Capt Eddie
Adventurer
What is the reason for the aluminum frame? I does not look like you had a clearance issue anywhere. Why not just set flat on a rubber mat?
Oh boy. -NOW a build thread
- Thread starter deminimis
- Start date
Capt Eddie
Adventurer
I assume that you will attach the frame to the base of the camper frame? To give some support to the floor holding up the tanks underneath. Fresh water, gray and black? This is for the time that the camper is off of the truck? Have you thought to remove the camper base all together and use that time to insulate around the tanks. I added a heat strip to the tank areas on my camper. That way I can heat the tanks and not have to run the inside heater. Then used a blanket insulation cut out to cover the utility door. You will not regret the extra work All that will greatly help you keep everything warm in the winter.
deminimis
Explorer
It's Canadian, so well insulated already. Could be better, but I really don't have time to remove the floor. Even with all the skiing we usually do, I don't use the water supply in Winter. I am going to fill the frame space with 1" blue insulation as an added measure though as the basement floor cold use it.
Only managed three cross pieces tonight, and a small revision (I was off 1/16th at one spot) before the ozone got to me (the downside of welding indoors).
Only managed three cross pieces tonight, and a small revision (I was off 1/16th at one spot) before the ozone got to me (the downside of welding indoors).
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deminimis
Explorer
Oh, yes it is part of the camper. It will be welded at the rear and screwed and glued (3M 5200) like no one's business. Back at it tonight after I finish wiring up the front and rear cams.
Given the short amount of time, and the fact that Pro-Tech is relatively close, I ordered up a pair of double swing door underbody boxes from Pro-Tech (smooth finish). I can pick them up next week. Gives me the weekend to get them mounted. Phew, cutting it close. I'll deal with the top boxes when we get back.
Given the short amount of time, and the fact that Pro-Tech is relatively close, I ordered up a pair of double swing door underbody boxes from Pro-Tech (smooth finish). I can pick them up next week. Gives me the weekend to get them mounted. Phew, cutting it close. I'll deal with the top boxes when we get back.
Darwin
Explorer
Any thought of changing to a single rear wheel? I know you mentioned somewhere that you feel dually is safer with a camper, and I agree having a single rear wheel truck, it has me thinking about going to a dually in the future, like a ram 3500 regular cab. Do you plan to stick with the same tires once yours wear out? I wonder if a 285 /19.5 would ride a little better? Just thinking out loud here and want to hear your opinion.
deminimis
Explorer
I've looked at singles w/ this rig and our last. I've yet to pinch a rock, so decided it wasn't worth it with the last rig. W/ this one, the only real reason would be so I could air down. Financially, it doesn't pencil out for me. I would be more likely to go w/ a smaller size wheel that would allow airing down on this rig, but highly unlikely I'd do that even. Bigger 19.5s, however, is very likely after these Contis are done.
deminimis
Explorer
Long weekend. 1.5 pounds of alumn wire, more spool gun jams than I can count, .5 pounds of screws and 2.5 cartridges of 5200 marine adhesive /sealant. The new T6 alumn camper base frame is built and installed and I'm quite pleased with it. I still have to build the rear skirts, but that's cake compared to the base build.
deminimis
Explorer
I've been replacing the cheap air gap vents in the camper with good ones because, well, there's a smell. A smelly smell. Found the source. Both waste valves leak (allows black tank gases to work their lovely way into the grey tank, etc). Unfortunately, the camper has the crappy Lasalle Bristol cable valves, and I need an Army tunnel rat to get to them. Trying to source Bristol seals is an exercise in frustration. Enough of that nonsense. New Valterra cable valves on the way. Sources suggest they are a bolt-in replacement. I doubt I'll be that lucky and I ordered Valterra slip hubs just in case I have to do a complete waste plumbing re-do. Really don't have time for this unexpected development, but such is life. Better to fix it here than trying to source parts in Baja.
Alumn base frame: Slides operate smoothly and camper is now much more rigid than before. It appears the camper will work just fine on its own without the truck underneath it (like a Bigfoot). When on the jacks, sometimes the full room slide would not operate smoothly, and one compartment door would bind a bit, indicating camper flex. Not anymore. Ever notice an empty alumn flatbed trailer (big rig)? They curve upward when empty and are flat when loaded. Tried to recreate that when making the base frame (to a much lesser degree). No fancy math, just eyeballs and a straight edge. When welding alumn with a hot mig, it can pull (distort) if the other side is not secured, tacked, etc. I allowed a slight front to rear arch in the frame build (placing weights as needed to keep things from going off the rails, and flipping it over to weld the other side often as I progressed, so to prevent too much of an arch). Seems it worked well. I'll call that a win for overbuilding. For the first time in my life, I over purchased material for this project. I still have 100' of 1x1.5 T6 alumn rectangular tube. Guess I'll just set that aside in case I ever actually do a ground up camper build someday.
