How to: DIY Wedge Camper

I used a push-seal from mcmaster with a 5mm polycarbonate anti abrasion sheet. Part number 3275T22 if you're interested. Light enough to use the recommended struts that ripcord recommends. You do need a push seal tool to install. It looks like a screwdriver with a small ball tip and lube.

 

Noticed that everyone builds their GFC style camper space frame using extruded aluminum for the top then (Truck bed portion) out of 1.5” square .065 steel. I’m wondering if you could just build the entire camper from this same size steel? How is its strength compared to extruded aluminum? I know for the bottom section of the bed the part that overhangs the cab they use 4.5”x1.5” extruded aluminum with a 1.5x1.5” top roof. You could do a 1.5” bottom rail with 1.5”spacers blocks to another 1.5” rail to make up the 4.5” bottom section of the bed where they used 4.5” extruded aluminum. Then do your top top roof with the same 1.5” Square .065 steel that you used for everything else. So basically your entire frame would be steel. Would that be feasible? Would save you at least $1500. YouTube can buy a 20ft stick of 1.5” .065 Squaredrop tubing for about $30. Whereas extruded aluminum is stupidly expensive.

Extruded aluminum is crazy expensive and you can’t source locally where I live. I’m not even sure where most of you are buying it. When I priced it out at 60/40 it was going to be around $1300 just for the top portion and I’m not sure if that even included shipping which I’m sure would be expensive since it’s oversized.

What are your thoughts on using all steel then ACM exterior?

 

What are you using to build your frame and why did you chose it over extrusion? Looks nice and maybe aluminum. But I have zero skills welding aluminum. Nice looking build.

 

Don't have experience with extruded aluminum, would like to but for now I have years of practical usage on and off road of my camper built from composite bonds. I use aluminum tubing for partial frame integrated with outer skin(which is also a composite: AL+polyethylene+AL) bonded together with insulation and interior FRP. Everything connected by rivets and construction adhesive.

 

that’s super cool. I have zero experience from using any type of aluminum for framing. I’ve built a couple Squaredrop drop trailers using wood frames and ACM paneling on the exterior skin and they have been water tight and held up really well. That’s why I’m kinda curious if I could actually build one of these campers like Ripcord from all wood framing for every part and skin with ACP like I’ve done my Squaredrop trailers. But just not sure about the overhang section. That would be my biggest concern is how to reinforce that and make it strong enough using wood. Here is a pic of my last Squaredrop build I made for my son to pull behind his side by side.

 

Nice blackstone

 

When you use wood for the framing you decrease cost but increase weight. My camper costs about $4k without appliances, it's not huge if you compare to commercial products. But for this mid size trucks every pound of weight is critical. Anyway, yes, you can build from wood, just make sure you have rigidity in the joints.

 

I’m just curious what people are paying for their extruded aluminum part of their build. I priced out mine at $2400 which included about $770 in shipping. Here was my list of what I put in the order.

2 pieces of 112” 4.5x1.5 These are the bottom side bed rails
2 pieces of 112” 1.5x1.5 These are the top side bed rails
10 pieces of 72” 1.5x1.5 These are the cross rails that support the bed and roof

I went a foot longer on my side rails as I’m 6’5 and wasn’t sure the 9ft rails would be long enough but maybe they are.
I went 7ft wide for the side rails as I’m putting this on a full size truck and doing vertical walls so they will be longer than 5ft as Ripcord said he used.

Just curious what people are paying for their aluminum extrusion. My price listed below doesn’t count any hardware or end pieces or fastening brackets.

Picture of my quote shipped.

 

The length is your issue. Prices increase pretty fast when over the standard stock length of 8ft. It also looks like you're probably quoting the standard thickness when you can easily get away with 1545-L which would bring costs down some ($1,100 for 1545-L and 1515-L unpainted). 8020.net has a deflection calculator on their site for the different types of product. With 1545-LS at 112 inches fixed at both ends and in an upright orientation like it would be as a tent base you'll see .0699in deflection with 400lbs directly centered, half of that with 400lbs even distributed. Extruded alum is far stronger than most people realize.

