Nice design. I'm very cost sensitive. What did the materials cost?
Isuzu npr 4wd
- Thread starter gator70
- Start date
Nice design. I'm very cost sensitive. What did the materials cost?
Ferjablito
Member
It wasn't cheap, about 1000 euros, I have the plans somewhere
Thank you for being honest. This helps me alot.
My retractables steps, with a aluminum slide out platform, steps following the side of the habitat. Parts alone $520-$540
My labor, and a small charge for a aluminum welder to "tack" the platform aluminium beams to each other. Full welding not required. Since in addition I use pop rivets. This will be a 500lb slide capacity.
Decisions to build – buy a expedition truck
Goals when deciding what platform, and how it should be used.
My goals
Goals when deciding what platform, and how it should be used.
My goals
- Not longer than 23ft
- GVW 14000lbs
- Good ground clearance
- Reasonable fuel economy
- Seating for more than 3
- Sleeping for more than 3
- Able to be off grid for 14-21 days self supported
- Mechanically easy to fix, without overly complicated features
- Four season capable
- At least 100K miles durability before rebuild
- No rust and with good maintenance history
Rear bumper fabrication
Requirements
Tire carrier mount is installed last, due to tail light placement
When mounting bumper on the rear of the Isuzu frame, the factory has left and right bumper brackets that bolt to the frame (four bolts each side). It seems logical to use these, then weld fabricated arms to them with 8 inch 3/16 plate triangular gussets.
The bumper has two 2"X3" 1/4 inch tubes welded to the back side for strength.
Bumper was sourced from smaller school bus.
Requirements
- One spare tire swing away carrier
- Two tail lights
- Tow hitch
- H-lift jack mount
- Bracket for two 20lb propane tanks
Tire carrier mount is installed last, due to tail light placement
When mounting bumper on the rear of the Isuzu frame, the factory has left and right bumper brackets that bolt to the frame (four bolts each side). It seems logical to use these, then weld fabricated arms to them with 8 inch 3/16 plate triangular gussets.
The bumper has two 2"X3" 1/4 inch tubes welded to the back side for strength.
Bumper was sourced from smaller school bus.
Attachments
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Drivers seat replacement
Attached is a diagram how the factory seat looks and works
The seat cushion with frame lifts off for engine access underneath.
I have a replacement seat. Very nice
1) I consider removing the factory bottom seat frame and asking a upholstery shop to replace the cushion with the one from my replacement seat attaching it to the factory seat frame.
2) I plan to retain the slides and seat belt bottom mount
3) For mounting the back of the seat, it seems it all is specific to retaining the left and right hinges. Then pulling back the upholstery in those areas on the replacement seat, and fabricating the left and right mount for the factory seat hinges.
How I approach this engineering, is the discussion I hope to initiate.
Attached is a diagram how the factory seat looks and works
The seat cushion with frame lifts off for engine access underneath.
I have a replacement seat. Very nice
1) I consider removing the factory bottom seat frame and asking a upholstery shop to replace the cushion with the one from my replacement seat attaching it to the factory seat frame.
2) I plan to retain the slides and seat belt bottom mount
3) For mounting the back of the seat, it seems it all is specific to retaining the left and right hinges. Then pulling back the upholstery in those areas on the replacement seat, and fabricating the left and right mount for the factory seat hinges.
How I approach this engineering, is the discussion I hope to initiate.
Attachments
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Progress
(55mm composite panels) Steel frame as subfloor mounted to light underside frame - matched to my CAD subframe design using 5 inch c-channel.
Dimensions 5740 mm x 2200mm x 2100 mm (3700 mm on truck frame design with 440mm aluminum storage box on the rear) Six spring mounts - with dual 1 inch springs providing 5 inch movement on the rear and 3.5 inch movement on the front
All season design with water tanks heated and inside
Cab over trucks have tall cabs, unlike Earthroamers.
(55mm composite panels) Steel frame as subfloor mounted to light underside frame - matched to my CAD subframe design using 5 inch c-channel.
Dimensions 5740 mm x 2200mm x 2100 mm (3700 mm on truck frame design with 440mm aluminum storage box on the rear) Six spring mounts - with dual 1 inch springs providing 5 inch movement on the rear and 3.5 inch movement on the front
All season design with water tanks heated and inside
Cab over trucks have tall cabs, unlike Earthroamers.
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Deleted Member 183
Well-known member
Completely build it up. Drive it off-road for a few years. Learn from your mistakes... Then get back to us!
Quick question, how do you plan to lift the cab when you have a "cab-over" box?
I'm not the first that has a over the cab habitat.
There is large engine access in three hatches inside the cab. (crew cab was not engineered for cab tilt up)
For issues like a complete engine overhaul. The habitat must be lifted off (18 bolts)
The history for this design, is it was a flatbed habitat with four motorized lift jacks for frequent on and off activity. Habitat is fully contained.
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SkiFreak
Crazy Person
Probably should link to the specific video that you want opinions about...
The video I watched is one of their customers explaining the instructions given to them after the purchase.
As a summary, as I understand it, a steel tube is inside the composite panel foam core during the composite panel manufacturing.
Inside the foam core.
Then the customer is told to drill into this tube from the outer surface, and use a 1/2 inch blind fastener.
If I am correct in my understanding, this steel tube, blind fastener and the foam core is the only point this tall 3500 lb structure is bound to. And from what I did see the amount of theses points of connection is limited to ten.
Will that "foam core" hold theses ten fasteners during 60-70mph cross winds on the freeway? Where I live this wind is common.
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rruff
Explorer
There are fiberglass tubes in the core and the steel inserts fit inside this tube, and the bolts thread into these inserts.
I kinda think that if Godzilla grabbed the rig by the camper, picked it up and shook it... that part would be fine.