XBOW (Xtreme Bed On Wheels) Build

[Dirtclod]

I must be crazy. At least that's what everyone tells me. I have a very nice Bullet Premier 30 footer that is all luxury and you wanna build a little bity camper?

I guess I am crazy after all.

Let me re-introduce myself. I spent better part of a year taking a cargo trailer and turning it into a toy hauler as documented here. http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=53941&hilit=Dirtclod I just recently sold my Big KTM after getting hit by a deer. That's right SHE hit me !! Took me down, I was wearing all the gear and damage was minimal but that got me to thinking. I could buy a Jeep and go anywhere that I could have on that bike with AC and Heat!. Yeah I know .. getting old .. with age comes a cage.. I have heard em all.

The build it bug has never really left me so I am now going to go all in and build a teardrop from scratch. Well sort of from scratch. I had the trailer built and just got it back a few days ago. So now I can officially start a build thread. Going to be slow going and I will try to keep up with this.

I am sure I will have LOTS of questions along the way.

My Inspiration along with many others is Dave and Lisa's ATMA tear. I know there is NO WAY that I can compete with that build, but you gotta aim high right?

Had a Trailer Built



And ordered doors from Challenger today.

She is going to be a 5X9 with AC (this is where yall come in) I have read about every article I can on adding AC and I "think" I have a plan and a place to put it. Will cross that bridge when I get to it.

Its good to be back !!!!!

[KTM_Guy]

To bad you had to sell the 990. I have a 2010 ADV 990 I don't plan on selling, but I too had to cut back on riding with my knees and my wife's back. We got a Jeep (KTM orange of course) a few years ago so we can still get into the mountains and desert. An offroad teardrop just makes sense for us now. I'll be following your build close. We plan to be ready to start our build in the fall as soon as the summer heat is over. My plan is a 5X9 and 52-54" cabin.

[Dirtclod]

After looking at the Grumman profile on the trailer last night, I am thinking it may look too small behind the Jeep. My original idea was to build a Off Road Benroy with wheels to match the Jeep. BUT the trailer frame I had built was not supposed to have fenders. But after driving 2 hours to get it I wasn't about to leave it there and make a return trip so I grabbed it and left. They didn't charge me for the fenders so I guess a plus.

So for now I may just flip the axle and see if the 32's will fit. If not I will bust out a grinder and remove them.

For now just ignore the title above and insert "Dont Know what I am gonna build" build

[Dirtclod]

May have to go back to Plan A or was that Plan B or C or ...

Anyway here is the original Benroy plan

[Dirtclod]

Questions for you experts.

Is it important where the Galley hatch starts? Does it need to be supported by a bulkhead?

In the Benroy profile that I drew, does that look like it will work?

I still have not worked out where a to install a AC/DC converter like a PD4045. The issue is where to run the wiring while maintaining as much interior space as possible. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance

Mike

[KCStudly]

I like the idea of tying the hatch hinge in close to the bulkhead for the added rigidity. Some ideas that were shared with me during the design phase of TPCE were that it might be better not to have open shelves under the moving part of the hatch because you might set something too tall on them and then close it on top of; better to have cabinets with the hinge near the face of the cabinet frame.

It's a thought but it hasn't stopped me. (I am using linear actuators in lieu of hydraulic struts, and the control module for operating a pair in parallel includes a safety feature that reverses operation if too much resistance is met.)

I prioritized how the hatch would raise up relative to my side profile and how much headroom/shade/rain coverage it would give when standing at the galley counter. For my profile (similar to a Benroy) and degrees of rotation, it worked out better to have the hinge near the bulkhead.

On wiring, budget more pull space than you think you will need. I still feel that my electrical system is pretty simple, but with separate circuits for redundancy in lighting, and most everything else on its own circuit, the number of home runs adds up fast, and it can be quite a bundle of wires before you are done. You are doing the right thing by planning that part of your build up front. As I have read from many builders before me, I will repeat; if I ever build another I will spend more time planning out the electrical system on the next one.

[noseoil]

Agree about the bulkhead/hinge spar as a good way to stiffen up the build. There are a lot of forces in the hinge & hatch areas, so it's good to be able to "spread the load" into as many parts as possible to make a better setup for the hinge. Our trailer is very similar to what you're doing with the benroy design. Our bulkhead is at the spar connection, backing for the interior cabinets & the galley cabinets. It's just 1/4" but helps a lot. It also serves as a mount for the galley inverter & charging module for the solar system.

