M1078 with Camper Trailer

[Challenger410]

Has anyone just knocked off the axle and tongue and mounted something like this in the bed? I see alot of S280s being built.. But for less $ and less time.. Throw on a matching paint job.. and consider it done. What am i missing?

 

[simp5782]

You can get the UN boxes I believe it would fit. I have seen a few boxes that just pop up. I delivered one to Houston awhile back. Or just raise the camper on a heavier frame and axle like a bolster trailer, paint it 383 green and drive on with the camper in tow.

 

[Challenger410]

This camper for example is on CL for 2800 bucks.. 1 afternoon and a few adult beverages it's in the bed.. I'm just curious if anyone has gone this route as it's cheap.. fast.. and already built.. Maybe i am over simplifying it as an S280 build can take months or even years to complete and cost more than 2800..

 

[simp5782]

Well your bed is 5ft off the ground and that thing looks more than 8ft 6 so.


Plus making hold downs for it.
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[coachgeo]

Many have done it. Mostly in Europe on other rigs as the base. Here in US..... search for ... "Bill Caid" Mercedes ...

When was considering same thing myself; thought was to remove camper axle but keep suspension. Mount to bed/chassis a trailer ball. Hitch up trailer's Coupling to chassis/bed's ball as if was still a pull behind. Though I'd remove the Camper's tongue and relocate trailers coupler from it closer in to the body of camper; if not under the front edge. Hard mount the bottom of camper suspension to chassis or bed as if it was the axle. Maybe should stiffen this suspension a bit as well? This would give you simple three point mount system. IMHO suspension is more needed doing this type of conversion cause the wood framed camper will buckle and crumble affixed to a truck chassis that has even slightest of flex. Also consider mounting trailer backward so the more squared end at rear of camper is more symmetrical to rear of cab. It will just look far better. Guess you could even put two trailer couplings for a 4 point mount. One on each end with suspension as described above for an easy 4 point mounting.

One could put a facade cover between camper and spare tire/Air filter space to even more closely tie the aesthetics flow from cab to camper. Would help it looks less like a pull behind camper thrown onto a truck and more like an Expedition vehicle. Also use a hard-sided trailer for same reasons.

Just a .02 from someone who thought too much about this already.

 

[Challenger410]

Just for grins.. I looked it up.. it's 8 feet 5 inches tall sitting on the tires. I will guess taking the axles out and you can save 10 to 16 inches... Interior height is 6.08 feet.. Tie down.. easy.. just fashion up u-bolt system.. One end over the trailer fame.. and use the bed as the plate and bolting point.

 

[coachgeo]

Don't forget .... or in case you do not know.. the Transmission sticks a good bit above the chassis and bed's sub-chassis. That will increase your overall height 10 inches or more from ground unless you cut the bottom of camper out at one end and box around the tranny with some sort of Hump.

 

[coachgeo]

Just for grins.. I looked it up.. it's 8 feet 5 inches tall sitting on the tires. I will guess taking the axles out and you can save 10 to 16 inches... Interior height is 6.08 feet.. Tie down.. easy.. just fashion up u-bolt system.. One end over the trailer fame.. and use the bed as the plate and bolting point.

was editing my post as you responded. You might want to reread if you have not already.

 

[Challenger410]

Not talking about removing the truck bed.. I want to leave the bed on.. just thinking of sliding in the axle-less trailer into the bed.. attach some spring vibration mounts (used in off road service bodies) and bingo!..

 

[simp5782]

Just get some aluminum, a spool gun, and get to making a camper like Profo. only took him about 4 months.

 

[Challenger410]

Just get some aluminum, a spool gun, and get to making a camper like Profo. only took him about 4 months.

Profo = Not me.. lol

 

[Challenger410]

an M1079 is 11.6 tall.. so if i come in at 11.5 to 12 feet total.. i think that's doable..

 

[coachgeo]

an M1079 is 11.6 tall.. so if i come in at 11.5 to 12 feet total.. i think that's doable..

Completely respect your thoughts.

For me.... even M1079 is too tall cause prefer to have the option get further off the beaten path than most. Spoiled by my former Dieselized 404 w/Command box that was around 10.5 after roof rack.

Consider a slide up like Bill Caid did.

The liking of potential to get off beaten paths .... created the only reason that chose not go with a pull behind camper mount route myself. Desired for a SOLID structure Box to aid in a roll or flop had higher priority with this in mind. Going with a Box off of an Ambulance. Solid as **** and cabs on FMTV trucks...... well not a very good roll reputation, so this will help protect cab passengers as well for it will act some as a ROP for the cab. Found 14.5 foot long Ambulance box for around 2 grand. Plan to put tunnel for Tranny to keep it low as possible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjLs2sUcw-M

 

[Nomadic]

Looks lik Braun makes a strong box. Sounds like you got a good deal on one. Do you think the extra weight of your truck will have a negligible difference in a roll compared to that video?

 

[coachgeo]

Looks lik Braun makes a strong box. Sounds like you got a good deal on one. Do you think the extra weight of your truck will have a negligible difference in a roll compared to that video?

Most definitely... but then again if rolled or flopped most likely it would not be at speed as done in video.... but from traversing cattywampus trail at slow speeds or from slow travel slide on black ice and sudden drop of tire off road edge... or something to that effect.

 

[coachgeo]

Side note..... on version 1.2 of my old Unimog had purchased a small older Egg style 5th wheel camper (scamp) and was looking at towing it after putting military axles under it. Thought was to make it towable from either end. Some terrain would not do well with a portion of camper over the trucks bed was why that thought. Also thought was to cut bed corners of truck off to give more manuverabiltiy without camper hitting sides of truck. Plan was to deposit trailer as a home base before venturing further a trail.

404 Unimog is small enough to do that. An FMTV is not. Im older now lol. won't venture as far as once would.

 

[TNriverjet]

This camper for example is on CL for 2800 bucks.. 1 afternoon and a few adult beverages it's in the bed.. I'm just curious if anyone has gone this route as it's cheap.. fast.. and already built.. Maybe i am over simplifying it as an S280 build can take months or even years to complete and cost more than 2800..

I've been toying with similar ideas. A small box pop up tent camper mounted sideways at the front of the bed would also be interesting. When deployed, the slide out beds would extend out past the sides of the bed. You would also have a nice "porch" over the remaining portion of the bed.

 

[coachgeo]

I've been toying with similar ideas. A small box pop up tent camper mounted sideways at the front of the bed would also be interesting. When deployed, the slide out beds would extend out past the sides of the bed. You would also have a nice "porch" over the remaining portion of the bed.

Yeah that would be a sweet setup. Seen a Unimog 406 setup that way; granted no bed left over on back of a 406 in that scenario. Would be great way to go with an FMTV too. Put in a crane to raise/lower an ATV or two that sat in the remaining of the FMTV bed. Porch could be under the opened camper sides too.

The problem you might run into though is at conventional camping spots.. your opened camper may be wider than the actual designated site. You could mount it in conventional direction and raise it to where campers top is just above cab thus when opened one section opens up OVER top of cab and other section over a remaining portion of the bed. You would not have to unload the bed in that configuration. Just have a good ladder and don't camp under trees??

 

[Hermannator]

ACS SHOP box that is being modified as a camper.

 

[Hermannator]

Powered by the Beast with S280. Lots more to do but aren't all projects like this a work in progress.