AJ120s 2009 D4D and DIY camper trailer

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Nice job and out of the way too. I use a velcro strap on the foot to stop the incessant rattle.

I have put a couple of shims in the base plate and then drilled and tapped the base plate to take a 3/8 grub screw so it doesn't rattle at all, velcro might have been simpler though.

In case anyone is wondering what I meant by shunting the trailer sideways!






I simply couldn't take a wide enough line to get the trailer around and the high lift was great for solving the problem.

Cheers Andrew

[MUMSRIG Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MUMSRIG]

It never fails to amaze me just how talented some people on this forum are... You are certainly one of those Andrew.. Always enjoy ready your updates and dream of being able to do half of the fabrication stuff that you do myself!

Welldone.

Mitch

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

Ohh, that's exciting stuff!!!!

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

You are a true master of your craft mate!

[switched Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close switched]

I have put a couple of shims in the base plate and then drilled and tapped the base plate to take a 3/8 grub screw so it doesn't rattle at all, velcro might have been simpler though.

In case anyone is wondering what I meant by shunting the trailer sideways!



I simply couldn't take a wide enough line to get the trailer around and the high lift was great for solving the problem.

Cheers Andrew

Hey AJ, Nice work, looks like you didn't even get your hands dirty either

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Hey AJ, Nice work, looks like you didn't even get your hands dirty either

I actually did get my hands dirty on that one Jase, had to dig one of my mudflaps out of the mud after pulling it off! For those of you that haven’t met me I am the one in the Akubra and the Khaki furthest from the camera in the first pic.

I wrote a report on that trip here http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...d-so-much-more If anyone wants to talk more about it happy to continue the conversation in that thread. In the mean time getting back on topic, which is the mods to the Prado and Camper.

A few posts back I upgraded the cranking battery in the Prado, the OE battery was still fine but I needed a new battery elsewhere, anyway in the end I have decided to put the OE battery into the camper trailer, if I bugger the one in the Prado unexpectedly then I can guarantee the one from the camper will slot straight in.




Bought a few more goodies, so hopefully some more updates in a week or 2.

Cheers Andrew

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

Andrew (aka Deputy Leader, right hand man, SFB, mate, etc) looking forward to catching up and checking out the camper mods including the hi-lift mounts in less than a week.

[Whatever Member Find all posts View Profile Close Whatever]

Just wanted to ask is your Arb bar stock painted factory white or did you give it extra coats of clear to stop.the chips and stuff thanks Corey

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Just wanted to ask is your Arb bar stock painted factory white or did you give it extra coats of clear to stop.the chips and stuff thanks Corey

Hi Corey, the bar came powdercoated blackish from ARB, I got the local crash shop to colour code it. They didn't use a clear but they do add a different thinner or hardener aparantly that makes the paint go really hard, I don't know the details but I imagine any good spray painter would understand. pretty happy with it so far, only chip is from me dropping a piece of steel on it.

May as well add some pics from last weekend while I am posting.










Used the winch for the first time on the weekend, worked very well pulling the Prado and the CT over the last bit of a huge dune with a single line pull, hardly grunted at all.

Cheers Andrew

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

Cheers Andrew

Hi Andrew,
Apologies if you've answered this earlier...
I was about to get an oversized tonneau cover made for my CT but thought I'd ask about your cover first.

I saw a solid cover like this at Armidale on the way to last years GTG but missed my chance to ask them about it.

I'm assuming it packs away somewhere while you're set up?

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Hi Leon, we usually just rest the cover on the stone gaurd and over the hitch, just happens it is still set up in the backyard after a slightly damp packup on the weekend so I took a picture for you.






The base of the frame is 20 x 20 x 1.6 SHS and the rest is 19mm tube, the same as tent poles are made from so fairly light. I went this way after having a couple of campers with soft covers, I wanted something neater and more dustproof and this does the job fairly well as the frame sits on a foam seal.

We have used the cover on a couple of occasions to shade things in the heat or cover them in the rain, even though it is bulky it never causes an issue with putting it somewhere.

Some more goodies arrived in the mail today, need to find time to fit them up!

Cheers Andrew

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

Thanks Andrew.
One more Q...

Is it something you can get off/on by yourself? Most of the time the family is with me but occasionally I use the CT on my own.

When you pack the CT down after drying it would you mind grabbing a shot of the tent folded down just before you put the lid on?
Just wondering if this idea could be retro fitted to mine without to many mods.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

A few pics of the CT folded for you Sanga, first pic is the lip that the cover sits on.










Another reason I opted for this type of cover is that I found with the soft cover it had to be pulled down tight and if left this way for long periods it would flatten the innerspring mattress, this way I only have the weight of the tent and ladder sitting on the mattress.

Cheers Andrew

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

And a few more....... first one is inside with the ladder folded away on top of the mattress. I have an over centre catch front and rear to hold the cover down tight, the bottom on the sides is double skin PVC with one layer wrapped around the frame and the other hooking under the camper top.










Cheers Andrew

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

Cool, Thanks Andrew. Thanks for the pics. Lots more food for thought