Kimbo Camper BS and Mods

That’s a crazy expensive little fan.

https://www.go2marine.com/Dickinson...MIkMaMz-rX8gIV4To4Ch1L7QcNEAQYASABEgLRqPD_BwE

Just a quick look around the web and I do see others with the same idea as you needing to move some air around. The top does get hot so maybe one of the wood stove fans would fit. Have to find a small one or this one that attaches to the exhaust pipe. Don’t know if it gets hot enough but it wouldn’t require power.

PANDA100 Heat Powered Stove Fan-2019 Upgrade Designed Silent Operation 4 Blades with Stove Thermometer for Wood/Log Burner/Fireplace-Eco Friendly and Efficient Heat Distribution (4 Blades)

PANDA100 Heat Powered Stove Fan-2019 Upgrade Designed Silent Operation 4 Blades with Stove Thermometer for Wood/Log Burner/Fireplace-Eco Friendly and Efficient Heat Distribution (4 Blades)


Otherwise I would just wire up something like this aluminum fan that kinda goes with the esthetics of the interior.

$29 RoadPro RP-1179 Car Fan, Heavy Duty, 12V, Metal, 7.5"

RoadPro RP-1179 Car Fan, Heavy Duty, 12V, Metal

 

The goal zero it comes with has its own type of connectors. I’m guessing that’s what Kimbo will wire to the end of the propane stove to plug in. But there are limited outputs on that model, two of the 6mm type. This is what the lights are originally connected with and I believe the fan on the roof. You can maybe use the below adapter and connect it to the new fan leaving the other outputs for the fan and the lights.

https://powerwerx.com/cigarette-lighter-powerpole-adapter-18in

If you make your own system you can just use a fuse box. I redid everything on mine to have more output options.

Edited with different parts.

 

Thanks Voltron...appreciate it....Limbo says they just leave a terminal block so that adapter would work great......

 

Thanks for all the info on this site, it helped me finalize my decision to join the team. I placed an order on a new Kimbo last week! #200! Stoked.

I wanted to ask what you all thought about sumo springs vs airbags on the rear axle for the taco? I’m intrigued by the lack of maintenance and not having to deal with changing pressure if I go with the sumo springs. Anyone have experience with these? Or do airbags just work better?

Also curious how you are attaching awnings to the exterior?

Thanks.

 

Hi Welcome and Congratulations on your Kimbo order! Can't really comment on the springs but the airbags have been good for us so far, only a couple trips though but one was 1200 or so miles. You probably already know about getting E rated tires to go with whatever suspension upgrades. They must be getting more efficient there , it seems like it was just a few months ago they were celebrating Kimbo #100 ! Really good to hear that they are already up another 100 !

 

Thanks! Clarification with my order: my pickup date is not till April 2022 so production might be around the same pace.

 

Just in time for spring! Sounds like about 2 a week then. We waited 11 months as we ordered just before the covid shutdown.

 

Airbags and KO2s are on! Excited to pick up #137 in a few weeks. Not sure if y’all have seen @recluseandthevoyage ‘s custom build yet, but love the kitchen counter by the fireplace. I’ll be doing a similar buildout, but with a higher counter to account for a fridge and slide-out under the sink.

 

I have a question for the engineers in here. I'm considering a Kimbo. I saw a comment on a video in YouTube (sorry, lost the link) from a person claiming to be an engineer, who said the rivets on the Kimbo are "pop rivets" that will come loose over time through road and off-road vibration, which of course calls into question the durability of the Kimbo. The Kimbo brochure says that the construction is riveted and sealed. I saw another video from the owner of the company who said that welding aluminum weakens the structure (not sure how that works as I am not educated on welding at all), so, finally to the question: Is the pop rivet durability a concern given that the joints are also sealed? Any light you can shine on this topic would be appreciated as I am headed out to their shop to take a tour next week and would love to go loaded with questions that I may already know the answers to. Thx.

 

Greetings! Kimbo order #160 here. I’ve been stalking this forum and mostly all of you on IG for about a year now and just wanted to say hi lol.

My name is Marc from beautiful Bend, OR. I work at a digital ad agency and have done countless hours of research to find the perfect camper to accommodate our snowboardin’, Mountain bikin and adventure chasin’ lifestyle.

Reason for choosing the Kimbo: I’m coming from a super modded out jeep and fell in love with the compact size of smaller rigs on trials (making larger campers / vans out the question). As mentioned, we live to chase snow and I’ve heard countless complaints of condensation build up and wind noise with pop ups. You can’t beat the Kimbos insulation and dry heat source (removing 4 wheel campers from my search),and lastly I love the concept of being able to put the Kimbo on any other truck if I need to make an upgrade in the future!

