Thanks for the info! I don't have any welding experience, actually a carpenter by trade. Just always heard about the aluminium/steel problem, but I live on an Island so we get lots of humidity. That's probably why people are concerned around here. Your structure is well thought out and the work looks square and true. Nice job. Looking forward to part 3.
Thanks for the compliments. I worked in several machine shops so yes it is super "true". Been busy with some other stuff but hopefully this weekend I will have part 3 up.
I have been (In my MIND) putting together a camper for my Chevy K10 off road truck camper project. Your build looks great so far! I too can not see giving $7000 for a new camper, nor can I see paying $2-$3k for a USED one when I (we! lol ) can build our own for $1000 (Before the Heat/Air Con. unit cost). Downside, that beast is going to be HEAVY! LOL Ah well, it will just make the truck ride smoother! :-) Right now my biggest cost hurdle is the Air Conditioning & heating unit. Please Keep us updated.
The price benefit of doing it this way is huge. This one won't have an air conditioner unit. As far as its weight, It shouldn't be bad. My three quarter ton truck doesn't go down at all with it on.
Its always great watching somebody do it all themselves, .....1 point I noticed tho', you may want to consider putting your propane bottle in a locker that is sealed from the inside living space and the base is vented to the outside not inside the camper for obvious safety reasons, if it leaks outside , just lost gas maybe, but if its inside the camper and leaks when you're asleep,....well you fill in the rest.....just my own opinion (and maybe the Industrys'). Fitting a gas detector to an already poorly placed unit is not insurance either. I bought a camper last year but would love to custom build my own and now have a deeper understanding of the whats and whys of the things in a camper body for if I ever turn the dream into reality. keep posting your progress please, it is very interesting.
Great job man I actually plan on building one soon just like this are your jacks welded to the frame directly or bolt on bolt off? I actually have another truck camper I got that was wood and the body is just junk on it so I’m using all the parts off of it for this new one I’ll be building did you happen to draw up a sketch before you built it?
I appreciate your kind words. So my jack tubes are welded to plates that are bolted to the camper frame. They are removable. I did not draw up a sketch unfortunately. Much like yourself I salvaged lots of stuff off of junk campers. Good luck with your build! BTW I sold this camper years ago and have been building "Trailer Trash" for several years. Look it up on my channel.
I saw that one looks sweet! I figured you had it bolted. I actually have electric jacks that came off the old truck camper but I’m not sure if I want to use them simply because they’re extremely difficult to manually operate if for some reason the electric isn’t working. I kind of like the old school manual jacks better anyways we will see as of now I’ve got my lower frame welded up and am working on the main cab and cab over so we’ll see how it goes
In my experience aluminum and steel usually don't get along because of the environment. I live in southwest Colorado and we have near zero humidity or rain, and I will be storing it inside when not in use. So I didn't use anything between the aluminum and steel. Thanks for watching.
I'm a little late to the parti, but the inter web is forever, right? Great project and nice job. Also you sound like someone who would be pleasant,( cool, calm, and collected) to work with, so you did also a nice job with the video.
Ha ha ha! Yep the inter web is forever. Thank you for the kind words. I am leaving all my old videos up just in case they might be able to help someone else. You may enjoy my latest project... I am turning a 93 Dodge Ram 3500 into a motorhome (stay tuned). I am choosing that platform because of the manual transmission and the super simple first gen 5.9 Cummins diesel. By the way.... most of the time, I am pretty easy to work with, but my high standards and "all go no quit" attitude does not work well with others sometimes.
Ha ha ha! Yep the inter web is forever. Thank you for the kind words. I am leaving all my old videos up just in case they might be able to help someone else. You may enjoy my latest project... I am turning a 93 Dodge Ram 3500 into a motorhome (stay tuned). I am choosing that platform because of the manual transmission and the super simple first gen 5.9 Cummins diesel. By the way.... most of the time, I am pretty easy to work with, but my high standards and "all go no quit" attitude does not work well with others sometimes.
Ha ha ha! Yep the inter web is forever. Thank you for the kind words. I am leaving all my old videos up just in case they might be able to help someone else. You may enjoy my latest project... I am turning a 93 Dodge Ram 3500 into a motorhome (stay tuned). I am choosing that platform because of the manual transmission and the super simple first gen 5.9 Cummins diesel. By the way.... most of the time, I am pretty easy to work with, but my high standards and "all go no quit" attitude does not work well with others sometimes.