Alumn base frame: Slides operate smoothly and camper is now much more rigid than before. It appears the camper will work just fine on its own without the truck underneath it (like a Bigfoot). When on the jacks, sometimes the full room slide would not operate smoothly, and one compartment door would bind a bit, indicating camper flex. Not anymore. Ever notice an empty alumn flatbed trailer (big rig)? They curve upward when empty and are flat when loaded. Tried to recreate that when making the base frame (to a much lesser degree). No fancy math, just eyeballs and a straight edge. When welding alumn with a hot mig, it can pull (distort) if the other side is not secured, tacked, etc. I allowed a slight front to rear arch in the frame build (placing weights as needed to keep things from going off the rails, and flipping it over to weld the other side often as I progressed, so to prevent too much of an arch). Seems it worked well. I'll call that a win for overbuilding. For the first time in my life, I over purchased material for this project. I still have 100' of 1x1.5 T6 alumn rectangular tube. Guess I'll just set that aside in case I ever actually do a ground up camper build someday.
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deminimis
Explorer
camper fitting Part....10?
Super flushed the tanks in prep for the thrill that will be waste tank valve replacement once the valves arrive.
I have a phantom draw. When unplugged, batts (new) drop to 10v overnight. Solar brings them back in short order, but with nothing on, they shouldn't drop so low. My money is on the solar controller (which is hitting the road when I add another panel this Summer). Didn't have time to throw a proper voltmeter on them this AM, however. Could be the controller is giving bogus readings, but I doubt it as it's spot-on when fully charged. Basic systems level deal shows full charge, but those are notoriously inaccurate. Time to trace wiring (almost as fun as dealing with waste tank valves) and go from there.
48" Pro-Tech boxes are ready and I'll snag them tomorrow (and discuss custom boxes for the top when there). These 48s will ultimately end up as underbed boxes. However, with the limited time I have, I'm just gong to mount them on top for now. I really don't have time to fab underbed mounts right now, and the mounts will be in the way when it comes time to redo the flatbed frame when we get back. Uggh. Did I mention my front and rear cams work?
Super flushed the tanks in prep for the thrill that will be waste tank valve replacement once the valves arrive.
I have a phantom draw. When unplugged, batts (new) drop to 10v overnight. Solar brings them back in short order, but with nothing on, they shouldn't drop so low. My money is on the solar controller (which is hitting the road when I add another panel this Summer). Didn't have time to throw a proper voltmeter on them this AM, however. Could be the controller is giving bogus readings, but I doubt it as it's spot-on when fully charged. Basic systems level deal shows full charge, but those are notoriously inaccurate. Time to trace wiring (almost as fun as dealing with waste tank valves) and go from there.
48" Pro-Tech boxes are ready and I'll snag them tomorrow (and discuss custom boxes for the top when there). These 48s will ultimately end up as underbed boxes. However, with the limited time I have, I'm just gong to mount them on top for now. I really don't have time to fab underbed mounts right now, and the mounts will be in the way when it comes time to redo the flatbed frame when we get back. Uggh. Did I mention my front and rear cams work?
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deminimis
Explorer
Who needs sleep? Picking up steel today to fab underbody mounts. Since I didn't get a chance to raise the bed 1", these boxes are going to hang low. Going to reinforce, then cut, 1.25" from the flatbed edge so I can fit the under body boxes higher. I would go higher, but the front fuel sump is in the way (with a bit of trimming, I can raise the sump a bit higher too). That will get me to approx the bottom of the giant muffler. Not ideal, but should be okay for now. Once I raise the bed, I'll have a reasonable amount of clearance. I like these Pro-Techs double swing door boxes so much, I frantically placed an order for two 72" long ones (will have them Tuesday or Wednesday). I got a quote from Pro-Tech for custom boxes, and that's just not going to happen. However, it turns out off the shelf 72" boxes will indeed fit between the camper tie down points. Although no time to mess with it now, I hope to eventually cobble 12" long boxes to both ends of the 72" boxes to completely fill the camper wing void. Definitely was not the orig plan for boxes, but this should work. I will overhang the boxes by one inch, giving me a total of two inches of camper wiggle room for loading/unloading.
deminimis
Explorer
Slaved all weekend, but hardly accomplish anything. Wasted most of the weekend dealing with the damn waste valves. I'm beat to hell. Grey water valve leaks. I'm going to just rip it out and do it right (without the lame Bristol valve flanges and the better fitting Valterra ones. The 3" worked fine, but the 1.5", uggh.
Cut approx 2.25" from the side of the flatbed for the underbody boxes. Had to raise the front fuel sump. Built the box brackets. Didn't have time to make the attachment points on the flatbed, but that will be fairly easy. Still need to add vertical flatbar towards the front once I make the attachment points, but you get the idea.
Nice that Pro-Tech shows their design (measurements and materials) for their basic brackets on their webpage.
Cut approx 2.25" from the side of the flatbed for the underbody boxes. Had to raise the front fuel sump. Built the box brackets. Didn't have time to make the attachment points on the flatbed, but that will be fairly easy. Still need to add vertical flatbar towards the front once I make the attachment points, but you get the idea.
Nice that Pro-Tech shows their design (measurements and materials) for their basic brackets on their webpage.
Capt Eddie
Adventurer
What did you use as the gauge for how high to go with the boxes? Where do the frames attach? It looks like you could have raised the boxes higher. But then the muffler sits lower then anything else on the truck. I hate that on mine.