I plan on pulling the stock bed off my 2001 F150 and replacing it with another stock bed because mine is beat to hell inside. I want to find another rear frame section (found a few local) from a similar model F150 and build a matching camper trailer to tow behind the truck using the bed that came stock on it. I will lift it the same height as the F150 (truck is stock right now) and use the same wheels, tires, and suspension on it so I have spares plus a spare mounted to the front of the trailer and one mounted on a spare tire carrier I plan to build for the truck when I build a new rear bumper. I will be using a long bed frame with a short bed on it so I can get some room to build a storage rack up front. I want to use a camper shell on the trailer and a large tent that will seal around the back of the bed/camper shell so I have a place to stay without being outside. I will be buying a small Honda generator to power a portable A/C and heater so I can camp 3 seasons of the year. I would like to put a small pull out rack under the bed I am going to build to store small stuff I dont want to throw onto of the bed. I will eventually buy an electric over hydraulic brake unit to power the stock brakes on the truck but for right now it wouldn't have brakes cause those units aren't cheap. I would use a stock but modified emergency brake cable to lock the emergency brakes to keep it from moving if I unhook it from the truck.

Has anyone done this? Got any pictures? I know a camper would be less work but I want something to match the truck.

Several people have taken that concept but used a flat bed utility trailer instead.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d99/jagular7/Camper/Stuff%20n%20Design/slide-inontrailer.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d99/jagular7/Camper/Stuff%20n%20Design/slideontrailer.jpg

Couple of things to consider: center of gravity, stair height to get in the camper, other uses of trailer, height of stability bars, parking brake setup, and the camper over-cab bed stick out portion.

I put this slide-in camper on a trailer frame to keep it light behind a TJ with 4cyl/auto.
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d99/jagular7/Camper/Mine/100_4398.jpg

I definitely wouldn't put anything bigger than a pop-up like the one above on it. I also wouldn't bother with a truck axle. Like you said, those electric over hydraulic units are expensive and you could almost certainly get a trailer axle and springs for less.

However it sounds like you're talking about more of a "topper" than a "camper", I know the name for them is different in places. If you just used a topper I doubt you'd be up to the weight you need brakes at anyway.

this is mine
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs119.ash2/39288_427128486523_660066523_5052173_3889329_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs194.ash2/45764_415343306523_660066523_4809612_6795916_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs486.ash1/26589_316594566523_660066523_3501806_3252126_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs277.snc4/40202_409598426523_660066523_4667884_5020706_n.jpg

i thought about a slide in camper then thought about how it would be on a tripod (2 tires and the hitch) and the height and decided against it. i am planning on hooking up the emergency brakes but i need 2 levers, one for each side like cutting brakes. it makes it easier if you need to manhandle it you can just pivot around one tire or the other. i also plan on going electric over hydraulic. i did take the axle shafts out and just put the flanges on from an hold set of axles that didn't go to anything. i'm thinking about getting a 40 gallon rear tank and using that for non potable water and maybe use the front tank for fuel for the truck or maybe fuel for a generator. it also needs a sway bar. at any rate it really worked out nice and i like it a lot.

The name says it all...

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/jeep4sale1978/45764_415343306523_660066523_4809612_6795916_n.jpg

The name says it all...

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/jeep4sale1978/45764_415343306523_660066523_4809612_6795916_n.jpg

:rofl: nice eyes:laughing:

haha, yeah it's a cheap ass big 5 tent but it fit, and when it wears out i'll get another for $30:flipoff2:

I definitely wouldn't put anything bigger than a pop-up like the one above on it. I also wouldn't bother with a truck axle. Like you said, those electric over hydraulic units are expensive and you could almost certainly get a trailer axle and springs for less.

However it sounds like you're talking about more of a "topper" than a "camper", I know the name for them is different in places. If you just used a topper I doubt you'd be up to the weight you need brakes at anyway.

Yes a fiberglass topper to some people, I don't want to go that far into using a pop-up slide in camper because I want to keep it somewhat simple and cheap. Its just something for me, dad and the dog to take off and go camping for several days out in the swamp to get away.

this is mine
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs119.ash2/39288_427128486523_660066523_5052173_3889329_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs194.ash2/45764_415343306523_660066523_4809612_6795916_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs486.ash1/26589_316594566523_660066523_3501806_3252126_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs277.snc4/40202_409598426523_660066523_4667884_5020706_n.jpg

i thought about a slide in camper then thought about how it would be on a tripod (2 tires and the hitch) and the height and decided against it. i am planning on hooking up the emergency brakes but i need 2 levers, one for each side like cutting brakes. it makes it easier if you need to manhandle it you can just pivot around one tire or the other. i also plan on going electric over hydraulic. i did take the axle shafts out and just put the flanges on from an hold set of axles that didn't go to anything. i'm thinking about getting a 40 gallon rear tank and using that for non potable water and maybe use the front tank for fuel for the truck or maybe fuel for a generator. it also needs a sway bar. at any rate it really worked out nice and i like it a lot.