Ha ha ha! Yep the inter web is forever. Thank you for the kind words. I am leaving all my old videos up just in case they might be able to help someone else. You may enjoy my latest project... I am turning a 93 Dodge Ram 3500 into a motorhome (stay tuned). I am choosing that platform because of the manual transmission and the super simple first gen 5.9 Cummins diesel. By the way.... most of the time, I am pretty easy to work with, but my high standards and "all go no quit" attitude does not work well with others sometimes.
Ha ha ha! Yep the inter web is forever. Thank you for the kind words. I am leaving all my old videos up just in case they might be able to help someone else. You may enjoy my latest project... I am turning a 93 Dodge Ram 3500 into a motorhome (stay tuned). I am choosing that platform because of the manual transmission and the super simple first gen 5.9 Cummins diesel. By the way.... most of the time, I am pretty easy to work with, but my high standards and "all go no quit" attitude does not work well with others sometimes.
michael dicarlo I moved the propane tank to the outside on the back. As far as waste water goes, the sink is the only water in the camper and it drains right on to the ground (it is legal out here).
The inside height is 28" but I could have increased that by a few inches by lowering the bed height closer to the truck cab as I have plenty of clearance. That is one of very few structural changes I would have done. Thanks
Thanks for the info! I don't have any welding experience, actually a carpenter by trade. Just always heard about the aluminium/steel problem, but I live on an Island so we get lots of humidity. That's probably why people are concerned around here. Your structure is well thought out and the work looks square and true. Nice job. Looking forward to part 3.
Thanks for the compliments. I worked in several machine shops so yes it is super "true". Been busy with some other stuff but hopefully this weekend I will have part 3 up.
I love those self made jacks. good work.
They work pretty good. Thanks
Great job! Waitin' for part 3!
I have been (In my MIND) putting together a camper for my Chevy K10 off road truck camper project. Your build looks great so far! I too can not see giving $7000 for a new camper, nor can I see paying $2-$3k for a USED one when I (we! lol ) can build our own for $1000 (Before the Heat/Air Con. unit cost). Downside, that beast is going to be HEAVY! LOL Ah well, it will just make the truck ride smoother! :-) Right now my biggest cost hurdle is the Air Conditioning & heating unit. Please Keep us updated.
The price benefit of doing it this way is huge. This one won't have an air conditioner unit. As far as its weight, It shouldn't be bad. My three quarter ton truck doesn't go down at all with it on.
Thank you for sharing. Will be watching.
This is amazing !!! Do you by chance have your plans I could purchase ?
I never had any plans. I just built it to fit my pickup.
Its always great watching somebody do it all themselves, .....1 point I noticed tho', you may want to consider putting your propane bottle in a locker that is sealed from the inside living space and the base is vented to the outside not inside the camper for obvious safety reasons, if it leaks outside , just lost gas maybe, but if its inside the camper and leaks when you're asleep,....well you fill in the rest.....just my own opinion (and maybe the Industrys'). Fitting a gas detector to an already poorly placed unit is not insurance either. I bought a camper last year but would love to custom build my own and now have a deeper understanding of the whats and whys of the things in a camper body for if I ever turn the dream into reality. keep posting your progress please, it is very interesting.
Yep that's one of the many things I will be changing this winter.
Great job man I actually plan on building one soon just like this are your jacks welded to the frame directly or bolt on bolt off? I actually have another truck camper I got that was wood and the body is just junk on it so I’m using all the parts off of it for this new one I’ll be building did you happen to draw up a sketch before you built it?
I appreciate your kind words.
So my jack tubes are welded to plates that are bolted to the camper frame. They are removable. I did not draw up a sketch unfortunately.
Much like yourself I salvaged lots of stuff off of junk campers. Good luck with your build!
BTW
I sold this camper years ago and have been building "Trailer Trash" for several years. Look it up on my channel.
