Tiny House On A Steel Soldier “Redux” Expedition Build

[BrandonBellrose]

After spending ten months and 20,000 miles on the road in our m931a2 with a m109a3 shop van piggybacking on its back, we have come back to our shop in Philipsburg, Mt. to build a true expedition vehicle. The family learned a lot living full time in a military truck, having the time of our lives. The setup we left with last year was just a step above camping, now its time to take it to the next level.
The goal:
When we hit the trail next time the truck performs like a true expediton vehicle so the family never wants to stop.

 

[antennaclimber]

Please keep us updated with lots of pictures of the build.

And thanks for providing us with a lot of info from the last trip, it was great reading!

 

[CARMAN]

Sweet! I'm ready!

 

[BrandonBellrose]

Coming back to the shop in February, we spent more time cutting wood to burn with -40 below nights then working on the project. The shop can burn up to 20 cords of wood during the winter season, this season being rougher then many. Plus the fact that we had been gone for almost a year, tons of issues needed to be solved just to get life stated again.

 

[Elijah95]

**** a 10 month vacation and 20,000 miles with an entire family on the road? What’re you doing for work I’m in the WRONG field

 

[BrandonBellrose]

First we had to get the shop up to a working temp. Move out of the m931a2 into a RV behind the shop. Then it was time to rip out m109a3’s current interior and decided how deep we were going to get into this remodel.

 

[BrandonBellrose]

With a auto lift that the m931a2 just barely fit underneath we set the m109a3 onto the shop floor.

 

[BrandonBellrose]

Because of mold issues of the previous trip we decided to strip it down extracting all the fiberglass insulation and to check the integrity of the box. I have to say that ripping out the insulation was a major pain.

 

[BrandonBellrose]

Spent the week building some shop tables both wood and steel. Can’t fabricate anything on the floor.

 

[BrandonBellrose]

Started plugging the hundreds of small holes in the 20 gauge sheet metal with a copper block, welder, and hand cut sheet metal plugs.

 

[BrandonBellrose]

Then when things seemed to be moving along at a pleasant pace I got side track buying four HDT Airbeam tents and a M989a1 trailer.

 

[CARMAN]

East coast for the next road trip?

 

[BrandonBellrose]

East coast for the next road trip?

Yes !! East Coast is on the planning board..

 

[BrandonBellrose]

Off to buy Steel

With the M109a3 stripped down to the frame from the inside, and completing a inspection of the original frame build and its years of use. We decided to beef up the internal structure by building the walls and cabinets out of steel tubing. We planned on welding a hidden roll cage system that would give our kids a fighting chance if we were to lay the rig on it side.
As always when I decide to fabricate in steel, prices rise 30% a week.

 

[BrandonBellrose]

Starting the tack up with my Lincoln Electric 3200 weld/pac burning .030 flux core. I quickly became displeased with the quality of my welds. So I ordered a Miller Multimatic 200 mig/tig/stick inverter welder, welding the frame with C25 argon/co2 mix .030 wire. My wife wanted a better shower/tube solution, so I decided to cantilever a larger tub/shower out the back of the m109a3. We purchase a Hypertherm 30xp Plazma cutter so cutting the tub/shower hole would be easier then with a cutoff wheel.

 

[BrandonBellrose]

The logical fabrication starting point would be the shower/tub expansion on the drivers side rear of the M109a3. The expansion would also carry/support our inverter portion of the heater/air conditioner.

 

[98G]

Starting the tack up with my Lincoln Electric 3200 weld/pac burning .030 flux core. I quickly became displeased with the quality of my welds. So I ordered a Miller Multimatic 200 mig/tig/stick inverter welder, welding the frame with C25 argon/co2 mix .030 wire. My wife wanted a better shower/tube solution, so I decided to cantilever a larger tub/shower out the back of the m109a3. We purchase a Hypertherm 30xp Plazma cutter so cutting the tub/shower hole would be easier then with a cutoff wheel.

I have that same welder. You're going to like it a lot!

 

[BrandonBellrose]

Wanting to make the tub/shower/inverter rack stout in case I ever back into a tree. I framed up with 2” tube 3/16 thick.

 

[BrandonBellrose]

I have that same welder. You're going to like it a lot!

I love the Multimatic 200 a lot, its a work horse.

 

[BrandonBellrose]

Plazma cutting into the M109a3 was touch and go. I tried to clean my cut area as best I could. The original builder sprayed in a rubber rust proofing which was hidden in mass behind panels and frame members. i couldn’t get to it to clean up causing horrible fumes and torch like flames on the opposite side of my cut line. Quite unnerving at times, causing us to where gas masks and hold a fire extinguisher. But my thirteen year old daughter and I got it done.