Rare Toy Hauler Adventure Rig (Build)
- Thread starter Shapeshifter
- Start date
Shapeshifter
Restless Adventurer
Shapeshifter
Restless Adventurer
After using this rig a few times I decided it needed a porch.
There is only a small amount of tailgate that isn't big enough for a step and it makes crossing the door threshold from the folding stairs kind of precarious, especially in the dark.
This is how awkward the stairs and threshold were before:
As usual I wanted the porch to be as simple, lightweight, and as portable as possible. I decided to use a folding aluminum wheelchair ramp for the deck and a hitch mounted bed extender thing for support. I scoured the interwebs for ideas and never saw this solution so you're welcome for the idea
The ramp/deck is rated for 1200 lbs but, being a ramp, it is designed to be supported at the ends. Since this the ramp is now a deck and is supported on the sides, not the ends, it wants to bow and buckle in the middle with a load on it. I made some simple aluminum blocks and mounted them at the "pinch point" between the hinge and these keep the ramp from buckling in the middle when a load is on the deck.
You can see that the stairs now mount to the hitch support thing. I also made some simple aluminum brackets that mate with the extension pieces on the support. When everything is pinned, it is quite stable.
Im super happy with how this turned out!
There is only a small amount of tailgate that isn't big enough for a step and it makes crossing the door threshold from the folding stairs kind of precarious, especially in the dark.
This is how awkward the stairs and threshold were before:
As usual I wanted the porch to be as simple, lightweight, and as portable as possible. I decided to use a folding aluminum wheelchair ramp for the deck and a hitch mounted bed extender thing for support. I scoured the interwebs for ideas and never saw this solution so you're welcome for the idea
The ramp/deck is rated for 1200 lbs but, being a ramp, it is designed to be supported at the ends. Since this the ramp is now a deck and is supported on the sides, not the ends, it wants to bow and buckle in the middle with a load on it. I made some simple aluminum blocks and mounted them at the "pinch point" between the hinge and these keep the ramp from buckling in the middle when a load is on the deck.
You can see that the stairs now mount to the hitch support thing. I also made some simple aluminum brackets that mate with the extension pieces on the support. When everything is pinned, it is quite stable.
Im super happy with how this turned out!
Last edited:
billiebob
Well-known member
Love this camper as a starting point. The problem with most campers today is they try to pack waayyy tooo much into too small a space.
This one with the open interior and cargo doors is perfect. Well done conversion too.
The receiver/deck extension is a best idea ever.
This one with the open interior and cargo doors is perfect. Well done conversion too.
The receiver/deck extension is a best idea ever.
Shapeshifter
Restless Adventurer
Im also using a 6 foot wide bag awning made for a pop-up trailer. It was 8 feet long but that was way too big so I cut it to 5.5 feet long.
Nice work. I have the same 12" stainless bowl cheapo sink that drains to the ground in my build, same Whynter fridge, and a very similar back cargo deck (ATV ramp). Simple wins (at least for some of us)
I used cables to support back deck, run them up to the jacks. Bomber. Avoids the long receiver hitch gizmo and allows for towing.
I used cables to support back deck, run them up to the jacks. Bomber. Avoids the long receiver hitch gizmo and allows for towing.
Shapeshifter
Restless Adventurer
Shapeshifter
Restless Adventurer
Simple mod that gives me a rear view when the camper is on the truck. I mounted a cheap reverse camera below the camper porch light, then wired power to the camera from the porch light. I swapped the original porch light with one that has a switch on the housing so I can keep the camera power on but switch the light off while driving.
I wired a 1.3mHz video transmitter to the same porch light circuit and mounted it on the inside wall adjacent to the porch light and camera.
The 1.3mHz video receiver is mounted behind the dashboard and I use an adapter to get it to show on the factory display monitor. The adapter I use allows me to toggle between the factory apps and the video display on demand. It's a cool setup that I have used on a few different rigs. Since its wireless, I have a similar camera/transmitter on my pull-behind camper too. The dashboard video receiver picks up the signal from whichever camera is transmitting so regardless of whether I'm towing the trailer camper, or just the slide-in truck camper, I get a rear view. It works awesome for backing the trailer up.
I wired a 1.3mHz video transmitter to the same porch light circuit and mounted it on the inside wall adjacent to the porch light and camera.
The 1.3mHz video receiver is mounted behind the dashboard and I use an adapter to get it to show on the factory display monitor. The adapter I use allows me to toggle between the factory apps and the video display on demand. It's a cool setup that I have used on a few different rigs. Since its wireless, I have a similar camera/transmitter on my pull-behind camper too. The dashboard video receiver picks up the signal from whichever camera is transmitting so regardless of whether I'm towing the trailer camper, or just the slide-in truck camper, I get a rear view. It works awesome for backing the trailer up.
ITTOG
Well-known member
That is awesome. Care to share details on the parts you purchased for the camera and how it is installed? I would love to do the same for my 2018 F150.Simple mod that gives me a rear view when the camper is on the truck. I mounted a cheap reverse camera below the camper porch light, then wired power to the camera from the porch light. I swapped the original porch light with one that has a switch on the housing so I can keep the camera power on but switch the light off while driving.
I wired a 1.3mHz video transmitter to the same porch light circuit and mounted it on the inside wall adjacent to the porch light and camera.
The 1.3mHz video receiver is mounted behind the dashboard and I use an adapter to get it to show on the factory display monitor. The adapter I use allows me to toggle between the factory apps and the video display on demand. It's a cool setup that I have used on a few different rigs. Since its wireless, I have a similar camera/transmitter on my pull-behind camper too. The dashboard video receiver picks up the signal from whichever camera is transmitting so regardless of whether I'm towing the trailer camper, or just the slide-in truck camper, I get a rear view. It works awesome for backing the trailer up.
Shapeshifter
Restless Adventurer
The thing that makes it all work with Ford Sync is this - however there are several other brands that do similar things. I use a Navik like this one and I ordered it through their website where you can plug in your specific year/make/model to get the right one.
The video receiver is mounted in the upper glove cubby and gets power from the Navik adapter thing.
As far as reverse cameras, there are hundreds on Amazon or Ebay. I chose the one for this rig because of it's wide FOV. The video transmitter/recivers are very common too and you can find them made specifically for wireless reverse cameras (I use one of these to see behind the large spare tire on my Jeep https://www.ebay.com/itm/233967470762?hash=item36798c48aa:g:1xMAAOSwzk1gd7DP ). Most of those are 5.8Ghz frequency. The ones I'm using are 1.3 Mhz which tends to have a more stable signal and can penetrate steel and aluminum frames and obstacles better than 5.8. I saw your build! You will want 1.3 to transmit through that frame, even at 20 feet LOL!
Of course a more simple way would be to simply run a hardwire from the camera to the dash - still needing the Navik adapter though.