M116A3 Build

...ask your questions in the appropriate forums BUT document your build here...preferably in a single thread...dates for updates, are appreciated....

Re: M116A3 Build

Postby lfhoward » Mon Mar 23, 2015 10:11 am

titanpat57 wrote:I would think in your location , you'd be able to find a cabinet shop or would supplier to commercial contractors that would easily be able to locate 5' wide and probably up to 10' long if you need it.

You're probably right. There are lots of commercial suppliers in my area according to Google Maps. The big question is whether the extra cost will be justified by stronger walls. If I spliced a 4x8 1/4 plywood sheet against a 1x8 section to make a 5x8: If I backed the seams on 1x3 wall studs, put the outer seam at 4 feet up, and the inner seam at 1 foot up so they are staggered, I would have pretty strong wall.
My off-road camper build on an M116A3 military chassis:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=62581
Tow vehicle: 2008 Jeep Liberty with a 4 inch lift.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby lfhoward » Mon Mar 23, 2015 10:17 am

Just for fun, here is another view of the trailer parked next to my garage.

Image
Last edited by lfhoward on Sun May 13, 2018 2:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.
My off-road camper build on an M116A3 military chassis:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=62581
Tow vehicle: 2008 Jeep Liberty with a 4 inch lift.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby S. Heisley » Mon Mar 23, 2015 6:09 pm

Thanks Sharon! I noticed you have a Jeep Liberty as well. How do you like it as your TV?


So far, it's been a sweet ride. My trailer weighs in at ~1150 lbs, not including food. Without the trailer, my Jeep gets 15 mpg city and 19 mpg hwy. When towing the trailer, I get a pretty steady 15 mpg, city or hwy. I rarely use the tow feature...haven't needed it much. (I've never really done off-road. I'm an ancient box of Cracker Jack leftovers; so, probably never will.)
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby lfhoward » Tue Mar 24, 2015 5:29 pm

I bought a battery charger for my offroad trailer today. It's a charger designed for heavy duty use on ambulances and firetrucks, to keep their batteries topped off while they are running lights and radios. It should work well for me also, for running interior lights and a fantastic fan while hooked up to shore power.

The charger's for sale thread: http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=62734

I am going to keep my eye out for other equipment for sale here on the forum. If anyone has any other ideas of places to look for good used equipment, or have something to sell, I am all ears. I'm looking for a fantastic fan, as well as interior & exterior lights, a trailer-sized A/C unit, and perhaps a solar panel and controller. I might also be interested in trailer/RV windows if they could be had at a good price.
My off-road camper build on an M116A3 military chassis:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=62581
Tow vehicle: 2008 Jeep Liberty with a 4 inch lift.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby lfhoward » Sat Mar 28, 2015 11:05 am

Update:

1. I have decided to go with a 5 foot tall cabin for the extra headroom, using profile "A" in the diagram below.

Image

Image


2. I have a question about securing the walls to the 1/8 inch thick steel trailer deck. Please let me know what you think:

I cannot easily overlap any part of the wall on the outside of the trailer deck. It all has to attach to the top surface. Which method do you think is better? (Or suggest a different method.)

Image

"A" uses self tapping screws from under the trailer. Using this method, I could completely assemble the walls in the garage before taking them outside and fastening them to the trailer. This would be the easiest method. However, would you be worried the screws would work themselves loose over time due to vibration?
Edit: In places where vertical spars T into the baseboard, longer screws or lag bolts could be used.

"B" uses bolts and lock nuts. I would have to leave one side of the wall unfinished in order to access the bolts, then once the structure is fastened to the trailer, attach the final interior or exterior plywood. The bolts would be sealed inside the wall after that, and inaccessible. This method would be more complicated to do, but may be more solid than using screws.
Last edited by lfhoward on Sun May 13, 2018 2:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
My off-road camper build on an M116A3 military chassis:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=62581
Tow vehicle: 2008 Jeep Liberty with a 4 inch lift.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby KCStudly » Sat Mar 28, 2015 8:16 pm

Option C: Make the sill boards for your walls; drill the holes for bolts; clamp the boards to the trailer; pilot thru the holes in the boards and drill the trailer deck to match (this method ensures that the holes line up later); open up the top side of the holes in the sills to accept T-nut threaded inserts; apply "the mix" or thinned epoxy liberally into the holes to guard against water damage, taking care to keep the threads clear, or chase with a tap as required; build the walls on the bench complete with sill in place; stand the walls up in a bed of adhesive or sealer and bolt from the bottom; after the bedding has cured, pull the bolts back out, goop under the heads and reinstall.

