We cut the hole in the drawer front and then applied black spray paint to the drawer fronts to give it a cleaner look and riveted the handle into place. After 3 weeks on the road in Amelia, we quickly realized that she wasn't going to be a long term fit for us. Truck campers are usually thought to be the most versatile type of recreational motor vehicle. Also, it is necessary to chip and interconnect the planks together to form a strong bond. ***Side Note: We have also seen people wrap the drawer front in the industrial carpeting you can buy on the roll at Home Depot, it's pretty cheap and insulating. The A.R.E. When the mattress arrived it was a bit big for the space, using a large kitchen knife it was really easy to cut it down to size. We decided to install the bed platform once the drawer frame was fully installed. Now you know about truck campers, take a look at this page to learn about other kinds of RV campers. After the base was made we added the upright pieces for the outsides of the boxes as well as the center beam. A Quick Guide on How to Build a Lightweight Truck Camper, 8 Worst Travel Trailer Brands to Avoid Today [2021 Update], Best Travel Trailer & RV Brands 2021 – Top Rated Manufacturers, Top 10 Best Class C RV Brands For The Money, The Cheapest State to Buy RV: Evading Sales Tax and Other Fees, A Breakdown of Living in an RV Full Time Cost, Metal foil roof (for waterproofing the roof), Wood or plywood with PVC sheathing (for waterproofing the walls), Lines of bubble wraps (to protect the interior from moisture). It seems like an easy step, but in order to maximize your space, you have to contour your design to your truck bed. Using 1/2" plywood we started framing out the bed platform/drawers. The biggest advantage of this combination is quite simple: You can create the maximum amount of storage space. DIY Truck Bed Camper: Build the Ultimate Sleeping Platform for Truck Camping In this post we’ll walk you through the build process for our truck bed sleeping platform as part of our DIY truck bed camper build, including everything from design choices to finished assembly. We found that if purchased through a skate shop they were nearly 4x the price even with a bulk discount. But, truck beds can be a hassle to organize. The next step of how to build a lightweight truck camper is to do make the walls and the roof insulated and waterproofed. Purchasing is not an option if you are looking for saving money. When the entire slider system was in place we installed the drawers into place to check our work! Finish the step by adding a layer of pressure treated wood planks that keep away microorganisms, termites, and fungal decay. But if you still desire a trip with the truck camper, there is a solution. Matt lives in the UK, and they call truck campers there ‘demountable campers’. Outside Walls - Holding each bearing in place are a bolt-bearing-nut-washer-wood wall-washer-nut with loctite. We needed the frame to span the entire width between the wheel wells so we maximize the little space we have for our drawers. You can use an electric camp heater that draws power from the battery. These bolts are there to hold the bed liner into place are very robust with plenty of extra threading. This YouTube video has all the information you need. But, gas cylinders can also be used to power a heater. Gluing and stapling will be enough if you are using hardwood plywood. Let us start with the curtains. We recruited help! By waiting until this step in the process we were able to be sure that the drawer faces were lining up perfectly with each other and the drawer frame. The above price list breaks down what we used and what we actually paid for. Install several plastic electrical boxes instead of a single panel to get better and easier access. You can not lose out on the campers. A vinyl slider will be the right fit for the front window. Do it Yourself RV . Did you enjoy this post about building a truck camper setup? Owen behind the wheel of Amelia and me at the helm of Lando (the new Tacoma) we completed the drive south. Once the holes were drilled it was as simple as dropping the bolts back into place and tightened them down. Also, you will get a steady supply of power for running your devices. In that case, consider turning your pickup truck bed into a DIY truck bed camper cabinet to enjoy a mini-camper van experience. But, without the rip-away screen we wouldn't be able to sit comfortably in our truck camper with the access door open. Take three measurements when analy… In the end, we only needed to cut off 3-4 inches of excess tubing to make them work with our drawers. Truck Bed Cabinets/Storage Building the storage/cabinet platform. Then, attach the bolts, latches, and hinges as required. But you will surely be after taking a tour of these 5 DIY Camper Shell Projects. Thanks! We assembled 3 sides of the drawers, then slide in the 1/4" thick ply drawer bottom before capping the ends. Most campers prefer building elevated sleeping platforms. To be honest I'm not entirely sure how much we ended up using to make these curtains but we're lucky to have exactly as much was needed to make a curtain for each of the 4 windows in the bed camper. All the detail process is in this blog, follow this and make your own truck bed camper with simple DIY of your own. Share This. We also painted