New From CO

[aaronf]

Sink and countertop. The subway tile backsplash is stick on vinyl. The curtains hide the cooler and water tanks.

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Foot pump

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Bench and table

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[aaronf]

First trip around the block

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When I acquired the old popup camper I discovered the axle was bent and the tires were wearing very badly due to the toe-in. They were nearly new and almost half the tread was already worn on one side. Our first night in the camper we took it 120 miles round trip. I noticed on the drive it howled a lot. I'm not sure if the noise was from the tires scrubbing on the pavement or the bearings - who knows when those were last repacked. After that first trip I ordered a new axle and wheels.

[aaronf]

Inaugural trip. It rained. We stayed dry and comfortable. What more could I ask for?

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[aaronf]

Total weight of the camper is 1400 lbs without food, water, or clothes. That weight includes all bedding, cooking supplies and miscellaneous camp stuff we keep in there. I decided to install a 3500 axle with 15" wheels and 205/75 tires. The trailer rides smoother with the larger tires and with the heavier axle I don't have to worry about overloading or breaking a spindle on a dirt road. I've driven multiple hours at 75-80 mph and the bearings are hardly warm to the touch. It handles great behind my V8 4Runner and has about 13% (180 lbs) tongue weight. With the 4Runner I have no issues keeping up with any speed limit, it's really just a matter of how much I'm wiling to spend at the pump. Average mpg has been 11-16 mpg depending on speeds and wind. I usually get 15-21 mpg depending on conditions. With the upgraded axle the exterior height is about 75" so it fits in the garage with room to spare.

Before axle and tires

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After new axle and tires

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[aaronf]

From start to finish this took 13 months and about $3000. I'm learning, however, that it's never really complete. I recently picked up a Dometic 12v fridge/freezer and am currently working on a solar electrical setup. We've also decided we want more storage so I'm also building a tongue box that fits the front profile of the camper. We are VERY happy with the build and have been using it often. It takes about 2 minutes to level the camper and pop the top and crawl into bed or start cooking dinner. It was a lot of fun and when I was finished I swore to never do it again. But I have a few ideas if I were to do it again...