Well, this is mostly the finished product, minus our comforter and and a few other things that now live in the back of the truck full time. Now for the bug netting. Let us start with the curtains. A truck camper owner’s best friend is a high quality, digital battery monitor like a … Install their frames in those slots and attach with glue and screws. When you carry nearly everything you own it feels important to do what you can to protect it. Get All My Video Courses & Music For Just $7! For the bottom of the drawers, we also cut a dado that ran along the bottom of all the drawer sides and end caps. The very next day we started building out our new home in the Tacoma. Give yourself some extra livable space by rigging an awning system. All in all, it's an easy project that anyone can do. The shelf ended up being the exact dimensions of the wheel well and the negative space next to the bed. You can not lose out on the campers. Diy Truck Bed Campers . Apply a layer of PVC sheet on the walls and metal foil on the roof. With the velcro as the means of attaching these curtains, they went up in 2.5 seconds. 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. Plus, some people don’t want to drive around with such a huge vehicle. Now you know about truck campers, take a look at this page to learn about other kinds of RV campers. So let’s get started, we have work to do! We screwed the metal rails to the drawers from the inside using self-tapping metal screws. Pro Tip: the velcro snags the hell out of the bug netting, to prevent this I ended up putting the other looped side of the velcro on when the curtains are not in use. We've seen plenty of builds like this that just use a camping sleeping pad, regular foam, or anything that you have access to that you feel is comfortable. Man Makes Diy Truck Camper with A Wood Stove by Himself DIY Camper Trailer Ideas. Share This. We attached the drawer fronts during a different step in the process, we will loop back to that shortly. I have solar electric DC charging of the battery bank.” 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. Check out the lift in action: Truck Bed Camper Lift. From there all that was left was to cut and screw the bed platform into place. Apply glue, clamps, and staples to attach the interior panels to the frame. 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. At this rate all we wanted to do is get on the road, this build just needed to be functional so we could live out the year with the gear we need. But, truck beds can be a hassle to organize. Hey Friends! Battery Monitor. 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. Once the bolt was tightened down into place we cut down the excess bolt so it wouldn't stick out preventing the frame to fit inside of the wheel wells. top 20 Diy Truck Bed Campers . A truck camper is like a tent on wheels. 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. Plumbing and Electrical System . How to Build a Lightweight Truck Camper: Follow the Instructions. 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. *** Our rivets and our pop rivet tool were left over from the Amelia build, so we were fortunate to not have to purchase those tools again! 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 following is a list of things that we used, some we bought specifically for this build, some are leftovers from Amelia. Then, attach the kind of fabric you want to attach – it could be bed sheets or canvas. Also, it is necessary to chip and interconnect the planks together to form a strong bond. Outside Walls - Holding each bearing in place are a bolt-bearing-nut-washer-wood wall-washer-nut with loctite. : I wanted to make a camper bed with pullout drawers for my truck. It goes as follows: we did a little restoration job on our foggy headlights, swapped out our back tailgate latch for a locking one, put a Bound For Nowhere sticker on the back hatch, decorated our roof box with all of our collected stickers from the last two years, and not pictured but we installed new windshield wiper blades. 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. This makes it difficult for you to sit up. But, without the rip-away screen we wouldn't be able to sit comfortably in our truck camper with the access door open. The main heat is blown air heater off propane. 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. 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. It seems like an easy step, but in order to maximize your space, you have to contour your design to your truck bed. Then, attach the bolts, latches, and hinges as required. Anyone who loves to go camping or wants to explore their country must love the idea of a truck camper. I love how this camper has a lot of insulation. Before installing the glass, use silicone caulk around the trim. Keep all the wires and receptacle under the truck bed. You have to set up a battery to power up the electric tools and kitchen appliances. The Elevated Truck Bed. 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. They have a 1 year limited and a 2 year structural warranty policy. : I wanted to make a camper bed with pullout drawers for my truck. After a quick internet search, we decided that we wanted to look for a Toyota Tacoma with a bed camper shell. After getting a truck cap, I gathered up some reclaimed wood from pallets and old shipping crates and went to town … Fancy isn't it?! Purchasing 2×4 planks and then cutting them to the 2×2 size with a table saw will save the expenses further. It could have a curved or a triangle shape, according to your preference. Thanks! A lot has changed for us recently, as I'm sure you've gathered. Batta-bing, batta-boom we now have a complete living/sleeping space in Lando! We needed the frame to span the entire width between the wheel wells so we maximize the little space we have for our drawers. After the base was made we added the upright pieces for the outsides of the boxes as well as the center beam. But it’s not like anyone can afford a purpose built truck camper. Put cotton and bubble wrap layers across the dimensions of the frame. Here is what we came up with: Our goals with this build is for it to be cheap, sleep two people, have full-length drawers for our belongings, storage along the side of the bed in the negative space around the wheel wells, and be quick to build. Most campers prefer building elevated sleeping platforms. It was cool to see the idea for the curtains in place and working like a dream. 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). This home made setup will be unreal! And to go camping in a truck camper would guarantee a comfortable and relax experience. Tour My NEW DIY Camper. You have to seal all the connecting joints to ensure that no air enters the interior. Comments are closed. We constructed two cabinets and two middle support sections. Plus, it's effortless to assemble and remove. Also, remember that your truck insurance company is unlikely to cover any damage done during the remodeling. It’s difficult to add insulation to factory-produced truck campers, and Matt did a great job of making his unusually well-insulated. If required, thin the glue by mixing some water. But if you still desire a trip with the truck camper, there is a solution. Feb 7, 2019 - DIY Truck Bed Camper! We're willing to pay the $93 for the mattress. This is a quick and easy way … With only four steps, this is probably the quickest and easiest DIY homemade truck bed camper one can do. The cork we stapled down as protection to the mattress once we got it in here. Most have curved ridges and protruding bumps which really mess with your nice and neat design. Maybe you are not a big of an adventurous life! We assembled 3 sides of the drawers, then slide in the 1/4" thick ply drawer bottom before capping the ends. 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. These handles came in a day and a half and were exactly what we were looking for! These bolts are there to hold the bed liner into place are very robust with plenty of extra threading. Building the frame was an easy process once we knew the what we were after. How to Build a Truck Bed Camper for UNDER $400. After 3 weeks on the road in Amelia, we quickly realized that she wasn't going to be a long term fit for us. Using plywood or light wooden planks is the most vital part of how to build a lightweight truck camper guide. 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