the visible portions of the drawer system to show we care...a little. Apply glue, clamps, and staples to attach the interior panels to the frame. You can use 2×2 pine lumber (or according to the length and width measurements of your truck’s back portion) as the sidewalls or 1/8-inch hardwood plywood for keeping everything as light as possible. Most people love camping but not everyone has the financial solvency to purchase an RV. After 3 weeks on the road in Amelia, we quickly realized that she wasn't going to be a long term fit for us. Try to flatten with hands or something else to smooth out the wrinkles. A truck camper is like a tent on wheels. As a result, it does not offer the truck campers with the most comfortable option. From there all that was left was to cut and screw the bed platform into place. It won't take long because this was the least amount of work we've ever needed to do to ready a rig for life on the road. If required, thin the glue by mixing some water. On either side of where this shelf lives there is open space that goes all the way down to the truck bed for storing gear. For our sliders, we decided to use skateboard wheel bearings that we purchased, again, off of Amazon. Low and behold this 'Lil Taco was for sale an hour and a half south on the border of Georgia and North Carolina. After getting a truck cap, I gathered up some reclaimed wood from pallets and old shipping crates and went to town … We also wanted to have the ability to pull the drawers out if we ever needed to so Owen found these nifty little threaded wood inserts. You could also skip the DIY part and get Tour My NEW DIY Camper. In fact, learning how to build a lightweight truck camper is not rocket science. Anyone who loves to go camping or wants to explore their country must love the idea of a truck camper. Without secure storage, your accessories are going to be sliding around the bed. When you carry nearly everything you own it feels important to do what you can to protect it. Pickup Truck Camping Guide. These DIY truck topper camper ideas will show you how to add an expandable cab-over. Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can organize your equipment to make the most out of your truck bed. We attached the drawer fronts during a different step in the process, we will loop back to that shortly. Center divider - This set up is a little different because each bolt has to have a bearing for each side of the wall. Unless you have a bare metal truck bed, the plastic lining along the inside walls of your bed will not be a perfect square. Just remember to remove the staples before applying the covering. Fancy isn't it?! The assembly is bolt-bearing-nut-washer-wood wall-washer-nut-bearing-nut with loctite. Best RV Mattress Short Queen 2021 | Top 10 Picks for RVers, Top 8 Best RV Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Reviews, The 10 Best 4-Person Tents For Camping In 2021. It could have a curved or a triangle shape, according to your preference. Don’t use metal if not absolutely required. Once we slid it into position it wasn't going anywhere. I'll be honest, we couldn't be bothered by that extra step because sound insulation for the bed of the truck wasn't something we were worried about. All Rights Reserved. I have solar electric DC charging of the battery bank.” Check out the lift in action: Truck Bed Camper Lift. We bought four lengths of tubing in all, two for each drawer. Put Styrofoam in between the spaces of the framing fixtures. Creating your own wood truck bed Tonneau cover is not as hard as to how it seems to be. Diy truck bed camper is cheaper than other factory made truck bed campers. Battery Monitor. The shelf ended up being the exact dimensions of the wheel well and the negative space next to the bed. A DIY truck bed camper is the best option for those travelers who don’t want to pitch a tent or drive a huge trailer. If you want to build your own truck camper, here are the tools, materials, and instructions on how to do it. The driver side we left open because of a plan we will get to shortly. We did this to be sure that the drawer is being supported on the top and bottom by the sliders when the drawer is fully deployed. The only way to overcome this monetary setback is to learn how to build a lightweight truck camper. It also provides limited headroom. When you’re not hauling around groceries or carpentry items in the back of your truck, perhaps you’re taking off on a camping trip. A day and a half later Owen and I became the proud new owners of the 2008 Tacoma you see above! We realized that now was never going to be a better time for us to pass her onto a new and loving home is that she is in "new" condition. The biggest disadvantage is that with space comes things and things have weight. May 6, 2019 - This detailed step-by-step guide will provide you with everything you need to build the ultimate sleeping platform for truck bed camper - keeping you comfortable and organized on your next truck camping adventure. The fabric that we used is the left-overs from Amelia's new cushion upholstery which happens to be Sunbrella fabric. For each of these panels, I only did three strips of velcro along the bottom because these don't need to hold tight to the wall all the time. All these amenities make it perfect for camping during those cold winter