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4500 Camper/Jeep Hauler Build
- Thread starter gprguy
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- 4500 camper chassis cab jeep
gprguy
Well-Known Member
Been busy since getting home from Arizona but nothing post worthy. Cleaning and the like. Mostly trying to clean out the shop after 18 months of this one project. I need to finish rearranging so I can get the truck on the lift and give it a proper post trip inspection. As far as I know the wiring for the DRVM coming apart (my fault) is the only issue.
I've also been working with Stablecamper to modify some of their under bed boxes to fit my bed, and ordered those yesterday. Looking forward to getting those in a month or so to get some more storage.
I also picked up a 36" super truss extension which we will use on our next planned trip in May down to the redwoods. Very nice as one would expect from Torklift.
I've also been working with Stablecamper to modify some of their under bed boxes to fit my bed, and ordered those yesterday. Looking forward to getting those in a month or so to get some more storage.
I also picked up a 36" super truss extension which we will use on our next planned trip in May down to the redwoods. Very nice as one would expect from Torklift.
Are those going in the space between the camper and the bed normally where the wheel wells would be below the camper?
Edit : Redwoods are on our list of things to go see. We’ve been tinkering with the idea of going there. We live on the newly named Gulf of America, so it’ll be quite the ride.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
They will be hanging underneath the bed, replacing the temporary mudflaps and stuff. The cutouts on the driver side are for clearance for the fuel filler hoses.
I have plans for above the bed, between the bed and camper, but I think we are also looking to upgrade the camper first and I'm going to wait till that is sorted out.
Is this the little adapter you are referring to? The female threaded RP-TNC fitting on the end of the cable plugs into it?, Fakra plugs into camera? Does the RP-TNC connection look waterproof?
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gprguy
Well-Known Member
Yes to all of that. I can't swear by the RP-TNC connection being waterproof, but it's the same connector Ram uses on their harness so it should be good enough.
The reason I asked, I have a 2024 Chevy 2500. Chevy doesn't use an adapter at the connection to the truck They use a proprietary fitting similar to the adapter Mopar sells that has a DVB TV fitting that plugs directly into the truck. Problem with this is if you have a bad connector you have to replace the entire setup as they do not sell just a cable with ends. Cable and camera kit from Chevy is $650, can find it on sale for $500. The only replaceable part is the actual camera in the housing. Not sure about Mopar but the camera is the same one as in the mirrors, about $100.
I made up a custom one at first using a housing guy sells on Ebay, cable from Segemart. Only issue is you can't get a waterproof end like the Chevy one so if I can use the Mopar adapter and the RP TNC fitting on the cable it's a better setup. The guy that makes the housing also sells holders for the DVB TV fittings, helps with not pulling the wire off the fitting but not watertight.I made the metal hood for it as the plastic is not UV rated.
I made up a custom one at first using a housing guy sells on Ebay, cable from Segemart. Only issue is you can't get a waterproof end like the Chevy one so if I can use the Mopar adapter and the RP TNC fitting on the cable it's a better setup. The guy that makes the housing also sells holders for the DVB TV fittings, helps with not pulling the wire off the fitting but not watertight.I made the metal hood for it as the plastic is not UV rated.
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gprguy
Well-Known Member
Seems like it might work - I don't have enough miles on my camper camera (only about 4000) to talk about longevity of the connection but it's the same as the stock cable (I have one sitting right here) and the Mopar adapter should be obtainable for $30 or something.
At least Mopar was nice enough to use an adapter if you have an issue. The RP TNC fitting is probably fine. Thanks for the input.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
Figure it's more than time for an update. Things have been busy around these parts - I've spent a ton of time cleaning out the garage after 18 months of thrashing on the truck. I finally have enough room to work on vehicles again this week, and I'm back at it.
Over the last few months I've been tuning and testing and upgrading my 3D printer to print ASA-CF (acrylonitrile styrene acrylate with carbon fiber strands embedded) so I have a good, water resistant, heat resistant plastic to print the final CHMSL mount out of. I finally have that working the way I want (a chamber heater was the final key) and I started printing out what I thought was my final design for the CHMSL.
It's printed in two halves and needs some sealant at the joint. I clamped it up to dry on the inside of some scrap aluminum angle.
At this point, the only thing left to do is cut a giant hole in the cabinet I spent half a year building..
I built a cardboard box on the inside to try to catch the shavings.
I made a paper/cardboard template from the 3D model and traced that out.
A bit of cutting later and it.. mostly but not quite fits. It's not sitting down enough vertically.
It turns out I didn't take into consideration clearance for one of the crossbars with the supports on the back side of the mount. No big deal, but I had to make some changes and new versions are printing today. Hopefully I can get them installed sometime in the next couple days.
Meanwhile I picked up a few upgrades for my LJ's 20th birthday - finally replacing the factory head unit, adding a winch, GenRight winch bumper, etc. Once I get that and a few upgrades done to my wife's Jeep I am planning on getting the Comanche running.
Hopefully I'll be picking up the Stablecamper boxes this month as well. Gonna be a busy summer.
Over the last few months I've been tuning and testing and upgrading my 3D printer to print ASA-CF (acrylonitrile styrene acrylate with carbon fiber strands embedded) so I have a good, water resistant, heat resistant plastic to print the final CHMSL mount out of. I finally have that working the way I want (a chamber heater was the final key) and I started printing out what I thought was my final design for the CHMSL.
It's printed in two halves and needs some sealant at the joint. I clamped it up to dry on the inside of some scrap aluminum angle.
