I've decided to do a build thread on my Jeep Hauler / Camper project. First time doing a "build thread" and I don't remember to take pictures most of the time so hang in there if this get off track. Trying to improve a weakness here, and practice might help. If so, maybe I will start documenting my Jeeps journey better.
This project started with my wife and I wanting to be able to do more camping and wheeling trips but we both really don't enjoy tent camping. Especially in the humidity of the hellscape we call summer here in the Midwest. So we started looking for options that we could tow with the TJ. The TJ's towing capacity being only 2000lbs didn't leave a lot of solid choices that fit our needs. We looked at pop up campers, and lightweight teardrop options eventually conceding that anything that could be towed by the TJ was not going to be a fit. Besides if we broke the Jeep and couldn't source parts right away we would be in a real bind potentially far from home. We starting looking at options to tow the Jeep, truck mount campers looked interesting but our 1/2 ton truck was not up to the task of carrying a camper and a Jeep on a trailer. We moved on to RV's both A and C Class. Lots of option, but price and maintenance was a concern. Construction quality on the RV's we viewed also did match the price in my mind. Not a lot of value and potentially sky high repairs. Lots of 5-10 year old units with delamination and water damage.
Finally I found some crawler hauler style trailers from Sundowner and man are they nice, but really more than we needed and the $80k+ price tag was out of my budget. Some more searching and I found Hybrid style trailers used for race cars and other motorsports enthusiasts. Seemed like it could be a fit if we designed and built it out ourselves. So last November we picked up a 30 foot Hybrid trailer built by Spartan. It has a 15k BTU roof air / heat unit, 3 windows installed, a 36" entry door, upgraded aluminum sheeting outside (thicker material), and is finished inside with painted aluminum panels. It was wired for 50 amp generator power and has 110v power plumbed to 4 outlets inside with a 12v system for the interior and exterior lighting.
Inside its 96" wide, with 6'9" ceilings. The box is nearly 12' along the flat wall with a 2' v-nose. So about 8'x14' overall in the living area. The rear deck is just over 18' long and 102" wide (max you can have without a permit). Overall the trailer is 36' long tip to tail and weighs about 5500lbs empty.
We drove over 600 miles each way to Loudon Tennessee to pick it up and negotiated a fair price. I also upgraded to a Ram 2500 truck which will tow this, and our boat a lot better than the old 1/2 ton. I had the seller remove the generator rack from the tongue, and add a spare tire mount in its place. I also added an electric tongue jack. Once we got it home it was time for vacation, and the trailer sat unused over the holidays.
Here is the Jeep loaded up and headed out to the trails last weekend. It pulls great, and really isn't to bad to maneuver with a little foresight and planning.
I recently started off the refit by ripping out the shore power, since it was set up for a tongue mounted generator. I also relocated the battery to fit in better with the layout I am planning and added in a 12v battery disconnect switch to prevent parasitic drain if I forget to turn something off. This also disabled the electric jack so no one can mess with it while its stored.
Next came the flooring. My wife was not a fan of the rubberized treadplate design, and it is a little hard to clean. She elected to have me install a nice thick vinyl plank. Which really wasn't hard to do at all. I did have to run it over the rubber flooring since the manufacturer used a glue that made it all but impossible to remove.
The next phase of construction brings us current with today. I have been accumulating parts and pieces to complete the mechanical workings as well as the bed and kitchen. Below you can see where I was simulating the bed frame with blue tape to start arranging the items that will be installed under the bed hidden from view. The 30 gallon freshwater tank and 6 gallon water heater as well as the water pump and filter. I will plumb in winterization drains and service access will be from under the bed when it is extended. The bed will slide in to transform into a futon and give us back some floor space when needed. It will be 33.5x80 when pushed in, and 60x80 (standard queen) when extended.
Finally, I drilled the 2.5" hole through the wall to install the shore power hook up. It will be a standard RV twist lock plug. I repurposed the 50amp generator cord that came with the trailer by installing a new 50amp RV connector. The service will enter under the bed and is a 6/4 wire with an abrasion sleeve added for extra security. I filled the wall gap with firm expanding foam and grabbed some stainless screws that will attach the connector to the exterior wall. We have a couple of open slots in the breaker panel for 110v to add the water heater and extra outlets for the kitchen and about 20 12v socket to add the pump, aux lighting and other gizmos. A 50amp panel was a big deal since I want this trailer to be 100% electric. Adding propane as another system was not something I wanted to do.
I plan to start building the sliding bed frame this week. This will allow me to start plumbing and installing components in preparation for the custom cabinets I have on order. They should arrive in a couple of weeks. They are a blue gray color my wife chose, and I don't think I will like them. Will see what you guys think we they get here.
