DaddyJeep Crawler Hauler

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Re: DaddyJeep Crawler Hauler

Postby KCStudly » Wed Dec 06, 2017 12:29 pm

So, there is a difference when it comes to building the roof. The problem I ran into when building my roof wasn't so much that I was concerned about the completed panel sagging, it was more about the build sequence. I was using 5mm okoume ply for my inner skins and ceiling, and the weight of the ceiling panel by itself was enough to cause that to sag. I'm pretty sure if I had built a form or bought lumber for temporary props, I could have built my roof up and after it was all glued with the arch it would have supported itself fine... but (pause for affect) the cost of that extra lumber and the effort to build that tooling would have been at least as great as just gluing traditional spars to the top of the ceiling panel before installing it. By using mostly select cedar and some poplar for the spars the weight penalty was minimal.

I agree, for your wider span some form of arched rib (foam) or embedded spar (wood or FG) is probably a good way to prevent sagging.
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Re: DaddyJeep Crawler Hauler

Postby DaddyJeep » Wed Dec 06, 2017 3:07 pm

This is what I am looking at for the roof spar (shown in white). There will be 4 of these glued between the sheets of foam. I am thinking they would be made out of some kind of 1x. I would rout out and lap the seams where the straight part meets the radius part to make sure they are strong enough to do the job.

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Re: DaddyJeep Crawler Hauler

Postby KCStudly » Wed Dec 06, 2017 5:19 pm

Looks strong, and if you just use 5mm (3/16 inch actual) scabbed on for the gusset plates with an open web, that will still be pretty light weight. :thumbsup:
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Re: DaddyJeep Crawler Hauler

Postby 85cj7 » Sun Mar 11, 2018 8:37 pm

I'm really glad to see someone with the same idea I have had rolling around in my head for the last several years. I'm torn between this concept or a larger foamie slide in camper and keeping my existing 16' car hauler. I'll be watching this build and can't wait to see what you come up with and how it works out for you.

I have a cj7 on tons and a 1st Gen 4runner but with 3 kids that are very active in extracurricular activities my wheeling/building time is pretty much stuck in my head or on the internet these days. Carry on and keep up the good work!
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Re: DaddyJeep Crawler Hauler

Postby DaddyJeep » Fri Mar 16, 2018 12:20 pm

85cj7 wrote:I'm really glad to see someone with the same idea I have had rolling around in my head for the last several years. I'm torn between this concept or a larger foamie slide in camper and keeping my existing 16' car hauler. I'll be watching this build and can't wait to see what you come up with and how it works out for you.

I have a cj7 on tons and a 1st Gen 4runner but with 3 kids that are very active in extracurricular activities my wheeling/building time is pretty much stuck in my head or on the internet these days. Carry on and keep up the good work!


Glad to have you follow along. I was in your position for a lot of years.... still am to an extent. The kids are getting older, but I still don't get as much time in the shop as I like. I am in the middle of a drive train swap in the Jeep at the moment so that takes priority over the camper. The Jeep needs to be done and ready for an event at Anthacite Off Road park the end of May and then the Bantam Jeep Festival in the beginning of June. I will probably just attach the pop up to the trailer to get me going this year since I have stretched it. I can build the camper off of the trailer and attach it once I am done so I still plan on starting it soon.
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Re: DaddyJeep Crawler Hauler

Postby Bruue1 » Wed Apr 18, 2018 2:15 pm

I always thought putting a small camper on the front of big trailer would be a great idea. I like the CampLite toy hauler with the pop up on the front, I've seen home built versions of that too. I figure it would be great to have the deck of the trailer right outside your camper door, when parked. It'd be easy to rig up some awning thing for the trailer deck too. Sounds awesome. I can't wait to see it.

For my roof spars I used plywood, 3/4 class C birch stuff, not too many voids, decent quality, from the box store. Its nominally the same as 1x material and it doesn't crack. All my trusses together don't add much weight at all IMHO. "Much weight" is highly relative and subjective. My original plan was to cut large holes out of all of my plywood roof spars and interior framing, to cut down on weight. I never did this. If I build another I probably will. I was able to cut a bit of a camber/crown into my roof trusses/spars too. No flat spots, no standing water, no sag.

If they were plywood you could cut them out with the radius corners all as one piece. And they would be cheaper. Just an idea, I'm happy with what I got out of plywood.

Cool build.
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Re: DaddyJeep Crawler Hauler

Postby DaddyJeep » Wed Apr 25, 2018 10:12 am

A little more progress on the trailer.... nothing yet on the camper though. I finished wiring the trailer for lighting and brakes. The new deck has been installed. It is rough cut 2x hemlock that is coated with a few gallons of used motor oil. I have everything inside the frame rails painted and need to get more paint to get the rest done.

