The Half-arsed Camper build

[Reddave]

Firstly, apologies if this is in the wrong spot.

Secondly, I will just be copying and pasting from another forum I'm on

Back in may, I had to decide what I was going to do with my camper.

Here's what I started with:


Paid $1200 off eBay about 12 months ago, I knew when I bought it that it needed a bit of work, had no rego, brakes, canvas was old, but it was solid.

We have used it about 6 times over the last 12 months and the time to start making decisions got closer and closer.

I considered just selling it, making my money back and replacing it with another trailer, but the tight arse came out in me!!!

If I rebuild the trailer and add a new camper top, brakes and rego, I get a trailer that is made just for us, and should owe us no more than $5,000 when completed.

Cut off the old box the sides were only 280mm high, useless for storage.

[Reddave]

Once I got my tax return in July, I went on a bit of a spending spree

6 Stud electric brake backing plates and drums


45mm square axle with brake mounting plates welded, rated to 1500kg, same track as the GU (1676mm)


Drop down ALKO style stabiliser legs


7 leaf Off road springs, 60mm wide, eye to eye


Assorted bearings, wheel nuts, shackles and hangers, spring plates and U bolts


Just need to get my new floor steel, fit all this stuff then I can work out the final height that I need for the sides for a tent drop of somewhere between 1000mm and 1200mm

Got all this stuff direct from a trailer spares place that advertises on eBay, eBay price for springs, axle and brakes $670.00 plus postage.

Rang them direct, asked for a good deal, all the above for $633.00 (so $40.00 off eBay price and free stabiliser legs)


Rang CARAC today and ordered my sides and tailgate, could be up to a 2 week wait, if I knew that I would have ordered them 2 weeks ago

Ordered my steel for the trailer floor

Bought some canvas, only a cheap canvas but will do for a couple of years
http://www.enztrading.com.au/product...vas-tent-.html

[Reddave]

Didnt get as much done today as I would have liked, but still some forward progress at least

Cleaned up all of the frame from where I cut off the old box, cut off the old stabilisers, wire brushed the drawbar and frame
Assembled my axle, packed the new bearings, set bearing preload, marked the position of my spring centre pin spacers, marked the position of the front and rear spring hangers.

Won the tent we were bidding on, it's a steal for $1299, just have to work out how I am going to pick it up now, my trailer is in pieces

Mels Mum and Dad went away for the weekend so no welding

Next weekend should be when the transformation starts

Trailer floor is here, once I get my sides that can all be tacked together

The to do list as of now is:
Cut off the old spring hangers
Weld new spring hangers
Assemble floor and sides
Fit tent
Then the mudguards, light boxes etc

Costs so far:
Springs, axle, electric brakes, stabiliser legs $633
Sides and tailgates $280
Camper tent $1299

Total so far: $2212

So far running under budget

[Reddave]

August 10th


Went on another spending spree today

Bought taillights, 110mm round, same as the XTRAIL Navigator



Picked up Tailgates and sides, Offroad chequer plate mudguards, Jerry can holders x2, Gas bottle holder x1, Alko Offroad coupling, Handbrake assembly, Water tank, hand pump and filler.

And put a 40lt Engel on layby (Ran out of money for that one)

The building should hopefully start this weekend, we will be adding a foot to the end of the trailer, mounting the springs and axle and then seeing how much time is left

Hopefully fit up the floor and at least tack the sides and tailgate on as well.

So to recap cost:

Springs, axle, electric brakes, stabiliser legs $633
Sides and tailgates $280
Camper tent $1299
Offroad Coupling and Handbrake $290
Jerry can holders and gas bottle holder $75
Water tank, filler and hand pump $184
Mudguards $115
Taillights $99
Misc Steel $35

Total so far: $3010

So far running under budget, but its starting to blow out

[Reddave]

August 12th

Started putting it all together today, got a fair bit achieved, I'll let the pics do the talking!!


Added a foot to the end of the box




Set up the leaves and shackle mounts


Started fitting the sides and squaring it up


Fitted the front tailgate, this will be fixed in place

we used steel lengths to tie in the sides and for the tiebar for the front tailgate

The shackle mounts and spring mounts are completed, put the locating plates on the axle, but will not be fitting the axle until we weld the floor in, it's too heavy to flip on its end

The sides and front tailgate are only tacked at the moment, they will be welded during the week

Next week, need to trim the floor piece and then tack it in place, then flip it and start the long task of sealing the floor without warping the steel

[Reddave]

August 18th



Floor all welded in, had a small bow in it, but clamps and a trolley jack got them all out


Welded in the brackets to mount the water tank, decided on mounting it just behind the axle, once I get the toolbox on the front and kitchen in the back, it shouldn't have too much weight over the front


Welded in the brackets to take the stabilizer legs


Welded up the sides to seal the floor completely


Then fitted the axle to position the mudguards, farkin location plates were 6mm out, cut them off, remeasure and start again also have to run spacers on the hubs, they sit too close to the springs


And the other side

The plate on top of the box we will not be using, it measures at 1120mm from the ground to the top of the box, ideal height

Tomorrow it's time to add the side panels, mount gas bottle and jerry can holders, finish off the tailgate, make light boxes, run all the strapping and then get a start on cutting down the drawbar and mounting the hitch

My list is slowly getting smaller, but still have to paint, run wiring, gas lines, power and battery box, tool box etc etc

[Reddave]

August 19th



Added the end plates


Added the sides, the end plates and side panels all have 50mm strapping to add more strength


Added the taillight boxes, now have to drill holes in them to fit taillights

Got most of the welding completed today, only the jerrycan holders, gas bottle holder, spare wheel mount, toolbox left to weld, then about 2 days grinding and prepping for paint, then its time to add the hitch and handbrake, wire and paint

[Reddave]

August 26th

Got the holes drilled for the taillights yesterday, fitted the jerry can holders, gas bottle holders and hung the tailgate

[Reddave]

September 8th

It has a top on it, and it folds out the way it should!!!

[Reddave]

September 16th

Got a bit achieved yesterday after work, all of the welding is complete!!!

Got the water filler plate welded in, thanks Matt (or Geoff) for cutting the hole out for me

Fitted up the struts to the bedbase


Made up the hitch plate and trial fitted the hitch so I didn't have to weld it to the back of the car


Pulled the bedbase back off, started grinding and then picked it up and flipped it over so we can seal the floor and start painting and wire it up. It's bloody heavy!!!

Need to get some paint during the week!!!