My Backcountry Camper Trailer Build

[evilfij]

Very nice build. There are lurkers here who appreciate the good tech and build threads.

BTW 14 gauge steel is the same as the frame on your disco II so it should stand up to everything you can throw at it. Down the road you could maybe even fit some wheel adaptors and run rover wheels on it to have it match the truck even better.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I would paint it the same color. If they hot dip it then I believe it wouldnt fit anymore. Maybe have it Powder coated. BUT the best coating would be MP3. Look up ROBAR. But its expensive.

I ended up shooting it with some "alumimum" paint. It's thin, and I believe it remains kinda soft so it might self-heal slightly. I was talking to my maintenance manager at work, and he told me nothing will work. The only thing you can do is grease it, let the grease do the job. It won't rust as much, and won't get stuck. Anytime you have telescoping steel, there's nothing that can be done.

Now, I know there are fancy nickel plating, etc... but we're talking what's within the realm of a home fabricator/farm/small shop kinda thing.

BTW 14 gauge steel is the same as the frame on your disco II so it should stand up to everything you can throw at it. Down the road you could maybe even fit some wheel adaptors and run rover wheels on it to have it match the truck even better.

Yeah, maybe down the road, we'll see. I will be painting these wheels them bronze so that they match better.

 

[ntsqd]

Cal-Tef Electroless Nickel-Teflon would be the over the top plating that will work in that sliding situation. My Springfield 1911 is approaching 700 rounds w/o any cleaning or lubrication and is still going strong. 1000 hour salt spray, low Cf, etc., etc., etc. Also costs significantly and isn't something that you do at home.

I'd grease the tube where it is buried and leave it painted where exposed. And I need to do that to the TrailBlazer's sliding tongue!

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Well, I took yesterday off to work on the trailer. Didn't get a whole lot done. It's the "overhead" that kills. Had to go shopping for a latch for the kid's door, and a bit more steel.

But, I've been working again since 9 and got a reasonable amount done. But, I'm getting tired of this. Just want it to be over. It's 11:13 here, but it's like 12:43 in Newfoundland right? Crack one open. This is officially the earliest I've ever drank a beer.

 

[Titanpat57]

The hardest part of the race is the last mile...RUN Forest RUN!!..lol

It'll be over soon, and you'll be sitting in a campsite with the kids tucked away, in your chair with a cold beer by the fire..remembering how much &#%damn work it was to build THIS F)@!_^%$R THING!!

ok..sorry about that...you just needed to vent..lol

I'm as pumped as you to see it come together..you know I like the look!

Pat

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Ok, thank goodness I'm a cheap drunk. Back to work.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Ok, a few more pics. As you can see, it's a beautiful day, and it's killing me to be stuck in the garage. This should be the last weekend. I have two more doors to do, then paint, then work on the inside, I'm hoping that doesn't take too long. I'm actually debating buying premade cabinets for the the kitchenette. Just not sure how well they'll hold up. I figure if they're bracketed to something solid they should be ok? Not sure I could actually make something stronger myself? I dunno.

My boy checking out his new sleeping quarters. He won't be able to stand like that, it'll have a mattress at the level of the bar he's got his hands on. You can see on the back panel, I ground and bondo'd the rear wall seams, and shot with black primer. Just to smooth things out a bit.

You can see the kitchenette door is done.

Just a closer view of the trailer. As you can see I've painted the frame. May need some touching up when finished, but I wanted to get the suspension back on so I could move it around.

Here's my finished tongue. You can see the reinforcement plates, the brackets to bolt the bike rack or whatever else, and the sliding tongue. The tongue bar is just painted aluminum, it's 2" x 1/4" steel tube. It will be pinned into the reciever both horizontally and vertically, but only the horizontal pin is present. Just my typical overkill.

And a nice bright shot of the inside. The rails are made of L angle, with strip welded on to make a T as required. I also decided to make a bulkhead to seperate the forward storage compartment.

 

[OlympiaFJ60]

I was thinking it had been too long since any picture update Looks great. For the cabinets, as long as you can find solid or plywood. I don't know if I would trust press board, plus it always seems so much heavier.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Yeah, these would definitely be pressboard on the sides, solid doors.

Well, blood has been spilled. I was doing so well, but got sloppy. I was grinding without gloves on. You know, just a quick job right? Well, I hit my finger with the grinder. Not too bad as far as shop wounds go, but annoying, cause now it'll slow me down. It's right down to the bone or tendon, there's something white under there, not just fatty tissue either.

I bandaged it and splinted the finger so it can clot without being opened constantly. Not sure I should bother with stitches. It's not bleeding much, just want it to heal well. It's not just cut, the flesh is missing.

Attachment not for the squeamish.

 

[OlympiaFJ60]

And on the knuckle too. I hate those. Nice and clean looking though

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Actually it's freaky, it doesn't hurt at all.

 

[Bullseye240]

IT WILL

 

[slimtwo]

Yeah, these would definitely be pressboard on the sides, solid doors.

Well, blood has been spilled. I was doing so well, but got sloppy. I was grinding without gloves on. You know, just a quick job right? Well, I hit my finger with the grinder. Not too bad as far as shop wounds go, but annoying, cause now it'll slow me down. It's right down to the bone or tendon, there's something white under there, not just fatty tissue either.

I bandaged it and splinted the finger so it can clot without being opened constantly. Not sure I should bother with stitches. It's not bleeding much, just want it to heal well. It's not just cut, the flesh is missing.

Attachment not for the squeamish.

Ouch! That's gonna leave a mark...

 

[tlbrewer]

I'm really pretty surprised at all the support here guys, and very thankful. Before all the drama started, I was actually wondering how many people actually were reading this, or if I was only doing it for my own benefit. Thanks for justifying the extra time it takes to document it.

For what it's worth, I've been following your build and I'm not into expo trailers(although someday I'd like to do an expo version of an Airstream). However, I appreciate your ingenuity, fabricating skills, and determination to build what YOU want. That makes it interesting to me and if I can get some ideas from you in the process :wings:.

Tom

 

[Titanpat57]

I'm not a doctor, but I'd go have a stitch or two thrown in that badboy, esp. if you want it to heal correctly. I'm no one to give advice though...I'm scarred from head to toe with assorted self inflected mods.....lol

As far as cabinetry..I'd build it with a good grade of plywood, glued and screwed together. I think that you'll find the store boughten stuff will not meet the rigors of the road. I had a cabinet shop for a long time, if there's anything I can assist with just let me know.