Yup, another 5th gen 4Runner...but pulling a DIY expedition camper

[reaver]

Dude that's dope.

I love the coverage you're getting there. Makes me almost want to go with a 270. Almost. I'd miss my enclosed, bug proof room though. ;)

 

[WYWander]

Dude that's dope.

I love the coverage you're getting there. Makes me almost want to go with a 270. Almost. I'd miss my enclosed, bug proof room though. ;)

Thanks! I did get the wall kit. Haven't tried it yet though. But with that big opening there at the galley, not sure how bug proof it will get... I bet that's nice.

 

[reaver]

Thanks! I did get the wall kit. Haven't tried it yet though. But with that big opening there at the galley, not sure how bug proof it will get... I bet that's nice.

It saved our bacon over memorial day weekend. The mosquitos were horrendous, so we hung out in the awning room with a buddy heater and some lights.

 

[Ebbs]

Looks great! I am strongly considering scrapping my trailer that I built last year (Cargo box with RTT on top) to do a Square Drop... thankfully the wife doesn't read this forum lol. I just really should have stuck with the original plan of a square drop. really liking your build!

 

[reaver]

Looks great! I am strongly considering scrapping my trailer that I built last year (Cargo box with RTT on top) to do a Square Drop... thankfully the wife doesn't read this forum lol. I just really should have stuck with the original plan of a square drop. really liking your build!

We started with something comparable to what you built. My suggestion is use it. Figure out your pain points, modify it, and you'll learn what you really like and dislike about that setup. Then, take what you learn there, and build a new one, and sell the old one to help cover some costs.

 

[Ebbs]

We started with something comparable to what you built. My suggestion is use it. Figure out your pain points, modify it, and you'll learn what you really like and dislike about that setup. Then, take what you learn there, and build a new one, and sell the old one to help cover some costs.

Yeah and I think that's part of it, we've done about 10 trips with it, one for two weeks... and found it pushes me to bring too much lol (I have the space so why not fill it mentality) and I really like the idea of basically 0 setup/tear down if needed.
But yeah, I'll probably slowly refine it for a while but I think I've already realized what I want.

Sorry didn't mean to hijack the thread. I'm anxious to see how it turns @WYWander

 

[reaver]

Fair enough. Good point about the threadjacking. Moving on.

 

[WYWander]

I would say "jack away" but some people might take that the wrong way. lol

Quick setup has always been one of my goals. And I think you can get that with a RTT (I've never used one though) but we live in an area that can see stupid high winds and I kind of dread getting caught in that, just to take the tent down and have to hang out in the rig anyway. The kids will be tenting, so setup isn't going to be squaredrop quick for now, but they won't be around forever. This will likely be the last camper I ever build and I want to be able to get to places big campers can't. And I certainly have no desire to spend a crapton of money on a pre-built one that's too flimsy to last.

 

[Ebbs]

I would say "jack away" but some people might take that the wrong way. lol

Quick setup has always been one of my goals. And I think you can get that with a RTT (I've never used one though) but we live in an area that can see stupid high winds and I kind of dread getting caught in that, just to take the tent down and have to hang out in the rig anyway. The kids will be tenting, so setup isn't going to be squaredrop quick for now, but they won't be around forever. This will likely be the last camper I ever build and I want to be able to get to places big campers can't. And I certainly have no desire to spend a crapton of money on a pre-built one that's too flimsy to last.

Agreed. My rtt(ikamper skycamp 3) is pretty fast to deploy and pack up for the tent itself, but gotta inflate/deflate the mattress, pack/unpack bedding (can't keep it in the tent) then set everything else like kitchenm, awning, bathroom up.
And yes even with a hard shell, I still have to watch the wind direction (haven't hit anything too bad so far so haven't had to reposition)


On raising your trailer is it spring sag or just not enough lift?
I had enough before my loading (overloading) so I'm going with some sumo helper springs that attach to the u bolt plate

Helper springs

 

[WYWander]

