Lightweight & Affordable DIY Truck Camper Build in 12 Days
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 มี.ค. 2024
- This week I finally build a DIY truck camper for the bed of my pickup! After over a year of considering a project like this, the time has finally come. It took about 12 days to construct the frame and shell. In just a few more, this little home-on-wheels will be move-in ready!
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RV technician here. I would highly recommend talking the aluminum angle off and put butyl putty on the back. Those screw heads will leak water into the camper and rot it. Looks good!
Nate, I suggest installing an angled wind deflector on the front of your new camper. It will help improve your fuel economy dramatically.
Nate, weigh your truck empty with a full tank of fuel. Then, when the camper is complete, load her in and hit the scales. I would love to see what the totals will be.
Very heavy I'm sure
Nate, I spotted a security issue. The door hinges are facing outside where the pins can be removed. The solution is a different type of hinge that has a set screw(s) preventing the pins from being removed. Easy swap. Commonly used in hurricane prone areas where doors opening outward is essential.
Those outward swinging hinges are called N.R.P. None Removable Pins and usually come in pairs. That's a great idea you have a totally worth mentioning.
I'd use a piano hinge for the door. Even with the door locked someone can just pop the pins on the hinges and get in.
Where is your hot wife at Raynor?!!
Nice to have pops helping!👍
His relationship is his business. Nate is the channel. Always was always will be.
Glad to see your progress and moving forward. Best wishes.
Great build, must be a relief to have it buttoned up. Now you can take your time and do the fun finishes, excited to see future updates.
So lucky to have your Dad help…enjoy every minute of it !
The building is coming along nicely.
Awesome I would love to build one myself. Great to see you back in your element.
Making the most of it - always striving for a better solution.
Let's gooooo 🎉
Glad to see Florida treating you well ✌️
I always love some New Yankee Workshop mixed in with your travel and surfing videos. This turned out so much better than I thought it would when you started. Love the windows. Very fun to watch the process. I hope that you're able to get out to surf and golf now that you're back in Florida. Looking forward to the next steps in your new travel vehicle.
Thanks for taking us along on the build. It looks great.
Thanks dad for the help.
Good job! It looks like you have it well insulated. The vertical front wall above the cab is going to cost you some gas mileage loss. A 45 degree slope would have saved you half the loss. If you're a slow driver and stay off the 80mph interstates, it will help a lot with that problem. The load on that wall goes up as the square of your speed. (The force at 80mph is 4 times that at 40mph) Make sure the box is fastened securely to the chassis and the tail gate is locked securely when you're on the highway. There will be a lot of force on that front wall.
Great to see Nate working on a camper project and having his Dad help. Travel, video production work, family and surfing !
Nate, loved this video. Your tenacity is really inspiring. All the best
Nate you make it look so easy. I blame you for my disillusioned set of planned projects. Seriously- you’re doing a great job- thanks for sharing the process.
Best video in years man! So glad you are back!!!
Wow I'm impressed
I love Friday uploads 😁
You are making great progress on your latest project. 🚗
Wow. Great video, Nate! Nice to see you starting anew. i’m happy to be watching you again
Excited to see how it turns out...😎👍
MPG with and without the camper is always appreciated!
I'm glad to see this channel going.back on the road!!
i love it and i was thinking of doing something similar but turning the truck into a flatbed and building on that for maximum space efficiency. excited to see the rest of the build.
Very cool Nate. Good to see you back in action.
Wow Nate, I love it. Can't wait to see it finished and videos of you travelling in it 🤗🤗🤗🤗
Inspiring to see your project come together. Good luck with the rest of the work.
Turned out great. I've always wanted to build something like this, obviously a camper shell style would save weight. I've thought I could install some sort of a brace across the lower back end of it for loading and unloading, take it off once it's bolted down to the sides of the truck bed.
Building this in 12 days is impressive. Wish I had those skills. Can't wait to see how you finish it out and all the adventures to come!
Love it Nate!! So stoked for you! can’t wait to see the final product!
I love it. An added joy to that sort of project is you have an integral bond with it from now on as you use it in the future. Can't buy that kind of satisfaction.
What an amazing solution and a light weight! Take Care
I enjoyed this video and love what you have created! You are such a creative person, Nate. Looking forward to your next video.
Looking good. Great job, Nate !
Dads are awesome
Good to see a build video again. Its looking good.😁👍
I like it! I've followed all of Dave's builds and he's definitely the man when it comes to track camper builds.
Can’t wait to see the finished product.
Looks great and what an exciting adventure! I’m looking forward to your future build videos. 😊
Looking good, can’t wait to see it finished.
Hey Nate, nice truck camper build. I hope you will add on an air vent on the roof with a vent cover so when it rains you can keep your air vent open for ventilation. Look forward to the finished product!
Lovethe project!Happy Easter!!🤗🎉🎉
Really enjoyed this, seeing you enthusiastically creating your vision. I can't wait for the next one! Your little visitor did a quick change act for a second there😂🐾
Excited to see your electric setup
This is awesome thank you so much for the inspiration
Nate been with you since the early days….you are very talented! Great job!
Nice job! Looks solid.
Good job, young man!
Hey Nate! Great to see the evolution of your videos. I first subscribed in 2016, but TH-cam suddenly popped this video in my recommendation. I still have a saved video of when you responded to my comment on camera in the original Honda Element, something about a lapel mic.
