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Big4x4ride

Big4x4ride

Red Skull Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2021
Member Number
3584
Messages
128
Loc
Corpus Christi TX
Anyone built their own camper/living quarters from scratch? I have a 2011 F550 that I want to set up as a hauler with quarters, has 11' flatbed on it currently. I've seen people rig up a big cabover and fill in the sides with tool boxes, I'm half ass kicking the idea around about building my own cabover setup instead. Figure building my own would allow much more floorspace, and more room in general. Found some decent groups on the ol Facebook, but curious if anyone has done something here?? Weight isn't a huge issue since its on a 550 chassis, although the end plan would include towing a 30'ish bumper pull with a pair of JKU's on it.
 
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So my thought, and this is just rough off top of my head stuff currently is to Wood frame the entire thing, 1 1/2" thick framing/structure, skin the outside with 1/2" plywood, skin the inside with thin plywood/paneling. This would allow me to run a solid 2x material on its side full length for the bed support over the cab. Bed over the cab would be positioned front to back, so I'd be looking at 6-7' of cab overhang. with 11ish foot of floor space on the main area. 17-18' over all length, would be approx 4.5 sheets of 1/2" for the roof, 4.5 for floor, 7 total for sides, and 4 for front/back. Thats 20 sheets at 41ish lbs each, so 800lbs roughly. Figure framing would add another 250-300 or so. That would put me in the 1050-1100 ish area for the main structure. Figure a Lance 1172 camper is 4500 ish dry weight, I cant see adding another 3000 lbs overall to finish it out, but you never know,
 
YotaAtieToo said:
IDASHO


To me the hardest part would be making it able to flex a little without wadding up, wrinkling the siding, or wieghing a shit ton.
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No. Do not allow it to flex.

Allow the truck frame below to flex without forcing the camper to flex.

Camper gets mounted in a triangle or diamond pattern for the mounts, allowing the truck frame to twist independently.

Just like Unimog cabs.
 
Isolators and call it a day. Anything "built decent" is going to weigh a bunch, just plan on that and it'll be fine
 
YotaAtieToo said:
It going to flex, no way around it. You mount it to a flat bed with 4 points, how else would you do it?
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Either mount it on three points (two at the frame rail, and a third point midway between the frame rails.

If you need 4 points, then a diamond configuration (see pic below) can have the same isolating effect. The truck frame can twist under the camper, without forcing that same twist onto the camper.
Muckin_Slusher said:
They flex everywhere, not just behind the cab, and not just in one location.

I believe the bed on mine is mounted in 6 locations. Three points on one side are rigid and the three points on the opposite side use swing frames exactly like leaf spring hangers.

The cab (non-doka) is mounted on three points. Two under the seats and a single point under the grill. This allows the frame to twist all it wants without stressing the cab.

For something longer like a doka cab I think you could locate the cab (and cage) to frame tie points in a diamond configuration (see potato-CAD drawing, view is from above). I don't think this configuration would hinder the frame flex, and I don't think it would stress or flex the cab/cage.

I can take pics of anything you need, mine is completely stock in those things.


mog cabcage.png
Click to expand...
 
I tried to build my own slide in like idasho, but I didn't have garage space for it, so i was doing it outside out of wood. Huge mistake. Piece of shit rotted apart as I was building it.

If you're going to do it, finalize your design in CAD before you start, because you have to maximize all available space. Once you have a design, build a metal frame and skin it before starting any interior anything. #1 priority is keeping water out, so pick a system that will be the best at that.
 
Provience said:
Isolators and call it a day. Anything "built decent" is going to weigh a bunch, just plan on that and it'll be fine
Click to expand...
Nail on the head there. That is the perk of building on the F550 chassis, I don't have to be overly concerned with the end weight. Obviously can't get ridiculous, but don't have to count every individual pound with extreme concern.
 
Muckin_Slusher said:
Either mount it on three points (two at the frame rail, and a third point midway between the frame rails.

If you need 4 points, then a diamond configuration (see pic below) can have the same isolating effect. The truck frame can twist under the camper, without forcing that same twist onto the camper.
Click to expand...

No camper has ever been made like that. Not to mention, you're attaching it a big steel flat bed, so it's going to twist with the flatbed.

I get the idea of what you're saying, just not sure this is a realistic application of that method.
 
I have built my own LQ inside my toyhauler, as well as rebuilding a vintage camper. The toyhauler was a wood framed box in a box, so it doesn't quite fit what you are doing. But it did allow customizing it for me. I laid out the basic floorplan on the deck of the trailer in tape, to see how things fit, and ended up changing it a couple times before I found something that would work. Maybe not as useful on a flatbed, but at least it gives you an idea of how big things are. (shower, sink, table, cabinets, etc)

I reference the vintage camper because it was built to last. They are built from the inside out. Walls are framed, then sheeted on the inside. The cabinets are all mounted from the outside in, and they usually connect the floor/walls, walls/walls, or the walls/ceiling. This helps with rigidity and keeps them from folding up at road speed.
My recommendations:
Build the framework out of steel or aluminum. This will give you rigidity without having to overbuild. It also will not rot if it gets wet.
Foamboard insulation is amazing, and once cut to size, it will hold itself into the studs.
If the framework is solid, skinning it with aluminum sheeting (like an enclosed trailer) is easy, and won't (shouldn't) wrinkle over time.
If you are planning on a toilet/shower, make room under (but exterior) for the black tank. If it aquires a leak, it won't leak inside.

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