M416 Build - Phase II - Addition of Hardsided Folding Camper Top

[bluebruin]

punchlist

I've slowly been working on my punch list of items that didn't work out as planned on our first trip.

One of the biggest items is the suspension. I went ahead an put together my own version of the firestone ride rite setup (like they use on AT trailers I think). I bought 5,000lb 550psi rated bags on ebay for $100 (for two bags).



They seem like very nice quality.

I bought on ebay also, a firestone air line kit with the fittings to connect the tubing.


Lastly, at my local Ace hardware I found nice brass elbow fittings that are 1/2"NPT like the outlet on my bags, and some brass reducers to bring the elbow down to 1/4"NPT to connect the firestone fittings.

I fabbed up brackets to hold the airbags above my leaf springs. It was a bit tricky getting everything to fit under there. At one point I was considering mounting them to some perches over my axle inside of my leaf springs where there is more room, but I decided I really wanted the extra stability of the bags being located as far out toward the sides of the trailer as possible. I will post a photo tonight.

 

[bluebruin]

Because of my spring over lift where I swapped the leaf springs from bottom of axle to top, there is really not much room between the frame and top of leaf springs. Long u-bolts don't help. But I decided to try to make it work. This meant mounting the air bags upside down. The air inlets are now on the bottom of the bag, so that means my air tubing/fitting will be moving up and down with the axle and suspension. Hopefully this will not cause the fitting/tubing joing to fail over time. Only time will tell!

I used 1/4" flat bar to build my bracket, and I welded it directly to the u-bolt mounting plate. Hopefully this will be strong enough. But, again there was very limited room, because you still have to be able to thread the u-bolt nuts on and off. Guess we'll see!

 

[bluebruin]

stabilizers corner leveling jacks

I needed a way to stabilize the trailer when we have the camper deployed, as well as level it for uneven ground. One of the major reasons camping in a RTT over a tent is nice, is that you can choose camp sites that would otherwise not have a flat spot for pitching a tent. But, you have to be able to level the trailer. And, with it being as heavy as it is, and with the frame rails sitting 26" off the ground, that's no easy task! Nothing I looked at online has enough travel really, and I didn't want those huge honking leveling jacks with the handles and telescoping tubes welded to each corner of my trailer. I'm also on a tight budget. So, here is what I devised.

I bought 4 cheap scissor jacks from Harbor Freight. I cut off the hooks on the end of the screw wher you would normally hook the hand crank. I welded on a threaded rod joiner. Its basically a large hex nut. This allows me to use a high torque impact drill with a socket to raise and lower the jack.

Then I welded a set of tubes (3/4" inner, 1" outer) that telescope inside one another. I drilled a series of holes and bough quick release pins. So, you can adjust the height of the post from about 20" to 34" or something around there. Then I welded some receiving tubes with a flange on them, and bolted those into each corner of the frame. Like this:


Here is the jack in the corner:


Each post comes off the scissor jack so everything can be stored during travel. The whole things is still a bit wobbly side to side (up down is locked in place) but I think a good set of wheel chocks will fix that.

 

[bluebruin]

got large solid rubber wheel chocks from HF for $8 each. Work great. The whole setup is stable and level. You can climb around inside and it feels like you are on the ground. Cost about $100 in materials to make my leveling system (if you already own an impact driiver drill).

 

[CLynn85]

Love the creativity in this build, keep up the good work.

 

[bluebruin]

thanks! We are going camping with a big group this weekend so i've been working on trying to finish up a list of about 20-30 details before the trip. I think I pinpointed the leak in the hatch and seam sealed it all up. Its been setup and sitting in my driveway with no leaks, we have had a lot of rain.

I've added an aircraft cable system to limit the end walls from over extending when you are trying to setup the camper. I have not tried it yet, we'll see this weekend. This will replace all the steel bars and sleeved pegs I had previously added to try to stop the "domino" effect when you only have the two end walls up and are putting the top in place. Its very top heavy at that time, and without the side walls folded up, it has no structural stability. It can just lay over domino style if you are not careful. But, basically I have added limit straps with cable. Should make things less scary setting up. We'll see. I'll snap photos of all the improvements over the weekend.

