My Jeemper

[Rogheff]

When you mix the simplicity of a wall tent, with the convenience of a camper, oh and make it compliment the Jeep pulling it, you get the Jeemper. There were two campers that inspired this build, the oldest surviving camper- the 1913 Earl:

And the 1949 Wee Zim:


I wanted a super light camper to pull behind my Jeep Wrangler, big enough for me to comfortably camp alone, but expandable in case my wife camps with me. It can’t be very tall or it will create considerable drag. My solution is a removable floor, so that I can simply walk into it.

One of the biggest hurdles that I see folks posting about on this site and videos is the problem of water damage from the area where the roof meets the walls. Both of the campers that I have owned in the past had serious water damage in exactly that area. My solution is an exceptionally light weight canvas Bestop Supertopper. I’ll probably have to add an air dam to the front of the camper.

Here is the build so far. The trailer began life as a cable reel trailer. I added Timbren axle less suspension. The topper stands about 6’ on the inside.


I like the ease of maintenance of aluminum, so used diamond plate over an aluminum frame. Yes, those are aluminum extension ladders. They are basically trusses after all. The top is positioned for a mock-up.

[QueticoBill]

Intriguing. Love the use of the ladders.

Do you have any plan to "seal" the foot well, to separate exterior from interior?

[John61CT]

Without any crossmembers between (anywhere near) the suspension frames there's going to be crazy lateral flexing pressures, each side independent of the other

Stay on very smooth blacktop and drive slowly. . .

[GTS225]

Without any crossmembers between (anywhere near) the suspension frames there's going to be crazy lateral flexing pressures, each side independent of the other

Stay on very smooth blacktop and drive slowly. . .

If that ain't the truth! Once he gets off-road, that thing will flex and twist like a big dog. I suggest some sort of bolt-in crossmembers that can be removed when on site.
Additionally, how is one going to pack and retain essentials into the cabin for travel, or keep small critters out of the cabin in the middle of the night? Dust intrusion while moving
will be a big problem, too.
It would not do to wake up to a rattlesnake coiled onto your chest in the sleeping bag.

Roger

[QueticoBill]

Somehow reminds me of the Virgin Galactic vehicles with their twin tails.

[Socal Tom]

What does the Supertopper fit? I can't find it on the website?

[Rogheff]

Do you have any plan to "seal" the foot well, to separate exterior from interior?

Removable floor

[Rogheff]

Without any crossmembers between (anywhere near) the suspension frames there's going to be crazy lateral flexing pressures, each side independent of the other

Stay on very smooth blacktop and drive slowly. . .

If that ain't the truth! Once he gets off-road, that thing will flex and twist like a big dog. I suggest some sort of bolt-in crossmembers that can be removed when on site.
Additionally, how is one going to pack and retain essentials into the cabin for travel, or keep small critters out of the cabin in the middle of the night? Dust intrusion while moving
will be a big problem, too.
It would not do to wake up to a rattlesnake coiled onto your chest in the sleeping bag.

Roger

I should add this, my Jeep is my daily driver, it doesn’t go off road. I have ATVs for that. But having said that the trailer frame is from a cable reel trailer. They do go off road and carry thousands of pounds. It is a HEAVY 3” tube steel Y shaped frame.

Btw, my wife said the same thing about the opening. I don’t yet have details worked out, but I am thinking of some type of drop down or fold down sides to go to the ground.

[Rogheff]

What does the Supertopper fit? I can't find it on the website?

I actually have two of these. The one that I am using for the top is designed for an 8’ pickup bed. I also have a second one (5.5’) that I am considering using for a canopy off of the rear. They actually fold up like my Jeep soft top so I could sleep under the stars if I want ( and awaken covered in dew). There are several manufacturers, Softopper and Bestop. Bestop makes Jeep soft tops, so exactly the same material and attachment. The windows roll up or come completely off.

[Rogheff]

Thanks for the comments folks, I look forward to more brain storming. I was originally planning on making a square drop rear entry camper with a drop floor in the center. I owned a Friendship Vacationaire which had a drop floor and loved it. Once I got the design finished and showed the wife, her very first comment was “I won’t be able to stand completely up in that thing.”

Back to the drawing board, then I found this trailer and the creativity started flowing. A removable or sliding floor seemed to be the ticket.

[John61CT]

Sorry but there used to be an axle there.

If there were a big HEAVY spool suspended in that gap its "axle" would act as a crossmember as well.

But with both of those removed and any kind of weight

there will be lots of lateral torsion and flexion forces on each side independently.

Not saying on good flat roads and slow speed will (necessarily) be (that) dangerous, but very likely your upper wall / roof framing will get twisted a lot more than you think.

. . .

Also in dusty conditions, everything needs to be **really well** sealed up while driving

or you'll need to either live in filth or do a lot of cleaning every stop.

[cjlangellier]

First off, this is a really cool and unique design idea! I think it's a neat way to build a trailer so kudos to you for thinking outside the box. Your Timbren suspension should have brackets on the front to hold a 2"x2" crossmember. I would highly suggest using at least a 1/4" thick crossmember to help stabilize any flex in the trailer with that design. You can build your galley to the rear of that crossmember and your cabin quarters forward from there.

[Socal Tom]

for my 2 cents, I think the soft top idea is interesting idea.

[Rogheff]

Sorry but there used to be an axle there.

If there were a big HEAVY spool suspended in that gap its "axle" would act as a crossmember as well.

But with both of those removed and any kind of weight

there will be lots of lateral torsion and flexion forces on each side independently.

Not saying on good flat roads and slow speed will (necessarily) be (that) dangerous, but very likely your upper wall / roof framing will get twisted a lot more than you think.

. . .

Also in dusty conditions, everything needs to be **really well** sealed up while driving

or you'll need to either live in filth or do a lot of cleaning every stop.

The original trailer is very much like this one:


The spool “axle” doesn’t look like it supports anything other than the spool. This trailer has had a bunch of metal cobbled all over the place, most which I have removed. There was nothing structurally solid connecting the sides. If it works for hauling wire spools through ditches, why wouldn’t it work for a camper? This might be a small 5x8’ camper, but the frame is NOT a Harbor Freight bolt together kit. The trailer frame itself must weigh 300-400 pounds. I had the timbren axles welded to the frame btw. Timbren suggests a cross piece but it isn’t to support the frame, it is to keep the axles in place in case you don’t weld them.

[John61CT]

The crossmember keeps those two sides parallel.

As I said.

Do what you like,

might be fine