Agreed. My rtt(ikamper skycamp 3) is pretty fast to deploy and pack up for the tent itself, but gotta inflate/deflate the mattress, pack/unpack bedding (can't keep it in the tent) then set everything else like kitchenm, awning, bathroom up.
And yes even with a hard shell, I still have to watch the wind direction (haven't hit anything too bad so far so haven't had to reposition)


On raising your trailer is it spring sag or just not enough lift?
I had enough before my loading (overloading) so I'm going with some sumo helper springs that attach to the u bolt plate

Helper springs

I thought RTT's could keep all the bedding in it! That would be a bummer. Are there any RTT's that let you keep the bedding in it? We thought about getting one on top of the camper for the kids. To help reduce setup time of their stuff, we picked up a couple of instant pop-ups. It's going to take long enough to get the hooligans to clean their crap out of them and was thinking a RTT would be faster, if we could leave the bedding in.

I raised it solely for rig alignment with the hitch, so not enough lift. As far as I can tell there's no such thing as an articulating drop hitch, so adding a level of 3" square tube at the axles lifted it just enough to keep it all right in line. (Into a 3" lifted 4Runner.)

No springs for me. I sprung for the 3,500 lb Timbren Axle-less system with brakes. (I think maybe the 3,500 lbs is how much they weight... ) Don't really need that much capacity but it's there if I want it and I didn't want to go without brakes. And that's the lowest rating to allow for brakes.

Your helper springs look a lot like a diesel heater. (sarcasm is the language of my people)

 

[WYWander]

Also... no one is going to see pictures of the fantastic mess of wiring that is the current state of the camper. I've built too many things to the point of completely clean and pretty wiring, only to find something to pull apart and fix. So this time I wired it all up and tested it, wires all over the the place and nothing mounted. Sure enough, everything worked except the 3 old lights I pulled from the old camper. Not sure why they would have died as they're LED's with little use, but it happened... Glad I didn't mount them.

 

[Ebbs]

I thought RTT's could keep all the bedding in it! That would be a bummer. Are there any RTT's that let you keep the bedding in it? We thought about getting one on top of the camper for the kids. To help reduce setup time of their stuff, we picked up a couple of instant pop-ups. It's going to take long enough to get the hooligans to clean their crap out of them and was thinking a RTT would be faster, if we could leave the bedding in.

I raised it solely for rig alignment with the hitch, so not enough lift. As far as I can tell there's no such thing as an articulating drop hitch, so adding a level of 3" square tube at the axles lifted it just enough to keep it all right in line. (Into a 3" lifted 4Runner.)

No springs for me. I sprung for the 3,500 lb Timbren Axle-less system with brakes. (I think maybe the 3,500 lbs is how much they weight... ) Don't really need that much capacity but it's there if I want it and I didn't want to go without brakes. And that's the lowest rating to allow for brakes.

Your helper springs look a lot like a diesel heater. (sarcasm is the language of my people)

First I don't understand what's going on... Whenever I post a link to something on overland bound it links to a diesel heater. I did link to that diesel heater in another conversation like 8 months ago. But this is even a different phone and yet somehow overland-bound remembers that link

Anyways, yeah my buddy has the same eye camper and is able to keep some of his bedding, but no matter what I do I can't seem to make it work. (He has some netting to help keep the bedding pin to the top for when it closes so it doesn't bind, but the company he got it from doesn't make it anymore and there's some unique brackets that are needed... I'm in version 4.5 of my copy lol)

Yeah I think I would have went with the timran suspension had I built the frame from scratch but I built it during covid and in Washington there was a lot of talk about it being near. Impossible to get a inspection on any home-built trailers, so I use the harbor freight one that came with a title so I didn't have to do that inspection.
Overall I like it and I don't mind the solid axle. I haven't had it really be an issue and it's running on 30 in stock Lexus GX tires and rims. I'm about due for new tires on my GX so my 34s will go onto the trailer which will give it another bit of clearance.

