Lightweight & Affordable DIY Truck Camper Build in 12 Days
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- Опубліковано 21 бер 2024
- This week I finally build a DIY truck camper for the bed of my pickup! After over a year of considering a project like this, the time has finally come. It took about 12 days to construct the frame and shell. In just a few more, this little home-on-wheels will be move-in ready!
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RV technician here. I would highly recommend talking the aluminum angle off and put butyl putty on the back. Those screw heads will leak water into the camper and rot it. Looks good!
I’ve mainly been a silent viewer since 2017 but oh my goodness, almost everybody is a diy camper build expert in this comment section, lol.
Nate, weigh your truck empty with a full tank of fuel. Then, when the camper is complete, load her in and hit the scales. I would love to see what the totals will be.
Very heavy I'm sure
Nate, I suggest installing an angled wind deflector on the front of your new camper. It will help improve your fuel economy dramatically.
Nate, I spotted a security issue. The door hinges are facing outside where the pins can be removed. The solution is a different type of hinge that has a set screw(s) preventing the pins from being removed. Easy swap. Commonly used in hurricane prone areas where doors opening outward is essential.
Those outward swinging hinges are called N.R.P. None Removable Pins and usually come in pairs. That's a great idea you have a totally worth mentioning.
I'd use a piano hinge for the door. Even with the door locked someone can just pop the pins on the hinges and get in.
Where is your hot wife at Raynor?!!
Think my son and I saw you at a Starbucks in FL
Don’t want to interrupt your day - nice work
His relationship is his business. Nate is the channel. Always was always will be.
Nice to have pops helping!👍
Good job! It looks like you have it well insulated. The vertical front wall above the cab is going to cost you some gas mileage loss. A 45 degree slope would have saved you half the loss. If you're a slow driver and stay off the 80mph interstates, it will help a lot with that problem. The load on that wall goes up as the square of your speed. (The force at 80mph is 4 times that at 40mph) Make sure the box is fastened securely to the chassis and the tail gate is locked securely when you're on the highway. There will be a lot of force on that front wall.
MPG with and without the camper is always appreciated!
Great to see Nate working on a camper project and having his Dad help. Travel, video production work, family and surfing !
Dads are awesome
Fiberglass would be lighter. I like the vents with fans you could put on the roof for circulation.
Hey Nate, nice truck camper build. I hope you will add on an air vent on the roof with a vent cover so when it rains you can keep your air vent open for ventilation. Look forward to the finished product!
Great video!
Looking good. Great job, Nate !
Nate you make it look so easy. I blame you for my disillusioned set of planned projects. Seriously- you’re doing a great job- thanks for sharing the process.
Looking good, can’t wait to see it finished.
I can’t wait for Nate to Paint in Big Graphic Letters “ROGUE” on the front and back of his DIY Camper. In all seriousness it’s Good to See Nate working a passion project. I would have preferred another Hi-Ace Japanese Camper Van for Nate just to see him Driving on the opposite side in the cab. Be Well, Bye…
Looks great! Best of luck!
I love Friday uploads 😁
Glad to see your progress and moving forward. Best wishes.
The building is coming along nicely.
Best video in years man! So glad you are back!!!
Let's gooooo 🎉
Glad to see Florida treating you well ✌️
Wow I'm impressed
Nice to see ur diy project!!!
Love it Nate!! So stoked for you! can’t wait to see the final product!
Good to see a build video again. Its looking good.😁👍
Lovethe project!Happy Easter!!🤗🎉🎉
Nice job! Looks solid.
I would add a solar exhaust fan. Low profile and sucks out condensation, odors, and with window open, will creat a cross breeze.
Awesome I would love to build one myself. Great to see you back in your element.
Can’t wait to see the finished product.
Very cool Nate. Good to see you back in action.
Nate, loved this video. Your tenacity is really inspiring. All the best
Nice job !!
Great build, must be a relief to have it buttoned up. Now you can take your time and do the fun finishes, excited to see future updates.
might want to check out the Media window a/c 6k btu to lower your solar burden
Midea- nice ! 5amp and under $200 at Walmart . Thanks
You are making great progress on your latest project. 🚗
I'm glad to see this channel going.back on the road!!
Excited to see how it turns out...😎👍
Great job so far. 👍
Great build.
Making the most of it - always striving for a better solution.
This is awesome thank you so much for the inspiration
What an amazing solution and a light weight! Take Care
Looks great and what an exciting adventure! I’m looking forward to your future build videos. 😊
I enjoyed this video and love what you have created! You are such a creative person, Nate. Looking forward to your next video.
Thanks for taking us along on the build. It looks great.
Thanks dad for the help.
Wow Nate, I love it. Can't wait to see it finished and videos of you travelling in it 🤗🤗🤗🤗
Very cool video. Happy for this n3w project/ adventure. Best wishes and safe travels. 👍🏼✌🏼
Wow. Great video, Nate! Nice to see you starting anew. i’m happy to be watching you again
Inspiring to see your project come together. Good luck with the rest of the work.
Awesome build! You are a clevah guy Nate!
good work!
