Shelter/van body mounting options

[Guruman]

So. I'm on the hunt for a shelter to drop on my m1078. the folks at Eastern are fresh out of the NOS s-280 that I think I want. But.... they do have a m109 insulated van body (see pic).

Now, the shelter boxes have dedicated tie down points/system. I see this van body has a ring of some sort on each top corner. Do you think those would suffice as tie downs? I'd like to retain my functional bed and remove the habitat when not needed. Ideas on the best way to mount this van body securely in the bed of my lmtv?

 

[Ronmar]

Well that one having cutouts for the wheels looks like it was mounted directly to a frame, so it probably has a sub frame already attached to it… it might require some significant modification to set on a flatbed cleanly, including removing that skirt that has the wheel cutouts. That may actually be structural to stiffen the floor…

 

[Guruman]

Well that one having cutouts for the wheels looks like it was mounted directly to a frame, so it probably has a sub frame already attached to it… it might require some significant modification to set on a flatbed cleanly, including removing that skirt that has the wheel cutouts. That may actually be structural to stiffen the floor…

Yeah, I have no idea how flat would sit. Hoping someone can speak to that.

My current thought would be to make a frame or couple of cross bars out of heavy wall 2" square tube that would allow me to slip in a shackle or some kind of jacking leg near each corner to facilitate easy removal, either by gantry or aforementioned jacking legs. Sort of like the one here:

 

[Third From Texas]

Why not just get an s280 from GovPlanet, GovDeals, GSA, or PublicSurplus actuation sites?

I can only imagine how much the <insert_point_of_compus_surplus_scalpers> would rape community members for a NOS 280.

I've seen NOS float thru several of the auctions. While not cheap it's a small fraction of what the scalpers charge (where to you thing THEY are getting them)..

Heh

 

[Guruman]

Why not just get an s280 from GovPlanet, GovDeals, GSA, or PublicSurplus actuation sites?

I can only imagine how much the <insert_point_of_compus_surplus_scalpers> would rape community members for a NOS 280.

I've seen NOS float thru several of the auctions. While not cheap it's a small fraction of what the scalpers charge (where to you thing THEY are getting them)..

Heh

I've been watching the auctions pretty closely. All of the recent ones have been pretty clapped out and banged up. I was hoping to find a decent one from another member here so I could stop watching and waiting for a good one to hit the auctions.

 

[coachgeo]

I've been watching the auctions pretty closely. All of the recent ones have been pretty clapped out and banged up. I was hoping to find a decent one from another member here so I could stop watching and waiting for a good one to hit the auctions.

look at boxes off of civilian Ambulances. Opens some lower profile mounting other options too

 

[NDT]

That Deuce M109 shop van box is ridiculous heavy, at least 2 tons. The aluminum shelter is how to go. Lots of people (myself included) have 280s lying around for camper projects that never materialized.

 

[Guruman]

look at boxes off of civilian Ambulances. Opens some lower profile mounting other options too

Thanks. I'm looking at all kings of stuff that might be made to work.

I thought about lopping the axles of a camping trailer and sitting on there, but I don't think that would be rugged enough to survive actual off-road use.

Conex trailers seem to be just too heavy to be practical. For my application , I don't need all of that beef designed to hold the weight of additional containers stacked on top.

I've looked at some box truck bodies, but most of them are in pretty rough shape, and I'm not sure how much off-road action one of those would take either.

Locking anything other than a shelter box down seems to pose a challenge as well. The shelters have tie down points up high for triangulating straps/chains to hold it steady. anything else won't likely have that. I'd have to engineer a decent way to fasten any other box/traile/container, while hopefully keeping the bed for use when we're not using the box.

 

[Guruman]

That Deuce M109 shop van box is ridiculous heavy, at least 2 tons. The aluminum shelter is how to go. Lots of people (myself included) have 280s lying around for camper projects that never materialized.

I've found a ton of the 250's but scarce few of the 280's around. I worried about the weight of that m109 myself.

Ideally, what I think I'd want is something like the s-280 shelter, but a few feet longer, to maximize the floorspace inside by allowing it to overhang the rear just a bit. I'm still looking.

I've also considered building my own frame and skinning it with some composite panels, but I'm the type that would much rather be using it that building it. And I think to do the custom habitat would pretty much require ditching the stock bed, which I'd sure like to keep for the 50 other weeks a year we're not using it to camp.

You ready to sell that 280?

 

[TomTime]

I've been watching the auctions pretty closely. All of the recent ones have been pretty clapped out and banged up. I was hoping to find a decent one from another member here so I could stop watching and waiting for a good one to hit the auctions.

Hey, not trying to hijack you here. I feel your pain. I've been looking for a good, shelter, van shop, equipment shop for my M1083A1 for 8-9 months now. Every time I find one that is in decent shape they go for big bucks, more then I want to pay. The last one I found was in NC, and it was a shop van and it went for over $4,500.00 and that doesn't include the auction fees or the transportation cost...that's just crazy money for me.

AAR 50353001 Shop Van

www.govplanet.com

I guess I may have to break open a couple more of my piggy banks if I want one .

Good luck, I hope you find one soon!

 

[Guruman]

Hey, not trying to hijack you here. I feel your pain. I've been looking for a good, shelter, van shop, equipment shop for my M1083A1 for 8-9 months now. Every time I find one that is in decent shape they go for big bucks, more then I want to pay. The last one I found was in NC, and it was a shop van and it went for over $4,500.00 and that doesn't include the auction fees or the transportation cost...that's just crazy money for me.

