Total Composites flatbed build

[andy_b]

It seems like this is getting to be a little played out, but hey, maybe we're all onto something...

I've been planning on doing this for a while now and finally got the blessing from the Minister of Recreation (aka - the Wife). Initially I was going to just post a summary build thread once the truck was done, but I realized that since I've never done this before, having input from the peanut gallery might be helpful.

We wanted a true four season camper with heat, hot water, and a queen sized bed. The limitations associated with a pop top camper outweighed its few benefits so a hardside was the best option for our needs. We also chose a flatbed instead of a slide-in after similar considerations. Finally, regarding truck vs vans, while #vanlife is so hot these days, I think that trucks overall are less expensive, safer offroad, and easier to work on.

Keeping the camper itself simple (and cheap) eliminates fancy pants stuff like GXV, EarthRoamer, Overland Explorer, et al.

That left us with true DIY (foamie stuff, making my own panels, plywood, etc), Total Composites, Boxmanufaktur. I have neither the time or space to truly build my own. I have been following Total Composites for some time. Andreas has been super helpful has made the process super easy. Initially, I was going to have the box made, but that ended up being more hassle than it was worth.

Andreas (really) at Boxmanufaktur was fantastic to work with and the cost of the box was surprisingly affordable. A shell with queen sized cabover and approximately 8' floor length (approximately 16' overall) was around $30,000. They could deliver to my house for around $2000. For less than $40,000, we could have had a nice German-built composite box on a flatbed. The only problem - they are about a year out from delivery. I am waaaay too impatient for that.

So in the end, the fastest, least expensive and most customizable approach was to build a Total Composites box on my truck. I just sent Andreas the final dimensions and deposit so hopefully it will get started soon.

 

[andy_b]

The first part of the build, apart from who to source the box from, was what vehicle to build it off of. Originally, I had a deposit on a 2019 Dodge 3500 Cummins with their G56 manual. After four months, I got tired of waiting for a $55k+ truck and cancelled my order. Eventually, I found the Dodge's ancient ancestor, a 2000 Ford F350 with the 7.3L Powerstroke and a manual transmission. It had ~210k miles and was $10k.

I'm not a truck guy so I'm really grateful this thing didn't come with huge mudflaps or lights all over it. In fact, it was a super stock XLT trim which means it had AC and cruise controls - the two things any vehicle like this needs.



It replaced our beloved 1994 Toyota Truck. I actually entertained the idea of building on it, but the main reason the Truck stopped being relevant was because we added to our traveling party. The tiny extended cab had no space for a baby. For being so small, a baby (and their stuff) really takes up a lot of space. Other parents have told me this is apparently is a theme that recurs...



I found a shell to put our AirTop on and put a full length slide out cargo tray. That tray was one of the best things I've ever put onto a truck.





At this point, the truck was basically perfect. I used the 7-pin trailer plug in the bed to power two GC2 deep cycle batteries which ran our CFX 75. The coolest thing about this setup is the Victron SmartShunt which allowed me to monitor the battery health via their app. Super handy and cheaper than their traditional BMV-712. There is no headunit, but that isn't needed since I can run everything on my phone.

Unfortunately, as I mentioned above, the baby makes things more complicated. Honestly, the nightly cagematches in the AirTop convinced my wife that we might as well build something bigger.

 

[andy_b]

Because we decided not to have an integrated subframe made and instead are going with a traditional flatbed, we needed to get said flatbed to get its actual dimensions when mounted on the truck.

Before we got the flatbed installed, I figured I should get the truck mostly ready for life as camper. Initially, I had Toyo MTs which provided great traction and looked great, but man they were super loud. In order to make life on the road better and to have an increased range of sizes, I got new 18" Method 701 HDs. They at rated way above my axle ratings, so that is nice. I never was a fan of Methods, but that was because all anyone ever seems to get are those ridiculous street-lock POS's. I had initially planned on getting TrailReady beadlocks but once I found these less expensive 701s that didn't look too bro-dozer, I was sold. The 18s let me get 285/75-18 Toyo RTs. So much quieter and easier to live with on the road. I highly recommend them.

For suspension, I leveled the truck and got Fox 2.0 Performance Series shocks. They were a little more expensive than Bilstein 7100s but they are more adjustable and easier to rebuild. Places like Accutune Offroad will custom valve your shocks for your application when you buy from them for free (I have no affiliation - just thought it would be worth sharing). Once I'm at my final setup, I'll get them re-valved again as well as new springs and/or airbags.

