Camper shell build thoughts?

dbhost

Well-known member
A random search brought this up; Ranger Custom Caps: https://rangertrailer.com/truckcaps-accessories/

I thought this was particularly interesting:

truck-cap-gallery8.jpg


Honestly, if the back door config was different, the overcab was rated to take say 1K lbs just to be safe, and it was wide enough to support a queen mattress after insulation and interior trim, then yeah, that looks interesting. I would need to measure, but I am pretty sure all told if it had an interior height of 6'6" the whole thing on my truck would come in just under 10'. Assuming a solid rear wall / single RV style door and through wall window unit AC on the back of the camper instead of the roof...
 

Hackopotomus

Observer
I picked this up on CL last year for $350! Lined with cedar and insulated. Had a crappy bed/storage box with it which I removed. It is perfect for my needs as it is just myself and my dog. I am still debating on whether to keep the factory bed or convert to a custom flat bed. With a flat bed I can have lots of external storage with bottom boxes and two side boxes on top in place of the regular bed side rails. That is probably what I will do.

I need to convert the latches on the opening side windows to some type of internal handles and add screens. I will be adding an overhead fan and some intake vents in the back doors down low. The vents will have covers so dust won't get sucked in while driving down dirt roads. I have a Breezer removable back window with boot for the truck so I will be able to have a pass through large enough to squeeze through.

I will do an internal build with bed on one side and cabinets on the other. Awning on passenger side and black PVC tube on driver's side for external shower. Will eventually have solar panels on top and an internal battery. It is not tall enough to stand up but is enough so I can sit upright on a bed without being hunched over.

IMG_8909.JPGIMG_8907.JPG00A0A_9jxwWjMLiF1_0fu08I_1200x900.jpg
 

dbhost

Well-known member
I picked this up on CL last year for $350! Lined with cedar and insulated. Had a crappy bed/storage box with it which I removed. It is perfect for my needs as it is just myself and my dog. I am still debating on whether to keep the factory bed or convert to a custom flat bed. With a flat bed I can have lots of external storage with bottom boxes and two side boxes on top in place of the regular bed side rails. That is probably what I will do.

I need to convert the latches on the opening side windows to some type of internal handles and add screens. I will be adding an overhead fan and some intake vents in the back doors down low. The vents will have covers so dust won't get sucked in while driving down dirt roads. I have a Breezer removable back window with boot for the truck so I will be able to have a pass through large enough to squeeze through.

I will do an internal build with bed on one side and cabinets on the other. Awning on passenger side and black PVC tube on driver's side for external shower. Will eventually have solar panels on top and an internal battery. It is not tall enough to stand up but is enough so I can sit upright on a bed without being hunched over.

View attachment 657640View attachment 657641View attachment 657642

THIS! Except for the what looks like, and it may just be perspective issues, the abundance of 3/4" plywood which adds up quickly.

Picture this topper, a bit taller though, on a 6.5 foot bed '04-'08 F150 super cab, the left door window blanked out and replaced with a window unit AC. The ones I see locally are 40", so given the 22" depth of the F150 cargo box that gives me 62", not standing room, but not what I am going for anyway, keep reading...

Bed platform / organizers TBD, but I am leaning toward a 3/4" ply topper, and 2x2 framed platform / storage. The idea will be to support a shortnened Queen memory foam mattress. An 8 or 10" Gel Memory foam mattress. Platform piano hinged over the wheel well sides, and front.

Insulation is a MUST, as is as you said, an interior operating to the windows, and preferrably a roof vent. I am uncertain of what material to trim the interior in. Given the need for insulation value, I was thinking a bedrug on the lower part of the truck bed, and foam board in the cap covered in rat fur carpeting. I am a CPAP user so I would need a shelf for my CPAP, and a battery compartment for my power box...

Need to give serious consideration to some sort of tarp rig to give additional coverage. DIY awning? Just learn to quickly and securely pitch a tarp rig attached to the cap? Need to figure that out. A DIY awning is great, but if you use the truck / cap as a primary support, you can start off with a low cost 12x24 tarp, some poles, guylines and stakes and get really creative and give yourself a lot, or a little depending on your needs, of sheltered space...

The idea here is I want a cap I can make the bed platform in, and sit up in bed. an area that can offer privacy when we climb out of bed to get changed, and some sun / rain sheltered space for a kitchen.

One item to note: It varies depending on the market in your area. I happen to know of 2 or 3 of this style shell that are basically about halfway between the height of the one you show, and that Ranger shown earlier, It's basically an aluminum box with reinforced aluminum doors that clamps to the bed of the truck. Nice and light.