 

[skersfan]

I saw one at the FJ Summit bruin. It was a work of art. All aluminum and fiberglass. Guy made it himself. He actually had a slide out in the side. I did not get pictures of it either, which really sucks. Nor did I get the chance to talk with him. Really wanted to. Will try to find out if anyone did, it really needs to be on this site. It is one of the best trailers I have ever seen. True craftsmanship from the word go. And I never even got close to it. Will run a post on the Blue room and see if anyone talked with him.

Just be careful with that thing for awhile, you have little ones in and out. Be sure what you come up with can not be moved or played with by them.

Bob

 

[bluebruin]

great weekend of hiking and camping! beautiful weather. Did have one downpour, trailer was bone dry. Looks like I found the source and my patches worked.
deploying the trailer was still time consuming and more difficult than I would like. I always invisioned this a 10 minute process, but that's not reality. Starting to think a tear drop style would be best. I have to take everything out of the trailer when I get to camp anyway, because I dont' feel safe opening the lid more than a couple inches with the camper deployed.

The other issue is that things just did not turn out perfectly square when the final build was done. So, when the side walls unfold, they are not perfectly vertical. This causes rubbing/fittment issues. Basically, once the end walls are up, and you are trying to fold up the two side walls, they rub a bit on some of the window hardware located on the end walls. its annoying and makes it hard to put up or down. I'm affraid once I add the insulation and then the 1/8" thick baltic birch plywood interior, the side walls will rub so much they will not go up or down.

on the plus side, the cable limit straps work good and speed things up compared to the sleeved tube braces I orignally installed.

The jack stabilizers work good but again take a bit longer than i want.

hooking the trailer up to the jeep at the end of the trip is a pain, its too heavy to lift, so I have to inch it into position using the jacks and backing the jeep up 5 times to dial in the max coupler is a PITA.

One air bag deflated over the course of the weekend. must be a slow leak in the lines/fitting somewhere. ugh.

still a work in progress.

 

[TheThom]

Don't get too down on yourself. You've turned out a unique project working from scratch. There are bound to be some bends in the road.

 

[ClickClickBoom]

painted the outside of the camper top with Rust Bullet blackshell. Love that stuff. really prevents rust and you can just roll it on with a foam roller if you are not too picky about your finish. I sprayed my trailer when I first built it. Tented the garage etc... what a pain. The "automotive" finish I bought from Sherwin Williams was rusting from underneath the paint after my first trip with the trailer. I ended up sanding down and painting rust bullet. no signs of rust since. Anyway.... here is what it looked like last weekend.
View attachment 171831

View attachment 171832

Beware the black shell is not uv resistant. It will chalk over time despite what they say. Big fan of rust bullet, not so much of the blackshell.

 

[Titanpat57]

great weekend of hiking and camping! beautiful weather. Did have one downpour, trailer was bone dry. Looks like I found the source and my patches worked.
deploying the trailer was still time consuming and more difficult than I would like. I always invisioned this a 10 minute process, but that's not reality. Starting to think a tear drop style would be best. I have to take everything out of the trailer when I get to camp anyway, because I dont' feel safe opening the lid more than a couple inches with the camper deployed.

The other issue is that things just did not turn out perfectly square when the final build was done. So, when the side walls unfold, they are not perfectly vertical. This causes rubbing/fittment issues. Basically, once the end walls are up, and you are trying to fold up the two side walls, they rub a bit on some of the window hardware located on the end walls. its annoying and makes it hard to put up or down. I'm affraid once I add the insulation and then the 1/8" thick baltic birch plywood interior, the side walls will rub so much they will not go up or down.

on the plus side, the cable limit straps work good and speed things up compared to the sleeved tube braces I orignally installed.

The jack stabilizers work good but again take a bit longer than i want.

hooking the trailer up to the jeep at the end of the trip is a pain, its too heavy to lift, so I have to inch it into position using the jacks and backing the jeep up 5 times to dial in the max coupler is a PITA.

One air bag deflated over the course of the weekend. must be a slow leak in the lines/fitting somewhere. ugh.

still a work in progress.

That's the beauty of the first build.....

You get to see what you envisioned, and what you built, come together, or collide..which ever fits for you....:ylsmoke:

You had a great vision and attempted something someone hasn't, so I applaud you!! While using the trailer, it allows you to adjust or modify what you may have really wanted, but just didn't know it at the time.....it's a ton of work, but all part of the process. That's exactly how I ended up with a second trailer, I just couldn't build up the first to be what I really wanted, but like many, didn't reach that crossroad until I was well into it, and used it two seasons.