I put my order in for the Kimbo about four months ago and out pickup date is 12/10/21 (just In time for winter).

I’m not going to be able to contribute much sense I have no carpentry / engineering skills whatsoever but I’ll be happy to contribute super easy mods I make when they arise. For anyone in the market, I have asked Collin to install 4GTE into my Kimbo so I can have internet while on the road and I was also able to upgrade the Goal zero generator. Sense I live in the PNW with very minimal direct sun during winter, charging up might be out of the question…..so these options are available!

looking forward to meeting / chatting with you guys in the future!

 

Hi Marc....my name is Craig and I am from Bend also....I have #150 on order for a mid Nov pickup....I guess there are a few others around Bend as I have seen them but could never chase them down to chat. I have all the mods except shower and AC....added an extra fuel tank on the side....It would be good for any others to chime in on the city where thy are from so we can compare notes.....I wish I had got a chance to see one up close prior to ordering

 

Congratulations! You’re gonna be stoked. Yeah the other Goal Zeros are a must if you plan on working out of it in the winter. Reach out with any questions, there are a lot of talented owners here that have done some rad stuff.

 

I got lucky and stepped into one before I drove out to pick mine up. In hindsight it would have been cool to step into mine for the first time. Good luck hunting one down.

 

Not an engineer here but the rivet system they have and multiple prototypes they tested, I can say it’s very robust. With the industrial sealant they used, I’m not worried. It’s the same sealant/adhesive they you on 18 wheelers to attach panels without rivets. Everything has a breaking point with too much stress. I’m not jumping mine yet but I think it’s good till then. Definitely check them out in person though. You’ll enjoy it.

 

Cement jungle camping. Tried this out for the first time at Winter Park. They have a downhill bike park and quite the community of campers and trailers that camp for free here. Kinda neat at the end of the day. Everything brings out their parking lot toys till dusk, long boards, mini bikes, etc. Other than being next to the lifts for free, our pups have no dirt to track in.

 

Great. Thank you very much for this response. I knew it was better to ask someone who might actually have one. I don't plan to get too rough with mine as I only have a 2WD, but still, just wanted to make sure I was doing my homework. Cheers, and safe travels.

 

Hey Craig, nice to e-meet ya and glad to see there’s multiple Bendite Kimbo owners in this channel. Yea I wish I can see the inside of it too. I sat next to one a few days ago at Market of choice in hopes that the owner would come out so I can ask him a few questions, but no luck. I guess we’ll have to wait until the end of the year!

let me know if you want to snag a beer so we can spit ball ideas on our builds. So far I’m going to make the following upgrades:

lagun table with multiple mounting plates (one right when you open the door for additional cooking space and the other on the big storage box where @Voltron4x4 mounted his). Tacoma side step mount and mount on the back right side so I can hang my Trasharoo bag (still trying to future out how I can do this). I like the idea of having the trash on the outside.

I also already invested in the super heavy duty 1up bike rack w/Rackattach so I can get in and out.

 

Sure Mark....it would be good to get together and compare notes....name a day and place....I have this Thursday open (9/9) and next Mon or Tuesday......reach me on Facebook PM Craig Mavis.....cheers

 

Hey y'all, I'm very seriously considering putting in an order for a Kimbo, but would love to see one in real life before I pull the trigger. Is there anyone in the greater Reno area with a Kimbo that would be willing to give an open house??

As an aside, this is an awesome thread, and it's been a huge help in working towards a decision of which way to go for my weekend warrior adventures, so thanks!

 

not an engineer but a sheetmetal worker and a welder., I dont own a kimbo, but I like to dream and this thread helps with that.
Rivits and welding have their place. Rivited boats leak like crazy and welded planes would fall from the sky.
“Pop” rivits are actually called blind rivits, as they can be set from only one side of the material. Airplanes are made with solid rivits which require a “bucking bar” on the backside and usually an air hammer on the front side. They are far superior to blind rivits, but not always practical due to not being able to access the back of the material.
Welding alu of the right alloy can be strong when done right, and certainly is the preferred water tight joint, but structurs that will be stressed require heat treating to relieve the stresses the heat from welding. So when someone askes me to weld their cracked alu bike I automatically say no as im sure it will just crack again and they could get hurt.
But ya, I am rambling, sounds like kimbo uses adhesive and rivits, which is awesome as there will probably never be an opportunity for the rivits to work loose as they are most likely used as an assembly procedure to keep the panels tight to the adhesive. And I can only assume a camper as awesome as the kimbo has watertight blind rivits (normal blind rivits are not watertight)