I love my Max coupler hitch. It can be a little finicky but I have zero worry about it not being fully connected or something going wrong. My dad's cargo trailer was just up here last weekend and we hitched it up but apparently it didn't slide all the way down so we locked it above the ball and it came off about 500 yd from my house, fortunately nothing really happened and we just hooked it back up properly but it really made me think about how idiot proof the max coupler is. There's no half connected

 

[WYWander]

I love my Max coupler hitch. It can be a little finicky but I have zero worry about it not being fully connected or something going wrong. My dad's cargo trailer was just up here last weekend and we hitched it up but apparently it didn't slide all the way down so we locked it above the ball and it came off about 500 yd from my house, fortunately nothing really happened and we just hooked it back up properly but it really made me think about how idiot proof the max coupler is. There's no half connected

I didn't really know anything about articulating hitches when I bought the Lock N Roll hitch. We'll see how it does. The Max looks pretty frickin' beefy.

 

[reaver]

Man, i missed quite a conversation! Keeping bedding in the tent depends on the tent, and bedding. I have an ironman4x4 nomad 1300 =similar to the ikamper). With the stock mattress, I can't keep much up there. With a self inflating mattress, I can keep a sleeping bag (used like a blanket), mattress, and a couple of pillows, and still close it, so it's possible.

 

[WYWander]

Got it skinned! I was sweating this, as I'd never installed filon or really used contact adhesive like this before. When I had talked to my friend who recently did it, he made it sound like kind of a frantic process. It really wasn't but you can't misplace anything. I misplaced one piece and even after sticking a very small area for just a few seconds, I had to muscle it to rip it off and reset. Some help from the wifey and we had it all done in about 4-5 hours, and that included all the glue drying wait times.

I made a checklist of the remaining tasks and while it wasn't overwhelmingly long, there are still a lot of details to tackle. We have a goal of getting it's shakedown cruise done the weekend of July 13th. Won't be able to work on it this week or weekend but the 13th should still be doable.

(Yes, I covered those 2 little spots up front.)

 

[reaver]

Got it skinned! I was sweating this, as I'd never installed filon or really used contact adhesive like this before. When I had talked to my friend who recently did it, he made it sound like kind of a frantic process. It really wasn't but you can't misplace anything. I misplaced one piece and even after sticking a very small area for just a few seconds, I had to muscle it to rip it off and reset. Some help from the wifey and we had it all done in about 4-5 hours, and that included all the glue drying wait times.

I made a checklist of the remaining tasks and while it wasn't overwhelmingly long, there are still a lot of details to tackle. We have a goal of getting it's shakedown cruise done the weekend of July 13th. Won't be able to work on it this week or weekend but the 13th should still be doable.

(Yes, I covered those 2 little spots up front.)

That turned out great!! Have you decided on trim for it yet?

 

[WYWander]

That turned out great!! Have you decided on trim for it yet?

Yep, the same stuff you used. Both the 3/4” angle and the flat. I’ll have to use generous silicone at some angles but I think it will work fine.

 

[reaver]

Yep, the same stuff you used. Both the 3/4” angle and the flat. I’ll have to use generous silicone at some angles but I think it will work fine.

They make a waterproof seam tape that you can put over the corners. Lay that down, then use butyl tape underneath the trim (and anywhere you put a screw). That should do the trick.

Edit: crap, forgot the link...

Seam Tape | Liquid Rubber

Seam tape is a waterproof tape designed for peel and stick application. Perfect for repairing roofs of residential and commercial building, mobile homes & RVs.

shopliquidrubber.com

 

[WYWander]

They make a waterproof seam tape that you can put over the corners. Lay that down, then use butyl tape underneath the trim (and anywhere you put a screw). That should do the trick.

Edit: crap, forgot the link...

Seam Tape | Liquid Rubber

Seam tape is a waterproof tape designed for peel and stick application. Perfect for repairing roofs of residential and commercial building, mobile homes & RVs.

shopliquidrubber.com

Ha! I was just on my way to ask you what you meant by the seam tape. I didn't see anything other than butal on the VT site.

Thanks!!

 

[WYWander]

Got through our fireworks shindig with all my fingers and got some time put towards the camper. The top rack, awning brackets and awning, roof vent, and a couple pieces of trim are installed.

@reaver, that seam tape is awesome! Thanks for the referral.