Adventure trailer build thread. | Page 33 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Intro:
This is not a common build here on this forum, but this build is part of another long term build, that has been going on for 10 years now. I feel it is fitting to share this build here, since so much of it's companion is documented on EF. This thread is as detailed as my patience has allowed. I want to be able to help others that might be searching for methods/ideas, and "how to" for much of the build. I do belong to other Overland forums, and will link this thread from them, to share with others.

About:
This trailer is a short compact, stout, capable, high clearance, Swiss army knife of a camper. It is not a popup camper, nor is it a sleep in hard shell camper. It will offer all the creature comforts those do, but in a little different fashion. This style trailer, makes you enjoy the outdoors. You cook/dine, lounge & hot shower outside, but you sleep inside a roomy insulated roof top tent, 78" off the ground.

The tow rig:

The Black Hole

The entire build for the tow rig, has always been with this build in mind, and it has been extremely difficult to keep that to myself, and why it was built the way it was. It is a purpose build, with a specific objective.

The Objective:
To be the living quarters and storage, for off the beaten path journeys yet to come.
To have everything needed to sustain myself, and a few others, out in the middle of nowhere, only accessible by unpaved trails, such as old mining roads. Hauling all the boondocking gear behind, instead of overloading the vehicle's suspension. To minimize setup and tear down times for camping, and have camping items readily accessible, whenever needed.

The trailer needs to be capable of following wherever the tow rig goes. Matching tires, axle width, and the same, if not more height clearance as the tow rig. Sleeping & shelter for 4 comfortably, sustainable cold food storage, food prep space, gas powered cooking, AC/DC power supply, and hot showers for days at a time, are all the requirements for this build.

Goal:

This is the other half of that long term build plan. I am slow at the building and fabricating process, and this will take about a year to complete. Updates will happen as the build progresses. I have entered the 7th month of the build, and expect another 3-4 months left to get it road worthy at the least. Just like anything I have done, it never ends, and improvements will happen, as I gain experience & knowledge with what works best for me.

Baby steps:

This is the first time I have ever attempted anything like this. I am bound to make mistakes, and corrections/improvements are all but a guarantee. I do have a final vision for what I want this to be, as it has been a thought process for many many years now. Please bear with me as this thread goes. Some items won't make sense until it comes to be. I am not going to tell you how things should be done. I am just sharing how I did things on this build. Agree/disagree, like it or leave it, it's mostly a learning experience by mixing what I know, and what I had to learn, to get things as I want them. Definitely not for everybody. Heck, I know I will change things down the road, as I find ways to improve on it. That is part of the fun!



Why am I building this?
I'm Tired of ground tent camping all my life. Tired of the time it takes to set up & tear down. Tired of all the tedious packing, unpacking, moving things from place to place after every trip. Plus, I don't want a motor home that can't leave the roads.
I plan on getting lost a few times, venturing out to places unknown and unseen. We live in a large, beautifully gifted geographical location on the planet. Our own back yard is filled with amazing spectacles. Places that can only be seen on dirt trails, off the beaten paths, not by roads covered in pavement, and delivery trucks. Exploring into the dark hours of the night, and setting camp in the middle of nowhere, instead of heading back. We can traverse a lot of ground this way.

Kudos:

A few friends helped with this build, and I couldn't have got as far as it is without them. Special thanks to James, Matt, Kurt, Ryan, & Jacob. You guys rock!

A warning from the author:

This thread contains: Long drawn out boring tedious explanations, Dry humor, embarrassing anecdotes, speech in the 3rd person, countless pictures, and some content is for Mature audiences. There is a little for everybody here, but be warned, this is not your typical build thread, and not from your typical builder. I am not responsible for your emotional mood swings, due to reading this material. ;)

Edit: Progress pics as of 10/15/18. Getting closer every day!

Dr washed.jpg

RTT on front pass side full view.jpg


First real use!

