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Topic: Our custom true flatbed truck camper build thread
Posted By: Jfet on 08/01/13 04:25pm

TPO is an option for the roof but I am working on what to do for the aluminum siding right now.

Wraps are interesting....I saw them used on Fast and Loud. Would they protect the aluminum against oxidation? How would they handle the fishscaling of panels that we did? Would they have to cut the wrap every 16 inches on the verticals to match our panel sizes? Sounds like a lot of work and $$$, but maybe cheaper than painting.

I wouldn't mind painting it ourselves because then we don't have to move it out of the garage work area right now (need to get it painted before the rain sets in for the fall/winter). I have very little experience with spray gun painting...but then again I had never MIG welded and that turned out quite well IMO. The direct to metal self etching primer has some nasty stuff in it though...and we don't have positive pressure suits or anything....

Posted By: 69cayo on 08/01/13 04:53pm

After replacing the interior skin on my Avion I used this etch primer...http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-swsp200g-12, sprayed very easy like lacquer, dried fast, 2-3 coats.
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I can't help you with the topcoats because I wanted waterbase (latex) finish.
As far as odor, it wasn't bad at all, just used a regular face mask for paint/vapor.
It flashed so fast that the odor was gone quickly.

Dennis

maximum photo width=640

* This post was edited 08/15/13 09:27am by an administrator/moderator *

Posted By: ticki2 on 08/01/13 05:23pm

I have had good results using Zinc Chromate as a primer on bare aluminum ,just mist it on , not heavy . Then top coat with a good industrial paint . Yes you should use a good mask .

'68 Avion C-11
'02 GMC DRW D/A flatbed

Posted By: Jfet on 08/14/13 03:58pm

A little update...not much changed but we finished installing the insulation and covering it on the inside with 5mm plywood. I also installed four of the 115V AC led lights that I modified to run on 12V...they are nice and bright and only draw about 6 watts each. They are rated for 12 watts but I am running them at half power. This means they should stay nice and cool and last quite a long time.

We looked into some of the paint suggestions but can't find the color selection we want in an etching primer system. I have been told epoxy primer will also work over bare aluminum so we are going to look into that. Sherwin Williams auto division has 8000 colors for the 2 part epoxy primer system.

Here are a couple of shots of the finished interior...one taken from the cab overhand bed area looking back at the main cabin. Note the 6 foot metal ruler in the pictures. I think our 8 feet of headroom is probably a record for truck campers. It sure is nice for my 6'7" height.

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Posted By: Bedlam on 08/14/13 04:06pm

Jfet wrote:

Wraps are interesting....I saw them used on Fast and Loud. Would they protect the aluminum against oxidation? How would they handle the fishscaling of panels that we did? Would they have to cut the wrap every 16 inches on the verticals to match our panel sizes? Sounds like a lot of work and $$$, but maybe cheaper than painting.

A clear coat over the aluminum to seal it and a wrap of your color/pattern choice. I never priced the work, but I think labor would be less since you do not have all the typical compound bends of a car that is wrapped.

Chevy Sonic 1.8-Honda Passport C70B-Host Mammoth 11.5-Interstate Car Carrier 20-Joyner SandViper 250-Kawasaki Concours ZG1000-Paros 8' flatbed-Pelican Decker DLX 8.75-Ram 5500 HD


Posted By: Jfet on 08/18/13 08:58pm

We pulled off the protective plastic from the aluminum sides today and got the first look at what the fish scale type siding looks like. I sort of like it but we are going to paint it. I should at least check into the vinyl wrap but I don't think it is a real option.

We decided to get the roof done first and then get it professionally painted. I started adding up the cost of paint, plus supplies, building a spray booth, and the time...just not worth it. I found a place that does RV and trucks that say they can do a nice job for around $1800. It would cost us over $1200 just in primer, paint, plastic, masks, spray guns, etc.

In order to do that, I think we will get the roof Rhino coated first now. This will make the unit at least somewhat weather resistant for the trip to the paint shop. I need to weld mount points on the Isuzu this week for the torklifts.

Here are some pics of the bare aluminum siding. From the back you can see the seams of Sikaflex...looks like pin stripes :-)

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Posted By: kereams on 08/18/13 09:31pm

Looks great! You are doing very fine work sir.

