jeep jk unlimited camper project
- Thread starter bamajeep
- Start date
Progress
We have lift-off!!
http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u496/poohsumo22/IMG_7361_zpstxvwgvdy.jpg
We have lift-off!!
http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u496/poohsumo22/IMG_7361_zpstxvwgvdy.jpg
I started out with two struts - didn't give quite enough lift assist, so I added two more - giving too much assist. I threw the spare on the top and it now raises and lowers with little to no effort. I've attached a link to a video. Ignore the loud groaning noises - they're coming from two pivot points that are loaded with sawdust shavings (from working too close with a circular saw).
http://vid1156.photobucket.com/albums/p565/schaevk/VID_20160131_171808460_zpsql9az9ki.mp4
http://vid1156.photobucket.com/albums/p565/schaevk/VID_20160131_171808460_zpsql9az9ki.mp4
TenaciousTJ
Explorer
That's awesome!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I couldn't agree more! Thanks to everyone for all the encouragement. Can anyone recommend a supplier/type for the fabric (for the pop-up sections) as well as a gasket that seals the fabric sections to the camper? Thanks in advance.
Cordura Nylon is waterproof, windproof and breathable. It is available in many weights, written as "denier".
It can also be purchased with a wicking layer, waterproof liner or almost any number of other combinations. It is not a very light fabric, so if you want a mesh type wall that is suitable for summer camping in the southern states, this is not a good choice.
A silicon impregnated or coated nylon will be very light, more breathable and quite water resistant. It does not hold up well to UV exposure over the long term and can be quite expensive unless purchased in bulk or on a wholesale account. Overall, however, it is a tantastic material used in making high end tents by companies like Hilleberg: http://us.hilleberg.com/EN/our-tents/materials.php
Gore-Tex fabrics are quite difficult to come by, as W.L Gore only sells to approved manufacturers and they also guarantee the final products from those manufacturers. Some entry level fabrics can be found online, but the Pro level fabrics are unobtanium.
There are similar products made by other companies, some of which are more readily available, however with "breathable waterproof gear" a multi-billion dollar industry, many fabrics are proprietary and fall in the category above
Clothing and packs/bags, typically work on a three layer system, that is an outer water resistant layer, an inner PTFE based breathable layer, and an inner mesh type fabric to protect the PTFE/Teflon, which is quite fragile if left exposed.
A heavy canvas or duck cloth was quite popular in the past for tent manufacturing and can be easily obtained in almost all grades and price points. It is mostly used in cold weather applications and where weight is not as much of a concern, Kirkhams, Snow Trekker, etc
With SO much production of clothing and gear being moved to China, finding domestic, reliable and quality sources for fabrics may be a challenge in and of itself.
Good luck.
EDIT: an industrial hook and loop material (Dual Lock) can be an excellent attachment product, but I am unsure of the water proofness. I would also look at 3M's double faced tapes, some of which are amazingly strong, so be careful. Testing shows the substrate failing before the tape, so once it's on (with certain products) it's not coming back off easily.
EDIT 2: Check out WeatherMax fabric for something similar to Sunbrella, but better IMO. I think it is made in South Carolina. Cordura is also available in many weights, with something like 1000 Denier being very heavy for a tough gear bag, while a 300 denier, is light enough to make a pair of trousers.
It can also be purchased with a wicking layer, waterproof liner or almost any number of other combinations. It is not a very light fabric, so if you want a mesh type wall that is suitable for summer camping in the southern states, this is not a good choice.
A silicon impregnated or coated nylon will be very light, more breathable and quite water resistant. It does not hold up well to UV exposure over the long term and can be quite expensive unless purchased in bulk or on a wholesale account. Overall, however, it is a tantastic material used in making high end tents by companies like Hilleberg: http://us.hilleberg.com/EN/our-tents/materials.php
Gore-Tex fabrics are quite difficult to come by, as W.L Gore only sells to approved manufacturers and they also guarantee the final products from those manufacturers. Some entry level fabrics can be found online, but the Pro level fabrics are unobtanium.
