AJ120s 2009 D4D and DIY camper trailer

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

Re: AJ120s 2009 D4D and DIY camper trailer

My slide mechanism on MK1 was a failure but my drop mechanism was really good so I was able to reuse all of this, fortunately pictures tell a thousand words as the pivot mechanism I came up with involved machining "top hat" bushes out of nylon shaft which coincidentally, I picked up a piece of this off the side of the road a while back when out walking, it looked really crappy and I remember the missus saying "what are you picking that up for". once I put it in the lathe and skimmed of the surface it looked like new, then from the opposite side I made steel top hats and recessed the spot for a cap screw to hold it together without protruding and therefore saving valuable mm's.








In this next picture you can see I have placed a cap screw in one of the top hats




This is probably a better photo with my pivot installed




Cheers Andrew

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Re: AJ120s 2009 D4D and DIY camper trailer

Well here it is assembled.






You will notice that stage 2 of my storage system is now finished, that is the top shelf.

I can open the fridge in the up position if i desire but don’t know that I will ever want to as even for me at 6'2" it is a struggle to get into it.




Just a few photos of the finished product.











Just a couple of things that i have neglected to photograph, I have glued insertion rubber on the base of the main angle iron for the fridge carrier to sit on and not rattle, the fridge carrier also hooks under a couple of brackets again with rubber glued on, this combined with the adjustable over centre catch to lock it, should mean no rattles as it all tight as a drum when put away. I also intend to add a couple of fail-safe Ute tie down straps to the handle so there is no chance of it dropping and hitting the rear window when travelling. all in all I am ecstatic with the way it has turned out, it lifts and drops easy even with a full load of 72 cans, my vertically challenged wife is over the moon and she also had no problems lifting an sliding it with a full load.

Cheers Andrew

[MickL Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MickL]

Re: AJ120s 2009 D4D and DIY camper trailer

Excellent work as usual Andrew, I'm looking forward to seeing the end result.

ideally 75mm x 75mm angle would be the go, unfortunately to the best o my knowledge nobody makes this size.

Probably a bit late now; Orrcon roll this size, not sure if they supply any of your local suppliers, but I get it through NorMetals on Grand Junction Road, Ottoway (Across from BOC)

Avalible in 75x75; 5,6,8 and 10mm thickness. They also do a 75x50 in a limited number of thicknesses.

Mick

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Re: AJ120s 2009 D4D and DIY camper trailer

Looking pretty swish there AJ. Nice work

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Re: AJ120s 2009 D4D and DIY camper trailer

Thanks guys, had a bit of a typo re the steel size Mick, should have read 75 x 75 x 3mm, have edited the post now to read correct. Anyway the unavailability of that size meant I saved a few bucks and used up some of my scrap.

Cheers Andrew

[MickL Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MickL]

Re: AJ120s 2009 D4D and DIY camper trailer

No worries Andrew.

Very neat final product. I notice your design is without a gas strut, how's it go with the fridge full?


Mick

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

Re: AJ120s 2009 D4D and DIY camper trailer

If at first you don't succeed, Do not be satisfied with second best.
Great work on the drop slide Andrew. Glad to see that it all worked out so neatly for you.
Nice to be counting down the days until departure I am sure!

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Re: AJ120s 2009 D4D and DIY camper trailer

MickL wrote
I notice your design is without a gas strut, how's it go with the fridge full?

The Platinum drops 300mm which I guess is needed for vehicles with 4 or 6 inch lifts, or for really, really short people. Mine only drops 200mm as this is enough so it improves the leverage factor, this was intentional as I was hoping to save the cost and complexity of the gas strut. With a full 72 cans in the fridge it is quite easy to operate and I can’t imagine that I will ever have that much weight on board in the real world.

Foxclan wrote
Nice to be counting down the days until departure I am sure!

Yeah stopped counting the days, counting in hours now . Actually I’ve not been thinking too much about leaving, other than i had a lot to do before we go.
Now I have the fridges sorted i can relax as i only have a couple of little jobs to go. I have mounted my old Auto fridge in the rear seat area as well as a few other small jobs that i will try and post some photos of soon.

Oh BTW Troy, the idea of the stainless turnbuckles to hold the fridge down came straight from your fridge slide in your buildup 8) . All my best ideas are stolen from someone else :wink:

Cheers Andrew

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Re: AJ120s 2009 D4D and DIY camper trailer

[quote="AJ120" Oh BTW Troy, the idea of the stainless turnbuckles to hold the fridge down came straight from your fridge slide in your build up 8) . All my best ideas are stolen from someone else :wink:
Cheers Andrew/quote]

Sharing is Caring! "Mmmm 72 cans"

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Re: AJ120s 2009 D4D and DIY camper trailer

A few more pics of another couple of jobs that I have ticked off the list.

The failsafe bungee hooks on the fridge slide handle. i put one on each side



There is now four points to stop the handle moving while travelling, shouldn’t have any problems with it dropping unexpectedly.

Auto fridge is now installed in LHS rear seat, after seat was removed, I will only use this set up for long trips and will reinstall the passenger seat for when home and have both the kids.



And a set of Maxtrax now secured to the roof rack along with my shower water tank which is to be air operated.






Cheers Andrew

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Diff and Trans Breathers

Well I was working on extending my transfer case and transmission breathers before I headed for Cape York, unfortunately my local supplier who guaranteed me that my breathers would be in before I left, let me down. I had all the extended hoses in place ready to screw the breathers in had they arrived. Temporarily I used the original breather out of the rear diff and removed the two breathers from my Hilux which isn’t being used whilst I am away.
Only had to travel 4500kms before I found a place with some "in stock" in Proserpine QLD today. So I removed the temporary breathers and screwed in the new ones tonight in Townsville.

So the mods continue even on holidays.




Cheers Andrew

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Re: AJ120s 2009 D4D and DIY camper trailer

Hi, just arrived at the top of the cape after towing the camper the full length of the OTL. Thought I would post a few photos here and do a trip report when i get home.












The photo without the trailer was the first crossing ten minutes into the OTL. The wife photographed me towing the trailer through but was disappointed she missed the action, what was a guy to do, I unhooked the trailer and went back up palm creek picked her up and did it all over again.

Cheers Andrew

[Schaffer Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schaffer]

Re: AJ120s 2009 D4D and DIY camper trailer

Great stuff there AJ. Look forward to see the complete report and hearing a few tales when you show up at the BBQ.

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

Re: AJ120s 2009 D4D and DIY camper trailer

Top stuff mate, impressive buildup (inc camper)..
I'm hoping to make it to SA-GTG, would love to hear about your trip to the tip

[corallen Member Find all posts View Profile Close corallen]

Re: AJ120s 2009 D4D and DIY camper trailer

hey andrew top notch rig love the white .....
was wondering what was the model number of the hilux scoop you put on??
and was it not practicial to center the scoop because of the brace in the middle??
have been reading up on your rig and am very envious looks great getting lots of ideas thanks '

corey