Camp set 1.jpg

Camp set 2.jpg

Bat wing awning up.jpg



Current specs:
Main Frame- 12'.5"L x 48"W
Whopping 25" of ground clearance with 35" tires
Fenders- 72" Long x 14.00" Wide tapered to 0.00" in front
Cabin- 48"W x 72"L x 36"H
Overall Width - 76"
Overall Height - 68" Roof Rack lowered - 78" Roof Rack lifted
Overall Height- 80" With RTT stowed - 140" RTT open & rack lifted
Dry weight- 2300#'s

2"x3"x3/16" Steel Tube Frame, with 1 pc center tongue beam from front to rear.
3500 Lb Timbren Axleless Independent suspension
10" Electric brakes
35"x12.5" Goodyear MTR's w/kevlar & matching spare
15"x10" Mickey Thompson black satin aluminum wheels
Lock N Roll off road articulating Hitch
14 Ga steel cabin walls & roof
3/4" Ply floor, stained, sealed, & 5 topcoats of acrylic gloss clear
Commercial 60 Mil Waterproof TPO membrane under belly skin
12 Ga steel Fenders on Sq frame & 2" x 3/16" Round slider tubes
Spare tire mount on cabin front
16 Ga swing out 4'W x 2'D x 24"H Tapered Tongue box
16 Ga Side boxes with Tapered front compartments
Telescoping Roof rack (12") with scissor jack actuation
Two rear 31" BAL C leveling jacks & swivel plate base
Dual 5K swivel weld ring flat plate base Tongue jacks
ARK dual wheel offroad 750 HD Tongue jack
Slider system for hidden Solar panel storage
Dual 11 lb Propane tank storage mounts
Quick Disconnect Water supply
All Stainless & Aluminum hardware, where applicable

Interior:
Front compartment 48"Wx24"Lx36"H
Two side doors, and upper 12 ga shelf with expanded metal rear wall
Rear Compartment 48"Wx48"Lx36"H
3/4" PT wood flooring, custom finish, clear satin marine topcoats.
Tie downs on frame tubes
1-60W Led rear cabin, 3-10w Led front cabin
Wiring plumbed with flex and hard conduit
Split cabin with full rear cabin deck, tie down racks

Power:
Dual Group 31 MAGM deep cycle 110 AH batteries
110 shore
100W Renogy Solar
Charge:
NOCO Marine 110v 20 amp onboard Dual smart charger
30 amp Renogy MPPT Solar charger
140 amp traveling vehicle charge, via smart charger
Soon to come: 40 amp-500 watt DC-DC charger from alternator
Portable Valence 80Ah Lifepo4 Solar Gen w/inverter

Accessories:
4 season 23Zero 73" Walkabout RTT W/ large Annex room - telescopic ladder w/rung pads- Ext shoe bags-Led lights- 3" thick x Ca King mattress w/anti condensation mat.
Oversized high density 3" thick 56" x 96" mattress. Cold weather cover, additional secondary rain fly.
Rhino Rack 8.5' Bat Wing 270* Wrap around Awning (2019 version)
5Liter - 1.5 gpm - On demand instant hot water heater
ARB/ViAir 150 psi onboard air system
Ready Welder II
Slide out Kitchen/storage- 1/2" Baltic Birch, sealed/stained/clear coats 350# slides
ICECO VL45 portable fridge/freezer - AC/DC
Custom powder coated locking Fridge slide out.
Wireless controlled winch (upper roof rack storage, rear bumper hitch receiver)
Rear door interior fold down table
Dual 11 lb propane tanks (rear fender mounted)
Marine control panel, rocker switches w/circuit breakers, 12v battery meter, Aux outlets
30 gallon fresh water tank & 3.0 gpm instant on pump w/ inline filter
Trailer Harness Connection lock box
First Aid field kit (large)
Dual Fire Extinguisher's

LED Lighting:
Front- 2-45w dual pods w/amber fogs
Sides- 4-18w pods
Rock- 4-10w blue IP 67
Cabin- 1-60w 3 setting round rear compartment ceiling fixture, 3-10w pods front compartment
Tails/brakes/turns- 30w 6" oval
Reverse- 30w 6" oval
Markers- 3w red & amber
7 pin RV trailer harness & J box

Tongue box build:
Full box tube frame & 16 ga sheet, w/plate and tube gussets
Dual battery mount tray
Red oak Shelf for Noco dual 20 amp charger, 20amp solar charger, 12v systems (3) circuit breakers, fuse panel, main power cutoff switch
3 space divider walls & front storage shelf
Gas lift struts, 2"x 3/16" thick Aluminum lid hinge
Dual SS locking paddle latch handles
Dual 4" SS louvered vents w/bug screens
Pass thru power cord outlet with weatherproof door hatch
NOCO 110v wall power plug w/ weatherproof cover
2k locking latch to frame, & dual 7/16" clevis pins to frame
5/8" spindle for swivel action, for spare tire removal/security

Paint:
Frame- Chassis saver gloss black
Cabin Exterior- Acid etch primer & Single stage Gloss Black automotive 2k urethane
Cabin Interior- SW DTM Gloss White
Side & T boxes, All doors- Urethane Epoxy primer & Single stage Gloss Black 2k Urethane
Roof rack- Chassis saver gloss black
Fenders-Acid etch primer underneath & Urethane base topside, Black Raptor liner w/grip additive

Trim: Aluminum



Lots to add to that list up there, and I will as the build progresses. :)

I hope you enjoy the thread, as much as I have enjoyed the build itself.
 