The galley shelf at the spar has to be used very carefully & checked prior to closing the hatch! We left a small container on the shelf on our last trip (plastic fortunately) and the edge was crushed by the 1/8" hatch interior skin. Might be better to not have it, but we use it all the time & it's handy to have for cell phone charging, odds & ends.

We set the PD4045 panel in the galley & it has access from the back from the cabin interior, through the back of the TV flatscreen panel. Here's a couple of pictures which might help explain things.





This has worked out pretty well for us & there's access if we need it, but so far so good on not needing repairs at this point. Wiring is always a bear & if you have a goodly number of circuits & systems, make sure to plan it out accordingly. I used a small 12 volt battery (AGM alarm panel 1.5 AH type) to test each circuit as I went, just to be sure that each wire, switch, light or circuit was really done properly. There's so much going on with the TV, stereo, speakers in the hatch, running lights, cabin lights, galley 110 & 12 volt, air conditioner, etc. that you don't want anything less than 100% certainty, before you button up the walls & panels.

You might take a look at our build as there's a lot there to help you with your design, since both are so similar.

[Aguyfromohio]

noseoil, that's a beautiful trailer.
What's the light colored solid wood you used for face frames, door fronts, rails and stiles?

[tony.latham]

I must be crazy. At least that's what everyone tells me. I have a very nice Bullet Premier 30 footer that is all luxury and you wanna build a little bity camper?

Crazy? I don't think so.



Tony

[Dirtclod]

KC and Noseoil, Thanks for the response, I really appreciate and value your opinions.

I have read over both of your builds and in fact I have Noseoil’s bookmarked and I am sure I will be referring to it A LOT.

Having the hatch at a bulkhead does make sense. I may redraw the profile to have thinner galley cabinets allowing me to have a true floor to ceiling bulkhead.
I really never thought about having a shelf in the “crush zone”. Using smaller cabinets also may let me get rid of the top shelf. Will see. I agree with Noseoil, seems like it would be handy though.

The plan for wiring is where I am struggling the most. I agree plan for more than you need but it’s the hiding of the wiring that takes the most planning at this stage. Noseoil, Thanks for the wiring pics, I was thinking along those same lines only 180 degrees out. My original plan was to have the PD4045 in the inside upper cabinet and the access cover in the galley. This way all the wiring could come into the top of the cabinet from the roof spars and if I had any coming from the galley I could have a false back wall on the cabinets to allow wiring to go behind. This would eleimnnate the wiring channel inside like Noseoil has. But am open to all suggestions at this point.

Tony, I feel better now. I have also read your build as well. Its bookmarked too.

[tony.latham]

Is it important where the Galley hatch starts?

I would suggest–-assuming you're sheathing the roof/hatch with 1/8" BB––that you also keep your hatch surface limited to less than 5' so you don't need to stretch your plywood beyond it's 5' width.

I also think it's a good idea to butt your hatch spar to a bulkhead.





Tony

[Dirtclod]

Thanks to all that have replied. I truly appreciate your opinions

I took your advice and redrew the profile to have a true floor to cieling bulkhead. I am going to make this out of 3/4 birch. I know this may be overkill but I want to make sure that the pocket hole screws for the cabinets have something to bite into. Also I plan on having a roof rack to carry a canoe so I need it to be structurally sound as well.

OR would 3/4 stick frame and 1/8 ply on each side be just as strong?

Here is the latest revision of the last revision:

[Dirtclod]

Is it important where the Galley hatch starts?

I would suggest–-assuming you're sheathing the roof/hatch with 1/8" BB––that you also keep your hatch surface limited to less than 5' so you don't need to stretch your plywood beyond it's 5' width.

Tony, Do you mean 5 feet in width or 5 feet in total length for the hatch?

[tony.latham]

Is it important where the Galley hatch starts?

I would suggest–-assuming you're sheathing the roof/hatch with 1/8" BB––that you also keep your hatch surface limited to less than 5' so you don't need to stretch your plywood beyond it's 5' width.

Tony, Do you mean 5 feet in width or 5 feet in total length for the hatch?

I'm talking total length.

1/8" Baltic birch, as you may know, comes in 5'x5' sheets. On my first tear, I didn't take this into account and when I went to sheath the hatch, it took up all of 58" from the hinge to the bottom. I could have scabbed it together but glad I got lucky.



Tony

[Dirtclod]

Thanks Tony

I didnt even think about that. I will go out and take a measurement or three of the "hatch area" and make adjustments if needed.

Its the little things like this that you all have been through before that I havent even thought of. Thanks and keep em coming