Thanks guys, it now has the half life of a radioactive isotope. And yes it will be on the truck soon, we have just been slammed with work and my days have been very long, which is good! I'm designing a latch system that is spring loaded so we don't have to deal with turn buckles, chains. Think something like a Destaco 385L on the camper except with a locking feature (HD padlock) and a spring loaded lower system that bolts into the lower channel on the deck, a very deep engagement on the lower that will not let the latch "fall out" without assistance from 2 hands in case something lets go, the double lock should be enough but I like redundancy. At 7500 lbs capacity each, they aren't going to have any strength issues.
Flatbed and composite panel build on Dodge 2500
- Thread starter Jeep
- Start date
xtremexj
Adventurer
No worries Mark - I know you're super slammin busy right now. I'll try for another time to come down when you're able to spend a few minutes with me so I'm not taking you away from real business. :sombrero:
I play outside
Member
Well....... Ummmmm..... I...... You're..... The..... And....
WOW!!!!!!
WOW!!!!!!
Thanks guys, it's a bit of a process for sure! There is a portable diesel tank in an external locker on the drivers side of the camper. Nice and close to the trucks filler. The camper is designed so it can be removed from the truck really quick and be used independently, on the jacks, and left in the field of bush for weeks if need be.
Got some stuff done...roof rack with lifting points and awning mount, rear ladder with 3' fold down so it's easier to access the roof. With the roof only being 10'7" off the ground there is room for stuff up top, it can definitely handle it. There are 4 lifting points so I can pick it up with a crane, gantry, hoist, whatever will lift it. Makes an easy unload in my shop, also makes a super easy unload at a port, easy to stuff into a sea container and park behind it if need be too. Ladder is on the RH side at rear and the storage locker lays across the back mounting to the ladder and the extrusion on the LH side, it sits at the top of the taper and just below the window, will fit all 4 jacks along with other camping stuff, the jacks snap into some really cool nylon brackets that we manufacture for hydraulic cylinders that are used with the jaws of life in our rescue units, very secure and damage free storage. The bottom of the ladder sits at the top of the taper as well, there is a flip down section 3' long, could be longer if need be.
I like Huck bolts, so do engineers! Lifting lug reinforcement plates, .250 aluminum.
They are 10' long but not very heavy, ladder was built the same way.
Cross members could have been .125 wall, tubing size is 1 1/2" x .188 wall. There are holes every 12" so the rack can be adjusted to accommodate different loads and clear roof mounted equipment.
Rear storage box.
I added about 120 pounds to the unit but all very functional stuff. I also made the decision to pick up a 3500 Dodge, that will leave me enough room to pack around 1500 - 2000 pounds of gear before I encroach on the GVW rating of the chassis. The 2500 will have to work while I locate and build a 3500 and I'm sure it will be fine, there is not a lot of difference between the 2 trucks and I will update the suspension to 3500 "and a little better" specifications.
Cheers!
I like Huck bolts, so do engineers! Lifting lug reinforcement plates, .250 aluminum.
They are 10' long but not very heavy, ladder was built the same way.
Cross members could have been .125 wall, tubing size is 1 1/2" x .188 wall. There are holes every 12" so the rack can be adjusted to accommodate different loads and clear roof mounted equipment.
Rear storage box.
I added about 120 pounds to the unit but all very functional stuff. I also made the decision to pick up a 3500 Dodge, that will leave me enough room to pack around 1500 - 2000 pounds of gear before I encroach on the GVW rating of the chassis. The 2500 will have to work while I locate and build a 3500 and I'm sure it will be fine, there is not a lot of difference between the 2 trucks and I will update the suspension to 3500 "and a little better" specifications.
Cheers!
Mark, is there anything you don't do at your shop
Seriously though, what does most of your business consist of on a daily or regular basis? I glanced back through the thread and did not see a company website.
I own LITE Industries Inc. LITE is an acronym for "low impact transportation equipment"www.liteindustries.ca. We run a staff of 20-30 people, have some very talented people from design through to completion, it really is all about the team. We manufacture a lot of equipment for different industries, mining, construction, utilities, oil and gas, fire and rescue, etc. Our record quarter produced 52 trucks, everything in there from flat decks, to pickers, and brush trucks. We did a lot of medium and heavy duty 4x4 and 6x6 conversions but that business is definitely slowing down up here. We are one of very few ROPS test facilities, we design, perform destructive testing, certify, and manufacture ROPS, FOPS, and seat belt and anchorage systems. Our philosophy really is lighter is better. Canada has a very challenging business environment, so diversity is key to stability! We have a lot of infrastructure in place, and the move into composites is very natural for us, I have a very personal interest in the expedition trucks, campers, etc. I just love the stuff! I built my first one about 12 years ago, it's a passion. Here are a few pics of some of the industrial stuff we do.
Here is something I built back in the off road shop days circa 2001/2002, I took my 95 YJ, stretched the frame, used a Scrambler hard top, built the back of the cab to replicate the Scrambler parts, built the box to replicate a FJ45, 350 TBI, 700R4. Atlas, custom suspension, yadda yadda yadda....was one of my favorite builds.
Mark,
Do you plan on getting a SRW 3500 or possibly DRW and converting to super singles? Regular truck bed and removing it or Chassis Cab?
Awesome build, I appreciate the pics of the business side of things, I wanted to ask a while back, but didn't want to be rude.
There were several background shots and references to your work, that gave big hints, but I never really put the whole big picture together.
Of course you may have spelled it out in black and white and I just missed it
If you don't mind me asking? Is this something you plan to manufacture, or just a one-off for yourself??
Again great work, and the time to keep this thread updated is considerable and also appreciated!!
Keith in CT USA
Sent from my Passport
There were several background shots and references to your work, that gave big hints, but I never really put the whole big picture together.
Of course you may have spelled it out in black and white and I just missed it
If you don't mind me asking? Is this something you plan to manufacture, or just a one-off for yourself??
Again great work, and the time to keep this thread updated is considerable and also appreciated!!
Keith in CT USA
Sent from my Passport