Given that these caps rise above the cab a decent distance, and are shaped similar to a brick, a wind deflector attached to the truck roof may be in order to help with MPG, and reduce wind noise

And given that my truck at least is a half ton, well, what they at one time called a heavy half, nobody really makes a TRUE half ton truck any more. But I digress. Given this is a half ton, and there are some non negotiable items. Sufficient water supply, flushing toilet, comfortable mattress, Small AC, I need to be sensible about other gear and supplies. Liquid fuel stove that can use spare gas for the truck instead of bulky, heavy 20lb tanks, battery lanterns instead of fueled, Coleman PackAway kitchen, the small one, instead of my Cabelas Deluxe etc...

There were weight gains in adding the winch, bigger tires, and weight losses by removing the tailgate to accomodate the double door cap.

LOTS of considerations to have. But nothing that should keep me from making a good run at it and doing what overlanding I can between Belize and Alaska at least. The F150 is the Lobo in Mexico, and plenty of parts there, Canada is no problem, and I am not rock crawling in a full size IFS 4x4 truck. I am driving logging roads, beaches, and lots of dirt / gravel back roads and 4x4 trails.
 
Last edited:

billiebob

Well-known member
I would think part of the point of a DIY camper is to make the most of what you already have. It is dead obvious there are plenty of folks here are big fans of 3/4 and 1 ton trucks, but for my application it is just not needed at this point.

I have been checking with some specs, and the frame I am looking at for the bed, 3/4" plywood, an 8" memory foam mattress, that all weighs in collectively just at 100lbs.

An aluminum 40" hi top 2 door truck topper per a local shop that makes them, for a full size 6.5 foot bed truck is 100lbs bare, 130lbs insulated.

I have everything I need for creature comforts wise as I am stepping up from ground tent camping. No intent, nor desire for a built in propane system. Added risk and complexity not needed. Staying with Gasoline fueled appliances. Don't need an onboard water heater when I have a stove and a battery shower pump. Have several Coleman white gas heaters, etc...

Toilet is already there. Without water or waste weighs 10lbs.

No need for a fridge, although one would be nice, Lifetime 55qt cooler comes in empty at 25lbs, full closer to 100.

With a max payload on my F150 of 1950lbs, I just don't see the need for upgrading trucks, aside from the fact it has IFS 4wd, and a 5.4L triton engine. I get that. The 6.0 Powerstroke isn't exactly a winner either...
just posting ideas, if you want to be critical of those ideas, have at 'er, the ignore button works well
 

dbhost

Well-known member
just posting ideas, if you want to be critical of those ideas, have at 'er, the ignore button works well

I am sorry if you felt I was being critical of your ideas. Not my intention. I was simply trying to clarify the perspective I was coming from. All things being equal and budgets unrestrained, I honestly would LOVE to start off with a 1 ton or better LWB 4x4 to build a box on. It's not likely to happen for me at least before I retire.

Of course a possibility would be an older truck, but they pull a pretty penny down here in TX if they are in even vaguely usable shape...

I have friends in the PNW that have gotten deals on 10 - 15 year old low mileage 1 ton 4x4, former work crew trucks for less than I would pay for a used up old Buick work car... It may actually be worth it for me to have them buy one for me, fly out there, pay them, do the paperwork and drive back to TX with it.

However coming from Oregon, I would have to go over the thing with a drug sniffing dog to make sure it is 100% clean before I drove it across the state line into Texas.

I don't do the whole 4/20 thing, don't judge those that do, but don't want to get arrested for someone else's choices... I'll stick with Rum & Tequila after I am done driving for the day... But I digress...

A longbed, or better yet, flatbed, would offer me more floor space than a standard box truck. I don't need a full size 4 door, but I really like having the back seat / supercab layout. I know those are rare in 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. They exist, but are few and far between.

Honestly, my ideal doesn't exist...

An early 00's F350, Supercab, Dually, long wheel base / log bed. 6BT Cummins built up, not crazy, but enough to keep up with itself and stay fuel and emissions efficient / reliable. I would call it optimized. 6 speed Allison tranny.

I'd still like the above shown style topper, but again, with enough room to have the bed clear with enough space to be in good shape a series of Aquatainers, my 5 gallon flushing toilet, and stow the rest of my gear, and headroom enough that I can sit upright on the end of the bed and not smash my dome into the ceiling.

I saw a video of a guy that set up a simple over the liftgate setup of a Harbor Freight 9x7 tarp with some extending poles. I would do something similar but use my Walmart 12x24 tarp, and a series of Coleman Extending poles. MUCH lighter weight than an EZ Up, MUCH less likely to break, and a LOT more covered area.

