Gen 3 Adventure Camper Build

Hello Tacomaworld,

The Build

I'm designing and building a full camping/part-time living setup for the back of the taco (Basic Sketches attached).Doing this partially because I camp a lot and I've always wanted to have this setup, but also because my current living situation is not super chill and it would be nice to get away for a few days at a time without having to swing back home. I work as a CAD Designer so I'll be building, modeling and sharing all of my plans and process.​

The Truck

2016 Taco TRD Sport Access Cab w/ 73.5" Bed
Duratracs w/ TRD Off Road Wheels
~21,000 Miles Currently

Photo Taken in Bend Oregon 1 month ago

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Me

25 Year old Dude that works as a CAD Designer/Engineer for a Local company that builds custom RVs. (pretty convenient for this build)​

Goals For This Build

Build a sweet weekend getaway rig!
Comfortable place to sleep
Basic Cooking
Insulated enough for winter sleeping
>24" wide Bed
5 to 10 Gallons Fresh Water
Desk/Countertop for cooking
Basic pump sink w/ 3x3 gallon Fresh/Grey
Light Weight & Modular
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Timeline

(Years Ago)-Idea Started
(Camper Shell Ordered)-Last week
(Sketches Started)-Today
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Planning on starting CAD Designs tomorrow, Camper Shell Delivery is 4-5 weeks ou




Above is a basic Sketch I put together earlier. Basic Bed deck and L shaped Countertop with small cabinets below.


2016 Tacoma Basic Bed Specs

 

Do it to it.

 

Woke up, had some coffee and got to work on the CAD designs this morning.

Design Notes

Im thinking my best bet (structure wise) for weight reduction, strength and storage space will be Aluminum Alloy for Framing and light-weight/high strength plywood for horizontal surfaces (Bed Deck, Countertop Ect.) I'm trying to keep the framing and plywood structure under 100 lbs, so far were looking good.

Also Considering ways to keep bed storage compartments and power outlet available. As well as ways to utilize that 9.5" high ridge along the sides of the bed for structural support.

Below is the concept I made this morning, somewhat incomplete with no cabinet doors ect. Lets Call it Rev 1
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Isometric View

 

Threw together an accurate model of the bed



I did this for a few reasons. 1 So i dont have to run outside to my truck every time i need to measure something. 2 so I can Easily document where and exactly what size and thickness insulation I need. 3 So i can see a full assembly of what I plan on building before I even start.

Heres the assembly so far. Still in its infancy...
Im planning on using Rigid Foam wrapped with carpet for insulation, still researching though.






And an exploded view

 

Looks good so far. Which shell did you order? Just trying to imagine how much headroom you'll have in there...

 

Yes! This is gonna be awesome

 

For a nice lightweight plywood, check out Okoume. It is a boatbuilder's marine plywood, so you should be able find it, but you might have to look at some specialty lumberyards. Okoume weighs about half as much as baltic birch per cubic inch. I think it is the lightest plywood on the market. It's spendy, but you don't need much. It has a very high quality construction, and is very flat. It needs to be completely sealed or painted to prevent rot, like most wood. Looks like a fun project.

 

Hello All!

^ Great Point, should probably talk about the actual shell since that is 50% of this thing
I ordered an ARE CX series shell with a flip down front window and carpet liner. About ~$1,600 new from a dealer in Portland.

Head room will be "ok" haha. Ive calculated that (with insulation) I should have about 38" of headroom, this doesn't sound like much, but it is just enough for me (at 5'11" 170lbs) to sit up, which is what I was looking for.

The bed deck height will be 10" with about 28-30" of room above the bed deck, not including bedding ect. I felt like this was a good height so you dont feel like your sleeping in a coffin, also I can utilize the lip at 9.5" high for structural support of the bed deck and storage underneath.

I did think about getting the ARE MX model, (with a 3" raised) shell, but i decided not to for a few reasons.

1. Looks- I don't like the look. Also I figure the taller shell would look a little more like something that would be lived in, just slightly less discrete. If I do a good job blacking out the windows, nobody would suspect someone is camping the the back of a taco with a normal shell!

2. I'm not living in this full time- so having 3" more head room wouldn't necessarily be a huge deal...I'm hoping haha. That being said see I'm still planning on making this thing comfortable

3. Less aerodynamic- maybe just a little, but I'm a nerd and that stuff bothers me.

 

Dude haven't heard about Okume in a while! I actually worked in sales for a huge plywood distribution company and while Okume was a uncommon item I gotta say you are right about it. I also agree it would be a great choice.

That gets me to material choice! another great/important topic I've forgotten to discuss.

