Truck camper build

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Truck camper build

Postby rodtermaat » Tue May 17, 2016 6:35 am

I have been a member for some time, but mostly a reader / lurker. Of course like most of us I have want to build my own camper. I have had a couple of false starts over the years, but feel pretty good about getting this off the ground and into my truck.

I would like to build a hard side pop-up similar to the Alaskan camper, or Pop-up camper 2 as found in the design library. My favorite designs are the non cab over with 2 single beds running length wise along the bed rails. The closest I have seen is the Alaskan mini. I really like this design, but 14K is out of my price range.

Here is a link: http://www.alaskancamper.com/mini.html

The other design (interior) I really like is the european Roma camper. Again there are 2 beds running lengthwise, but this design has the kitchen and even a toilet back versus the front of the camper.

Here is a link: http://www.romahome.com/model-range/romahome-r20lo/

My strategy is to build the lower half from wood and the upper half out of foam. I have really no clue how to work out the lifting mechanism, but first things first.

About me: Nothing special. Computer guy by day and woodworker (chairs, and wood carving) by nights and weekends. The design is really important as I need to be able to slide wood into the camper using the entire length. This is mainly for home projects as most of my chairs start with the tree. I will use a trailer for that as trees are heavy and getting them into my truck bed becomes increasingly hard over time. Long term I want to increase my travel around chair building and woodcarving doing more teaching and festivals (demonstrations). I have a traveling pole lathe to integrate into the design (storage).

Sorry for the long post. I hope to start building in the next couple of weeks. Just have to clear some more wood out of the garage - read as several walnut logs 5 feet long with a 20 inch diameter.
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Re: Truck camper build

Postby daveesl77 » Tue May 17, 2016 9:15 am

You might find this site very interesting. Now, he did his foamie, pop-up truck camper using carbon-fiber coating. That really isn't necessary, as PMF (poor mans fiberglass) will accomplish much the same at a dramatically lower cost. The thing you need to watch is the cantilever of the cabover bed. I used to have a Sunlite pop-up truck camper and while it was pretty darn neat, as someone in their 60s with more back/joint pains than I want to admit, I found it just plain painful. If I were in my 20-50 age, then it would have been fine. It knocked about 2 mpg from my F150.

Pluses to truck camper - all in one package. Allows you to go a lot of places a trailer may not allow you to go. No extra costs if you get on a toll road. I had mine raised in 2 major wind storms out west and had no problems, but you'll read about people that say it shouldn't be raised in winds over 60mph. I know for a fact that one storm the winds were constant 50-60 with gusts to 90. The other winds were pretty consistent 70, plus ice and snow. Truck was shaking like crazy. It can be removed fairly easily. Realistic setup time, if left on truck - maybe 5 minutes. If removing from truck - maybe 30-45 minutes.

Negatives to truck camper - weight, make sure your truck can handle it. A foamie probably isn't a concern, but even my Sunlight, had a dry weight of 930lbs and loaded I was probably around 1500#. Assuming you have legs permanently mounted, you have a much wider vehicle and you really need to be careful during the load/unload process. Having to climb up into bed. Like I said, if I were younger not a big deal, but it was just painful getting up into bed. Dog takes up the entire floor space. I have a full sized, very old beagle, and while not huge, he could figure out how to lay in the floor to make it almost impossible to walk. A roof mount AC will freeze you out and is noisy as all get out, because you are sleeping right in front of the thing.

http://www.hookedupfilms.com/category/h ... le/page/2/

The lifting system is pretty simple. The FWCs use a simple hinged plywood on each end, you raise one end at a time, then lock into place. My Sunlight used a geared x-bracket rack that you cranked up and down, so it actually raised from the sides but the rack running across the width at the bed level. You are only raising the normal pop-up like 14-18", not like a trailer where it can be 4-5 feet.

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Re: Truck camper build

Postby KennethW » Tue May 17, 2016 10:54 am

Negatives to truck camper
You need a truck. I good truck is like $40,000 now.
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Re: Truck camper build

Postby rodtermaat » Wed May 18, 2016 10:06 pm

Thanks for the replies. I have looked at almost every truck camper build thread on the ethernet. Most are good, some are fantastic - none match what I envision. But, I guess that is why we are all here.