More to come soon.
This project started with my wife and I wanting to be able to do more camping and wheeling trips but we both really don't enjoy tent camping. Especially in the humidity of the hellscape we call summer here in the Midwest. So we started looking for options that we could tow with the TJ. The TJ's towing capacity being only 2000lbs didn't leave a lot of solid choices that fit our needs. We looked at pop up campers, and lightweight teardrop options eventually conceding that anything that could be towed by the TJ was not going to be a fit. Besides if we broke the Jeep and couldn't source parts right away we would be in a real bind potentially far from home. We starting looking at options to tow the Jeep, truck mount campers looked interesting but our 1/2 ton truck was not up to the task of carrying a camper and a Jeep on a trailer. We moved on to RV's both A and C Class. Lots of option, but price and maintenance was a concern. Construction quality on the RV's we viewed also did match the price in my mind. Not a lot of value and potentially sky high repairs. Lots of 5-10 year old units with delamination and water damage.
Finally I found some crawler hauler style trailers from Sundowner and man are they nice, but really more than we needed and the $80k+ price tag was out of my budget. Some more searching and I found Hybrid style trailers used for race cars and other motorsports enthusiasts. Seemed like it could be a fit if we designed and built it out ourselves. So last November we picked up a 30 foot Hybrid trailer built by Spartan. It has a 15k BTU roof air / heat unit, 3 windows installed, a 36" entry door, upgraded aluminum sheeting outside (thicker material), and is finished inside with painted aluminum panels. It was wired for 50 amp generator power and has 110v power plumbed to 4 outlets inside with a 12v system for the interior and exterior lighting.
Inside its 96" wide, with 6'9" ceilings. The box is nearly 12' along the flat wall with a 2' v-nose. So about 8'x14' overall in the living area. The rear deck is just over 18' long and 102" wide (max you can have without a permit). Overall the trailer is 36' long tip to tail and weighs about 5500lbs empty.
We drove over 600 miles each way to Loudon Tennessee to pick it up and negotiated a fair price. I also upgraded to a Ram 2500 truck which will tow this, and our boat a lot better than the old 1/2 ton. I had the seller remove the generator rack from the tongue, and add a spare tire mount in its place. I also added an electric tongue jack. Once we got it home it was time for vacation, and the trailer sat unused over the holidays.
Here is the Jeep loaded up and headed out to the trails last weekend. It pulls great, and really isn't to bad to maneuver with a little foresight and planning.
I recently started off the refit by ripping out the shore power, since it was set up for a tongue mounted generator. I also relocated the battery to fit in better with the layout I am planning and added in a 12v battery disconnect switch to prevent parasitic drain if I forget to turn something off. This also disabled the electric jack so no one can mess with it while its stored.
Next came the flooring. My wife was not a fan of the rubberized treadplate design, and it is a little hard to clean. She elected to have me install a nice thick vinyl plank. Which really wasn't hard to do at all. I did have to run it over the rubber flooring since the manufacturer used a glue that made it all but impossible to remove.
The next phase of construction brings us current with today. I have been accumulating parts and pieces to complete the mechanical workings as well as the bed and kitchen. Below you can see where I was simulating the bed frame with blue tape to start arranging the items that will be installed under the bed hidden from view. The 30 gallon freshwater tank and 6 gallon water heater as well as the water pump and filter. I will plumb in winterization drains and service access will be from under the bed when it is extended. The bed will slide in to transform into a futon and give us back some floor space when needed. It will be 33.5x80 when pushed in, and 60x80 (standard queen) when extended.
Finally, I drilled the 2.5" hole through the wall to install the shore power hook up. It will be a standard RV twist lock plug. I repurposed the 50amp generator cord that came with the trailer by installing a new 50amp RV connector. The service will enter under the bed and is a 6/4 wire with an abrasion sleeve added for extra security. I filled the wall gap with firm expanding foam and grabbed some stainless screws that will attach the connector to the exterior wall. We have a couple of open slots in the breaker panel for 110v to add the water heater and extra outlets for the kitchen and about 20 12v socket to add the pump, aux lighting and other gizmos. A 50amp panel was a big deal since I want this trailer to be 100% electric. Adding propane as another system was not something I wanted to do.
I plan to start building the sliding bed frame this week. This will allow me to start plumbing and installing components in preparation for the custom cabinets I have on order. They should arrive in a couple of weeks. They are a blue gray color my wife chose, and I don't think I will like them. Will see what you guys think we they get here.
More to come soon.
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