Gladiator Expedition Rigs

[smlobx]

^^^
Yeah your set up, open to the truck would be ideal for a 3 hour cool down in the evening.

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[Mules]

My cabinet door occasionally drops open or rattles while I'm driving. I didn't want any metal to catch my cushions when I lay the door down for a bed and I couldn't find a latch that I liked, so I made my own. I drilled a couple holes, used a "Bungee Ball" and a nut & bolt to make my own Bungee Latch. I bought the box of Bungee Balls at Walmart for $5.

I like it!

 

[Mules]

I tried out a new electric pan/griddle for my Yellowstone trip. It's 600 watt/120volt, and worked out perfectly with my small power supply. My little 600 watt hr power supply was enough to keep my fridge running continuously and to make coffee & eggs on the griddle in the morning.

The electric griddle is red in the picture below. It was large enough for my coffee pot, and even had a lid for cooking.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HYSS699?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

 

[Free2roam]

I'm sure you've covered it. Any idea how much weight you are carrying?

 

[Mules]

I'm sure you've covered it. Any idea how much weight you are carrying?

Around 350lb with camper, fridge, power supply and camping gear. I’m pretty sure it’s the lightest rig of its kind.

 

[Mules]

Here's an interesting breakdown on the weight, that I posted earlier.

Final weight of my camper's bottom shell, top shell, tent, and upper bed is 210lbs.

Keep in mind this camper replaces the original hard top and back glass, so the net gain is only about 150 lbs. I believe net gain for the Alucab is 460lb.

Camper 150 lb
Interior Furniture 80 lb
Fridge 50lb
power supply 20 lb
Misc camping stuff 50 lb

Total about 350 lb

 

[Mules]

My furniture layout is light and worked out pretty well on my recent camping trip. I'm thinking about some improvements though.

1) Build a permanent location for the fridge
2) Balance out the weight, as I currently have most of it on the driver's side
3) Add pull out drawers to make it easier to get stuff in/out of the camper

I keep going back to Troopy layouts like Drifta's below. I might have another winter project coming up, to build a new interior!

 

[Mules]

While I think about upgrading my interior, and keeping it light, I keep looking at using foam boards. Here are a couple good sources for information, if you're considering building a foamy. The first video is on the best foam glue, which is difficult to find. The second is all about cheap foam building, which has a ton of information.

 

[chorky]

My furniture layout is light and worked out pretty well on my recent camping trip. I'm thinking about some improvements though.

1) Build a permanent location for the fridge
2) Balance out the weight, as I currently have most of it on the driver's side
3) Add pull out drawers to make it easier to get stuff in/out of the camper

I keep going back to Troopy layouts like Drifta's below. I might have another winter project coming up, to build a new interior!

Your setup has me thinking about doing something.... I really want to be able to extend my camping season into late fall early spring. Problem is, where I live, that means camping in low teens or single digits at night, with barely above freezing temps during the day.

I am considering.......a permanent mod to my canopy and tent. Basically cutting a massive hole in the base of the tent, and top of the canopy, then bolting the two together, so it effectively becomes. a pop-up canopy. But I haven't figured out to change or modify the interior. Would you mind posting more pics of your interior again or point me in the right direction where you did that?

 

[Mules]

Here are some more pics of the interior. The upper bed platform is 4' wide and 6'6" long. The pass through at the back is about 18" wide.

 

[Mules]

I'm looking at all that roof real estate I have.

Has anyone just used 3M double sided tape to tape a flexible solar panel on?

Two Questions:

Will it hold?
Will the black solar panel burn my paint?

 

[Mules]

For anyone building an Overland Camper, Rec Pro just started advertising some nice Gull Wing Windows. These are nice for truck builds, where you want to reach in the camper. They also have a large selection of other inexpensive camper windows.

 

[smlobx]

I'm looking at all that roof real estate I have.

Has anyone just used 3M double sided tape to tape a flexible solar panel on?

Two Questions:

Will it hold?
Will the black solar panel burn my paint?

Mike a few years ago I had 2, 100 amp solar panels taped to the roof of my Hallmark expedition camper (from the factory). They lasted about 2 years before they literally cooked themselves due to not getting adequate airflow across the bottom. I subsequently went with solid panels on short L shaped risers and have been happy since.

I have seen some people having success with flexible panels where they use plastic corrugated cardboard like you see being used for yard sale signs to provide channels to allow airflow under the panels similar to this…

https://www.amazon.com/Juvale-8-Pac...437-a85c-3a6ac0280cbf&pd_rd_i=B07K1ZTTLT&th=1

 

[Ghostcat]

Here are some more pics of the interior. The upper bed platform is 4' wide and 6'6" long. The pass through at the back is about 18" wide.

@Mules

Apologies if you've already provided but any info on that amazing bed bench and kitchen set up would be much appreciated. Custom? Reminds me of the bam beds but better.

 

[Mules]

@Mules

Apologies if you've already provided but any info on that amazing bed bench and kitchen set up would be much appreciated. Custom? Reminds me of the bam beds but better.

Thanks, if you go back to page 57 & 58 of this forum, there's plenty of pictures and posts of me Mocking up and building the furniture. I kept it strong and light, and I can remove it in about 10 minutes, if I need to haul anything in my truck bed.

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