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Glad you're getting around to checking on that thing! I still haven't seen it in person..
I Might be able to swing a trip next spring... maybe Moab?
 



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Glad you're getting around to checking on that thing! I still haven't seen it in person..
I Might be able to swing a trip next spring... maybe Moab?
Thanks, but this is pretty minor stuff. I mean, it's a battery change. LOL

Trust me, I want to use my toys too. This hasn't been used in 2 seasons now, and the rig hasn't really moved since we was last together in Moab. I should sell everything, but that is saying I give up. I'm not mentally ready to say that yet.
 






It would be a little trouble but you may need to bring the batteries in for the worst part of winter. I brought in every battery this winter, lawn mower battery, extra vehicle battery, etc. I was glad that I did, I didn't have to pre-charge the mower battery. Installed it and the mower started right up.
I know these are not car or mower batteries, but it sounds like they cost a lot and would want to keep them warm like in the bottom of the kitchen cabinet or the coat closet. Wife got over them being in the kitchen when I told her that one of the batteries was her riding mower battery.
Good to hear that you are moving around.
I think these will be fine out in the garage over the winter. They don't work below freezing because the internal programming from the BMS switches them off, as a safety measure. These things have internal temp senors built in. If I keep them on the tender that shouldn't happen. I kept another set (diff brand) of these Lifepo4 units in the garage, over the winter on the smart charger, and they are both fine, and didn't shut down. The AGM's that crapped out was also on the charger. They just said Peace, I'm out, and they left the building all Thelma & Louise style.

These are also warrantied for over a decade, so If they do crap out..... they are much easier to remove than those Awful heavy 75 lb AGM's are.
 






OIC. I assumed that the rig was outside during the winter. By the way, good job on the construction of it.
 






OIC. I assumed that the rig was outside during the winter. By the way, good job on the construction of it.
Thank you!

Yep, it's stored indoors all year, and has since day one.
 






As long as you don't try to charge them below freezing, you will be fine. You can use them below freezing, you just can't charge them.

The other thing to not do is trickle charge them. Let them drain to about 50% then unplug them. Every few months, check on them, and if they are approacing 20% SOC, charge them back to 50%.
 






As long as you don't try to charge them below freezing, you will be fine. You can use them below freezing, you just can't charge them.

The other thing to not do is trickle charge them. Let them drain to about 50% then unplug them. Every few months, check on them, and if they are approacing 20% SOC, charge them back to 50%.
I left a set of 40Ah's on a LifePo4 smart charger all winter in the garage, and they are fine. It was when I let them sit too long, and they dropped too low in voltage, is when the BMS switched them off, and I had a hard time figuring how to get them charged again. Once I figured that out, I left them on the smart charger and haven't had an issue since.

Now these are bigger 100Ah units, and they are new to me as far as maintaining them. My mindset was the same as the other smaller set. But if your saying these take a different set of rules, I'm all for learning. I figured using and charging below freezing are the same thing in the grand scheme, but good to know I could use them in a pinch.

The simple instruction booklet says to check/charge every three months. I guess that is the length of time it takes for them to drop enough for a charge. I got them fully charged now, and will do a periodic voltage test on them and keep track of their loss rate to dial it in with this Model.

Why only bring to 50%, and not 100%? Number of cycles kept by the BMS?
 






In general, batteries are happiest at a moderate state of charge for the longest life. It minimizes stress. I usually keep ones that sit on the charger around 70% or so.
 






In general, batteries are happiest at a moderate state of charge for the longest life. It minimizes stress. I usually keep ones that sit on the charger around 70% or so.
Ahh, ok. I appreciate that. Had no idea these Lithium's was like Lead acid, as far as charging goes. Live and learn, but I will be doing some more reading up on them for sure.
 






100Ah LiFePO4 units with an 11 yr full replacement warranty, made this sale a no brainer.
wow that's great. What kind and price were they? I mean, 11 years !!!
 






