Uhhh ohhh did I get too thick of metal flooring?

[Wabbit]

If you weighed everything and over compensated for it and your still 50# under, doesn't that mean your good to go? Any cheap or easy ways to reenforce whatever has to be reenforced to add 200# or whatever to the weight limit? You sound a lot more experienced and in the know on this, so you prob already thought of that. But just in case. Best of luck!

 

[TucsonAZ]

I have mild MCS, and a whole lot of the associated. I sleep under an open truck canopy and have tons of ventilation. Natural planking would be an option as the floor seal doesn't need to be perfect. Can you tolerate linseed oil?

I haven't used linseed and have used jojoba for everything from my door hinges to my guns without issues. The concern I have is that if there's thermal bridging there could be mold, not sure if this is a valid concern or not. I will find a deal on some wood and screw it down eventually but I just have to find the wood. I for a deal on some pre finished oak but I don't trust the pre finished stuff so I'm not going to use it. You know the deal, do 100 hours of research, buy it and keep your fingers crossed. Right now my focus is finding a polyiso insulation that doesn't have a flame retardant.

If you weighed everything and over compensated for it and your still 50# under, doesn't that mean your good to go? Any cheap or easy ways to reenforce whatever has to be reenforced to add 200# or whatever to the weight limit? You sound a lot more experienced and in the know on this, so you prob already thought of that. But just in case. Best of luck!

I would guess I could upgrade the axle and maybe leaf springs but I'm not going to worry about that just yet as I'm rather certain I will be fine. Actually, let me go over the weights now:

280 - Batteries (140 each) x2
125 - Chest freezer (58 pounds) with food (67 pounds)
60 - Bed (50) with all bedding
188 - All water needs, tank (21gal so 168 pounds full), pump (5), water heater (15), hosing, filter
90 - Propane tank (40), stove (10), sink/faucet (10), and generator (30)
200 - Roof rack (75) and solar panels/charge controller (125)
400 - Steel flooring (55sqft x5.5 =305), bed frame and metal framework
41 - AC Unit
200 - Inverter, camera system, television, misc electrical boxes, fuses, connections, thin counter top and so on
250 - Clothing and all personal items

1834 total weight

This doesn't include insulation and a couple fans, vents that I'm forgetting but this gives me a little margin I'm thinking. The tires are rated well above what the axle is so I'm guessing the axle is the weakest link. I guess I'm going to have to get the thing on a scale after I build it and see.

 

[TucsonAZ]

I'm feeling rather overwhelmed with this build at the moment, so many ideas bounding around in my head. First and foremost I'm making this myself to be chemical free and that adds a challenge e.g. how do I avoid rust without using paint or some other solution? I did make some progress, I have a life size mock up on my front slab that I chalk lined out and I've been working with which has helped a lot. Today I did another one and flipped things taking into account adding a small side door (I have only the large swinging back door now) and by doing this I saved myself a lot of troubles and gained some space. It's all the little details that are killing me though, roof rack, insulating the flooring, going with 1 or 2 inches of insulation, micro under the sink or bed, and things like this that really I guess I just need to try on for size.

 

[TucsonAZ]

Here are some pictures of what's going on and what I'm working with. 

 

[Wabbit]

...I'm feeling rather overwhelmed with this build at the moment, so many ideas bounding around in my head...

I don't have the extra burden of planning around chemical sensitivity but I definitely can relate to the overwhelmed part. So much I bought and then discarded. Ideas that seemed great in my head, only to realize later that carpentry skills are HARD!(for me) and I wouldn't be able to accomplish what I envisioned. Did help me relax abit after I realized that out and about in basic mode was better than nothing at all. I hope you get it all worked out. One bite at a time. I'm not planning on "finishing" this van ever. To much to do and I underestimated my skills. Dam utubers making it look so easy...lol. If you have skills, should be much easier for you. Perfect doesn't have much character. Best of luck.