I hope you continue the quest for the "perfect camper/trailer".....I think it's along the lines of finding the Holy Grail....

All the best

Don't get too down on yourself. You've turned out a unique project working from scratch. There are bound to be some bends in the road.

Good words my friend..

 

[skersfan]

As Pat and Thom have said. you did something on your own, from your vision. Most proto types/first timers do not turn out like you want them. Even though you may not know it at the time. You made something that in thought would work, you made it work. Perfecting it will be fun and you will figure how to lighten, strengthen and the next one will be close to perfect. Never perfect sir, trust us. I have been very impressed with your build. Most just bolt stuff to something, weld on a leg or table brace. You took the whole project, from top to bottom and made it work. Great job, and it has been really fun to watch the development.

 

[bluebruin]

As Pat and Thom have said. you did something on your own, from your vision. Most proto types/first timers do not turn out like you want them. Even though you may not know it at the time. You made something that in thought would work, you made it work. Perfecting it will be fun and you will figure how to lighten, strengthen and the next one will be close to perfect. Never perfect sir, trust us. I have been very impressed with your build. Most just bolt stuff to something, weld on a leg or table brace. You took the whole project, from top to bottom and made it work. Great job, and it has been really fun to watch the development.

thanks all for the encouragement. Guess I am just used to my projects (and I have A LOT of them!)turning out really well. this is not a lost cause by any stretch of the imagination. I have more ideas up my sleeves, I am in the works on an automatic system to raise and lower the top. But, that might not turn out as I hope as well, it will be a bit complicated. Guess we'll see! But if it works, it would take all the effort (and danger) out of setting up the camper.

Basically, the top is just too heavy. If I had made the top from aluminum or something it might be easier to setup. I just dont' have a way to weld aluminum. Or, if I had skipped the hatch that opens, that would probably save 100lbs.

I've added a shelf in the front on the tonge to stand on when setting up the camper, that helps a lot. Need to take pictures to update you all.

regarding the wals rubbing when opening, I am sure I can fix them, it will just take a bunch of cutting and rewelding etc. But, now is the time to do it before fitting in the interior. Camping season is almost over, I can do this over the winter.

The air suspension completely eliminates all the issues with the increased weight. At 60psi in the bags, I have no problems on the highway or offroad. They leveling jacks work pretty well.

Once I get used to setting this thing up (either with or without power assist) I think it will be fairly quick. Someday, after the kids are in college or something, I can just get a clam shell rooftop tent and call it good. haahhha For now, with 4 people, and on a budget, this is the "pefect trailer" for our needs. If I had more time and money, I might consider building a trailer completely from scratch (no M416 limitations) and build a 4-person teardrop style camper. I think you could do it if you are creative and keep a similar footpring and wheelbase.

After I complete some more modifications, I hope to post a video of the setup/takedown. I need to take some more photos too, I've done a lot to the trailer since my last photo post.

 

[rockwood]

Amazing fabrication skills.

 

[bluebruin]

well, used the camper some last summer and then my family bought a cabin up in the mountains here in Colorado at 11,000ft. Lots of projects to do there, so this one took a back seat. Camper sat all winter. Now, I am starting up again to hopefully get it in shape for summer camping again. I am rebuilding the top/lid of the camper. Trying to go super light. Its just to heavy to be practicle. I can barely lift the thing, so its just dangerous and a pain to put up. I had one close call at the end of last summer, almost dropped the whole lid off the camper trying to set it up. Would have had no way to get it back on the camper to go home.

So, its a big top, 8ft by 6ft. Its hard to make something that big light, and at the same time structural. I can't weld aluminum, so I am building it out of high quality plywood (baltic birch 12mm) and then skinning it in FRP panels like I did the walls. Unfortunately, the hatch in the top will have to go. My other option was to build a lift system. I had several ideas I think I could have accomplished, but they would have been complex and just added even more weight. My jeep can barely pull this thing up the mountain passes on the highway as is. So, going light weight will hopefully be a better option all around. I'll try to post some pictures when I get that done.

One other negative of this solution is that I will no longer have a roof rack on top of the camper to store extra gear or bicycles. It will be too delicate to have weight on it while bouncing around on 4x4 trails. Can't have it all I guess.