Party Rated: Our Ram 5500 budget build

[dentedvw]

Starting our build with a 2011 5500. We're coming from a Nissan NV2500 4x4, and we wanted a bit more room, a kitchen, bed, etc. A party rated RV, basically.
Step one, sell the flat bed for $450.
Step two, acquire affordable box. Well, that was hard. I am not super wealthy. So, step 2.5, change expectations. Buy used box truck box. $325.

And that's how I became a plumber.
It's a few feet longer than ideal, and there's too much and wrong width subframe, but it's an inexpensive start, and we can modify things. The box was manufactured in 2009, so it's not ancient. It has a few small blemishes and so on, but did you see where I mentioned it was cheap?
I would have chosen a slightly narrower, and shorter, and not nearly as long box, but my wife liked this one best out of the options. I worked hard to separate it from the Ford E450 it was attached to, and was rewarded for my efforts after a few hours of cussing and hiding from the rain in the conveniently located box. The employees helped me land it on the truck and I strapped it on and away I went.
I will shorten the subframe significantly, and maybe 3 point mount it. Or maybe just clamp it on. Does the Ram 5500 frame even flex? Doesn't seem like it.
A lift, different wheels and tires, much interior work, some kind of rear wall, all coming up.
It's not an Earthroamer, but I did mention a budget, yeah? When I sell the Nissan van, I should have some additional money to work with.
Goal is rough road/desert/mountain/sand/snow camper. Party rated because that's how I describe the capability to get to the fun places.
Here we go!

 

[Fatboyz]

Check out my build. I'm mid way. I used a U-Haul box.
You can shorten the back and get an aluminum tubing put in then sheet it in with Al. That's what I did.

 

[dentedvw]

RIght on, I will check it out!

 

[dentedvw]

Is 2" the standard insulation amount with a composite/frp wall? I have these frp walls, but they have only 1" hat channels. I believe we are going to have the walls and ceiling spray foamed, but is 1" enough? I doubt it, myself.
I have been looking for 2" hat channel, but haven't found it. Any suggestions on what else I may use?

Last night we taped out a first draft interior plan. Feels like it's starting to come together.
I ordered vinyl to re-wrap the box, also, since we have already become tired of the bright red plumbing wrap.

Does anyone know if the 5500 uses same diameter coils as the 3500, or 2500? We may temporarily use coil spacer and lift block until we know our final weight and can get correct springs.

Is this the correct forum?
Is it too hideous to even comment on?

 

[Fatboyz]

Yup, right forum. If you check my build I put 3/4" plywood strips on my walls on 12" centers. I have a corrugated design on my box. This gave me about 1.5" of insulation. I spray foamed mine myself. I put 1.5" rigid insulation on the ceiling. It was flat so was easier to do. I also live in Canada so pretty col hear spring fall and winter. We have a cubic mini wood stove to install on our back wall and a propane forced air furnace though.

 

[dentedvw]

A mini wood stove would be pretty rad, I may look into it.

Yesterday, I began a floor repair, where they lifted the whole truck with the giant forklift, and stabbed through the floor. Yeesh. Replacing about six feet of two boards. I also caulked up some small gaps here and there. Going to rent a floor sander this weekend, to make the floor a bit more level, then sealing up the floor, too.

I originally wanted a Uhaul box, because they use a lighter aluminum floor, but I couldn't locate one. Many were much too short, and others were far too expensive for their condition, and I had to purchase the whole truck.

I am dreading the subframe build, a little bit. I need to lift the box back off the truck. In a few weeks.

 

[Fatboyz]

Two things to consider with your floor. If you have the headroom, I didn't mine is only 6' 2" tall inside, you may want to put rigid foam on the floor then a flooring. I stay foamed the underside of my floor to save head room. You can put down a nice laminat floor. We're using click n go cork to give a nice warm feeling.

 

[dentedvw]

I am planning on spray foaming the underside, also. Mine is similarly tall inside. We're also looking at laminate flooring, very ordinary "luxury vinyl laminate" because it looks ok, appears durable and is easy to install. I do wonder how well it will stay down though. Maybe a few beads of adhesive as it goes down.

This weekend, not much progress. Or maybe plenty, depending on how you look at it. I rented a floor sander and sanded down the floor, because the boards had been abused a lot over the last ten years, and the repair I made also needed sanded down to match. Now it's ready to fill the gaps and laminate when we're ready for that.

Also been working on the layout. Trying to find the right fridge. Making plans to cut the back off the truck. Added 3/4 wood to the existing wall and ceiling hat channel, to create space to add spray insulation. Installed a Maxxfan.

We went to Ikea and fell in love with a couch. ha ha! My wife actually wanted to choose that item. So, we will buy it in a few weeks and modify it to slim it down a bit, and raise it up a little bit, to allow a storage area below it. Or maybe water storage.

Talked further about the subframe, or lack thereof, and associated mounting method, also absent. May just make a frame and bolt it down. I haven't heard yet from any other owners of the 5500 whether the frame flexes a lot, or very little. It seems very stout, so I am guessing very little. Still on the fence here regarding a simple U bolt and subframe or 3 point mount using some stout spring hangers and bushings and so on up front and the similar pivot in the back.

Waiting to cover the hideous vinyl job until the rear of the box has been cut, and also the over cab built. It's hard to look at, but at least it's shiny.

 

[Fatboyz]

I can't comment on a 5500 chassis, as I have a 550. I had to weld in new 3X2" tubing onto my Uhaul subframe. That subframe sit's on a treated 2X4 between the subframe and my frame rails. My box is held to my subframe by 4 mounts that have rubber blocks (hockey pucks) between them to give some cushion and held with grade 8 bolts.
I've done a little testing and I don't get too much frame flex.
We got some cork flooring that was being discontinued for our truck. I've heard cork flooring is warmer and has a little insulation? It was the right color and cheap!

 

[Fatboyz]

When you shorten your box will you be able to cut the extrusions the sides are mounted in and just kind of sandwich it back? Are you planning to remove the rear doors or leave them as a garage?
Mine were shot and I didn't want dust issues so removed them and closed in the back.

 

[dentedvw]

Closing in the back, for sure. Ours didn't come with a door. Planning to reuse the rear corners when we cut it. Everything is held together with large rivets, so it looks like it's just a lot of drilling and cutting.

 

[Leonmac]

Hi Mate looks like a good starting point. Have you considered cutting the front of the box to become a "Bed over the cab" that shortens the over hang and you don't loose a heap of space. Cheers Leon (NZ)

 

[dentedvw]

Oh snap! It's so crazy it might work!
We haven't yet cut in the door on the side, so it's a very timely idea. We were planning on an overcab section to contain part of the bed, and were tossing around ideas how to accomplish it.
Yeah, I will have a look at that tonight.

 

[Fatboyz]

In my uhaul box the overcab is only 34" inside so I am building a 20" "cupboard" bulkhead inside. This will give me room for a full size 54" mattress. I just started that cupboard bulk head this weekend and have pics on my build page. I think the overcab could be done at your stage pretty easily. It is easy to weld to those aluminum extrusions. My one concern was head room in the overcab. Here is a test pic with couch cushions to check ht. Also if you look at "Everlanders" build on youtube you can see they're overcab bed isn't very high either.

 

[Leonmac]

I rented a Camper a few years back and took the Family (4 of us) for a month around the South Island (NZ) my wife and I slept in the OVER CAB bed. Not great for sitting up but fine for sleeping. If you could do a north/south bed way better as you are not climbing over each other but you need 5 foot over the cab and do what Fatboyz has done with storage back into the box for another 20" odd.