Ahh, ok. I appreciate that. Had no idea these Lithium's was like Lead acid, as far as charging goes. Live and learn, but I will be doing some more reading up on them for sure.
That's my understanding that <50% & 100% are less than optimal. I keep mine around 70%, but 80% should be fine to.
 






wow that's great. What kind and price were they? I mean, 11 years !!!
These units are cheap in comparison to other brands out there, but all of them are dropping in price with so much competition out there. When I first started looking at these 100Ah batteries a few years back, they was over $850. Now you can find some for under $300 shipped. I spoke wrong too, they are only covered for 10 years, not 11. lol
 






Manufacturer says this about the below freezing temps:

AUTOMATIC BMS AND LOW TEMPERATURE CUT-OFF : The built-in Battery Management System (BMS) protects your battery from Over Charge and Discharge, Over Current, Short Circuiting, as well as Low and High Temperature for increased performance and longer life. The BMS will automatically cut off the battery and the voltage will drop below 1V. Only when the circuit is cut off, the battery will automatically reactivate after 1 second(No longer need a higher voltage input to activate). Besides, charging low temperature cut-off function will cut off the battery when the temperature below 32°F to ensure safe use and battery performance.


As I thought, these manufacturers program these BMS chipboard's differently then others do. Back to my reading on this unit.......
 






At least you don't have to jolt it back to life if the bms cuts off.. My LifePO battery set (self made, 2x220amp/hr sets) don't need it.. and even better, they don't emit any gases.

You should search youtube, and see if anyone cut one of these apart and verified the temperature sensors are there.

The info sheet for my LifePO cells state 50% charge for long term storage and using them in the SOC range from 20% to 90% will give you over 5k full cycles, and SOC from 0% to 100% more like 2k charge cycles.
 






At least you don't have to jolt it back to life if the bms cuts off.. My LifePO battery set (self made, 2x220amp/hr sets) don't need it.. and even better, they don't emit any gases.

You should search youtube, and see if anyone cut one of these apart and verified the temperature sensors are there.

The info sheet for my LifePO cells state 50% charge for long term storage and using them in the SOC range from 20% to 90% will give you over 5k full cycles, and SOC from 0% to 100% more like 2k charge cycles.
There is that one dude on YT, Will Powers (or something like that), that I have watched dissect these things to see what they are made of. Kind of a twisted enjoyment I get from seeing someone spend big bucks on one, and then tear into it with a saw. LOL
I also built my own power box with 2 smaller 40Ah LifePo4 units, and that dude found the units I used to be top shelf, and highly recommended them. I have the build for them in this thread going back a couple of years. I also shared my experience in jolting these back to life too!! I was a total newb frantically google searching! Many LOL's later, I had power again.

These state 2000 cycles at 100%, and 8000 cycles at 50%. My problem is I have to manually check the charge %, and then disconnect the charger. I do not have a charger I can set, if they even make one. I just dropped big bucks on a new dual battery NOCO smart charger. I need to live with what I got. This has already ripped a hole in my pocketbook. 😲
 






I connected the batteries together and let them balance out for a day. Got them installed and everything hooked back up, including all the new waterproof Circuit breakers for all the systems.

I decided to not install the battery cover/shelf for now. I will find a spot for the rest of the gear stored in it elsewhere. I just didn't feel like fighting it in this heat.

NOCO Gen2 Smart Charger.JPG

New batteries and waterproof 200a breakers installed.JPG


The full Monty 😱 with ID tags still on the cables ( CRS), and no pants on... 🤣

Trailer box full monty.JPG



I also snagged a Jackery 1000 Plus unit during the Amazon Days sale. It arrived today with 30% power. Topped it off in no time. I was going to build another bigger power box with a 2000W inverter, but my shopping list was about the same as this was, so I said screw it, and smashed the buy now button. I can add more batteries to this unit for more power if I want. It comes with a built in 2000W/20A pure sine wave inverter, 2 USB-A & 2 USB-C, 3 110v outlets, and a 12v outlet. It will run a full size coffee maker, so I can be a lazy ass at camp. It has an App, and has Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to control, set, or view functions on it. (more **** to confuse the old man)

3 things right off the bat, I don't like about it is...1) The front 12v outlet has no cover. 2) The rear door that covers the AC/DC Inputs, is weak sauce crap. I don't see it surviving a single season in a vehicle, or a year in my clumsy hands. 3) The solar input is large bullet receptors, and made for their panel wires only. I hope I can find an adapter to use for my panel style connector. The supplied 6 foot power cables are very nice tho, and come in a convenient zippered storage bag.



Jackery 1000 with flash.JPG


Oh and #4) I was supposed to get a free Jackery hat with this order, but didn't. I should send this back. Scammers!🤬
 






Glad to see you still fighting the good fight - - great upgrades (but I'm definitely in the "Dumb Battery" camp). . .

Paul
 






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