My offroad Camper

[Shadow Catcher]

Looks great, the only thing missing is more pictures out camping.

[Steve F]

Here's a few from 5 days over Easter, huge camping area with 180 Jeeps and over 300 people but still heaps of space. It's great having the solar etc when you're in one spot for a few days especially when you have a 16 month old that must watch her DVD before bed.

My wife making a sandwich



Wife and daughter in the camper doing some colouring in I think



Our little camp site just before happy hour, chairs out and everyone off getting the refreshments.



And my Jeep that I was out having fun in each day



Cheers
Steve

[Yuri4x4]

This is also my first post. LOVE this design! Your camper has given me some GREAT ideas for m,y own build. I'll be pulling mine behind a TJ. Now that you've had it for a while, are there any things you would do differently if you had to do it all over again?

[Moosemt]

Trailer looks great, I am building one that looks very similar, could you tell me what you did to build your galley hatch, like the looks of yours. PM me if needed but I am to the design phase of the galley hatch, have the frame and floors built. I have the side metal framing built up to the back 2 feet of the trailer and want to proceed but not sure what to do.

[Steve F]

This is also my first post. LOVE this design! Your camper has given me some GREAT ideas for m,y own build. I'll be pulling mine behind a TJ. Now that you've had it for a while, are there any things you would do differently if you had to do it all over again?

The only thing I'd do differently is mount the latch for the door further in, I mounted it flush with the edge of the door which means it's harder to seal, the rest I love, great little camper

Cheers
Steve

[Steve F]

Trailer looks great, I am building one that looks very similar, could you tell me what you did to build your galley hatch, like the looks of yours. PM me if needed but I am to the design phase of the galley hatch, have the frame and floors built. I have the side metal framing built up to the back 2 feet of the trailer and want to proceed but not sure what to do.

The sides of the hatch are the ends of the walls, I framed the hatch while they ends were still part of the wall and then ran a saw down to cut the hatch off of the wall. Worked well and fits well. I think there are some pics in the thread somewhere showing the process.

Cheers
Steve

[S. Heisley]

It looks like your trailer turned out really great! I'll bet everybody in those tents was envious of your comfortable sleeping quarters and ease of set-up! From the looks of that one rocky road, your work has already proven itself. Congratulations on a build well done!

[Steve F]

Sooooo, my Jeep has grown some more and the family have gotten a little older and bigger and the camper isn't quite big enough now. Rather than get something bigger I've decided to add a second storey to it.

Below is the sketchup image of it with a rooftop tent. The real advantage here is I'm travelling to Cape York (google it) with my wife and youngest so it'll just be the rooftop tent on the Jeep but when we all go away (5 of us) it'll be teardrop with rooftop tent and side tent (it has a floor and a door into the camper so can be slept in, ignore the fact there are no windows I just didn't put them in in sketchup). The plan is for the oldest two up top, wife and me in the camper and youngest in the side tent with the camper door open on that side.





To mount the rooftop tent I'll make an external frame/cage which can also mount a roof basket if I need it without the tent.

So I know a few have done this, any pitfalls other than having that weight up high?

Oh and the tow vehicle



Cheers
Steve

[schaney]

Yes being able to use the tent unit both vehicle and trailer top I find to be a big advantage. There are places I just can't get my Sidekick into with a trailer and once you've gone tent topped, there is no going back to sleeping on the ground



With mounting one on a Teardrop the challenge is making sure the front cross bar isn't over the door frame so the load is carried down the wall. If you were planning for one during building, you could put in a header over the door.

[Steve F]

Yes being able to use the tent unit both vehicle and trailer top I find to be a big advantage. There are places I just can't get my Sidekick into with a trailer and once you've gone tent topped, there is no going back to sleeping on the ground



With mounting one on a Teardrop the challenge is making sure the front cross bar isn't over the door frame so the load is carried down the wall. If you were planning for one during building, you could put in a header over the door.

Mine will be mounted on an external frame that will slot into the chassis box members, the body of the teardrop will take no weight at all it'll all be through the frame

Cheers
Steve

[schaney]

That should work just fine, could even use it as a viewing platform without the tent on it.

[Steve F]

Finally got around to starting on the roof rails for the roof top tent

I decided to have long mounts to spread the load, I dont think I have to worry about it coming off or not coping with the weight, it's going to be very solid.

I've got the front one pretty much done, it's the hardest as because the roof slopes I had to do some tricky angles to keep the top of it flat so the RTT sits flat on the bars, the rear will be easier. I also need to fully weld this one but I'll do that when I pull the welder out again tomorrow to do the rear one.





Cheers
Steve

[schaney]

Looks like you're off to a good start on the racks.

[Steve F]

Almost finished the bars, I just need to complete the welding and paint them, and of course mount them to the TD properly. Anyway, while they were up there I marked out the holes for the awning brackets and drilled those, I couldn't help but test it out as it's the first time it's been unrolled.







The rooftop tent will fold out the otherside and will have the lower room attached to it for enclosed sleeping.

I also have a full flyscreen that attaches to the awning but it started to rain so I didn't have time to check that out.

Cheers
Steve

[greekspeedoman]

Steve,

Great awning!

I love watching your progress. I, too, have wanted to add a rooftop tent. I build my trailer with mounting points in the walls. However, I have one problem.

How do you plan to work your roof vent with the tent on top of the trailer?

I can't figure this one out yet. It would be nice to use both.

Mark