Home Made Truck Camper

BDD

BDD

Steelhead
Anybody ever make one? Any ideas, thoughts, suggestions? I have been looking for a truck camper for awhile but I have found a few problems I'm trying to get around. I would be looking to use this during spring, summer, and fall so no need for hard core winter camping.

1. I don't need heat, water, electricity, refrigeration, stove, shower, etc. I need a place to sleep and a place to warm a can of soup. A bed, cooler, and a table should suffice, along with some storage and the ability to stand up would be nice. Plus, I don't really want to fix all the other stuff that will eventually need maintenance, repair, troubleshooting and other expenses.

2. I don't really want to license this thing every year. I don't know what the rules are for having to do that but I figure if I don't get all the other stuff, what I'm looking at is not much different than a canopy, which you don't have to license annually.

3. I don't really want to spend $20K for things I don't want or need. Simple is better. I would use this thing maybe 20 nights a year for maybe 10 years. If I stayed with commercial lodging, that might equate to $20K and then you have the hassle of finding and reserving spots that may not be convenient to where you are staying. With a truck camper, I'm thinking you could build one for half or even a quarter of that and have the flexibly of staying anywhere at any time with an outhouse nearby.

I suppose some might say that I need those amenities (electricity, heat, water, etc.) but I'm really looking at camping in the back of my truck without setting up a tent or reserving a camp spot and again, don't think I need those extra items.

Am I crazy?

What material would you build this out of? I'd put it on the back of a full size 1-ton diesel truck with a flatbed. That's another reason I am shying away from traditional truck campers...you lose a lot of space as most are built for regular truck beds and not flatbeds, which are hard to find and expensive.
 
Breck said:
Just slap a Tuff Shed on top of that bad boy and call it good.
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I actually thought about that. Dry, lightweight, readily available, inexpensive. I even went so far as to consider other positive effects it might have. Imagine if folks saw me coming down the road to a camp site with one strapped on...well let's just say I might even get more elbow room and less fishing pressure.
 
I understand the flatbed concept but one thing to consider is that the bed is above the height of the rear tires whereas a standard bed floor is recessed between the wheel wells.
 
BDD said:
Can you please expand more on this?
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You mentioned that you would like to be able to stand up in it.
This might be a little higher than most but kind of gives an idea
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A standard pickup bed recesses between the wheel wells which would substantially reduce your overall height and wind resistance.
1647229098987.png
 
Thanks, that is what I thought you meant but wanted to make sure. I'm more used to explaining/describing it in terms of raft trailers: Deck over vs. low profile. Similar concepts. My truck flatbed is actually higher than most...had to raise it a little so I could fill the tanks so that is a great point.
 

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BDD said:
I actually thought about that. Dry, lightweight, readily available, inexpensive. I even went so far as to consider other positive effects it might have. Imagine if folks saw me coming down the road to a camp site with one strapped on...well let's just say I might even get more elbow room and less fishing pressure.
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I helped a friend load up his pigeon coop into the bed of his pickup truck - he moved from Klamath Falls to Lynnwood with this coop tied down in the bed. I bet his neighbors wondered who the Okie was moving in.......... good luck with your project.
 
Buzzy said:
I helped a friend load up his pigeon coop into the bed of his pickup truck - he moved from Klamath Falls to Lynnwood with this coop tied down in the bed. I bet his neighbors wondered who the Okie was moving in.......... good luck with your project.
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Chicken coop? I don't want to look like a weirdo. :ROFLMAO:

 
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Thomas Mitchell said:
Well, this couple built one themselves in 2.5 months in their 2-garage...

expeditionportal.com

Couple builds an off-road camper in 2.5 months

Couple builds a DIY turnkey camper made from aluminum in 2.5 months on a Dodge Ram platform
expeditionportal.com
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That was really cool. Very talented. Way more skills, patience, and equipment than I could ever possess. I gotta admit, I was wondering how many fly rods I could fit inside their ski equipment vault but I suppose there is still some jerk who would try and break in and steal them.
 
BDD said:
I just don't want to look like a weirdo.

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I don't see any easy way out! Flatbeds don't lend themselves well to camping so anything you put on the bed may end up looking like you are transporting outhouses-especially if it is tall enough to stand up in. Most of the flat bed rigs I see have been purpose built just for camping and aren't used for anything else. 4WDCAMPERS does make a model specifically for flat bed trucks but the starting tariff is $35,000.

Building your own will demand a lot of time and money and will have to be rugged enough to withstand multiple installations and removals. It is a daunting task hence the few examples out there to learn from.

Just grasping for straws here but it might be possible to build a sub base that an 8' pickup canopy would just fit on. This would provide windows and a door with the advantage of no wheel wells inside to eat up precious space. You can buy canopies with double doors in the rear instead of the usual flip up window. Skin the outside with some cedar and trim and it might be a real unique but functional rig. It doesn't have to be tall enough to stand up in but it should be tall enough to sit up in. Think $3,000+ for the canopy and what ever wood it takes to make the base.
 
iveofione said:
I don't see any easy way out! Flatbeds don't lend themselves well to camping so anything you put on the bed may end up looking like you are transporting outhouses-especially if it is tall enough to stand up in. Most of the flat bed rigs I see have been purpose built just for camping and aren't used for anything else. 4WDCAMPERS does make a model specifically for flat bed trucks but the starting tariff is $35,000.

Building your own will demand a lot of time and money and will have to be rugged enough to withstand multiple installations and removals. It is a daunting task hence the few examples out there to learn from.

Just grasping for straws here but it might be possible to build a sub base that an 8' pickup canopy would just fit on. This would provide windows and a door with the advantage of no wheel wells inside to eat up precious space. You can buy canopies with double doors in the rear instead of the usual flip up window. Skin the outside with some cedar and trim and it might be a real unique but functional rig. It doesn't have to be tall enough to stand up in but it should be tall enough to sit up in. Think $3,000+ for the canopy and what ever wood it takes to make the base.
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Thank you. I knew you would have some good insight.

I am the kind of guy that likes to go against the grain. When doing X is in style and everyone is doing it, I like to go with Y just for something different.
 
BDD said:
I am the kind of guy that likes to go against the grain. When doing X is in style and everyone is doing it, I like to go with Y just for something different.
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I share that with you. Exactly why I don't drive a little hard riding Toyota Tacoma, own a Dyson vacuum or have an I-phone.
 
Owned all types of RV's - 20+ years. No experience with flatbeds here but thinking out loud. To avoid wind resistance and the battering of it driving it I would build a pop-up type camping rig. You should be able to keep it low enough so most if not all would be lower than the cab. Out of the box thinking - a manufactured pop-up tent trailer tied down to your bed. Has the basics of what you want and height when you need it. And no licensing fees !!! And is on wheels when you do not need it.

Call me crazy - its okay... Would not be the first time...
 
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