Love the new build, but sad to see that Shannon‘s not involved. I hope all is well with both of you.
Thanks so much!
So lucky to have your Dad help…enjoy every minute of it !
Great video
looking good nate
Good job, young man!
Excited to see your electric setup
I like it! I've followed all of Dave's builds and he's definitely the man when it comes to track camper builds.
i love it and i was thinking of doing something similar but turning the truck into a flatbed and building on that for maximum space efficiency. excited to see the rest of the build.
I always love some New Yankee Workshop mixed in with your travel and surfing videos. This turned out so much better than I thought it would when you started. Love the windows. Very fun to watch the process. I hope that you're able to get out to surf and golf now that you're back in Florida. Looking forward to the next steps in your new travel vehicle.
Nate been with you since the early days….you are very talented! Great job!
Hey Nate! Great to see the evolution of your videos. I first subscribed in 2016, but UA-cam suddenly popped this video in my recommendation. I still have a saved video of when you responded to my comment on camera in the original Honda Element, something about a lapel mic.
Building this in 12 days is impressive. Wish I had those skills. Can't wait to see how you finish it out and all the adventures to come!
Looks awesome. Congrats! I'm excited to see what you do with it from here!
Hi Tristan @SUVRVing ! I guess it should be no surprise to see you here supporting a virtual cousin Nate. 👍
Really enjoyed this, seeing you enthusiastically creating your vision. I can't wait for the next one! Your little visitor did a quick change act for a second there😂🐾
Sick as hell. I could see myself doing a build like this one day. As custom as it gets.
You did a very nice job building the camper. Might want to some how get more ventilation in the camper especially when it's hot?
Dave certainly builds nice campers
I actually had a great time with this one lol ! Always a pleasure to see what you have going on! Love the details on the artwork and the review!
Looks good. I’m currently building a small truck camper myself. Due to time and $$$ it’s probably going to take a few months but should have the build video up in my channel once it’s done. Thanks for sharing
Awesome mate! Get some tamper-proof door hinges with non-removable pins.
That's badass!!
Turned out great. I've always wanted to build something like this, obviously a camper shell style would save weight. I've thought I could install some sort of a brace across the lower back end of it for loading and unloading, take it off once it's bolted down to the sides of the truck bed.
All the best, Nate! Still subscribed to your channel because your life is interesting.
I love it. An added joy to that sort of project is you have an integral bond with it from now on as you use it in the future. Can't buy that kind of satisfaction.
Aaaaah! Good job!!! I would love to be able to do something like this with a pop up roof that extends above my truck roof for added space!
Love the music and the doggies 😊 Excellent build!
Don’t get to close to the doggies. Like Shannon they will disappear.
This is bad ass! I wanna build something like this for my 1985 gmc s15 4x4 long bed! 450 pound ls would be perfect for my little truck!
Not sure how i stumbled across your video but i am glad i did and i’m now subscribed. Great Job!
Hi Nate!! What’s up with Shannon and the property in New Mexico?
We’re pretending that never happened.
A few doggy hairs in the sandwich will boost the insulation! 😻
Nate, thank you so much for sharing this.... I have a friend who has a pickup with a shell but it's no longer serving him well. He wants a box truck but doesn't have the funds at the moment so this would be a great solution for him. Perhaps you could provide a rough estimate (prices differ depending on where you are) so maybe we can plan something out this summer and get him hooked up. 💯🌞
Maybe add 4 fire extinguishers. You won't be able to egress those windows. One other thing that confuses me is ,are you leaving the tailgate on.? If you're asleep and some joker shuts your tailgate,,, how will you get out ??
Just curious. Nice build so far. Wind resistance is another factor as previously mentioned.
16:25 I believe he is testing that situation, "joker putting the tailgate up".
The “wings” are my big concern on these campers. I prefer to flatbed the truck then spread out the floor plan. More space and more stable in my opinion. Great video 👍
Super cool. Lightweight and practical. Transferable to your next truck as well. The interior should be cozy. You mentioned air conditioning. Any heat? Maybe I missed that.
Been here since the overnight beet shifts. Glad your still going.
Like so many of us
bravo
Thats cool, have you ever thought about using Kemlite for the inside of your walls? Im building a semi reefer trailer that also has Kemlite wallss. Im building it into either a Moble Abode or a tiny home. Mine is going to be kinda both.
This is a pretty cool build.I think maybe the only thing I would have done differently is framed in 2 places for windows on each side wall.Even if you didn't use them now you would be framed in and you could pop themin if it turned out you're really needed more air.
A slide in makes better sense. You can slide it out onto a pair of sawhorse or bring it to the ground on blocks. Gives you a place to store your gear.
Think about sticking roof rack on the cab of the truck & mounting a roof box to stop wind drag on the front wall & might work as a wind deflector to help with gas mileage.
You mentioned 12v solar, I'd go with 24v for cost savings in wire and connections. Use a step down converter for 12v accessories. Or an Anchor solar generator?
Looks nice! I’ve seen some shoddy looking homemade trucker campers out there.