After a bunch of phone calls, I decided on an Aluma flatbed. It was both the cheapest and simplest one I could find. The surprisingly hard part was finding a shop that either understood the idea of spring mounting the tray or was willing to try and figure it out. The only place I was able to find happened to be an Aluma dealer in Bayfield, CO called 4 Corners Trailer. Other trays like Norweld or Highway Products are fantastic, but at $8k-15k (before install), I felt like the money was better spent elsewhere. Even AT Overland hadn't heard of spring mounting and weren't interested in trying to do so.

Another hard part was finding the spring mounts themselves. I was able to find them from T&B Truck Supply in CA. They were expensive at ~$125 shipped but I guess that is the cost of doing business. They were huge - the bolts are 3/4" in diameter and the brackets are beefy AF.

4 Corners Trailer mounted four of these at each corner with UHMW bumper in the center of the rails.

They also did a nice job integrating the fuel filler in the rub rail. One can also see what makes the Aluma so inexpensive compared to the competition. At $5000 installed, it was still $3k-$7k less than anything else on the market.

Anyhow, now the truck is ready to get the box installed. The truck has other bits to make it easier to live with: Amp Powersteps, PHP Hydra tuner, Carplay compatible stereo, sound-deadening, etc.





Any input or feedback is appreciated. I plan on sharing the final dimensions and would like to get some feedback about how to setup the interior.

 

[SootyCamper]

look forward to following your build! I applaud your attitude towards accepting that things don't have to be SEMA perfect to enjoy. Sometimes on this forum we forget that the true goal is to get out there and get bogged down with the need to have the "best" quality components.

 

[john61ct]

What is the benefit of spring mounting the bed?

 

[andy_b]

What is the benefit of spring mounting the bed?

A composite camper is very stiff. Any vehicle flex that gets passed through to the camper can cause it to crack. Spring mounting the camper, either through a subframe or this method here, allows the camper to move independently of the chassis, hopefully improving its longevity.

 

[john61ct]

Advantage point to the PMF/foamie approach in that regard then.

 

[andy_b]

look forward to following your build! I applaud your attitude towards accepting that things don't have to be SEMA perfect to enjoy. Sometimes on this forum we forget that the true goal is to get out there and get bogged down with the need to have the "best" quality components.

Agreed. Don't get me wrong, I like seeing fancy parts and I appreciate seeing cool stuff. We could afford to go a similar route, but then I'd be annoyed with modern truck electronics or paying for stuff I never really wanted (eg - the diamond plating on the Norweld bed. I hate that stuff). I'm hoping this will be something achievable and repeatable without deep pockets or industry hookups.

 

[andy_b]

Advantage point to the PMF/foamie approach in that regard then.

True, but that approach is thwarted by my lack of access to a shop or interest in making my own panels and then building the box from said panels.

 

[Victorian]

Thank you for purchasing from us. It means a lot. Cheers

 

[andy_b]

Thank you for purchasing from us. It means a lot. Cheers

Honesty, this is the main reason I went with Total Composites. Victorian participates here and supports his customers and his product. To be fair, many other great companies aren't active here and it doesn't mean they aren't good. Nevertheless, for me, since this is a DIY project, having the ability to ask questions and get insight is super helpful.

 

[TD66]

Thanks for the info on the spring mounts. I just started looking around and wasn't having any luck finding them. If you don't mind, who installed them for you? Looking forward to your build.

 

[rruff]

A composite camper is very stiff. Any vehicle flex that gets passed through to the camper can cause it to crack. Spring mounting the camper, either through a subframe or this method here, allows the camper to move independently of the chassis, hopefully improving its longevity.

Ya, open-C frames are very flexible in torsion, and you really don't want the box to resist the frame's movement.

I haven't seen a spring setup like that... usually they are hard mounted on the back with spring mounts forward, and the flatbed rails rest on the truck frame rails. Did the flatbed manufacturer come up with that, or is it your design, or... ?

 

[Alloy]

To the right of the fuel filler it looks like there is a missing weld.

Looks to be one 1/2" bolt into the ??? thick aluminum channel that is not connect to beam going across the front. Might be look at adding some structure to this before bolting a camper to it.

What stops the deck from sliding forward?

What prevents the deck from bottoming out (steel on steel) hard?

Is it an optical illusion or is that steel block welded in crooked?

To the left of the spring mount it looks like the frame was cut while someone was removing a bolt with a torch. This should be welded and ground smooth. Good place for a crack to start.

 

[andy_b]

Ya, open-C frames are very flexible in torsion, and you really don't want the box to resist the frame's movement.

I haven't seen a spring setup like that... usually they are hard mounted on the back with spring mounts forward, and the flatbed rails rest on the truck frame rails. Did the flatbed manufacturer come up with that, or is it your design, or... ?

The flatbed rails rest on the frame rails in the center, between the wheels, on thick UHMW plastic isolators.