your "pipe dream"!!!

Man I'll tell'ya, myself and a lot of the other OG big adventure truck owners ( with decades of experience) here would have to take off our shoes to count the number of times that guys ( mostly with more dollars than sense) have tried to pull off what you are attempting. And most of them tried while it was in the middle of the expedition vehicle "craze", not after "that ship has sailed"!

BTW: I have not seen one success in my 35 years of owning Casa Azul!

By any chance have you perused the for sale section here on ExPo recently?? LOTS of people trying get out from under their "dream rigs" and selling them for far less then they have into them!
 
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gator70

Active member
I don't know about the expedition vehicle "craze".

What got me started was a trip to the grand canyon with my sons family. We stopped at the Walmart in Page Arizona.

The parking lot was full of Unimogs, Fuso Fg's, and MB medium duty rigs. I got a chance to talk with a few owners, most were not Americans. They told myself and my sons family they sold their house for this lifestyle. This fact, made a impression on me.

What I do know; it was planned that I and those that help me was to build most of this ourselves, with two years of careful planning.

However I pivoted. And outsourced two major builds to suppliers. With warranty.

Mainly to insure a complete and professionally built rig.

To date my biggest responsibilities are the subframe and rear bumper. With many phases of anti theft security systems. And a complete leather seat setup.

As well as the education on making the correct purchase decisions. And a realization that the educated purchase decisions can reduce the total cost by 50%.

And about building the rig. Its done. (went through 100 miles of testing already) As soon as it arrives, I will take pictures.

The habitat, is in production and should be ready in a month. (custom ordered)
 
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gator70

Active member
re: Expedition Vehicle Market

Prices go up and down by the markets economic health. Currently the USA is skirting a recession.

Expeditionmeister.com is a better measure of the market. A minimum purchase is $125K, and is used (1980's) with reasonable future maintenance required. Mostly not composite habitats.

Higher quality and newer with composite habitats is in the $175-$200K range.

Lets assume the sales price is 10% less than the asking price.

And, many require importing costs, est $10K. The USA market has too little examples to know with confidence.

All the F550 platforms we see in the USA start at $250K - to $400K. and in my opinion are inferior platforms.

Then the MB sprinter (cab chassis) platforms are $250K - to $350K and are not really a true 4wd with ground clearance.

NOTE: Some are projects, not finished - they are not part of my numbers above. In my opinion, many buyers are not ready to finish projects. Many buyers shy away from older platforms with obvious future repair surprises.

Chime in !
 
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