How to: DIY Wedge Camper

Since nobody wants to take on finishing the sewing on my project, I'm going to start parting it out. Frame, panels, extrusion, etc. Local pickup only. Dm for info

 

does this seem to make it hard to crawl up into the tent? I’ve thought about trying this but was afraid there might not be enough room.

 

@larson627 I like your side panel window! nice build and rig. curious how you close the tent portion. from the inside?

 

This is what I was most concerned about but it really isn't bad at all, more room than I was expecting. This obviously depends on how tall your tent ends up being, I have seen lots of different looking canvases on here. Mine is to spec from Ripcord's plans and I have no trouble getting up there. The space you have once you are in the tent seems well worth it to me.

This is the second thing I was most concerned about but it also isn't bad at all. I open the rear door and stand on the sill, then I just give the canvas a tug until I can reach the roof panel and then just pull it shut. The only inconvenience is having to latch it one side at a time, requiring walking around the front of the truck. Still quick and painless!

Something to consider here though, it does change the potential for load on the floor if you were to try to stand up on the bed over the cab, this would be even more critical in short bed build. I am planning on building some cross braces out of 8020 for under the floor over the cab outside of the camper, the same way you would if the wedge was a standalone tent set up. Thankfully on the DCLB I have some room, and I built mine off of a contractor cap so I have the height underneath. I plan to sneak a roof rack under there as well that I can mount a collapsible ladder to for a second point of entry if the spelunking option proves to be too much trouble for my much more average height wife. Loving the idea of a little upstairs patio space though!

 

@larson627 Any chance you have a part # or know what height DCU cap that is?

Been thinking about building one of these for my truck, and thought a contractor cap might be a good base with the doors and frame already there since I am not a welder... --- just "chop the top". Found a tall DCU cap for sale not to far from me and looks in decent shape.

What did you have to do to the cap to connect the tent? Any chance you've got any interior photos?

Love the truck! Always wanted the spruce but settled for a grey. Your build is right up the alley I am thinking right now - weekend warrior camping vehicle, capable of some gnarly stuff if you come across it.

 

This is exactly what I am doing. I bought a used ARE DCU cap and I plan to tear it down, cut the roof off and add a pop up tent (don't like the wedge style). Mine is the 26' model and it sits above the roof about 3-4in. It should be perfect once I chop the roof.

 

Whats your plan for attaching the wedge portion to the cap?

The only issue I see right now with the DCU from the few photos I have seen is that the rear door upper cross brace is slightly higher then the upper frame that runs along the sides... meaning one might need to add an additional length of aluminum along the sides to build it up to the same height.

Any photos of the 26" cap on your truck?

 

No pics, its currently off the truck because the guy didn't have the right brackets to mount it and I didn't want to drill the bed rails to mount it. I don't really have a plan yet I was going to work on the tent portion first and then kinda wing it on how to connect it. I'm sure I'll have to add in reinforcement to the frame and maybe some additional aluminum to make it all one level for the tent to mount to. I may even leave the roof skin a little long and try to tie it into the extrusions. I most likely wont be starting this until the spring unfortunately, too many other projects in front of it.

 

Just had a thought of using 2 different height 8020 profiles - ie 4.5" on the long side and then 3" on the short side... hmmm...

Might have to just pick the cap up and get it in my hands to be able to physically see it.

It would be a spring summer project for me too.. no heat in the garage...

 

I am not exactly sure of the model off the top of my head but I think the comments above are correct, it was one of the taller options available, like comically tall. Same size as this one:
I cut the roof off and then had a friend who's handy with a TIG welder help me build a frame on the top to mate to the 8020. Used home depot thinwall 1" square tube the first time which was obviously a mistake despite being similar to the OEM material on the cap, a year of abuse caused a lot of fatigue on the welds. The cap had also been through hell prior to the start of the project, it got ripped off my truck by a tree a few winters before, but that's long story. We just tore it down and reinforced it a bit with some aluminum 1x2" square tube from McMaster and added some gussets to the rear to triangulate it a bit, it is much better now. I will get some interior photos asap!