 

[ArtW]

First time I saw a 'pickup living' or in this case 'pickup sleeping' setup was a woman with multiple chemical sensitivity
She had a full size pickup with an aluminum cap, a cot inside, light, and her clothes in a backpack
A wife and mother, she 'lived' in her home with her family, and retreated to the truck to sleep, and when she had to get away from the things in her home
That had to be hard on everyone

 

[highdesertranger]

just glancing at your list I don't see wiring, copper weighs a lot especially the cables for the batteries. also hardware for bolting/screwing everything together, even welding adds weight. gas for the generator. I also noticed the trailer brakes are not wired. highdesertranger

 

[TucsonAZ]

just glancing at your list I don't see wiring, copper weighs a lot especially the cables for the batteries. also hardware for bolting/screwing everything together, even welding adds weight. gas for the generator. I also noticed the trailer brakes are not wired. highdesertranger

You aren't totally wrong but very, very short runs remember, one 6 inch 4 gauge jumper and two 2 foot leads to the inverter. No, I had to cut the wire to do the "flip".

 

[Alcatraz]

I would go with bigger heavy duty tires then the ones that came stock with it , you should be fine.
Any decent tire shop should be able to recommend what to go with.

 

[highdesertranger]

Tucson I see you did your axle the right way. you did NOT FLIP IT. PLEASE EVERYONE STOP USING THAT TERM. if someone who doesn't know and they read that you need to flip the axle to gain ground clearance, they are going to go out and flip their axle. see were I am going here. PLEASE EVERYBODY STOP SAYING FLIP THE AXLE. highdesertranger

 

[TucsonAZ]

I would go with bigger heavy duty tires then the ones that came stock with it , you should be fine.
Any decent tire shop should be able to recommend what to go with.

The tires on it are basically new and I'm going to run them for the time being. When I do hunt down something like a 33" to stuff under there I may go for it but I'm honestly not in a rush on that. The tires are rated well over 4,000 pounds so I have plenty of wiggle room.

Tucson I see you did your axle the right way. you did NOT FLIP IT. PLEASE EVERYONE STOP USING THAT TERM. if someone who doesn't know and they read that you need to flip the axle to gain ground clearance, they are going to go out and flip their axle. see were I am going here. PLEASE EVERYBODY STOP SAYING FLIP THE AXLE. highdesertranger

I'm going to keep using the term though I do know what you mean. It would be tough to take this task on without being warned over and over again about this. It's a confusing term but "flip" could mean 180 degrees or 360, it could mean left tire now in the right side, it could mean to under the springs. It should be worded as axle over or axle under and I've always taken "flip" to mean flipping which but I think with the skill level involved anybody taking this on is going to know just what to do. In my opinion, while I've reused a u bolt or two over the years I think that's the bigger thing to be educating folks on as I rarely see it mentioned.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Tucson I see you did your axle the right way.  you did NOT FLIP IT.  PLEASE EVERYONE STOP USING THAT TERM.  if someone who doesn't know  and they  read that you need to flip the axle to gain ground clearance,  they are going to go out and flip their axle.   see were I am going here.  PLEASE EVERYBODY STOP SAYING FLIP THE AXLE.  highdesertranger

'Lowered the axle' is probably a better term, or, like the 4x4 guys, 'I added a lift kit'...

 

[tx2sturgis]

There is another thing to consider as you approach the rated weight limit of the trailer. The manufacturer rates the trailer based on choice of axle, spindles, bearings, wheels, tires, and also frame strength, ex: 3 inch C-channel, 4 inch boxed frame, etc. 

If you get a heavier axle and higher rated tires but completely ignore the frame you might end up with stress cracks or worse, especially where the trailer tongue or A-frame meets the main part of the frame.

If you are good working with metal, and it sounds like you are, you might look at beefing up the frame if you want to add more capacity.


But I always member that line from Hee Haw, or maybe some other tv show:

"You tried to haul TWO tons of fertilizer with a ONE TON truck?"


BTW on the MCS, have you cut back on grains? There is a crapload of Roundup in our wheat these days...

 

[Ballenxj]

I like how you think... I'd suggest a couple more pieces of 10ga up the walls to form a bunker box in preparation for the coming Zombie Apocalypse. Firing slots in walls would probably be a good idea too...

"AND" you can sandwich Kevlar sheets between the walls too, which will also help insulate some. Just be careful to not cover the gun ports.

 

[tx2sturgis]

"AND" you can sandwich Kevlar sheets between the walls too, which will also help insulate some. Just be careful to not cover the gun ports.

And be sure to use non-allergenic bullets.