At this point, the only thing left to do is cut a giant hole in the cabinet I spent half a year building..
I built a cardboard box on the inside to try to catch the shavings.
I made a paper/cardboard template from the 3D model and traced that out.
A bit of cutting later and it.. mostly but not quite fits. It's not sitting down enough vertically.
It turns out I didn't take into consideration clearance for one of the crossbars with the supports on the back side of the mount. No big deal, but I had to make some changes and new versions are printing today. Hopefully I can get them installed sometime in the next couple days.
Meanwhile I picked up a few upgrades for my LJ's 20th birthday - finally replacing the factory head unit, adding a winch, GenRight winch bumper, etc. Once I get that and a few upgrades done to my wife's Jeep I am planning on getting the Comanche running.
Hopefully I'll be picking up the Stablecamper boxes this month as well. Gonna be a busy summer.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
The 3D printer worked all night making new parts and this fits much better.
The major change was to flatten out the bottom of the support pieces.
On with the drilling and clecos.
Looking pretty good. No turning back now. Lots of sikaflex and rivets.
Really happy with that. Another change I made was to use melt in threaded inserts for this instead of trying to put rivnuts in for the CHMSL bolt holes. Not sure why I didn't think of that originally.
Tomorrow, clean up the excess sealant and the thing should just bolt down and plug in.
I can also finally throw out all of my various prototypes that were either stages of the design, testing fit, or testing the print orientation or materials. There were a few..
This has been a silly amount of work to mount a third brake light, but I am really happy with how it is coming out. Utilizing the DRVM to see through the big cabinet was one of the original goals of this build and I am stoked to see it come together.
Also, a little off topic since this thread is ostensibly about my Ram build... I had to wait for the Amazon guy to show up with the melt in inserts before I could rivet it to the box, and while I was waiting I started mocking up the bumper on my LJ.
Bad ass. I really like how the tube work all matches the rest of the Jeep. The GenRight welds aren't quite Rokmen quality (RIP Rokmen, you are missed) but they are very nice.
The major change was to flatten out the bottom of the support pieces.
On with the drilling and clecos.
Looking pretty good. No turning back now. Lots of sikaflex and rivets.
Really happy with that. Another change I made was to use melt in threaded inserts for this instead of trying to put rivnuts in for the CHMSL bolt holes. Not sure why I didn't think of that originally.
Tomorrow, clean up the excess sealant and the thing should just bolt down and plug in.
I can also finally throw out all of my various prototypes that were either stages of the design, testing fit, or testing the print orientation or materials. There were a few..
This has been a silly amount of work to mount a third brake light, but I am really happy with how it is coming out. Utilizing the DRVM to see through the big cabinet was one of the original goals of this build and I am stoked to see it come together.
Also, a little off topic since this thread is ostensibly about my Ram build... I had to wait for the Amazon guy to show up with the melt in inserts before I could rivet it to the box, and while I was waiting I started mocking up the bumper on my LJ.
Bad ass. I really like how the tube work all matches the rest of the Jeep. The GenRight welds aren't quite Rokmen quality (RIP Rokmen, you are missed) but they are very nice.
Last edited:
Great White North Eh
Squish Cat - And So
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Hopefully you don’t have a pile of bumpers to match the other pile.
It all looks good to me
.
My 3-D skills consist of what blobs out of the glue gun.
It all looks good to me
.My 3-D skills consist of what blobs out of the glue gun.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
Some cleaning up of the sealant...
And the factory CHMSL just bolts right in.
Done. I can now see behind me and see the cargo on my flatbed.
That may be it for a little while for the truck, at least till my boxes are ready. Time to get some work done on the Jeep fleet.
And the factory CHMSL just bolts right in.
Done. I can now see behind me and see the cargo on my flatbed.
That may be it for a little while for the truck, at least till my boxes are ready. Time to get some work done on the Jeep fleet.
Eatonpcat
Well-Known Member
Somehow you made mounting a light an interesting story! Great work!
Also love the Jeep Bumper!
Also love the Jeep Bumper!
gprguy
Well-Known Member
Took a trip down to Stablecamper to pick up the new custom under bed boxes.
Haven't had time to look them over too much, but so far I am very impressed with the workmanship. Looking forward to getting these fit up and outfitted. Probably going to be slow going - we are going camping in late May and I probably don't have time between now and then..
Haven't had time to look them over too much, but so far I am very impressed with the workmanship. Looking forward to getting these fit up and outfitted. Probably going to be slow going - we are going camping in late May and I probably don't have time between now and then..
Bigboom338
Active Member
What are the dimensions of those? They look nice.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
At the top, roughly 39" long, 18" tall and 21" deep. They are custom fit for my bed and will hang down about the same amount as the tire carrier.
Stablecamper advertises boxes fit for the CM beds on their site, but Jared can do pretty much anything custom. He was able to incorporate notches for my fill necks and I am going to work with him on some more things in the future. He works fully in CAD (Fusion 360) and I was really happy with the entire design process and so far am really happy with the build quality.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
I should also add - I specifically had him leave them raw finish, ready for paint/coating. So they have been sanded, and things like the weather stripping and hinges are only partially installed. Once I finish mounting them I am going to get them powder coated.
If you wanted them polished or powder coated or whatever he can do that too.
If you wanted them polished or powder coated or whatever he can do that too.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
Test fit. They fit perfect.
Great White North Eh
Squish Cat - And So
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I’m Totes Jelly of those boxes…mine came from Vevor and they are well…… at least they are of the same calibre as the rest of my homemade Hillbilly Flatbed. 