🛠️ Member Build Dualonymous' Camping Build

[Dualonymous]

First part of getting this ready for camping was to get some drawers and a sleeping platform. I learned a lot along the way, made several mistakes, and had to pivot away from my original plan a few times so forgive the crudeness of some feature implementations.

• Drawer Box:
  • 3/4" cabinet grade plywood for the left and right vertical supports, and the top of the platform
  • 1/2" cabinet grade plywood for the rest of the platform
  • All plywood is cleared in a spar urethane (this might have been a mistake, 2 weeks later and it is still off-gassing)
  • Heavy Duty lockout slides
  • Marine Carpet for top of the platform and the sleeper extension
  • Carpet is glued on with adhesive spray and framed in aluminum angle
  • Drawer fronts are framed in aluminum channel (had to narrow the edges of the drawer fronts to slip the channel over)
  • Rear most of the box is mounted with turnbuckles to the factory tie downs
  • For the front of the box, I removed the factory tie downs to utilize their bolting point.
    • I tried using turnbuckles for the front but the positioning of them left the box prone to flipping up in an accident. The front bolt solution is so strong I probably don't need the rear turnbuckles but why not!
• Sleeper Extension
  • 3/4" cabinet grade plywood wrapped in marine carpet and framed in aluminum angle again
  • Currently attaches via dropping into 4 dowels on the main box platform (exploring other options, I might put aluminum channel on both the extension and platform with a bit of weather stripping to make it easier to drop into instead of lining up the dowels.)
  • For my trip this weekend I have two strips of insulation board that will rest on the seat and then the engine side of the sleeper will rest on the foam
    • I am not sure what I am going to do long term. I could mount a vertical board that just sits on the seat backs but then I will not have a flat cargo surface when I slide the extension back to put the rear seats up. I have also looked into running some aluminum piping down to the floor with some sort of foot to spread the weight but idk.

Next on the list is a swingout setup for the hitch to mount a propane tank, rotopax, and a fold down table. Currently debating if it is worth building that or if I will just buy it.

 

[EOD Guy]

Nice Job!

 

[apache2fidy]

Very clean. I’m building mine out right now also. Nowhere as nice though.

 

[Dualonymous]

Very clean. I’m building mine out right now also. Nowhere as nice though.

Meh, just doing it yourself is half the beauty of the thing! I am sure it will be great and you should be proud of it.

 

[Dualonymous]

Got the first camping trip in

 

[EOD Guy]

Got overwhelmed by the costly choices of going with a non-DIY solution, so I used some scrap attic flooring to build my own (attempted to copy simplistic design of bam boards).
I have very little skill at this stuff so I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. Had some leftover waterproof stain so I threw that on there but it wasn’t really necessary.
Enough room under there to fit the mattress and bedding.

Looks good!

 

[dcr2024]

First part of getting this ready for camping was to get some drawers and a sleeping platform. I learned a lot along the way, made several mistakes, and had to pivot away from my original plan a few times so forgive the crudeness of some feature implementations.
...
Next on the list is a swingout setup for the hitch to mount a propane tank, rotopax, and a fold down table. Currently debating if it is worth building that or if I will just buy it.

Nice job! Looking to make my own as well, after the sticker shock of most of the aftermarket options. Plus I wanted something closer to 12" tall to accommodate as much storage as possible and still leave room to put a fridge on top. I'm thinking of using T-Slot aluminum for the lightness and strength. But I'll be making it in December/January. Really love how clean yours looks!

 

[EOD Guy]

Nice job! Looking to make my own as well, after the sticker shock of most of the aftermarket options. Plus I wanted something closer to 12" tall to accommodate as much storage as possible and still leave room to put a fridge on top. I'm thinking of using T-Slot aluminum for the lightness and strength. But I'll be making it in December/January. Really love how clean yours looks!

I made mine out of Extruded alum, I laid a carbon fiber deck plate.

Search for "Eod Guy's Ride" (top R/H corner) for the details.

 

[dcr2024]

Thanks @EOD Guy.

 

[Dualonymous]

Installed the Sherpa roof rack and window panels today.

 

[chris_in_phx]

Installed the Sherpa roof rack and window panels today.

