Mini Camper build

This is my project I started last week. My wife and I are planning a trip to the Rubicon on July 2019. I have a buddy and his wife "maybe" going along. Any who my plan is to get a guide for the trail and leave the mini at the camp ground below while on the Rubi or leave at guides house. We are also going to sleep in it at camp grounds along the way to the Rubicon.

I am building it as time and weather permit, I hate winter.

This is the off road mini I am copying from Lead Dogs page.

This is a rough sketch of the frame I am going to weld up to build off of. All 2x2 square tube .120 wall.

And so it begins... The axle I chose is a 3500 lb. I went heavy because I wanted to get as big a bearings as I could but keep weight down. I decided to put electric trailer brakes on it and went with a 10" drums. So parts started coming in last week.



Prepped the axle to weld on the spring perches. I am going spring over since it will be running 35s to match my Jeep.


painted them with por15 and will top coat it later with blk paint.


The hub/drums electric brakes came today.


packed the bearings and greased and assembled the hubs today.


put the electric brakes on.


Drum/Hubs next.


Mounted the springs today. Axle is basically done.


I am modding shocks onto the mini for a little better ride. I will weld these shock mounts onto the axle later. Will have to have the frame done so I know where to place them.


Thats it till after the holidays. Going down to Winchester Va to get the steel 1st week of January to start the frame. Will post pictures as this goes along.

 

I am impressed. Looks great!

 

Thanks C2.

 

That's cool!

 

Drove all the way to Winchester to grab the steel for this to find out there closed till I dont know when for new years. Gonna look on there web page to see when they reopen. Really wanna get going on this.

In the mean time, I did decided to go with a removable solar panel on the roof instead of running a 7 pin plug. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B8L6EF...lid=2YVFIA2D1JGYW&coliid=I3525H1AZRSYT7&psc=1

All I will be running is the vent fan http://www.fantasticvent.com/fan-tastic-vent-s-retail-12-volt-fans.html#model2250

and a couple led lights inside the camper at night. I can put the marine battery on the tongue in a lock box.

Anyone on here have and experience with the solar panel I picked or any solar input of why this is a bad idea? I am new to solar power but from what I researched this should be fine for what I need??

 

I got the metal yesterday and got a lot of it cut and dry fitted today. Just have to cut the tongue and braces tomorrow then I will take it all apart and clean up the metal and all the edges and it will be ready to weld up. Loooong way to go yet.

 

After days in the teens we got a day in the 60s. Crazy weather. Got to get the main frame welded up yesterday. Having freezing rain and snow today, but as soon as I get another good day will get the axle mounts and the tongue welded on. Slooooow going but another picture soon, I hope. lol

 

Looking Goooooood!

 

Decided to move this into shop. Its never going to stop raining here. Anyhow, little more done.

 

Got more done today. Need to fab the fender frames next and weld on. I have changed a few things from the original to save on weight and keep trailer light. Mine does not have a galley in the rear or the 22" shelf on the front like the store bought one. And few other small changes.

 

Been busy re-gearing a friends cj and installing ox lockers, but finally got to work on this some more. Had a warm day so got the frame epoxy coated so bare metal didn't sit till I got back to it.



Got the fenders fabbed up just need to epoxy coat them. Used an ole 35" tire for measuring / fitting fenders. I made the fenders so they bolt on. There the most likely thing to get damaged and this way I can take it off for repairs or replacement. Will drill the holes tomorrow and bolt them down after coating them.





Got the leveler mounts welded on. They have a drop leg and when fully extended they reach 54". I can remove them when not using them. Going to make a place to store them on rear of mini camper.



Got the shock mounts welded on today. Didn't have the bolts for shocks so used a steel rod and smaller bolts to hold it in place. lol I'm hoping the shocks will soften the trailer bounce since its going to be so light.

 

When you're done, make me one!

 

You buy the material and beer you have a deal. The material is the cheap part.

 

Been awhile so figured i would bring my progress up to date.

Trailer for camper is done.




Camper box at start.



Putting inner ceiling in.



Got the foam board in and roughed in vent fan wiring.



Roof underlayment going on.



Got the metal skin on the roof and the front part of trailer. On front from bottom to halfway up will be black diamond tread plate.





Thats it for now. Hope to get the aluminum skin on sides and rear then windows and doors in within the next week or two.

 

I ended up going with the lock n roll off road hitch. I love the way this thing works and it is beef!

https://locknroll.com/

 

A little more done the past few days. Skin on sides and doors/windows in.



Got the vent fan installed this morning.



Almost ready to put the trim on the edges.

 

Wow that is looking amazing. How did you mount the skin? I see what looks like screws around the edges. Is it bolted to the wood or screwed, maybe rivets? Did you use some kind of glue as well. How will you seal all of the edges. Will you silicon it under the edge trim?

 

OFFGRID thanx, Im happy with how good its looking also... actually more like surprised lol. I used a urethane based construction adhesive and just ran a bead around the perimeter of body and doors/windows. Didnt want to glue the entire sheet to the plywood because aluminum expands so much faster than the plywood. From what I researched, a lot of builders just let it float and attach it with trim/screws only. When I pulled the camper out into the sun yesterday to put the vent fan in the roof oil canned with in 10 mins and it was only 60 degrees. Incredible how fast aluminum responds to heat.



What you see along the edge of the body is 3/4 staples from my airgun. I could have done without those and waited on the glue to dry, but I rushed things a little because I needed my clamps for the other side and the staples held it in place so I could remove clamps. I had every clamp i owned on the camper lol.

The edges will be covered with an aluminum blk trim like on RVs. It will be screwed down with SS screws on top of butal tape.