You might also be able to reach out to Tnutz.com and see if they can do lengths longer than the 96in that's available on their site. They are significantly less expensive than 8020.net.

You can sometimes find better prices by working with local steel or aerospace supply companies. If you sign up for a 8020.net account you can opt in to be contacted by local to you suppliers.

 

We use extruded Al at my work. Check out McMaster-Carr for pricing. They have 10' sections and also sell some by the inch. We normally use 2"x2" and 2"x3", but I see that they have 4.5"x1.5"x10' as triple rail. The 4.5" is a huge jump in price over the 3".
I don't work in procurement, but I'm fairly confident that shipping is <$700. aluminum extrusions | McMaster-Carr
We sometimes use Grainger but MMC has more selection and better pricing.

 

Just built a cart, McMaster-Carr is more expensive for the material but shipping is half what 8020 quotes. In the end McMaster-Carr is only about $50 cheaper.

 

I used local company in the port, they sold me standard size 20ft tubing cut in half and as I understand this was a cheapest option, just need to find proper supplier.

 

When designing mine I came to the conclusion that the extruded aluminum was not any lighter than a steel frame, and allowed for less customization. I was also very concerned about water infiltration. I ended up going full steel frame with various tube sizes. Happy to answer any questions.

Pictures of my completed camper
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-diy-wedge-camper.604686/page-165#post-28715703

Picture of the frame
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-diy-wedge-camper.604686/page-166#post-28791492

 

Anybody interested in buying a slightly used GFC tent for their build? I upgraded to the new Pro tent and have the V2 mid size tent with 3 doors and 2 front windows. The sleeping platform size is 50”x90”. The tent is in excellent condition, no rips, tears, or stains. All doors and zippers work properly, stone gray color. I would sell it for $100 including shipping OBO. SOLD

 

Are people insulating them and with what?

 

What’s everyone using for their tent fabric? I’d like something that is blackout like you see on a 23Zero tent that can make it totally dark during the day. Just it sure where to buy the fabric and what to buy. Also what needle size and thread. Just bought a Singer 4452 Heavy duty machine and can’t wait to start seeing some bags and getting familiar with the sewing machine.

 

Love your build. I like the idea of a full pop top but at 6’5 I wouldn’t be able to sit up in bed that’s why I’ll end up with the wedge style I think.

I’m curious how you attached your fabric to your frame. Did you use Keder rail like everyone else somehow? If you have any pics that would be helpful. I also like that you didn’t use any extrusion. I wanna make mine out of all metal also and ACM panels. My build will be solid side panels with no lift doors on the sides.

Planning to build my space frame from 1.5” square .065 tubing. That will also be my roof size also.

 

Thanks for the kind words! It was a fun project.

As for the canvas attachment, I did use Keder rail on the inside of the frame, very similar to the RipCord design. The Keder rail attachment itself has worked out fine, however I wish I would have thought through how the canvas drains a little more. With the lower Keder rail on the interior of the lower frame, any water that gets under/around the rain flaps, makes its way into the camper. I have been camping in some windy storms where the wind flaps get sort of stuck and I end up with a lot of water coming in. I think this is worse on a full pop vs. a wedge because on a wedge, the water on the roof runs strait off toward the hinge. On mine, depending on how I park, it drains along the perimeter of the roof. Many manufactures (Topo, FWC, OVRLND) design the canvas to drain to the exterior of the camper and skip the whole rain flaps all together. I wish I would have tried something like that.

 

Yes I can see that being an issue. I’ll have to maybe put an L channel around the inside and have the lid fit around it so the fabric is on the outside of the L Channel which would make the fabric outside of the bottom rail if that makes sense. Just need to make sure it’s not closing on the fabric and pinching it.

 

Yeah that is pretty similar to how Topo does it. This guy also build an amazing camper and did something similar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-xyQNXxDYI&t=1386s