There are similar products made by other companies, some of which are more readily available, however with "breathable waterproof gear" a multi-billion dollar industry, many fabrics are proprietary and fall in the category above
Clothing and packs/bags, typically work on a three layer system, that is an outer water resistant layer, an inner PTFE based breathable layer, and an inner mesh type fabric to protect the PTFE/Teflon, which is quite fragile if left exposed.
A heavy canvas or duck cloth was quite popular in the past for tent manufacturing and can be easily obtained in almost all grades and price points. It is mostly used in cold weather applications and where weight is not as much of a concern, Kirkhams, Snow Trekker, etc
With SO much production of clothing and gear being moved to China, finding domestic, reliable and quality sources for fabrics may be a challenge in and of itself.
Good luck.
EDIT: an industrial hook and loop material (Dual Lock) can be an excellent attachment product, but I am unsure of the water proofness. I would also look at 3M's double faced tapes, some of which are amazingly strong, so be careful. Testing shows the substrate failing before the tape, so once it's on (with certain products) it's not coming back off easily.
EDIT 2: Check out WeatherMax fabric for something similar to Sunbrella, but better IMO. I think it is made in South Carolina. Cordura is also available in many weights, with something like 1000 Denier being very heavy for a tough gear bag, while a 300 denier, is light enough to make a pair of trousers.
Last edited:
jscherb
Expedition Leader
For my Jeep-tub pop-up, I used a polyester coated fabric from Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics. It's similar to Cordura, but polyester holds up better to UV exposure than nylon does. http://owfinc.com/fabrics.html Theyv'e got cordura as well and lots of other fabrics, click on "Polyester Coated" to see what I used, color is Taupe.
For the "covered wagon" top for my military replica trailer, I used Sunbrella fabric from Sailrite. Sunbrella is an acrylic designed for outdoor use and is very UV and fade resistant. It comes in many colors and patterns. I also buy many of my other sewing supplies from Sailrite, such as zippers, snaps, etc., and I highly recommend their Seamstick basting tape for putting seams together accurately.
Sailrite also sells several types of gasket for sealing canvas to a hard surface, check out their Marine Ultra Seal and Xtreme Seal. One thing about Sailrite is they do lots of instructional videos, so you'll find videos on how to use their weatherstrips, Seamstick, etc. on their site.
For the "covered wagon" top for my military replica trailer, I used Sunbrella fabric from Sailrite. Sunbrella is an acrylic designed for outdoor use and is very UV and fade resistant. It comes in many colors and patterns. I also buy many of my other sewing supplies from Sailrite, such as zippers, snaps, etc., and I highly recommend their Seamstick basting tape for putting seams together accurately.
Sailrite also sells several types of gasket for sealing canvas to a hard surface, check out their Marine Ultra Seal and Xtreme Seal. One thing about Sailrite is they do lots of instructional videos, so you'll find videos on how to use their weatherstrips, Seamstick, etc. on their site.
Thanks to everyone for all the info. I greatly appreciate it...For my Jeep-tub pop-up, I used a polyester coated fabric from Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics. It's similar to Cordura, but polyester holds up better to UV exposure than nylon does. http://owfinc.com/fabrics.html Theyv'e got cordura as well and lots of other fabrics, click on "Polyester Coated" to see what I used, color is Taupe.
For the "covered wagon" top for my military replica trailer, I used Sunbrella fabric from Sailrite. Sunbrella is an acrylic designed for outdoor use and is very UV and fade resistant. It comes in many colors and patterns. I also buy many of my other sewing supplies from Sailrite, such as zippers, snaps, etc., and I highly recommend their Seamstick basting tape for putting seams together accurately.
Sailrite also sells several types of gasket for sealing canvas to a hard surface, check out their Marine Ultra Seal and Xtreme Seal. One thing about Sailrite is they do lots of instructional videos, so you'll find videos on how to use their weatherstrips, Seamstick, etc. on their site.