How to: DIY Wedge Camper

Ok here is my build images


Turned out decent

I would redo the side panels a bit differently but that was the easy part and I prolly rushed through it

Learning sewing wasn’t so bad and is solid but I would probably do better a second time

totally doable by all
About $3500 into it

 

where did you find those windows? I have been looking everywhere for a solution to this and cannot find any windows for this wall thickness

 

where did you find the windows for your shell? I have been looking everywhere and cannot find any with the correct wall thickness

 

I went to a topper shop
Not radco

They a store room full of them
All kinds fro old toppers they salvage

 

wasn't impressed with 8020's local distributor, went the tnutz route. Cheaper than 8020, 1 day for machining, wayyy cheaper for miter and thread taps.
Only downside is they don't have 1545 in lite or ultra lite.
has anyone used joiners to butt two 1530s together to make a 6 inch base?
https://www.tnutz.com/product/af-015-black/

for what we spend on this things construction, might as well get more storage space out of it

 

I did 3” upper and lower sections, but mines a full pop top and not a wedge.

 

Finally getting some use out of this thing

 

I have two 3” black extrusions in 55” length if anyone in the pnw is looking for some.

was going to use as a roof rack but changed my mind at the moment

 

Has anyone seen this yet? https://youtu.be/YqW7f7GM2kw

I knew it was only a matter of time before someone tried using @Ripcord design to sell as their own. I bet he’s on here too.

 

give that a few trips, they'll get tired of re tightening the screws and applying loctite again. or they go off camber, send it and the thing slips out from those clamps. the bed part is one thing, but a rectangle of 1530 aluminum with no cross supports?

 

He took a tested design and made it worse and thinks he can sell plans for it. Fit and finish looks horrible, my 6yr old could do better.

 

Surprised if people will pay the 120 for his design. Costs more, albeit maybe easier to build. But less secure(hinges looked liked regular bolts, 6bolts and the door is off) plus after experience a lot of the aluminum extrusion bolts rattle loose.

The cost is also not that cheap especially if you can’t source 80/20 locally.

 

I mean if we are splitting hairs, Ripcords design is pretty similar to GFC, which I bet didn’t invent the idea of a wedge camper either. Ripcord simplified the design for DIY. This guy further simplified it. Maybe it’s good, maybe it’s not, but progress happens when people use other ideas as inspiration for a new idea. Using 80/20, whether for the wedge or the entire frame, isn’t some genius idea. It’s really the curation of the parts and build plans that are the key.

Personally, I don’t like 80/20 for the base structure for all the reasons already mentioned. But I’m guessing this is perfect for the intended customer who can’t weld or sew and doesn’t do much offroad.

 

I like the non-wedge but I'm still thinking about doing it with linear motors and having more bracing than hydraulic struts. At least with a wedge you have a hinge to support the upper structure.

 

I agree and not saying Ripcord invented it, but he was clear about that from the beginning. He said he got ideas from the GFC and tweaked it to his liking. My only problem is this guy making it seem like he came up with the whole idea himself when he clearly took someone else’s work and made it worse. If he had come out and said this was based on the GFC and ripcords design and then tweaked it to make it better, cheaper, or lighter, or really just improved it in any way, then power to him.

 

Maybe because it’s obvious to me where the inspiration came from but I didn’t get that impression at all. If anything the only major similarity to the Ripcord design is that it used 80/20 for the tent frame. Everything else seems substantially different to me. Either way, I hate it. I like the design in this thread much better.

 

To each his own. I’m sure he will get plenty of people to use his designs.

Im more interested in what GFC is announcing on the 20th. Wondering if it’s an actual camper. While I love my wedge so far and have built out the inside for living quarters, I do miss the bed for truck stuff

 

You mean a tow behind camper? That would be interesting.

 

It’s still in the bed judging by the teaser pic. I was hoping a slide in camper. Maybe it’s just an updated wedge design or possibly full pop up like the recent 80/20 build one.

‍♂️

 

Hi,
Has anyone figured out how much flex the composite bed will see when the frame flexes? How does a rigid metal frame for the camper effect the bed flex?