I saw that one looks sweet! I figured you had it bolted. I actually have electric jacks that came off the old truck camper but I’m not sure if I want to use them simply because they’re extremely difficult to manually operate if for some reason the electric isn’t working. I kind of like the old school manual jacks better anyways we will see as of now I’ve got my lower frame welded up and am working on the main cab and cab over so we’ll see how it goes
Awesome, will definitely be watching
Have you post a video on how your jack system works? What's the manufactures name on the cable cranks and pulley's?
Like your idea.. But steel fabrication seem to be a little intimidating to me... what do you think of making the frame out of 2x4 lumber?
Yuta lee weight to strength
Looking good!!!
Nice work. What did you use to isolated the aluminium from the steel when you installed the roof, to stop them from reacting to each other?
In my experience aluminum and steel usually don't get along because of the environment. I live in southwest Colorado and we have near zero humidity or rain, and I will be storing it inside when not in use. So I didn't use anything between the aluminum and steel. Thanks for watching.
cavebandit you could use strip bitumen tape between the alloy and the steel, Ive come across it before along with stainless steel fasteners/screws.
Could you put a video up of how your wind up legs work . Thanks
I'm a little late to the parti, but the inter web is forever, right? Great project and nice job. Also you sound like someone who would be pleasant,( cool, calm, and collected) to work with, so
you did also a nice job with the video.
Ha ha ha! Yep the inter web is forever. Thank you for the kind words. I am leaving all my old videos up just in case they might be able to help someone else.
You may enjoy my latest project... I am turning a 93 Dodge Ram 3500 into a motorhome (stay tuned). I am choosing that platform because of the manual transmission and the super simple first gen 5.9 Cummins diesel.
By the way.... most of the time, I am pretty easy to work with, but my high standards and "all go no quit" attitude does not work well with others sometimes.
Ha ha ha! Yep the inter web is forever. Thank you for the kind words. I am leaving all my old videos up just in case they might be able to help someone else.
You may enjoy my latest project... I am turning a 93 Dodge Ram 3500 into a motorhome (stay tuned). I am choosing that platform because of the manual transmission and the super simple first gen 5.9 Cummins diesel.
By the way.... most of the time, I am pretty easy to work with, but my high standards and "all go no quit" attitude does not work well with others sometimes.
Ha ha ha! Yep the inter web is forever. Thank you for the kind words. I am leaving all my old videos up just in case they might be able to help someone else.
You may enjoy my latest project... I am turning a 93 Dodge Ram 3500 into a motorhome (stay tuned). I am choosing that platform because of the manual transmission and the super simple first gen 5.9 Cummins diesel.
By the way.... most of the time, I am pretty easy to work with, but my high standards and "all go no quit" attitude does not work well with others sometimes.
Ha ha ha! Yep the inter web is forever. Thank you for the kind words. I am leaving all my old videos up just in case they might be able to help someone else.
You may enjoy my latest project... I am turning a 93 Dodge Ram 3500 into a motorhome (stay tuned). I am choosing that platform because of the manual transmission and the super simple first gen 5.9 Cummins diesel.
By the way.... most of the time, I am pretty easy to work with, but my high standards and "all go no quit" attitude does not work well with others sometimes.
Ha ha ha! Yep the inter web is forever. Thank you for the kind words. I am leaving all my old videos up just in case they might be able to help someone else.
You may enjoy my latest project... I am turning a 93 Dodge Ram 3500 into a motorhome (stay tuned). I am choosing that platform because of the manual transmission and the super simple first gen 5.9 Cummins diesel.
By the way.... most of the time, I am pretty easy to work with, but my high standards and "all go no quit" attitude does not work well with others sometimes.
well done
and Toalette??
And the propain tank vented in case of leaks?
Where are you put ing the waste water tanks ..shower in/out
michael dicarlo
I moved the propane tank to the outside on the back. As far as waste water goes, the sink is the only water in the camper and it drains right on to the ground (it is legal out here).
awesome!
Glad u like it.
Hey like your set up BUT your propane tank should not be on the inside of the camper it is a fire hazard and needs to be vented well
bobby1st Thanks for the comment. It was relocate a while ago.
what is inside height at bed to top it side?
The inside height is 28" but I could have increased that by a few inches by lowering the bed height closer to the truck cab as I have plenty of clearance. That is one of very few structural changes I would have done. Thanks