Our custom true flatbed truck camper build thread

[Jfet]

Ok, I am going to collect random thoughts and progress pictures and put them here in a thread.

Goal: Construct a true flatbed camper with cabover, no slideouts but full 8 foot floor width inside. This will mount on a 2006 Isuzu NRR truck with a GVWR of 19,500 pounds and a current dry weight of 8700 pounds. The truck has a 20 foot flatbed that is 8 feet wide. The camper will take up 11 feet of the flatbed and the remaining area will be home to a future garage for our toys. We will install a hitch so we can pull our 17 foot Montgomery sailboat (trailer + boat is about 2200 pounds). The camper and garage will be removeable so the flatbed can be used for other purposes, or in case the truck needs extensive shop repairs down the road. Or if we are in Alaska and want to go pick up 3 cords of firewood or something 🙂

Here is a picture of the truck with some important dimensions:

[jimh406]

Nice rig Jfet!

[sabconsulting]

That's truck camper porn damn-it. :C

Now get out and do some camping in your fantastic new camper and do us a trip report :B

Steve.

[kereams]

Awesome! I am an avid dual sport rider and off-road racer. I ride orange though, so I wont hold those blue bikes against you. 😉 I even do trials events on my little Scorpa, which has a Yamaha engine in it. I am really curious what you're doing for ramps. Any ramp pics and ramp storage ideas?

[Jfet]

NSFW (it may make you want to leave early)

So sexy it hurts.

[bka0721]

A friend of mine just had his sweepers and Garbage trucks done with specific location cameras with split screen monitors. He had Car Toys do the installation and supply the hardware. Works pretty slick and very solid equipment.

b

[Jfet]

BoonHauler wrote:
How about a link for the camera system?

Thanks /=)

I bought the 4 camera system here:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=RERVS7707100&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=

If you want to go cheap and just need a rear camera, Costco has the same system with just the one camera (expandable to three) for around $199.

[BoonHauler]

How about a link for the camera system?

Thanks /=)

[Jfet]

We took the camper on a first trip today. Just a drive to see how things felt. It did great and does not sway. I really barely notice it is there. The RearViewSafety four camera system is awesome and lets me see all around. Without that I am blind directly behind me which makes backing up somewhat disconcerting. The side cameras automatically switch view when you operate the turn signals then switch back to multi-camera view.

We had some concern (maybe silly) that the aluminum roof would ripple in the wind and so mounted a GoPro up there at the back looking forward to watch the roof line as we drove. The roof is only held down along the edges and sides and is allowed to float in the middle. We decided to do this because of thermal expansion. The other day when it was in the low 90s I did notice some slight bulges but when it cooled off they contracted back to flat as expected. The Raptor truck bed liner is flexible and seemed fine.

We went down a country road and the GoPro caught some video of the low hanging small branches over the road. The roof is 11'9" off the ground (it is tall!). I put a short clip of the video on youtube and linked it below. It isn't that exciting unless you have spent 1.5 years building a camper from scratch in your garage.

http://youtu.be/SrZtV7o0i00

[recycler]

camper sure looks nice on the truck..

[Explorer1016]

Very nice work. I have been following you from you first post and I am happy to see the progress you have made. This was quite the undertaking!

[Bedlam]

Considering that you will have a garage behind the TC on the same flat bed, I don't feel it needs to be registered. If you are doing this to ensure your truck is not classified commercial, you might consider reclassifying the entire rig as an RV once you complete your build. I would call it a Super C toy hauler.

[kereams]

If you're ever in Beaverton you are welcome to feel the stability of my Brophy steps.

Are you completely sure you have to get a plate for that in Washington, considering its construction, attachment to the truck and the fact that it doesn't overhang the rear? I don't know how much you have researched it but, being born and raised in Washington, I'd forgo it and use it without a dedicated plate. Claim stupid if someone pulled you over, which I highly doubt would ever happen. That's just me....

[rickeoni]

overwhelming and humbling at the same time.

[Jfet]

Thanks everyone for the nice comments. It feels surreal to see the camper on the truck in the driveway.

BoonHauler and kereams: Thanks for the links to the steps. We do want something. We have considered an external stepladder that we put in place when parked and store between the headache rack and truck cab. I like the idea and ease of a built in scissor step under the flatbed but I don't know how they feel (stability) and I don't know if I want to lose that much real estate under the camper (a 25 inch step would take up the space of a very nice under-camper storage box.)

Silversand: Sure, we will be posting performance updates. The first thing I have to do is get a silly VIN for the camper so I can get a license plate. The first WA state inspection station I called had a 2 month waiting list. I finally found one with only a 1 month wait. Government at work.

Dave: We will post the build cost at some point. It isn't finished yet and we also have not totaled up the receipts. I do think it is probably the cheapest 8 foot headroom true flatbed camper with seamless aluminum roof that you can't buy.

[dave17352]

Maybe this has all ready been asked. Also maybe you do not want to share or all ready have. I am very curious the cost of building the camper? Without the truck.

Looks great!