I do have a truck. It is a 7K (paid for) 2002 F-150 4X4 V6 bare bones beauty with 50K. I would not trade it for anything. If I had an extra 40K I would invest it to remove a few years from my retirement to full time woodworker / chair maker.

Now onto more truck camper thoughts and questions. I am working out the floor and the initial side walls. My tendency is to overbuild so jump and tell me if this seems too much. I plan to use 3/4 plywood for the floor and 1/2 for the lower half side walls. I could do torsion box side walls with insulation if that seems like a better plan. I plan to run 1X2 poplar runners at the 90 degree inner corners to increase rigidity. Should I run them at all locations or just along the floor? Here is a picture of what I am planning. And yes I am an artist.

truck_camper_floor.jpg
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thanks for your view and insight. rod
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Re: Truck camper build

Postby daveesl77 » Thu May 19, 2016 9:58 am

The floor of the cabin does not need to be 3/4" thick. Remember, it is sitting on the truck bed. My Sunlight was 1/2, with 2x2 cross and side bracing. The walls were 1/2".

When unloaded, I had built a pair of the "x supports" out of 1/2" plywood, these were 16" tall. Each support consisted of two pieces of plywood, each being 5' long, 16" wide, that has a groove cut about 3/4"" wide, in the center of each support and go halfway through the panel. They slide-lock togetherThus, the panels, can be easily taken apart and lay flat. When slotted together they provide a lot of support and stability across a big floor area. On uneven ground you use shims on the ground side to make the floor level while off the truck. During travel, these rode in a compartment I had built under the camper, which not only supported the entire camper, but also gave me a bit of underfloor storage.

I forgot to add, the x panels go diagonal across the width the the floor. Go down about midway in this thread and you'll see how they are made and work

https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/25917893/print/true.cfm

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Last edited by daveesl77 on Thu May 19, 2016 5:02 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Truck camper build

Postby rodtermaat » Thu May 19, 2016 11:29 am

Thanks for the reply Dave. Super helpful.


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Re: Truck camper build

Postby rodtermaat » Mon May 23, 2016 2:13 pm

I made some initial progress on the camper this weekend. I started by building the foundation. I really need/want some basement storage for wood, my traveling shaving horse and pole lathe. Therefore I designed the base to allow for this.

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My original thought was to use the more complicated lower half as depicted in the picture. The kick out above the wheel wells will be under the 2 beds and serve as storage with sliding doors. They will be at least 6 feel long and have something like 4" wide by 10 inches tall. Once I laid this out I came to the conclusion that if I moved the 2X4 framing to the outside of the 1/2" plywood I could attack the wall to the 2X4 substantially increasing the strength. I also realized that although I measured twice and cut once I still did not align with all the ripples in the truck bed. Furthermore at 48" the 2X4 on the outside edge would be mid ripple. I always like a chance to use my old school tools on todays projects, so out came the shaving horse to bevel the 2X4 so that everything would lay level and in between the ripples. After this remediation I could continue on with the plan to simplify the lower half to just straight side walls up to the edge of the cab bed and then build the storage compartments on the outside. This should increase the overall strength and greatly simplify the construction. I can then build the fake kick outs on the outside. I know this does not come across well in text, and I should have an updated pick later today.

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I have a bit more work to do for clean up as I plan to have a cover plate in front to protect/secure the contents in the basement. More on that in the next post.

Question. Do you recommend that I use the mineral spirit / poly on all the wood here? I assume yes and that I should furthermore use the roof tar on the underside. I need to search out the exact product, but it would seem easier to do this now then further down the build.

Thanks for reading. rod
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Re: Truck camper build

Postby rodtermaat » Mon May 23, 2016 2:28 pm

Hopefully this artistic rendition helps describe the simplified floor design. rod

truck_camper_floor_simple.jpg
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Re: Truck camper build

Postby KCStudly » Mon May 23, 2016 3:11 pm

You could gain a lot of interior space if you only make the clearance for the wheel wells at and ahead of the wells. To the rear the slide in doesn't go far enough in that it has to clear the wheel wells.