*2011 F350 SRW CC/LB/PSD - Mods: Custom overload springs with custom early engagement blocks~Firestone Airbags~Hellwig Big Wig Rear Sway~Rancho RS9000XL~Bilstein Steering Damper~19.5" Hankook DH01'a on steel wheels.
*2012 Chalet Ascent S95R Camper

Posted By: fikkellin on 08/19/13 07:38pm

don't paint it...... it looks great

Posted By: Jfet on 09/04/13 07:16am

Not a lot to update. We are working some on the inside and have installed the interior walls/frame for the bathroom. I will get some pics of that soon.

I visited the Rhino coating place and was not impressed with their operation. The bay they used, which they claimed was 14 feet high was only 11'10". Our camper would sit at 12 feet on the flatbed. Just didn't get a good vibe in general.

We then thought about the liquid rubber epdm roof but after calling the manufacturer we were told a very big NO that it is not for new installations, just for skim coating old worn rubber roofs.

I am back to the aluminum roof, which was probably the best choice to begin with, as the rest of the camper is aluminum (steel frame). I have found a local truck repair place that will sell a 103" wide 0.040" thick aluminum roof coil for about $15 a linear foot. A bit thicker than I was planning but I think we can work it. Small branches would then be a non-issue.

I think we would mostly float the roof even though we do not have any top vents or structures to tie it down. I would Sikaflex 252 bond it for about 2 or 3 inches to the plywood around the top of the roof, then after that dries, I would fold over the aluminum and Sikaflex 252 bond the 1.5" fold to the aluminum siding. I could probably pull my boat with 20 square inches of aluminum to aluminum bond of Sikaflex 252. The main center part of the aluminum roof would be free to buckle in the sun and the Sikaflex on the edges I think has enough flex that it would stay bonded.

So the only little thing to decide is what to use on the floating part between the plywood roof structure and the aluminum roof skin. I am also wondering if I should paint the plywood with some sort of exterior grade paint first or if that is not needed.

Posted By: Desertboy on 09/04/13 01:09pm

Jfet wrote:

insp1505 wrote:

Randu wrote:

Neat concept. I'm hitting "subscribe" so I can watch this thread and follow your progress.Just keep adding to this thread so its easy to track. Randu


X2

I've had thought's of building a TC someday too. It will be interesting watching your progress.

I've looked at your drawings and was hoping you could comment on camper placement and weight distribution of the final placement of your TC and garage space on the truck. I see you have over 10,000 lbs of GVW left to work with but if you don't balance that over the rear axle I wonder if you will severely over load the front axle. I wonder if that Isuzu motor is taking up most of your front axles weight capacity much like my diesel engine takes up almost all my trucks front axle weight capacity. So basically I was just curious if the TC was going up against the cab because most of the weight will be forward of the rear axle or will it be mounted more rearward? Thanks and good luck with your awesome project!


This is heavy on my mind, and I am constantly arguing with my wife about shifting as much weight to the back of the camper. We have the fresh and gray water tanks, batteries all at the very back of the camper closer to the rear wheels. I am also going to put some storage boxes under the flatbed behind the rear wheels that will hold heavy items like the camper jacks, extra water in jugs, possibly extra propane, etc.

From the truck data sheet and my calculations, it looks like the front axle is carrying about 5000 pounds right now and is rated for 6850 IIRC. I need to drive on some scales again real soon and get separate weights for the front and rear axles, as I stupidly only did a total weight for the registration when I first got the truck. There are some drastic things I could do, like cut off the steel headache rack from the flatbed to gain another 100 to 200 pounds for the front axle, but I am holding out on that.

If the camper sits midway between the front and rear axles on the flatbed, and if the weight of the camper is skewed toward the rear, then the 1850 pounds I have left on the front axle might just squeak by. The garage pod and all of the stuff in it are going to sit either directly over or well behind the rear axle, which will cause the front axle to lift. The 250 pound tounge weight of the sailboat will also lift a smidgen off the front axle.

But yes, I am concerned....but it is not a deal killer yet.


I don't know a lot about the weight capacity's, But I do know that truck is made to carry very heavy loads, Much much heavier than a truck camper. I don't think its gonna matter where you put it.

1969 AVION
3/4 12 VALVE

Freightliner/24' Flatbed 50,000 miles/ Titan 4000 receiver Hitch, no Mods needed.

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