This way you get the benefit of hard bolting and being able to build the walls as complete units on the bench.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby lfhoward » Sat Mar 28, 2015 9:25 pm

I really like this plan. Thank you for the idea. I would not have thought of this. :applause:

So, to clarify, are these the type of inserts you have in mind for the sill boards?
Image

I completely follow you in your description of how to prep and get the sill boards bolted up to the trailer. My next question is about how to make sure the wall itself is attached securely to the sill boards when assembling the whole structure. Make the sill the same width as the wall and Titebond and use screws from underneath? Or offset the sill 1/4 inch to the inside and cover the outer edge of the sill with the 1/4 plywood from the outside wall? (And use TB and screws) Trying to picture what would be the strongest wall.

Image

Thanks again for your insight and experience. :beer:
Last edited by lfhoward on Sun May 13, 2018 2:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
My off-road camper build on an M116A3 military chassis:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=62581
Tow vehicle: 2008 Jeep Liberty with a 4 inch lift.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby KCStudly » Sat Mar 28, 2015 11:19 pm

Those are exactly the ones I am thinking of.

Nope, you aren't following my intent. Let me try again. The board that gets the inserts is the same as in your "B" sketch above, not a separate piece. Drill this board, locate it as you would in placing the wall (use temporary shims in place of the wall skins if needed to space away from your fenders), use it first as a template to drill the metal floor. Now take that very same board (label it for which side of the trailer and which end is front so that you don't get them mixed up), add the inserts in the top (where the heads of the bolts would have been in your "B" sketch) and use this as the bottom board (the sill) when you build the wall, including attaching the skins.

Now when you stand the completed wall up the inserts will be inside and you don't need access inside the wall to get to the fasteners; the bolts go up from the bottom into the inserts that are now inaccessible.

Let's see if I can sketch...
Image
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My Build: The Poet Creek Express Hybrid Foamie

Poet Creek Or Bust
Engineering the TLAR way - "That Looks About Right"
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby jadedave » Sun Mar 29, 2015 1:48 am

Very Clever !! , I would go with KC's approach if you haven't already built the wall sandwich. If you have, you might try molly bolts with some threadlock on them . Also you could simply bolt a 1.5 inch aluminum angle to the steel deck on the interior side of the wall and then bolt the wall to it.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby lfhoward » Sun Mar 29, 2015 8:01 am

KC, Thank you. I was thinking that by "sill" you meant an additional piece of wood, but I see you were referring to what I was calling a spar. I'm still working on learning correct trailer-building terminology! The design in your sketch is great, and I will plan to use it.

Jadedave, I haven't begun assembling walls yet. As much as possible I'm trying to build the thing in my head first, and work out as many kinks as I can before I make a bunch of sawdust.
My off-road camper build on an M116A3 military chassis:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=62581
Tow vehicle: 2008 Jeep Liberty with a 4 inch lift.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby KCStudly » Sun Mar 29, 2015 2:59 pm

Basic residential wooden stud wall construction consists of a horizontal "sill", vertical "studs" and (usually two) horizontal "cap" boards. Don't know if that carries over to how most people speak of TD construction, but that's the reference I was after.

Spars are more of an airplane or boat building reference that has been adopted for TD's and almost exclusively refers to the ceiling/roof and hatch members that span from wall to wall, or side to side.

