Isuzu npr 4wd

[rruff]

I figure that you would have to be young and have no mobility or disability issues.....

If you were young, I think the lack of space for "extracurricular activities" would be a big negative as well... YMMV.

 

[gator70]

If you were young, I think the lack of space for "extracurricular activities" would be a big negative as well... YMMV.

There are two separate double bed sleeping spaces.

Only one is over the truck cab.

( the dimensions were my choice to lower the mounting height on the habitat - and there is a huge roof hatch above bunk bed)

 

[gator70]

My truck cab is very tall and high off the frame. (1600 mm)

 

[gator70]

Getting back to the grey water, most overland campers have less grey water capacity than fresh water. This means they are either not using all their fresh water they have made provision for, or they are offloading their grey water along the way (in a thoughtful, but realistic manner hopefully). I have even been in campsites in the summer, where the site operators have asked for campers to discharge their grey water around the trees on the site to water them!

Gator, is that your grey camper box? If the double bed is in that space above the cab, you must be like Wile E Coyote after been flattened by a road roller - that would give me the heebie-jeebies with my face so close to the ceiling!

I'm thinking of portable water tanks. Where I could empty some of my grey tank into portable tanks to extend my boondocking stay.

 

[gator70]

My total rig height with the roof A/C unit is 11 feet 8 inches on 37 inch tires. I was careful not to increase the height. And my A/C unit is a low profile model. Solar panels and roof branch guards share that height. Inside height is 6 feet 8 inches, and that is with a 5.5 inch thick floor. Subframe is seven inches high.

Rig width is 2200 mm, and total rig length is 23 feet 8 inches. Plus spare tire.

 

[gator70]

Locating the subframe and habitat on the truck frame had its own issues. The rear spring brackets tuck inside the very end of the subframe just before the crossmember. That seems simple yet, the location on the truck frame is in a narrow available space.

 

[SkiFreak]

There are two separate double bed sleeping spaces.

Yes, but as mentioned, it would seem that one of those bed spaces is not ideally sized for sleeping comfortably.
Personally, I am big on the concept of a permanent bed in a vehicle you plan on living in, be that a fixed bed or one that utilizes a lifting mechanism. The idea of having to make a bed up each night is not something I would want to do.
If you are happy to sleep in your Luton area, all power to you, but it is not something I would find easy, or choose to do, for all the reasons mentioned earlier by me and others.
As I have said many times... it's your build and you will build it how you want. I hope the Luton area works out for you; it wouldn't work for me.

 

[gator70]

Yes, but as mentioned, it would seem that one of those bed spaces is not ideally sized for sleeping comfortably.
Personally, I am big on the concept of a permanent bed in a vehicle you plan on living in, be that a fixed bed or one that utilizes a lifting mechanism. The idea of having to make a bed up each night is not something I would want to do.
If you are happy to sleep in your Luton area, all power to you, but it is not something I would find easy, or choose to do, for all the reasons mentioned earlier by me and others.
As I have said many times... it's your build and you will build it how you want. I hope the Luton area works out for you; it wouldn't work for me.

All decisions on a habitat build come with compromises. The tall cab height and the effort to keep the total rig height lower forced this space in the upper bunk, one can sleep there and turn over without obstruction. Some folks need more head room and have a second option to sleep on the other bed (which can accommodate a 6ft 5 inch sleeper). The huge sky hatch opens up lots of room over the bunk bed.

I've measured head room space on some others like the Earthroamer and it is only 100mm more.

And what the Earthroamer does not have is the shorter rig length by 36 inches
(the engine under the cab changes the proportions)

The Australian version has 30mm more head room, and no big sky hatch.

(I also made my bunk length 80mm longer than the Australian version to account for the roof slope)

.

 

[gator70]

Other builders have compromised on head room too (mine is one inch less than this)

I will test a large 1/2" thick yoga matt and a 2 inch memory foam combination mattress. The current one is closer to 5 inch thick. Maybe I like it, maybe I don't.

I've noticed the 2 inch mattress on the roof top tents. So some testing might give me a bit more headroom. I do think 2 inch is not enough. I just wonder about how the large yoga matt foundation changes the feel.

 

[gator70]

I think there is this, north south, or east west sleeping arrangement discussion.

My overhead bunk could be changed from north south to east west. As the width there is 6ft 8 inches. The space there could accommodate either.

 

[rruff]

All decisions on a habitat build come with compromises.

Certainly. Especially true when there are two of you and your trips are long term. Based on my guess by scaling your photo, you have ~20-22" vertical in that sleeping berth... without a mattress. Is that about right?

You keep bashing the use of a pickup chassis, but one advantage they have is a lower cab height, making it easy to design a decent height sleeping berth.

 

[Ferjablito]

And remember that the higher the ride height (mine at 338 has already been difficult to correct), the more money you'll have to invest in suspension to counteract the cradle effect while driving on the road.

 

[andy_b]

I'm thinking of portable water tanks. Where I could empty some of my grey tank into portable tanks to extend my boondocking stay.

View attachment 901496

This seems like a good option until you find yourself in the backcountry with these portable tanks full of gray water that you then have to secure in the camper, move to a location that you can dump them, and then unload them from the camper again. In addition to all the extra work, you have to dedicate storage space to these tanks, which will probably not be as easy as you imagine. The specific tank you're describing is usually carried empty until you a at the site of disposal at which point you fill the portable tank wheel it to the disposal area and take care of business there. This minimizes having to move around a full tank of gray water. I appreciate your conscientiousness as a pertains to the disposal of gray water. Instead of this solution, why not run the graywater through its own filter prior to dumping it overboard in the backcountry? Then, you do not need large amounts of gray water capacity, and your conscience will feel comfortable with gray water disposal.

 

[gator70]

Certainly. Especially true when there are two of you and your trips are long term. Based on my guess by scaling your photo, you have ~20-22" vertical in that sleeping berth... without a mattress. Is that about right?

You keep bashing the use of a pickup chassis, but one advantage they have is a lower cab height, making it easy to design a decent height sleeping berth.

26" with a big mattress.

 

[gator70]

This seems like a good option until you find yourself in the backcountry with these portable tanks full of gray water that you then have to secure in the camper, move to a location that you can dump them, and then unload them from the camper again. In addition to all the extra work, you have to dedicate storage space to these tanks, which will probably not be as easy as you imagine. The specific tank you're describing is usually carried empty until you a at the site of disposal at which point you fill the portable tank wheel it to the disposal area and take care of business there. This minimizes having to move around a full tank of gray water. I appreciate your conscientiousness as a pertains to the disposal of gray water. Instead of this solution, why not run the graywater through its own filter prior to dumping it overboard in the backcountry? Then, you do not need large amounts of gray water capacity, and your conscience will feel comfortable with gray water disposal.

Unfortunately some USA states have laws, which draw huge penalties.

What may seem logical, and convenient, is a big $$$$ liability

And I installed a aux freshwater tank, so my capacity is 80 gallons, double my grey water capacity.