Campertrailer Rebuild
Submitted: Friday, Nov 18, 2005 at 15:48
ThreadID:
28197
Views:
3004
Replies:
4
FollowUps:
4
This Thread has been Archived
Member - JD
Hi All,
My domestic campertrailer has a cracked chassi,which I have decided to convert to a fully fledged 4WD camper would you's be interested in following me thru the process of the rebuild?. I would post info at regular intervals with hyperlinks to pictures.Something I'm debateing in my mind presently is do I go independant or straight axle???what do think????
JD
Reply By: Trevor W(Brisbane) - Friday, Nov 18, 2005 at 16:34
Friday, Nov 18, 2005 at 16:34
Before you start , set the Camper up with all its poles and tent in place and then determine if you can lift the Trailer up and not affect the Canvas Length to the Ground. Once you determine this and there is suffient Canvas to allow fitting of Larger Tyres and increase in ground clearance,you then have to consider Brakes if you are going to increase the weight carrying capacity and self weight by strenthening the chassis. To set up a Solid Axle is relatively easy as it then keeps both
wheels tracking correctly. Have a good look around the Caravan Yards at the different
suspension set ups first.Are you intending to go into extreme 4 wd areas, if not I think you would be happy with Solid Axle,Heavy Duty Springs Eye to Eye type,Electric Brakes controlled from the Drivers
Seat,and a Treg Stile Hitch, Don't forget to silastic any joints to keep dust and
water out. Remember use a silastic that allows painting.You can purchase a complete axle assembly with brakes fitted but try and get wheel track to suit you tow vehicle in regard to length of axle.
AnswerID:
139969
Follow Up By: Member - JD - Friday, Nov 18, 2005 at 17:50
Friday, Nov 18, 2005 at 17:50
Hi Trevor W,
Good piont but I was going to leave the cavas stock and extend the flip over rack with adjustable legs.and brakes..mmm.. I witnessed last weekend the need for brakes on a downhill rockface,always better to make it more capable than what you really need,I'm definately going trig or treg havent made my mind up yet..and will match wheel track aswell,Thanks for your input.
JD
FollowupID:
393684
Reply By: colin - Friday, Nov 18, 2005 at 17:15
Friday, Nov 18, 2005 at 17:15
if the chassi has cracked being a domestic trailer it is way two lite to convert to an of roader, better of buiding a trailer from scratch and fitting the camper to it, and the best
suspension is coil. from experience Col
AnswerID:
139973
Follow Up By: Member - JD - Friday, Nov 18, 2005 at 17:59
Friday, Nov 18, 2005 at 17:59
Hi Colin,
That was my originall delamer,to lift or to build from sractch,basically all I will be doing is building another chassi with storage and a pull out kitchen to keep the
cook happy..Ive always stated here on Exploroz to keep it simple as leaf and solid axle would be but if I go coil I will fabricate as much as I can..it seems to be challengeing me for some reason still thinking on that..Thanks for your input.Allmost forgot I will gusset up the trailer for more strenght.
JD
FollowupID:
393687
Reply By: Trevor W(Brisbane) - Monday, Nov 21, 2005 at 10:18
Monday, Nov 21, 2005 at 10:18
I should have asked prior to my response
From reading your comment I now think that you have a Hard Floor type Camper which flips over the Back and then the Rack on top then forms a Support Frame for the Hard Floor. This is what I have at home in a small Cub Camper unit
I have extended my Steel Frame under my unit by fitting a 50X3 Sq Hollow Section from back to front and then this extended forward approx 300mm to give me a longer A frame for better stability.From this I have welded 50X3 angle back to the spring supports at front and back then added underbody diagonal bracings in 25X3 angle.I left the sollid axle as is but my next big project is to fit 14" LT tyres and rims form the std 12" little baby alloys boat
wheels but this will reuire wheel arches to be fitted.
AnswerID:
140219
Follow Up By: Member - JD - Monday, Nov 21, 2005 at 11:21
Monday, Nov 21, 2005 at 11:21
Hi Trevor W,
That is what i've got trevor,its a
somerset,and i'm pretty much doing what you have done but i'm going to fit either 15s or 16 under it,a tregg hitch,pull out kitchen and storage..and ofcourse
water and fuel carrying.I'm thinking of having the kitchen either on the draw bar or on a pull out type system under the bed area..just so I can leave it all there just waiting to go..it's a pain finding the gear, and packing the camper everytime we go away.We are extremly happy with the simplicity of this unit,you pull up find your spot and within minutes your you can go to bed,and I will be striving to keep it just as simple but much more capable..without blowing the budget.Thanks for your reply.
JD
FollowupID:
393902
Reply By: Trevor W(Brisbane) - Monday, Nov 21, 2005 at 16:11
Monday, Nov 21, 2005 at 16:11
Before deciding on where to put the Kitchen check ,
When folding up the Canvass it all fits neatly into the trailer body above the bed and matress, if you were to try and fit a slide out kitchen into the trailer part through a draw in the side you would encroach on the space for the tent part to fold up. My friend fitted wheel arches and decided to lift his matress approx 4" and then fir a storage box into the space he lifted the matress so that the Matress still went the whole width of the Camper. What he didnt realise is that when folding up the unit he affectively took up 50% of his Canvass store area in the trailer and now has to really jump on the Fold up frame and floor to clip it down. I am going to have a box kitchen unit fitted to the extended A frame and I have fitted the spare tyre under the back to compensate for the weight gain over the A frame. Make sure you work out the wheel travel on such big
wheels you mention as you will need wheel arches to take up the travel. My Camper has been accross Arnhem Land to Gove and all through the
forrest around
Brisbane and I have had no problems but feel the 14"
wheels will ride better in the Gravel Roads and Corrigations.
AnswerID:
140261
Follow Up By: Member - JD - Monday, Nov 21, 2005 at 16:54
Monday, Nov 21, 2005 at 16:54
Hi Trevor W
From the base up I was going to leave it standard,that is I will build a box the same size as the camper base,how high yet I'm not sure,Iwill work out my space needs to where things go..and I will be keeping an eye on my balance piont as I like my trailers to be balanced over the axle after all thats what carries the wieght..with my spare tyre I have seen the cruisers rip spares out so underneath does'nt appeal to me..but space will dictate where it ends up?.with the wheel travel I know they sound big and when compared to the baby boat wheel they come with there humungus but I need it to go anywhere I do, so I dont damage it..does the rought stuff much easyer.As i have camped on top of a few mountains and the only way up was thru the rought stuff..I can see you have delt with this type of thing before for me this is the second trailer I will be lifting so I want this to be the last as they really take time to build exspecially as lst time I fabricated vertually everthing..but the end result was a very cappable trailer,I have pictures of it if you are interested..but being an old world type of camper it took to long to set up..that is why we jumped at this one so easy..and it didn't cost a million..I'm going to try bring this in for about $1500..put this to my purchase price ends up being $3500 preety cheap when you consider purchase price of a full on 4WD camper and the best part of it is my base trade is structual welding/fabricator so if it breaks I only got myself to blame.Thanks for your reply.
JD
FollowupID:
393941