Through my company, I currently have access to a newer specialty plywood made specifically for the RV industry. It is built to be Strong and ultra light. It is a majority poplar core product, so it doesn't have the best moisture resistance, but that shouldn't be an issue for the bed deck and the countertop will be laminated both sides with formica type stuff.

Our 1/2" x 49" x 97" Panels are ~35 lbs Raw and 3/4" panels are ~47 lbs

I can also buy sheets of either from work for less than $40 or $50. So that helps

The past weekend was a busy one, but I'm planning on spending some time on the designs and posting a solid update in the next few days.

-Luke

 

Update

Added Cabinet Doors, Handles, a pho water tank and tanks for the sink. Also made the countertop green marble just to make this rendering look crazy



Ordering materials soon...Booya

 

Sub a dub dub.

 

Insulation plans

I've done a lot of research on everything from Fiberglass to Denim and the rigid foam boards.

I need this thing to be useable in all 4 seasons, so the more insulation the better but the trade off is space. All this insulation will be in the inside of the camper which means the more insulation I use the less interior space I get. Which lets be real, we don't have much space on the interior to begin with (especially headroom wise).

I will be primarily using 1/2 or 3/4 inch Polyisocyanurate Foam Board, most likely a brand called RMAX. Heres why

- Highest Insulation Value per inch of pretty much anything
- Easy to cut, glue, wrap with carpet and mount in place
- Great Moisture Resistance
- Super Light Weight
- Not too expensive and easy to get

Walls & Roof - I plan on making templates of the roof and walls of the the canopy and bed. Then using the templates to cut the foam board to size and finally wrapping with some kind of cool fabric before I put them in place. Considering the use of velcro to secure panels in place. This would make it ultra easy to remove the insulation panels on the wall if need be.

Floor & Windows - Still working through a solution for this.
For the floor I'm considering going as far as laying 1/4 inch styrofoam strips in between the ribs in the bed and 1/2 inch poplar ply wrapped with carpet on top of that.
For the windows I'm still tossing around a few ideas, open to suggestions


Thanks for reading,
Luke

 

If you intend to black out your Windows put reflectix against them. That's the same stuff that sunshade are made from. This will keep heat out in the summer and you can add backing insulation to it for the winter. Or build 2 removable pannels one for summer and the other for winter. Securing them with Velcro would make swapping them out easy enough.

 

I love threads like this! Very neat start and subbed for sure.

 

Right on Omega, solid idea, great input.

I'm also thinking of a way to make it a "curtain" too in the sense that I can open and close it easily for extra light or slider window access.

You got me thinking now, maybe I can go with your idea using the reflectix/insulation combo and secure it to the top of the window, but allow it to flip up and velcro to the ceiling if need be?

 

Interesting. I had a mid-rise on my old long bed and really liked it; the 3" make a big difference on the inside. I had a sleeping platform on the wheel wells and height was not an issue. I don't really care for the looks of a mid-rise on a short-bed, and I eventually want a rack on the shell, so I went with cab-high on my current short-bed. I agree with your advantages...it will be cool to see this come together.

Do you have a plan to seal up the shell and/or manage moisture/dust if you are installing permanent upgrades back there? As you consider blacking out the windows and insulation and ventilation, having some ventilation is key to relieving the pressure inside the sealed shell so it doesn't suck in moisture and dust. Plenty of info on other threads on that...

 

Thank you for the info this is all great! I'm curious about your experience, how often did you sleep in your camper setup? did you like it? Would you build one again? best and worst things about it?

I flipped between the idea of the standard height and the mid-rise for a few weeks before I placed the order. I'm sure the 3" would be nice, that's probably all I will think of every time I bash my head on the ceiling haha.

Probably a good time to mention that I do not plan on having this be a permanent instal. That being said it will be in the back of the truck most of the year while I'm doing miles so the camper will have to be sealed up well. From what I understand the front part of the bed has some leaking issues. I plan on pulling off that bar up front and checking it out then coming up with a gameplan for sealing it up. So "i dont know" would be the short answer to the sealing question. Im glad you got me thinking on this though. I know that bar in the front of the bed has leaking issues.

Ventilation is easy, I am not going to be permanently blocking the windows, so I should be able to crack the sliders for some fresh air. Let me know if theres something im missing on this one.

Thanks again for the info JCK

 

UPDATE!

Canopy Shop called and let me know that the shell is in! I scheduled an appointment for installation next Saturday January 13th.


Going to research and focus on water/Dustproofing the bed

 

I'm thinking of doing a 3 gallon tank with a hand pump and draining to a "Grey Tank"

going for the DIY $20 sink lol