Little more sophisticated than your's but I still like your idea. I will be using a fiberglass topper/camper shell and a SUV attachable ground tent instead of a frame, plywood and a tent like you are running. I first thought about reinforcing the ladder rack I have and putting it in the truck and enclosing it but the only reason is that I am 360 pounds and have no inclination to fall that far and fuck myself up 10 different ways, dad feels the same way. I am going to go under the frame and strip everything from the spare tire location and put a water tank with a pump so I can take showers with it, along with keeping the stock fuel tank for gas storage and use the factory fuel pump to pump fuel from the tank to the truck or the generator. I will build some skid plates for both tanks so they don't get damaged.


For right now I am just going to use a 6x10 box trailer and my 7K watt Generac generator to heat and cool it...

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d99/jagular7/Camper/Stuff%20n%20Design/slideontrailer.jpg



how did nobody notice this was being towed by a lawn mower?

how did nobody notice this was being towed by a lawn mower?

I did when I first saw it...

Yes a fiberglass topper to some people, I don't want to go that far into using a pop-up slide in camper because I want to keep it somewhat simple and cheap. Its just something for me, dad and the dog to take off and go camping for several days out in the swamp to get away.



Little more sophisticated than your's but I still like your idea. I will be using a fiberglass topper/camper shell and a SUV attachable ground tent instead of a frame, plywood and a tent like you are running. I first thought about reinforcing the ladder rack I have and putting it in the truck and enclosing it but the only reason is that I am 360 pounds and have no inclination to fall that far and fuck myself up 10 different ways, dad feels the same way. I am going to go under the frame and strip everything from the spare tire location and put a water tank with a pump so I can take showers with it, along with keeping the stock fuel tank for gas storage and use the factory fuel pump to pump fuel from the tank to the truck or the generator. I will build some skid plates for both tanks so they don't get damaged.


For right now I am just going to use a 6x10 box trailer and my 7K watt Generac generator to heat and cool it...

yeah i haven't used the rtt yet, i prefer to stay in the bed of it but if i ever get to go out longer where i need more room i'll use the bed for gear and sleep in the tent.

the reason for the frame is because i found a beat up camper shell (or topper) for free and when i striped all the crap off of it it was a decent frame. i was going to reskin it but when i threw the canvas on there for a trip i just went that way. it has it's advantages but i would prefer a camper shell. a fiberglass shell wouldn't flap in the wind and if something goes bump in the night there's a certain feeling of security when you can just look out the window while surrounded by a hard shell.

yeah i haven't used the rtt yet, i prefer to stay in the bed of it but if i ever get to go out longer where i need more room i'll use the bed for gear and sleep in the tent.

the reason for the frame is because i found a beat up camper shell (or topper) for free and when i striped all the crap off of it it was a decent frame. i was going to reskin it but when i threw the canvas on there for a trip i just went that way. it has it's advantages but i would prefer a camper shell. a fiberglass shell wouldn't flap in the wind and if something goes bump in the night there's a certain feeling of security when you can just look out the window while surrounded by a hard shell.

AR-15 would be loaded and next to me...

AR-15 would be loaded and next to me...

meh.. that works i guess, i'm partial to my m1a:flipoff2:

Yes, I've done it, made it with a 7 foot long tongue in front of the bed, 4 feet of which was a 5 foot wide by 4 foot long railed platform for storage and hauling of stuff. No pics handy.

how did nobody notice this was being towed by a lawn mower?

$5000 Camper on a $500 dollar trailer....:smokin:

meh.. that works i guess, i'm partial to my m1a:flipoff2:

They wouldn't let me take one home when I was working as a contractor in Iraq...

Yes, I've done it, made it with a 7 foot long tongue in front of the bed, 4 feet of which was a 5 foot wide by 4 foot long railed platform for storage and hauling of stuff. No pics handy.

I will probably build mine with a rack big enough to put a single 4 wheeler on.


Well this may happen alot sooner than I thought. I found a truck locally that was burned up on the driverside fender and inner fender from a bad brake switch for 400 bucks. My friend's cousin needs the engine out of the truck so what I want to do is give him 200 and cut the truck in half and he keeps everything forward of the bed including the engine and tranny, and we will just grab whatever parts off the cab and interior before he scraps it, that way we both win big time. My friend was sure it was a short bed but I am going to look at it this week.