1 Bored Clerk's Garage Built Camper

The contractor tops don’t have the best record for staying together off road. The caravan absolutely will and with the double rear doors, there’s a complete frame around the rear of the bed. I doubt there’d be any issues. But they are spendy. So, he’s looking at building a plywood box wrapped in fiberglass?

 

More of a concept atm. He had a KB Rack that's since rusted and twisted apart. I think he likes the strength of a rack, but would like to have the water/dust proofing that comes with a cap.
He's also worried about bed splitting, tomato canning(which I had never heard of before, but apparently its where your bedsides start to squash down like a tin can under pressure), and again the cap cracking.

 

Well, if I can help at all, I’ll be happy to. Shoot me some PMs when you have questions.

 

Will do!


Back to topic!

 

Got the door trimmed and sanded. A little touch up work then some fairing. Then I’ll mount it with the hinge and start figuring out the handle. Can’t wait to get that done. That’s a huge block for me right now. Nice to be making solid progress.



Glassed in the stub walls too! The glass and resin is a little sloppy in some places but it should hold fine. It was just kind of hard to work in some of these spots from outside the camper. We’ll see tomorrow. It’s easy enough to glass over any area that may be really terrible. That’s why fiberglass is cool! I’m not building the space shuttle here so perfection in all areas is not critical. Thank god!

 

Spent part of today cleaning the garage and house a little - packing up and organizing dirt bike parts mostly!

Then I cleaned up all of my fiberglass stuff: resin buckets, stir sticks, scissors. I bought a new box of gloves and brushes too.



Glassed over the side rails. One 6” wide 6oz strip of glass over the whole thing then one offset to each side. Want to make sure these are stout.

I also sanded up a bunch of the new interior glass edges. Overall, a good day.

Tomorrow: dirt biking!

 

Not camper related but I’m excited none the less! I got the new backflow valve design from LRA for my gas tank. You all know that overfilling/backflow has been a huge issue for me since I got this tank. Well, LRA has been getting a lot of blowback and engineered a solution specifically because of the issues with the Tacoma’s. Apparently our tanks are the only ones with consistent issues. Weird. Anyway, I can’t wait to install and try it out. Fingers crossed it works.



Install is definitely more involved than one would prefer but if it works, I’m all for it. If you have a stock bed on your truck, you will have to remove it. I’ll have to slide my flatbed back A foot or two to have good access to everything. This little doohickey is press fit into the fill tube on the tank...from the inside.


Here’s the install tool. Simple. This is designed to pull the doohickey valve up into the bottom of the fill tube. My understand from talking with Cruiser Brothers is that the press fit is very tight and secure and that this tool works well.

I’ve been working long hours the last few days so that I can take, potentially, Thursday off to go riding but I may tackle this install first and see if I have time to ride after. If I don’t get it done this week, it’ll have to wait until next week. This weekend is not an option. Now, I just need to get my tank as close to empty as possible without running out of gas. Haha. I’m not excited to work inside a metal box with several gallons of gas in it. Would hate to make a spark somehow! There is a drain for the tank but it’s never 100% and the fumes are present.

 

Great progress on the camper!

Add for this backflow piece, how much did they charge you? I still haven't installed my tank yet so I'd like to get this first.

 

They didn’t charge me. I’ve been getting nowhere for so long that I think they just wanted to good will that problem away. Haha. I’m planning to install it tomorrow. I’ll let you know how it works. Either way, I’d just order it. I can GUARANTEE the little plastic one doesn’t work. It’s be really easy to install this new valve with the tank on the garage floor and completely empty of gasoline.

 

Installed the backflow valve today. Nothing like working in the driveway in 37 degree weather! At least it was dry. I was lucky and was able to do the work without removing or even sliding back the flatbed. I have a few bruises and cuts but it was worth not making it an all day project. Went for my first fillup: put the pump on full blast and just stood back. Filled up, clicked off, not a single gurgle or drop spilled! It was unbelievable! Haha...it worked like a regular ass modern vehicle! I’ll keep trying different pump styles to see how it reacts but I’m SUPER PUMPED right now.

 

Topped up the tank again today (11gallons) on a different style pump and it worked perfectly! Sweeeet.

Decided that the garage needed a re-org and cleaning for my sanity. So, that’s happening this week after work. Camper work will start again late this week/this weekend.

 

During my garage clean/purge project this week, I came across these bedside cubbies from my truck. I remember talking to someone about these (they wanted them) but I can’t remember who that was and I don’t see a PM in my history about it. If you’re that person, PM me and our deal still stands. If anyone else wants these, please PM me. Thanks!

I’ll also have my original gas tank up for grabs soon as well if my new overfill valve still proved to be awesome!

 

I’m really glad your gas tank issue seems to be resolved. I’m thinking about getting that tank before a cross country road trip, and your experience was concerning me.

 

Filled up again today on a really old style pump. Worked perfectly again. I’m going to consider the issue closed. So much confidence right now that I’m going to get rid of my stock gas tank that I’ve been tripping over since I got my new tank.

 

Do you have a link or details regarding your new tank? Like manufacturing or what not.

Reading up on extended range tanks and what not.

 

Check out cruiserbrothers.com. They are the distributors for the LRA (Long Range Automotive) tank that I have. They were also extremely helpful getting my backflow issue solved. Georg and Ward are great and we’re MUCH more responsive to questions and issues than LRA was.

There is a good thread on Expedition Portal Forum called:
Outback Proven: long range fuel tank for tacoma

Hopefully I’m not breaking any rules with that recommendation. I’m in that thread over there as well as a few other folks with these tanks. I think these may be the only option out there right now. There was a shop in Bend OR that was making tanks but I’m not sure if they still do.

 

Thanks. I’ll have to check it out!

 

This is really great to hear. I contacted Ward and he confirmed my order and is sending me the piece free of charge. Great customer service!

 

Nice! The tank install is lengthy and cumbersome but it’s worth it. Plus, on your DC the install will be much easier because all of the mounting brackets were designed for that particular cab/chassis. The AC trucks have slightly different crossmembers. That was very disappointing to find out AFTER I pulled my factory tank. I had to make all new brackets. At least it’s all in there now and fills perfectly. I’m finally really happy with it!