Unless you want that space for "outside" storage.

As to the tar, I don't think I would put it on the sliders, too gummy. I would just knock all the corners off your cut ends, oil them up good (or use the mix) and consider them sacrificial.
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Re: Truck camper build

Postby rodtermaat » Tue May 24, 2016 11:24 am

Thanks KCStudly. I will head your advice and modify the rear of the camper base/floor to include the kick outs. I think the added space will be helpful when building out the interior.

I made a bit of progress last night and hope to get these built tonight. So I might be able to send out a progress pic.
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Re: Truck camper build

Postby rodtermaat » Tue May 24, 2016 11:28 am

Thinking about raising the top half of the camper I am considering these. I recognize they may require a bit of fitting, but I like the set up as it mimics the Alaskan hydraulic lift mechanism.

https://www.topperezlift.com/about/

I know there are some other threads on this topic, but I have not found one that would show me a better option???

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Re: Truck camper build

Postby rodtermaat » Sat May 28, 2016 11:27 pm

Our son goes to college in Phili and early this morning my wife and son left for the 23 hour drive. He has an internship in the city this summer and our 2 weeks with him came to a close today. Great to see him, I could not ask for a better son and future friend. He needs to car so my wife is driving out with him and flying back next Tuesday - leaving the car. This is some great mom and son time and I am rather jealous. Hopefully, I will get to go out and visit in late summer.

Enough sentimental talk. Their deparure meant unlimited truck camper building. Ok not unlimited as the Nebraska rainforest required some gutter work to decrease the amount of basement water intrusion. New house, new problems.

I spent most of the day building the lower half of the camper shell. here are the rear wings in place. Not a great look - I agree.

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I removed said ugly base from my truck and spent the next 10 hours to get here.

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I have most of the lower framing done. I will finish the rest tomorrow. I will then fill all the recessed screw holes with epoxy and prime the lower half. I was still able to rather easily get the camper back into my truck at the end of the day.

IMG_1746.JPG
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I still have tomorrow and Monday and my goal is to have a completed base. I cannot add the wings and complete the rear/front until mid June as I am going to a woodworking event in MN next weekend and need to have the topper to sleep in. This is the 10th annual Spoon Gathering in Milan MN and I would not miss it for the world. Yeah, we make wooden spoons, all 200 of us, try it, you will love it. I have been for every year and we have grown from 15 to almost 200 spoon carvers strong.

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Re: Truck camper build

Postby rodtermaat » Mon Jun 13, 2016 10:06 pm

Over Memorial day weekend my wife and son drove his car to Philadelphia. It's a long drive from Nebraska, but it gave me 3 days of non stop camper building. I finished the build of the sides. They come up 18" from the floor. Here are a few pics just for posterity.

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Finally, I cannot recommend the Kreg Skill saw attachment. I have not affiliation, but it has made cutting the sheet material was easy peasy. I a hand tool (no electricity) woodworker, but I could not do this build without a tool like this.

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Re: Truck camper build

Postby rodtermaat » Mon Jun 13, 2016 10:08 pm

Apologies for the funky pictures. I have not idea why they rotate when uploaded. They appear fine when viewed on my phone and on my Mac???
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Re: Truck camper build

Postby rodtermaat » Mon Jun 13, 2016 10:21 pm

This last weekend I was able to frame out shall we say bed cabinets. They are 7 " wide and will be parallel to the 2 beds. The plan today is to have the wings extend out 12" past the base. Add the 7 " cabinets and a folding wind to complete the 30" bed leaves a little over a foot between the 2 beds. Not a lot of room, but enough to shimmy to the facilities.

The top will most likely be modeled after the truck camper/topper foam build by: viewtopic.php?f=55&t=64361 but without the cab over. Still need to work out the lifting mechanism, but all in good time.

The last picture is my chair hoarding. We recently downsized and our old house gobbled up my creations without issue. Our new house is a bit smaller and now the chairs have to reside in the workshop.

As always open to any advice and suggestions. rod

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