Very cool video. Happy for this n3w project/ adventure. Best wishes and safe travels. 👍🏼✌🏼
Awesome mate! Get some tamper-proof door hinges with non-removable pins.
Aaaaah! Good job!!! I would love to be able to do something like this with a pop up roof that extends above my truck roof for added space!
Nice to see ur diy project!!!
Awesome build! You are a clevah guy Nate!
looking good nate
Great video!
Dave certainly builds nice campers
Think my son and I saw you at a Starbucks in FL
Don’t want to interrupt your day - nice work
Nice job !!
Looks great! Best of luck!
Love the music and the doggies 😊 Excellent build!
Don’t get to close to the doggies. Like Shannon they will disappear.
Sick as hell. I could see myself doing a build like this one day. As custom as it gets.
You did a very nice job building the camper. Might want to some how get more ventilation in the camper especially when it's hot?
Great job so far. 👍
Great build.
That's badass!!
Looks good. I’m currently building a small truck camper myself. Due to time and $$$ it’s probably going to take a few months but should have the build video up in my channel once it’s done. Thanks for sharing
Not sure how i stumbled across your video but i am glad i did and i’m now subscribed. Great Job!
Looks awesome. Congrats! I'm excited to see what you do with it from here!
Hi Tristan @SUVRVing ! I guess it should be no surprise to see you here supporting a virtual cousin Nate. 👍
This is bad ass! I wanna build something like this for my 1985 gmc s15 4x4 long bed! 450 pound ls would be perfect for my little truck!
All the best, Nate! Still subscribed to your channel because your life is interesting.
I actually had a great time with this one lol ! Always a pleasure to see what you have going on! Love the details on the artwork and the review!
I'd love to see more build footage...hyper speed leaves me feeling like I missed so many of those ahha discovery moments. I'd watch a longer version video if you put one out 👍🏻
good work!
Great video
I can’t wait for Nate to Paint in Big Graphic Letters “ROGUE” on the front and back of his DIY Camper. In all seriousness it’s Good to See Nate working a passion project. I would have preferred another Hi-Ace Japanese Camper Van for Nate just to see him Driving on the opposite side in the cab. Be Well, Bye…
Think about sticking roof rack on the cab of the truck & mounting a roof box to stop wind drag on the front wall & might work as a wind deflector to help with gas mileage.
Nate, thank you so much for sharing this.... I have a friend who has a pickup with a shell but it's no longer serving him well. He wants a box truck but doesn't have the funds at the moment so this would be a great solution for him. Perhaps you could provide a rough estimate (prices differ depending on where you are) so maybe we can plan something out this summer and get him hooked up. 💯🌞
This is a pretty cool build.I think maybe the only thing I would have done differently is framed in 2 places for windows on each side wall.Even if you didn't use them now you would be framed in and you could pop themin if it turned out you're really needed more air.
Super cool. Lightweight and practical. Transferable to your next truck as well. The interior should be cozy. You mentioned air conditioning. Any heat? Maybe I missed that.
Great job Nate! Personally I would want more windows but I understand wanting to be stealthy. I have been with you since the old days in the Element in Nola! You are an inspiration!
Nothing stealthy about a big wooden homemade box on the back of a pickup truck.
You need an Escape Hatch somewhere in your camper. Even a large window would work. You only have one way out in case of an emergency. Just looking out for your safety. Love the videos. I have been watching a long time now. I'm not sure how long you have been filming.
Love the new build, but sad to see that Shannon‘s not involved. I hope all is well with both of you.
Ryobi? A man of class I see.
The “wings” are my big concern on these campers. I prefer to flatbed the truck then spread out the floor plan. More space and more stable in my opinion. Great video 👍
A slide in makes better sense. You can slide it out onto a pair of sawhorse or bring it to the ground on blocks. Gives you a place to store your gear.
I would add a solar exhaust fan. Low profile and sucks out condensation, odors, and with window open, will creat a cross breeze.
Looks nice! I’ve seen some shoddy looking homemade trucker campers out there.
Hey Nate, I just got notified by TH-cam that you posted.
San Diego is calling your name! Spots up and down the pch and taco shops galore! Nothing better than a man enjoying his freedom. Keep kicking ass brother!! Timmy C Arizona
Is he moving there?
He's lived in sd n surfed worked in pb. I think he likes florida because it's more vast than Southern Cali.
Thats cool, have you ever thought about using Kemlite for the inside of your walls? Im building a semi reefer trailer that also has Kemlite wallss. Im building it into either a Moble Abode or a tiny home. Mine is going to be kinda both.
You mentioned 12v solar, I'd go with 24v for cost savings in wire and connections. Use a step down converter for 12v accessories. Or an Anchor solar generator?
I'd need an escape hatch in case the door got blocked somehow.
A few doggy hairs in the sandwich will boost the insulation! 😻
Hey Nate,,how are you boss? I met you some time ago when you still had the Element and was still with Antine,,,I have followed you for a long time and I can only hope going forward that you find happiness and after all the places you have been ,,in the future maybe at some point you consider settling down,,,I know that your lifestyle is your own and near the end of this video you seem a little overwhelmed,,but determined to live as you like,,and I totally am right there with you,,I just want you to be happy and maybe someday I can see you again,,,stay safe Nate. Thank you for all the videos and sharing your journey.
Many of us OGs here. What will be, will be. Whatever Nate wants and needs is hopefully how it will turn out for him. Can only wish him well.