How to: DIY Wedge Camper

@Taco Camper Damn I'll have to do some trimming then.

 

Love the build and would like to see a full breakdown including costs, hardware and connections if possible. Looking to also do one as well using 8020.

 

It's been almost 3 years since I completed my build. A new issue arose with the aluminum roof panel. It is starting to degrade. My aluminum roof panel is white, so after a rain, water will drip down the sides leaving a chalky streak around the camper and especially the rear windows. It's more annoying than anything. Not sure if I should vinyl wrap the roof or use some kind of paint or sealer. So if you're on the roof stage of the build, I recommend you weather proof it and not leave it bare panel.

 

Interesting. Mine has been on for only one year but I have had some concerns about the ACM weathering. I have noticed that my black side panels have gotten some stains/ water marks that I can not seem to get 100% gone. I have been thinking about starting to use some sort of wax or sealer when I wax the rest of the truck. I will let you know if I find a good product.

 

@TheTacomaInn I vinyl wrapped my side panels which seem to be holding up pretty good. Just the bare aluminum panels have issues over time. I'll let you know too what I decide to do

 

Just to clarify, when you say bare aluminum, did you use the ACM like RipCord (MaxMetal, E Panel, ect.) or did you us straight aluminum?

 

@TheTacomaInn oh sorry, yes dibond like ripcords. Not straight aluminum

 

Installed a roof rack for accessories and to fill in the gap. Previous to the rack, I could only feel the camper at higher speeds upwind. If you're starting this diy camper build and plan to use a roof rack, make sure you tweak the hight dimensions. Ripcords dimensions don't allow for a full roof rack. Cheers

 

Made a drip gutter for the cabover corners. I had enough of the annoying drip into the cab when I open the doors lol

 

Made it this far in the build! Going to assemble the “lid” tonight and then order up the max metal for roof/floor. Wasn’t as bad aligning all the through bolts as people made it seem

 

Awesome build man. Dream setup! Enjoy

 

I’m still curious about hurricane hinge installs. The hinges available are made to mount to two pieces of what appears to be 1/2 or 3/4” ply.

 

I notched the mounting edges to work around the support bars and end caps. From the teardrop guys, they said to have a bit of runoff on the hinges so the 62" hinge worked perfect for the 63" frame. I'll add vinyl molding to the top part over the hardware, and a boatload of silicone. Waiting on the frame to return from powder right now!

My only conundrum is how I will seal the end of the hinges, open to ideas!

 

Aha! I knew I saw this photo before... hello fellow United moderator!

I don't think I added it to our discussion on United, but you can dab some black silicon in the ends of the hinge. I'll try to snap some photos tonight when I get home. Or you could fab up some small covers that sit against the ends that stop water from getting pushed into the hinge itself.

 

Ayyy wassup, thanks man!

 

I just bought one to mess around with 50$ on Amazon I think rec pro brand

 

I've made it through 70 pages so far, so apologies if it got asked/done in the last hundred. I'll get through eventually..

But has anyone extended the spaceframe top horizontal bars the full wedge length over the cab? Kind of like a ladder rack. Thinking with this you could bring the 80/20 to 1.5x1.5 top and bottom since it will have no overhang, it'll be fully supported by the spaceframe.
Thinking the only downside would be reduced interior closed height? Any thoughts on a way around that?

Seems like a really easy way to reduce cost by quite a few hundred. Those 1.5x4.5 get real expensive at 100"+

 

Could work if the frame is beefy and rigid enough. The 1.5" extrusions are not very rigid themselves beyond like 5'. That's my biggest gripe with mine - I extended mine to 10', and with 1.5" on top it flexes noticeably, doesn't keep the tent fabric taut beyond the strut mounts. If I did it again, I'd keep the 4.5" for the bottom because of the long cab-over, but up the top to 3". Not as slim aesthetically obviously, but much better functionally.

 

Yeah I'm thinking something like this:


So that you don't need 4.5" bottom to support the overhang, as none of the 8020 will be cantilevered. Though the roof section would still flex as you said..

Looking at it more the issue is definitely going to be closed interior space, as it would only be 3" from roof to floor with the wedge closed. Probably can't get around that issue..

Maybe do 3" 8020 on the roof, gets you 4.5" interior space and reduces the roof flex. Or 4.5" on the roof, but then were just back at the original 8020 cost and just made the frame significantly heavier..

 

It's begun....I have purchased a fair amount of my materials, and I'll post photos/updates as I get into it. Basics are going to be: Modified design for full size (RAM 2500), extended length, aluminum space frame, taller extrusion profiles for more load-carrying capacity on roof rack cross bars, different side/rear door frame and "jamb" design..."modified full pop" and a few other things I've dreamed up as I've studied all of you trailblazers.

Meanwhile, I'm wanting to settle on door latches. Anything viable other than the legit Southo sealed units? I've gathered that the knock-offs aren't worth the savings. But it's hard to justify the cost of the real thing. I'm open to suggestions if anyone has them at this point. But soon I'm going to get busy fabricating, and will get past the point of being able to modify the design.