AAR 50353001 Shop Van

www.govplanet.com

I guess I may have to break open a couple more of my piggy banks if I want one .

Good luck, I hope you find one soon!

That's pretty perfect and nice. Thanks for pointing that out. It is a bit bigger than the 280, I'm not sure why it weighs 1500 more pounds though.

I looked at several of the expandable van bodies or containers, but they were all super heavy... way too much to be lugging around on a lmtv.

 

[Guruman]

Man @TomTime, the more I look at that the more I think that's exactly what I need.

 

[TomTime]

Yeah they're nice. Wish I had the b@ll$ to drop that kind of money for it, it would have worked well for me.

In reference to the weigh, after you gut the inside, from all the equipment, I'm sure that will take the weight down a good bit. But, then you'll be adding weight when you make it in to a RV, so that would be a push.

 

[Third From Texas]

Man @TomTime, the more I look at that the more I think that's exactly what I need.

I saw one some months ago up at Lytle, TX. it just sold the other day. There have been about four out of their yard in the past year.

AAR Mobility Systems Storage Container

Used surplus AAR Mobility Systems Storage Container in Lytle, Texas, United States for sale, inspected and guaranteed. null

www.govplanet.com

 

[TomTime]

Not sure how far you want to travel or transport one but here is one in PA.

Gichner Mobile Systems S-280 C/G Electrical Equipment Shelter

Used surplus Gichner Mobile Systems S280C/G :Misc. Portable Structure in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, United States for sale, inspected and guaranteed. null

www.govplanet.com

Was at the Chambersburg PA yard picking up a couple items this past Thursday and this was in the front area. So I was interested in it. I took a lot of photographs of the, Electrical Equipment Shelter. Not a whole lot damage to it but it has several opening in it where water was getting in. There was some water laying under the desk/tables by the walls. There also looks to be a repair patch on the roof top.
That same day, after taking the photographs, they moved it and took pictures of it for the auctions. If you look at picture #16, the damage done to the bottom rear right side, it wasn't there when I took the photographs so the yard person did the damage when moving it.

Well, two points. One, its a shame that they don't take more care when moving items and the second, if interested, let me know I will put some of the photographs up here to look at, that they don't have on the auction site.

I think I'll wait for the 14' long shelter.

 

[Guruman]

Not sure how far you want to travel or transport one but here is one in PA.

Gichner Mobile Systems S-280 C/G Electrical Equipment Shelter

Used surplus Gichner Mobile Systems S280C/G :Misc. Portable Structure in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, United States for sale, inspected and guaranteed. null

www.govplanet.com

Was at the Chambersburg PA yard picking up a couple items this past Thursday and this was in the front area. So I was interested in it. I took a lot of photographs of the, Electrical Equipment Shelter. Not a whole lot damage to it but it has several opening in it where water was getting in. There was some water laying under the desk/tables by the walls. There also looks to be a repair patch on the roof top.
That same day, after taking the photographs, they moved it and took pictures of it for the auctions. If you look at picture #16, the damage done to the bottom rear right side, it wasn't there when I took the photographs so the yard person did the damage when moving it.

Well, two points. One, its a shame that they don't take more care when moving items and the second, if interested, let me know I will put some of the photographs up here to look at, that they don't have on the auction site.

I think I'll wait for the 14' long shelter.

Yeah. I think I want a 14 footer now too.

 

[tgreening]

That Deuce M109 shop van box is ridiculous heavy, at least 2 tons. The aluminum shelter is how to go. Lots of people (myself included) have 280s lying around for camper projects that never materialized.

How close to Dallas are you?

 

[INFChief]

So. I'm on the hunt for a shelter to drop on my m1078. the folks at Eastern are fresh out of the NOS s-280 that I think I want. But.... they do have a m109 insulated van body (see pic).

Now, the shelter boxes have dedicated tie down points/system. I see this van body has a ring of some sort on each top corner. Do you think those would suffice as tie downs? I'd like to retain my functional bed and remove the habitat when not needed. Ideas on the best way to mount this van body securely in the bed of my lmtv?

View attachment 858311

Those rings would not work except as a secondary tie down point - to keep the top heavy van from rolling. The primary tie down points are the front & back and sometimes between the axles depending on what it’s being transported on & who is doing the transporting.

The van body is anchored to the vehicle frame. That’s what you have to figure out; how to fab up acceptable frame mounts. As far as the wheel cut outs you could fab up some covers or fab up a tool box for each cut out on both sides. You can never have enough storage space!

 

[Guruman]

Those rings would not work except as a secondary tie down point - to keep the top heavy van from rolling. The primary tie down points are the front & back and sometimes between the axles depending on what it’s being transported on & who is doing the transporting.

The van body is anchored to the vehicle frame. That’s what you have to figure out; how to fab up acceptable frame mounts. As far as the wheel cut outs you could fab up some covers or fab up a tool box for each cut out on both sides. You can never have enough storage space!

That's pretty much what I was thinking, but now I'm looking at one of these 14 foot shelters, which seem perfect for what I need.

 

[INFChief]

That's pretty much what I was thinking, but now I'm looking at one of these 14 foot shelters, which seem perfect for what I need.

It’s too bad you cannot find an expand-O van body that you could fit up. Those ‘slide outs’ dang near double the interior space!