nights. Using plywood or light wooden planks is the most vital part of how to build a lightweight truck camper guide. The reason we decided to do this is that it was a bit of a dead zone for potential storage. You can glue and screw the planks to the beams. The first thing we did was cleaned out the truck bed because it was the last time we would have access to a lot of these parts of the truck bed. That way when the whole thing is constructed it uses the wheel wells for additional support. Keep these layers as parallel to the surface as possible and firmly secured together. This home made setup will be unreal! Measure your truck bed and supplies The very first step is to accurately measure your truck to find out how much space you’ve got to work with. : I wanted to make a camper bed with pullout drawers for my truck. : I wanted to make a camper bed with pullout drawers for my truck. A lot has changed for us recently, as I'm sure you've gathered. Diy Truck Bed Campers . When a truck camper includes a full-wall slide-out or numerous slide-outs, it is simple to forget you’re even in a camper. Testing out our belongings in the drawers, travel, toyota, camper, camp, hike, photoagraphy, travel blog, vanlife, Cards, games, review, uno, phase 10, Road trip, travel, entertainment, reading. More typical are removable truck campers. Whether you are having a budget problem or want something smaller than a travel trailer, you can consider a small camper on the back of your pickup truck. The hardest part of building the truck camper setup is measuring correctly. The best thing is.. It’s entirely up to you. A DIY truck camper, like the one crafted by Duncan McGovern, may be just what you need. A truck camper owner’s best friend is a high quality, digital battery monitor like a … Installing drawer stops was imperative to be sure that our drawers didn't come sliding out completely if we ever opened them on a slant. After getting a truck cap, I gathered up some reclaimed wood from pallets and old shipping crates and went to town breaking them down into usable lumber. Apply a layer of PVC sheet on the walls and metal foil on the roof. 3x 4'x8' Sheets of 1/2" Plywood - $107.85, 1x Box of Self Tapping Metal Screws - $5.40, x6 Threaded Wood Inserts for Drawer stops - $3.00, Cork Underlayment (left over from Amelia) - $0.00, Spray Paint for Drawers (left over from Amelia) - $0.00, Fabric for Curtains (left over from Amelia) - $0.00, Velcro for Curtains (left over from Amelia) - $0.00. For the overall construction was super simple three of the panels were simple rectangles with a higher concentration of velcro along the top of the curtain. You’ll probably want your little “truck bed shed” to be light-weight, and it should be built to withstand high winds and mild earthquakes… both depending on how you prefer your driving experience. Currently working as a blogger, he takes pride in providing comprehensive contents about camping knowledge, survival skills based on his own experience. So let’s get started, we have work to do! DIY Pickup Truck Bed Camper Cabinet. Even if you buy an expensive appliance like a refrigerator and microwave for your new truck camper, the cost won’t exceed a thousand dollars. The platform will allow you to store your camping supplies underneath your bed and eliminate the need to set u… Also, remember that your truck insurance company is unlikely to cover any damage done during the remodeling. We used 2 per stopper 6 total for all 4 stoppers because the center divider was able to hold a stopper for each drawer using one set of threaded inserts. Plus, it's effortless to assemble and remove. We didn't realize how important a screen for our truck camper conversion was until the first time we camped in our truck bed. Table of Contents . You can get the job done with a tarp, guylines, and poles. Read More → Fridge Slide: A DIY Alternative for Truck Camping and Overlanding. We're excited to share the process of building out a truck bed because of how accessible it is to so many people who are interested in hitting the road for the weekend, a month or even a year. We don't have any pictures of this part of the process but we pulled the bolts out before we slide the frame into place, once it was in we drilled the holes into the drawer frame from under the truck. We're willing to pay the $93 for the mattress. Here in another week or two we will do a more detailed post of the completed inside build, our thoughts on the design since having some living experience with it, and what we've changed if anything. We purchased two "T" handle locking latches to use as our locks/drawer pulls. Steps on how to make a Wood Truck Bed Tonneau Cover. In that case, the RV solar panels have to be installed on the roof. And to go camping in a truck camper would guarantee a comfortable and relax experience. A few more things I want to make mention of is that our bed will actually rest from the passenger side of the truck bed to the sidewall of the drawers on the driver side. Tools and appliances you will get to diy truck bed camper layers as parallel to the cabinets well as the center.. Form a strong bond the glue dries, apply a layer of pressure wood! Caulk around the trim and seal all the truck the white truck included within this undertaking can two! 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