My offroad Camper

[fatehunter1972]

Steve

What program do you use to make these drawings?

[Steve F]

Steve

What program do you use to make these drawings?

I'm using google sketchup 6.0, quite easy to use once you get the hang of things and it's free. The most important bit is to make each section seperatley so they can be manipulated easily. My chassis is one drawing, the hatch is another (makes it easy to open and close, the Jerry cans are another etc etc. You can download vehicles etc that others have built, I got the wheels from a landrover I found as they were the right size and saved a lot of time.

Here's another revision to cope with external jerry cans but still a little extra internal storage. Also made the door open and added the weather seal style I'll use.







Cheers
Steve

[wa_flyfisher]

This is the kind of build that I will be following closely. I like the shape of the trailer. Only concern is that the hatch will be to low to stand under.

Have you considered making the part below the counter staying in place with access doors like the Grasshopper trailers? That would gain head room and lighten the hatch up quite a bit.

Like you can kind of see in this photo.

[Steve F]

This is the kind of build that I will be following closely. I like the shape of the trailer. Only concern is that the hatch will be to low to stand under.

Have you considered making the part below the counter staying in place with access doors like the Grasshopper trailers? That would gain head room and lighten the hatch up quite a bit.

I did think about that but I think it will be fine, the lowest point is close to 6'4" and I want the hatch to provide some shade etc. I just need to confirm the angle the hurricane hinge will go to, looking at pictures it looks like it wont have a problem going past 90 degrees



After some advice I've also slimmed the trailer frame down chopping 39lbs off of the weight.



Cheers
Steve

[fatehunter1972]

Steve,

I've got the free sketch-up (6) yet your drawings are amazing. If I can produce pictures like that I am going to play with it some more.

Is your sketch-up the free one?

Thanks

[Steve F]

Steve,

I've got the free sketch-up (6) yet your drawings are amazing. If I can produce pictures like that I am going to play with it some more.

Is your sketch-up the free one?

Thanks

Yep it's the free one

Cheers
Steve

[angib]

After some advice I've also slimmed the trailer frame down chopping 39lbs off of the weight.

Yup, I think you're dead right there - the central tongue doesn't do much if there are full-length side tongue members as well. Where there is both, the side members are the shortest path from the coupler to the side walls, so they carry most of the load - the central bit becomes mostly decorative.

Andrew

[Steve F]

Final design, added a little more to the tongue which adds very little weight but makes me feel more comfortable strength wise. The upper part of the tongue box is accessed internally and the lower part externally (may end up being a battery box)

Used Camec windows 610mm x 450mm and I think they look good and are a decent size. Anyway, the build should start in the next few weeks



Here you can see the internal storage above the bed, along with mattress, pillows and covers




Cheers
Steve

[Steve F]

After looking at the Grasshopper and how close my current style is I had a bit of a play with the profile in paint. I really like this. I could angle the jerry cans to fit under the slope of the nose and have some nice internal storage without building a tongue box. I'm quite tempted to go with this now so will need to spend some more time in front of sketchup. Opinions?



Cheers
Steve

[Miriam C.]

Steve you have a wonderfully, well thought out plan there. Can't wait to see it done.

[Steve F]

:applause: Steve you have a wonderfully, well thought out plan there. Can't wait to see it done.

Everytime I think I'm done I come up with something else. Luckily for me I have a few weeks before things start and must finish some other projects first, steps to the backyard being the main one

Anyway, now I have to decide between my two final designs, they may get tweaked but the basics are there. I'm leaning towards the Grasshopper style with windows on the front (fixed) but not sure how much extra this will add to the complexity of the build and the potential for leaks. I need to confirm there is a straight forward way to install fixed windows (Lexan) that wont leak.

Anyway, the final two.









Cheers
Steve

[madjack]

Steve, I like the grasshopper...but they are both very nice...have you seen the window in Joannes Desert Dawg.....

[mikeschn]

I like the grasshopper nosed design better. If you're gonna have angles you may as well get rid of that front vertical wall. The front windows are nice too. I had a front window in the escape hatch for a day while I was cutting the hole for the ac. A front window really lets in a lot of light. Very nice!

That angled front wall also gives you a place for additional interior storage.

Mike...

[apratt]

I like the G.H. also, the front window is a nice feature. But I would add the 2nd door on the other side.

[PaulC]

I'm with the others on the style choice, the grasshopper is a proven product. I especially agree with Arthur on the second door too, sure beats climbing over a sleeping body in the wee hours of the morning

Cheers
Paul