And thanks! That is exactly the purpose I was after with it, just a good weekend warrior that is still reasonable as a daily. Had it for 6 years now, had a cap on it since the beginning. Ran the contractor cap with a bed platform in it for years, which was the ultimate for stealth, you could sleep in it anywhere and nobody knew you were back there. Hiking trail heads, bar parking lots... wherever! My only gripe was that I was too tall to fit comfortably, used to leave the tailgate window unlatched so I could stretch my legs out of the back which is why I built the tent. Realized that the tent bought me positively no more leg room once it was finished, but with the wedge reversed I think I'll be in good shape, I can at least use the whole mattress now!

 

Found a couple of posts on that white one - sounds like that is a 29"

I was afraid it might have involved some welding...

Ive got a mid height fiberglass topper on the truck now, which the wife and I have slept in a few times comfortably - its even better if its just me. But with a little one in the picture now some more space would be nice. And even for solo trips to have some more headroom would be nice. Also not have to shift everything around to make room to sleep.

Stumbled on the OverlandUnderBudget build -which spiraled me down a 1st gen build and then this path hahaha. Ultimately I think my 2nd gen is a better bet for me- especially with the 6ft bed, allowing for some solo camping with out popping the top.

Might have to just reach out to the guy and pick up the cap. Its cheap enough if I decide not to go the route I could probably easily sell it again.

 

Why exactly is this orientation better if you’re tall?

 

I cannot weld aluminum and have no friends that can either. My plan was to just bolt everything together and use side plates for strength. Some of the other camper manufacturers do it without welding and they say they are more rugged because the welds can fail easier on aluminum.

 

This photo from a while back helps me visualize it more.

Was thinking the same thing… just a matter of how. The other though I had was once you remove the roof bars from the cap one would need to add back in supports for the lower panel/platform for the wedge. It’s a few more $$$ but I was thinking of adding some 8020 cross supports to the wedge frame… but haven’t totally thought this through yet.

@Clamber247 any finished photos of yours and how you mated the wedge portion to the cap? I thought I saw a photo of yours completed but would need to dig back and find it

 

Also though… the more I look at that bare shell frame the more I think … hmmm steel might be a better option.

Big unknown for me would be cost to have someone fabricate a frame for me.

I also figured it would be a lot easier to not have to fabricate the doors and side panels

 

The main reason I went this route was time and cost. At this point I’d only be buying and making the tent and not have to buy the panels for the sides, hinges, locks, etc. If it doesn’t work out, I’m not out a lot of money and could always make a new lower frame in the future.

 

I also plan to convert my 23” DCU into a wedge. Seems like the easiest path since it would be like starting with about 50% of the camper done already.

 

That’s what I was thinking too for using the Cap as a base.

 

The traditional layout gives a tall guy two options:

1. Sleep with your head wedged into the.. uhh.. wedge - which is not super comfortable, and still have feet hanging over entry hole because you still can’t use the whole mattress

2. Sleep with your head at the hole side, and have your feet jammed into the wedge, which is also uncomfortable. Pillows inevitable fall into the bed of the truck and you have to climb down to retrieve them.

With the wedge reversed, you can sleep right up at the very top of the mattress without being pinched between the bed and the roof, which reduces the leg overhang. Sleeping reversed with your head towards the hole in this orientation would allow your feet more room, so even that situation is improved.

And again, all of this is because I am 6’6”, or I would have just stuck with sleeping in the bed of the truck to begin with. Though I will say it is really really nice to not have the bed clogged up with a sleeping platform, and having the tent at the ready at all times is nice too.

 

That’s makes sense but isn’t it less beneficial when you aren’t sleeping and just in the bed of the truck? With your reverse layout you have less head room.

Making a panel on struts to close up the hole and make the bed platform longer would seem to be a compromise that fixes both problems. Was there a downside to this that you found?

Sorry for interrogating you. It’s just that I find your solution very interesting (in a good way). I’m trying to explore if it would work better for me too even though I’m short.