I applaud you for trying to work out as many details as you can before cutting wood or buying supplies. The more things that you can "nail down" in the design phase, the less trouble you will have with rework or working yourself into a proverbial corner. :thumbsup:
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My Build: The Poet Creek Express Hybrid Foamie

Poet Creek Or Bust
Engineering the TLAR way - "That Looks About Right"
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby lfhoward » Sun Mar 29, 2015 3:52 pm

Since we're on the subject of joining walls, what do you think of this way of joining the ceiling to the walls?

Image

The ceiling spars could be fastened to the top of the wall using pocket hole screws, then the roof and ceiling plywood could be fastened in place. This method is adapted from reading the generic benroy plans.

While I can see this plan working, I wouldn't be able to build the build the roof as a single unit and attach it all at once. Would you suggest making edge rails for the roof that are basically the same idea as the sills in the walls, install T-nut threaded inserts, and bolt it together from the outside?

Image
Last edited by lfhoward on Sun May 13, 2018 2:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
My off-road camper build on an M116A3 military chassis:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=62581
Tow vehicle: 2008 Jeep Liberty with a 4 inch lift.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby KCStudly » Sun Mar 29, 2015 4:29 pm

I would use the Fredrick's method. Hold the inner wall skin down under the ceiling skin and route a ledge part way into the wall top profile filler. That way you can build the ceiling from the inside out. Either by laying the ceiling down on to the ledges and then fastening the spars down on top of that, or something similar to how I did; glue the spars to the top of the ceiling skin and pre-finish the under side first; then install the ceiling skin and spars as a unit. Then add filler pieces between the spars; then cap with insulation and/or the outer roof skin.

The advantage is that it is way easier to drop the ceiling in with the ledge to hold it, than it is to get the skin in between the walls without scratching the finish and having no gaps whatsoever, and having to prop the ceiling up to the spars. By installing the spars first the panel won't sag in the middle when you drop it in.

Aggie79 was successful building a complete preformed roof, but that took some real skill, if you ask me.

Either way, the ledge is the key to a slam dunk assembly.

If you don't have a router to cut the ledge you could hold the entire wall cap down below the ceiling and just let the outer skin run up to the bottom of the outer roof skin. Then when you fill between the spars along the top of the wall everything will be locked in and you have plenty to screw the outer roof skin to.

Look at Tony Latham's posts. He uses the Fredrick's method.
Last edited by KCStudly on Mon Mar 30, 2015 1:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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My Build: The Poet Creek Express Hybrid Foamie

Poet Creek Or Bust
Engineering the TLAR way - "That Looks About Right"
TnTTT ORIGINAL 200A LANTERN CLUB = "The 200A Gang"
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby lfhoward » Mon Mar 30, 2015 12:09 pm

I found one of Tony Latham's posts about "rabbiting" the ceiling and walls. There are some good photos in there showing what I think you are describing:

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=62299

So, since I have that nice sketching program on my iPad, here's a quick schematic of how I understand that kind of wall-roof joint to work:

Image
Last edited by lfhoward on Sun May 13, 2018 2:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
My off-road camper build on an M116A3 military chassis:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=62581
Tow vehicle: 2008 Jeep Liberty with a 4 inch lift.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby KCStudly » Mon Mar 30, 2015 2:32 pm

Exactly!

I can't tell for sure from you sketch, but most people use 1x2's on edge for their spars; stronger and lighter that way. Laying them flat and using wider boards just wastes wood, isn't really that much stronger, and makes it harder for them to blend into the profile curve, especially in the tight areas.

At your roof vent, plan on using 2x2's, or doubling up the 1x2's around the fan (the std 14 inch nominal RV fans like to have about a 14-3/8 to 14-1/2 inch rough opening, but the factory screw holes in the fan flanges are generally spread out further, so they need a little bigger footprint to land on).
Last edited by KCStudly on Tue Mar 31, 2015 6:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
KC
My Build: The Poet Creek Express Hybrid Foamie

Poet Creek Or Bust
Engineering the TLAR way - "That Looks About Right"
TnTTT ORIGINAL 200A LANTERN CLUB = "The 200A Gang"
Green Lantern Corpsmen
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