What to do with my frame
Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:36 pmDue to the limited gate opening where I want to store my camper, I've been looking at the expedition style campers. Most of my camping involves jeepin' and most camp site arrivals are after dark. So I also like the fold-out ready to go design. However, the RTTs won't help with 3-4 sleepers (couple are teenage kids).
So I've been looking for an older tent camper with the fold-out layout, not a crank up. Crank pop-ups are 80" or more wide and that's too wide. This is due to the sleep areas being side to side rather than front to back. The older soft top campers are sort of a large RTT but with a box and door to walk in, and compared to today's pop-up not as wide. Found several pics of different styles over the internet, but the box is rather low and small for other camping storage requirements. So other storage/carrier boxes will be necessary and the camper's frame doesn't have the room.
There are the fold-out box tents (ie. Kamparoo) that provide a queen bed by flipping the whole top over. Again, limited sleep areas and small box for other camping supplies on the frame.
During my reserach, I came upon the Livin Lite Quicksilver truck camper. Its a box that folds open, canvas top, fits into the bed of the pickup, all aluminum and marine grade materials, and weighs 450#s.
I'm thinking putting this into a 'bed' on the trailer. I'd fab storage/carrier boxes as a bed to include a swing out/pull out kitchen.
Measured my frame with nothing on it. Tip to tail is 16' long (3'+inches tongue), 45" wide frame rails, tires measure out to 65" (eyeballing). It consists of a M101 military 4x8 frame and suspension. I attached a boxed boat tongue and welded in a boxed support bar back to the second crossmember. I drilled the frame so that the rear axle has 4 positions depending on the weight configuration of the camper. Its in the 3rd forward position now.
Axle is Dexter 3500# with parking and electrical brakes. Once axle is located, shocks will be added.
That leaves plenty of areas for the storage boxes. Only problem will be the access to the boxes from the side with the camper open.
Then I came upon the Flip-pac pickup shell. The Wildernest is similar but they are no longer manufactured. Flip-pac is a flip over tent camper in itself.
If I could take the design and mate it to a hardside small box camper, I think this would provide a better camper overall. I could also fab the roof to have dual purposes. One would be a tilt top to provide standing room at/near the doorway. The other purpose, another sleep area with the whole top flipped over. I could fab 2 separate frames and the flip frame would lock onto the tilt frame. Tilt frame would lock onto the camper box for transit. This would keep the overall camper box overall height low. According to Flip-pac's website, the import truck shell has a 32" side wall height and when opened provides over 6' of standing space (assuming no measurement of the bed's height). I would only need standing room at the doorway on the camper thus the tilt roof design. Rather than have a soft side with the tilt roof, I could hardside it.
Due to the necessary maximum width, layout of the camper box would be a centered rear entry, table/queen bed at the front, near the door on both sides would be cabinets for kitchen, food, ice box, utensil/cooking, clothing, etc.
My requirements are a limited budget (cheaper the better), no wider than 66" for the 78" gate opening, limit overall height for better aerodynamics behind a 4cyl/auto Wrangler TJ (need 60" minimum to eat at table), light weight so I could move in/out of the storage location (under 1000#s) to hook to TV, and sleep 3 comfortably (2 sexes) and 4 cramped. Eating inside would only be during severe weather conditions.
So I've been looking for an older tent camper with the fold-out layout, not a crank up. Crank pop-ups are 80" or more wide and that's too wide. This is due to the sleep areas being side to side rather than front to back. The older soft top campers are sort of a large RTT but with a box and door to walk in, and compared to today's pop-up not as wide. Found several pics of different styles over the internet, but the box is rather low and small for other camping storage requirements. So other storage/carrier boxes will be necessary and the camper's frame doesn't have the room.
There are the fold-out box tents (ie. Kamparoo) that provide a queen bed by flipping the whole top over. Again, limited sleep areas and small box for other camping supplies on the frame.
During my reserach, I came upon the Livin Lite Quicksilver truck camper. Its a box that folds open, canvas top, fits into the bed of the pickup, all aluminum and marine grade materials, and weighs 450#s.
I'm thinking putting this into a 'bed' on the trailer. I'd fab storage/carrier boxes as a bed to include a swing out/pull out kitchen.
Measured my frame with nothing on it. Tip to tail is 16' long (3'+inches tongue), 45" wide frame rails, tires measure out to 65" (eyeballing). It consists of a M101 military 4x8 frame and suspension. I attached a boxed boat tongue and welded in a boxed support bar back to the second crossmember. I drilled the frame so that the rear axle has 4 positions depending on the weight configuration of the camper. Its in the 3rd forward position now.
Axle is Dexter 3500# with parking and electrical brakes. Once axle is located, shocks will be added.
That leaves plenty of areas for the storage boxes. Only problem will be the access to the boxes from the side with the camper open.
Then I came upon the Flip-pac pickup shell. The Wildernest is similar but they are no longer manufactured. Flip-pac is a flip over tent camper in itself.
If I could take the design and mate it to a hardside small box camper, I think this would provide a better camper overall. I could also fab the roof to have dual purposes. One would be a tilt top to provide standing room at/near the doorway. The other purpose, another sleep area with the whole top flipped over. I could fab 2 separate frames and the flip frame would lock onto the tilt frame. Tilt frame would lock onto the camper box for transit. This would keep the overall camper box overall height low. According to Flip-pac's website, the import truck shell has a 32" side wall height and when opened provides over 6' of standing space (assuming no measurement of the bed's height). I would only need standing room at the doorway on the camper thus the tilt roof design. Rather than have a soft side with the tilt roof, I could hardside it.
Due to the necessary maximum width, layout of the camper box would be a centered rear entry, table/queen bed at the front, near the door on both sides would be cabinets for kitchen, food, ice box, utensil/cooking, clothing, etc.
My requirements are a limited budget (cheaper the better), no wider than 66" for the 78" gate opening, limit overall height for better aerodynamics behind a 4cyl/auto Wrangler TJ (need 60" minimum to eat at table), light weight so I could move in/out of the storage location (under 1000#s) to hook to TV, and sleep 3 comfortably (2 sexes) and 4 cramped. Eating inside would only be during severe weather conditions.