Nice! Hows the wind noise? Also does the front faring touch the paint/body above the windshield or is there a slight gap? I see it has a rubber strip but I’m wondering if a strip of ppf is needed to keep the paint from getting scuffed up…

 

[Dualonymous]

Nice! Hows the wind noise? Also does the front faring touch the paint/body above the windshield or is there a slight gap? I see it has a rubber strip but I’m wondering if a strip of ppf is needed to keep the paint from getting scuffed up…

Sorry took a break for a bit, wind noise is slightly noticeable but I don’t think it is too bad. We have had heavy winds for the last few weeks since I installed it so hard to tell what’s the rack and what is the weather. The nice thing is this rack has an adjustable front fairing which I have yet to play with to optimize noise.

The front of the rack does not touch and I have no worry of it touching, the front mounts allow you to set an adjustable height and the fairing is also adjustable. Very solid design imo.

 

[Area 51]

First part of getting this ready for camping was to get some drawers and a sleeping platform. I learned a lot along the way, made several mistakes, and had to pivot away from my original plan a few times so forgive the crudeness of some feature implementations.

• Drawer Box:
  • 3/4" cabinet grade plywood for the left and right vertical supports, and the top of the platform
  • 1/2" cabinet grade plywood for the rest of the platform
  • All plywood is cleared in a spar urethane (this might have been a mistake, 2 weeks later and it is still off-gassing)
  • Heavy Duty lockout slides
  • Marine Carpet for top of the platform and the sleeper extension
  • Carpet is glued on with adhesive spray and framed in aluminum angle
  • Drawer fronts are framed in aluminum channel (had to narrow the edges of the drawer fronts to slip the channel over)
  • Rear most of the box is mounted with turnbuckles to the factory tie downs
  • For the front of the box, I removed the factory tie downs to utilize their bolting point.
    • I tried using turnbuckles for the front but the positioning of them left the box prone to flipping up in an accident. The front bolt solution is so strong I probably don't need the rear turnbuckles but why not!
• Sleeper Extension
  • 3/4" cabinet grade plywood wrapped in marine carpet and framed in aluminum angle again
  • Currently attaches via dropping into 4 dowels on the main box platform (exploring other options, I might put aluminum channel on both the extension and platform with a bit of weather stripping to make it easier to drop into instead of lining up the dowels.)
  • For my trip this weekend I have two strips of insulation board that will rest on the seat and then the engine side of the sleeper will rest on the foam
    • I am not sure what I am going to do long term. I could mount a vertical board that just sits on the seat backs but then I will not have a flat cargo surface when I slide the extension back to put the rear seats up. I have also looked into running some aluminum piping down to the floor with some sort of foot to spread the weight but idk.

Next on the list is a swingout setup for the hitch to mount a propane tank, rotopax, and a fold down table. Currently debating if it is worth building that or if I will just buy it.

Thats alot of weight, alot. How do you compensate for the rear end being lower and the front end wanting to kick up a bit?
I am very temped to do something similar on a second LC base model, however the weight is always an issue in the past.
I am looking at the ARB system because its metal and weights allot less. Gorgeous job regardless.
Same question for the proposed hitch type carrier. The rear end will be tucked, how do you compensate and keep the front end down?

 

[Dualonymous]

Thats alot of weight, alot. How do you compensate for the rear end being lower and the front end wanting to kick up a bit?
I am very temped to do something similar on a second LC base model, however the weight is always an issue in the past.
I am looking at the ARB system because its metal and weights allot less. Gorgeous job regardless.

Honestly I think you are overestimating the impact. I do not notice any difference when driving. I can remove it and put it back in by myself, so yeah it is somewhat heavy but it’s not that crazy.

It’s also over the axle putting 40lbs of tongue weight would probably have more of an effect than this.

 

[Area 51]

Honestly I think you are overestimating the impact. I do not notice any difference when driving. I can remove it and put it back in by myself, so yeah it is somewhat heavy but it’s not that crazy.

It’s also over the axle putting 40lbs of tongue weight would probably have more of an effect than this.

Understand.
It will be interesting to see how this all sorts out. Been through this on several other vehicles. I may be expecting too much when changing things that always affect the steering and handling.
Great project.