Oh you mentioned the grab a free to haul away used RV. Funny you should mention that.

I helped a friend haul out a now in the process of being parted out, pretty badly rotted early 2000s E450 based Class C. Apparently there was a roof leak that was just flat out ignored. Mechanically it is in good shape. The appliances and propane system are spot on. Electronics may be salveagable. but from the dashboard back the interior is wasted, and the wood construction walls / roof are crumbling.

It was free, he has van seats, and has connections with experience designing and building cargo trailers.

I am not against that per se, but heavier than what I can use with a half ton chassis...
 

Hackopotomus

Observer
My camper is lined with 1/4" cedar planks, t&g. They are very light weight.
The truck is a Duramax that has been deleted and tuned so it is quite powerful. I did not notice any difference with the added height of the camper. I do plan on putting a rack on top of the cab and will probably have a wind deflector on the front of it.
 

dbhost

Well-known member
My camper is lined with 1/4" cedar planks, t&g. They are very light weight.
The truck is a Duramax that has been deleted and tuned so it is quite powerful. I did not notice any difference with the added height of the camper. I do plan on putting a rack on top of the cab and will probably have a wind deflector on the front of it.

If the cap is aluminum, not steel, it should be plenty light. I am quite overweight and out of shape, with a ton of back problems and I have no issues pulling and moving an all aluminum full size truck cap. Nowhere near as heavy as my Old Town canoe. Maybe 60lbs. Pretty sure if you insulated and panelled it those materials weigh more than the actual cap...

They are not common, but I have seen these style caps occasionally come in at 40" height. That would allow me to have the bed set up above my storage, and still be able to sit up in bed. That way I can put pillows against the back wall of the cap and sit up in bed and read a book should I get socked in with rain...
 

Hackopotomus

Observer
Yes, it is aluminum. Don't know what it weighs though. I did have to use my forklift to set it on the truck mostly because it has a 6" lift and sits pretty high.

IMG_8890.JPGIMG_8891.JPG
 

dbhost

Well-known member
Yes, it is aluminum. Don't know what it weighs though. I did have to use my forklift to set it on the truck mostly because it has a 6" lift and sits pretty high.

View attachment 658667View attachment 658668

See that's not my experience. I wonder what the difference is. Admittedly yours is already lined going to put it on. I could almost bet the holding / lifting equipment is mostly needed to control the motion of the cap VS the actual weight of the cap.

I'd have to look it up on specs, but I assume the cap would use maybe 3 sheets of 4x8 foam, at what, 12lbs each? Minus the weight of window openings, so let's get some rounding going and call the insualtion 40lbs? Scale up weight of the cap itself to thicker aluminum and call it 100lbs, So between cap, and insulation, and cedar lining you might be at 200lbs total? That would need at least 2 people to get into the truck with no damage...

I'm still thinking, with a modded queen roller frame, with perforated ply base and a 10" Memory Foam mattress in a box bobbed off to length and you are most likely to come in under 300lbs. The big weight is going to be water, 28 gallons in 4 7 gallon aqua tainers. WAGging and rounding up for the weight of the water and containers, that adds 180ls. 43lbs for the 5 gallon toilet loaded with water. That leaves me at 520lbs camper weight. We then go to the weight of the camp stove, fuel, cooler and food etc...

All told I should easily come in under 1k lbs I would think...
 

Hackopotomus

Observer
How do you like the Breezer? Is it holding up alright?

I have not installed it yet. I'm pretty sure I'm going to cut the back of the cab and build a full height passthrough instead. I think having just an open window will be too much of a pain to have to crawl through. I'll most likely sell the Breezer.
 

AbleGuy

Officious Intermeddler
On one of my old builds, I just took out the rear cab window of my K2500, and also removed the front window of my shell, and fabricated my own thick, flexible boot between them (which worked great, keeping the noise, rain and snow out of both front of cap and back of cab).

The boot was well padded, so crawling back and forth, while not terribly graceful to witness, wasn’t a big pain for me. That slithering egress/ingress admittedly was quite a bit easier for my skinny spouse tho.
 

dbhost

Well-known member
For those that haven't seen. I did source up one of these caps, however it did NOT fit my F150 as it was supposed to. It was sized to fit a 2007 or so GM 6.5ft box truck. Pretty much nothing lined up acceptably. I sold it to a friend and grabbed a hi top fiberglass topper. Which likewise wasn't a perfect fit, but was at least workable...
 

Ozarker

Pontoon Admiral
Payload on the 2020 F-150, 4x4 is 2,150 lbs. A hard tono cover with a PU bed tent attached to the underside of the cover will do.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
185,527
Messages
2,875,535
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top