Small Off-Road Build

[indiedog]

Looking very awesome and love the color of the skin. Wondering how you will be finishing the corners? Small angle to cover and rivet? And for the bends are you pre-bending the steel and then adding the birch? Or cutting the birch out where the bend will occur?

Really looking forward to seeing it finished, keep it going.

 

[rodrage]

Not sure of the mechanics of the latching arm but what if you painted it black and put it on the outside of the door?

The latch is a drop luce latch (mostly found in the UK and South Africa). It is large enough for a padlock if I want to secure it.

 

[rodrage]

Looking very awesome and love the color of the skin. Wondering how you will be finishing the corners? Small angle to cover and rivet? And for the bends are you pre-bending the steel and then adding the birch? Or cutting the birch out where the bend will occur?

Really looking forward to seeing it finished, keep it going.

Thanks. I cut the birch before I got the roofing skin. Added a 1/4" to my measurements before I put sheets on the brake. Also, front-to-back they overlap between 1 7/8- 2 1/2 inches, so there is some play. The sides will be the only corners needing edge-work. I found some corner molding angle for drop tile ceilings at Lowes. It's mild steel, thin, light weight, and cheap.. (@4$ for 12 feet). I'll paint them and rivet them to the cage.

 

[rodrage]

Got some more trim out, annex pole storage tube and the sliders in today.

 

[rodrage]

Earlier this year, I found out that NO one built a cargo door even close to the size I needed for the rear hatch above the kitchen. I found one that was surplus that was the right height, but exactly a foot too long. They aren't very complex, so I ripped it apart and cut it down. Still need to paint it, and reassemble. For those building you own rig- these things are light, cheap, easy to repair and you can find them anywhere. Unless it's a rare size, you can find most for under 50 bucks, the smaller ones for @20. Unfortunately, they are only aluminum, styrofoam and fiberglass sheet, so the locks are just a deterrent. Not really worried about the stowed gear, and have a lock box for expensive gear behind one to fend off those brave enough to break in.

 

[rodrage]

Finally found some metric threaded stainless spacers to shim out the mud track mounts. The droplocks (luce fasteners) fit perfectly in the track mount holes.

 

[rodrage]

Alone again.... should have thought this through before I started to un-box the Tepui. Done this a few times and always had help. Got the mounting rails on and somehow used physics to get it up on top of the trailer cage- (never even broke a sweat). Going to get it open again and measure for the window fly struts so the the rollbar will clear the sides before I drill the anchor mounts.

 

[rodrage]

Lowered the trailer to floor to raise the tent and fit it to the roof-line for the rollbar fabrication.

 

[rodrage]

Got some 1 1/2" PVC to mock up a safari bar. The sweeps are a little tight, but gives me a good idea of my bend points and final mounts. Using exhaust tubing for the bars. I'll add a 14 gauge center to the inside and some tie down access pass through holes. Cutting the holes into 6x2" ovals and staggering them. The last rack I built used footman loops, but I got to where I was always bending them with tie down straps. This will be much stronger.




View attachment RACK CENTER CUTS.pdf

 

[rodrage]

I got the Tepui mounted AND packed back up, and strapped on. Thanks to Evan and his team who build great tents, and make it easy enough that I got this thing up and mounted by myself... (NOT recommended), but it worked out great.

 

[rodrage]

Finished the "Cut-Down" hatch door project. Matches pretty well. Added the LED Awning light and got it wired. Trying the amber color to keep down advertising to bugs.

 

[TheThom]

Looks great!

 

[rodrage]

Got the side skin fitted for adjustment. Did a trial run on the doors and the refrigerator. The rest of the wiring finally got here and now I need to take it all back down to sort the spaghetti of wiring I've created....

 

[abacon]

Might I inquire about the roofing steel? Never seen smooth steel "roofing" like that and it seems like a perfect skin. Thanks!

 

[rodrage]

Check your metal building suppliers. It's builders' siding/roofing for running through a rib dye machine. These originally come flat, epoxy coated and offer about 50 different colors, finished in white on the back, with a clear peel off laminate protection sheet on the color side. They run 26-29ga steel. Typically, they are supplied in 41 5/8" wide x 8' long. This project took me 5 sheets and had several scraps left over. Most vendors have a large metal brake and can cut them to size if you give them fair notice. I think they go for 36-42$/sheet in most of the lower 48.
They look thin, but actually VERY sturdy and easy to work with. I wouldn't use them without an insulating or backing layer, as they would easily dent with normal use. I used coated 1/4" birch and laminated the pieces.