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Re: DaddyJeep Crawler Hauler

Postby working on it » Wed Apr 25, 2018 10:49 am

DaddyJeep wrote:... The new deck has been installed. It is rough cut 2x hemlock that is coated with a few gallons of used motor oil....
  • Why use motor oil on your open deck section? When I've seen (drag-racing car haulers, mostly) trailers done similarly (old-school): the oil emerges in hot weather, making the surface slick (I've seen car-loading problems when it was slick from heat, then wetted by rain), and it gets on everything, too. In your case, you might not have that problem, if the boards have just the right amount of oil absorbed, then it might not happen.
  • On a couple of trailers I helped to refurbish or build, we used treated lumber, instead of oiling the boards. Though there is no real necessity for them (lack of ground contact), they seem to age/last better than non-treated boards. Just my two cents.
  • P.S. I wish I had done a build like yours, long ago...it would've been perfect for long haul visits to distant drag strips!
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Re: DaddyJeep Crawler Hauler

Postby DaddyJeep » Thu Apr 26, 2018 11:32 am

I used the oil mostly because I have about 40 gallons of it laying around. Time will tell if I like it or not. At this point I have $40 invested in the entire floor.
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Re: DaddyJeep Crawler Hauler

Postby DaddyJeep » Mon Jun 11, 2018 12:14 pm

Well, I took the Jeep to the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival over the weekend. Although the Jeep did not function we still had a great time camping. I used the trailer to haul the Jeep for the first time and it looks like I may need to build my camper a bit heavier. To get the Jeep back further on the trailer and still have sufficient tongue weight I am thinking I need to look in to a little more plywood and less foam. Starting this build is still a ways off though. Here is a pic from the weekend with my new camp smoker (still not finished either) and my Jeep.

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Re: DaddyJeep Crawler Hauler

Postby working on it » Mon Jun 11, 2018 5:40 pm

DaddyJeep wrote:... I am thinking I need to look in to a little more plywood and less foam....
I built with all plywood, and zero foam...I'm sure there's a mid-point somewhere, in between, for most folks not taken to extremes! :roll:
2013 HHRv "squareback/squaredrop", rugged, 4x8 TTT, 2225 lbs
  • *3500 lb Dexter EZ-Lube braked axle, 3000 lb.springs, active-progressive bumpstop suspension
  • *27 x 8.5-14LT AT tires (x 3) *Weight Distribution system for single-beam tongue
  • *100% LED's & GFCI outlets, 3x fans, AM/FM/CD/Aux. *A/C & heat, Optima AGM, inverter & charger(s)
  • *extended-run, on-board, 2500w generator *Coleman dual-fuel stove & lantern, Ikea grill, vintage skillet
  • *zinc/stainless front & side racks *98"L x 6" diameter rod & reel carrier tube on roof
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Re: DaddyJeep Crawler Hauler

Postby DaddyJeep » Mon Jul 23, 2018 11:29 am

So it begins..... I built a sled for my circular saw so I could rip a 4x8 sheet of 1/2" plywood into a pile of 1" strips.

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Stack of 1" strips
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I was very pleased with the accuracy of the make shift sled built out of scraps. I measured a couple of strips and was within .005" over 8'. Not too shabby. I really can't go further yet because I am still designing a bit. Once I finalize my design I can cut the radius pieces and start assembling. I will be having one radius inside the other so things will need to be very accurate.

Moving the Jeep forward on the trailer in order to have enough tongue weight has really cut in to the camper. I am left with about 8 1/2' of camper. I am reconsidering the tip out on the front and am currently designing a slide out that will pull out over the deck of the trailer. My challenge here is making sure that I can at least sleep in the camper when the slide out is in the closed position. I plan on dragging the jeep out west at some point and need to be able to use the camper at rest stops without unloading the Jeep.
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Re: DaddyJeep Crawler Hauler

Postby DaddyJeep » Tue Jul 24, 2018 11:27 am

The updated shorter design is pretty much done. When in the closed position the bed, shown in blue, will slide right up against the kitchen cabinet and the bathroom door jamb. The bathroom door will need to be left open to close it up. This will leave the bathroom accessible and leave free access to the bed when in transit. The camper will be 8 1/2' closed and 12 1/2' open.

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I laid out the two radius pieces last night. The larger radius will be for the exterior and the smaller is for the slide out. I have allowed 1" between the slide out and the exterior walls. This will be enough room for a 1/2" rib that will act as a stop in both directions and rubber molding is available in 1". It might not be clear what I have up my sleeve, but you will see when I put it together. You will also notice that I extended one end of the radius pieces by 1". Two pieces will be used for each rib of the framework with the extra inch alternating to strengthen the connections.

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I carefully cut out each radius and did a little shaping to create the templates for the rest of the pieces. Now I just need to make 11 more small ones and 35 more big ones. I will try the router to cut the rest to match. I hope I can screw these template to the sheet of plywood and use a following bit to cut out the new pieces... we will see.

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Re: DaddyJeep Crawler Hauler

Postby DaddyJeep » Sun Jul 29, 2018 7:23 pm

I ended up cutting all of the curves with the jig saw. They are not perfect, but they will do.

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I put together one of the main frame pieces to get a feel for the size of the thing.

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Then I stacked the rest of them on top of the original so they can all be close to the same.

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All of the pieces were glued with TBII and brad nailed. A long ways to go, but at least is is moving forward.
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Re: DaddyJeep Crawler Hauler

Postby DaddyJeep » Thu Aug 09, 2018 11:15 am

I started putting together the "skeleton" of the camper last night. Of course more TBII and brads at every connection. I did find a local source for 1/8" birch plywood, but that hasn't made it to the top of the financial priority pile just yet. I have a couple BBQ events coming up that will help with that.

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I am thinking once I get the skeleton finished up I will skin the inside first and then try heat bending the 1" foam right in place. If it is as easy as GPW says it should work out nicely. :NC
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