building the Bullet XV

[DiploStrat]

I suppose that my real surprise is that if you would go to the work of a "half loo," why not simply put in a full toilet? After decades of life in the Third World, I confess that Beloved Spouse and I rather like the idea of a bit more privacy. Similarly, the option to bathe in colder climates.

But it is your camper not ours and a stunning piece of work.

You addressed one of the big points that seems to escape most of the commercial builders; a overland vehicle (4x4, etc) needs a fair amount of space to carry recovery and other dirty stuff that you don't want inside. This is one reason that I have always found the camper-on-service body approach attractive. But these all lose the pass or crawl through.

Cangrats again on building a fabulous vehicle; may it give you years of travel!

[Every Miles A Memory]

All this and your wife can Log Roll!?!?!?! Wow, it only gets better!!

[westyss]

Steve that looks like a good repair for the door, keeping it from swinging will help the most.
I did notice a couple of things on the latest pics though, one, did you put metal security screens on all the windows? Was there a particular reason that prompted you to install them?
Have you tried out those sand ladders yet?
Last question,, what holds your drawers from opening when driving?

Would love to see some action shots of that rig all set up at camp and bummer that you passed by my place on your way to Whistler and didnt drop in for the beverage I owe you for my slide out kitchen design
That rig looks great!

[Carlyle]

Attachment 109867
the door holder was from fastenall, a spring loaded door stay that stays in the down position while driving, (not just clanging around)
Attachment 109872
these come in many lengths

hope this all helps
steve[/QUOTE]

Do you happen to have a model number on that?

Thanks,

Carl

[Carlyle]

the door holder was from fastenall, a spring loaded door stay that stays in the down position while driving, (not just clanging around)
Attachment 109872
these come in many lengths

hope this all helps
steve[/QUOTE]

Do you happen to have a model number on that?

Thanks,

Carl

[sarconcepts]

I installed the security screen last year, it was always part of the plan from the beginning, the four wheel camper taught me that Bethany & I often park at trail heads, & leave the truck to go hiking for three or four hours. This always bothered me as the main four wheel camper window is a sliding window, & either we have to close the window, or someone can just push through the screen to get in. leaving the truck in the woods, this would bother me for the whole hike. On the Bullet, I still wanted the sliding window, & the ability to leave it open, but being the defensive designer I am, I found a cool way to achieve peace of mind.
I made this with lock crimp wire cloth, aluminum, 3" square grid, 1/4" wire, bought from Howard wire cloth Co. then had the surround made by harvest valley specialties. Randy welded the cloth into the surround.
P8170423.jpg

As far as the sand ladders, nope, haven't needed them yet, thank god, because if I do, that means I REALLY got stuck somewhere, & exhausted all other options, (winches, shovels, four wheel drive, basic common sense not to get stuck!)
I know, everyone always comments on how "they're gonna get all scratched up the first time I use them" this whole rig was built to be used, & I've never shyed away from scratches or rock chips since the first trip last memorial day, they're like smile wrinkles, they just show a good history.

All the drawers glides, as well as the dresser glides are ‘KV 8400RV’ stay-close precision drawer glides made just for RV's. These glides require a pull of about 13 lbs to open, then they glide as normal, there’s a spring pull assembly in the last 3″ of the gliding motion pulling them closed.
I did add a 10 lb latch to the pan drawer, this is made 1/2" thick, so it can fit on the side of the drawer above the drawer glide
drawer catch.jpg
& added a locking deadbolt onto the pantry drawer as that one had so much weight, it did slam open last fall breaking the glide
Sugatsune TLP-BB-SN Push Knob pantry catch.jpg

& CARLYLE
it's Fastenal 11207855 --622 03 6.00 Alum 2Pc Hitch Spring Loaded SS Rivets Polished with Keeper From P/N 620
this is a Fastenal number, so you'll have to call them to reference it, as I know it's made by SIERRA PACIFIC ENG & PROD company, plus some of the numbers specify the length I ordered, so verify
Man.. ..you guys made me do some research!

[sarconcepts]

and to DIPLOSTRAT
That's the nice thing about building your own... .. .
you get only what you want, & you don't have to pay for what you don't
you'll also notice there's no TV, computer, or stereo in the Bullet, we all camp differently.
although I'd hardly call this 'roughing it', there's a lot about society we really don't need when you get down to it.
& we all get to prioritize those things for ourselves.

steve

[Carlyle]

Thanks, I just ordered a pair from the local Fastenal store

[sarconcepts]

Just got back from another northwest loop through Oregon, Idaho & Montana, with some minor refinements (this'll never stop)

Another small but usefull tip for helping all of us keep stuff in it's place when traveling. I mounted a paper towel holder on the inside of one of the cabinet doors last year, & for dimensional reasons, I had to put it vertically. This holder was made to go horizontal or vertical in that it ratchets, (doesn't spin freely) but what I found last year was that the paper towels would slowly unwind around the holder & hang down to the floor like a coil spring.
One day while in my shop, I looked at a plastic paper towel holder with no hinge or way to spread it over the roll, you just bend open the plastic.
paper towel holder 006.jpg
This is brilliant because it uses the property of the material (its bendability) in the design. I then got a hold of some polycarbonate plastic, 1/16th thick.
polycarbonate has the property of being really bendy, wont break.. ..ever, & can be worked with cold tools, so I drew up a 'stay', cut it out with a knife, bent it on a sheet metal break, sanded the edges with 240 grit, & mounted it
paper towel holder 003.jpgpaper towel holder 004.jpg
The metal break wont harm the plastic, in fact, it doesn't even turn white when you bend it 90 degrees
This worked so well I also made a napkin holder.
paper towel holder 002.jpg
i know.. ..BORING! but this can be used in many ways.

Next, even with the spring loaded drawer glides, plus the 10 lb catches, one part of the trip (see below) shook the Bullet so much that Bethany had to ride in the back for 3 miles keeping the drawers from opening. I have a solution, but could use some help.
I'm looking for some 12 volt, push-type, low-clearance, constant-duty solenoids, with a piston that extends when power is applied. If I can find them 1/2" thick, with a piston that extends 1/2", I can fit them on the sides of the drawers over the glides, drill a small hole in the drawer sides, mount them to the walls between the drawers, power them with the key, then anytime I'm driving, all the drawers will be dead bolted from within. Anyone familiar with solenoids like this?

As far as the bullet, It's been performing perfectly, we took it down into a steep canyon in southeast Oregon 36 miles down a dirt road, another 5 down a 'four wheel only' road, & another 3 down a 'REALLY FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ONLY' road, into this year's 'BEST CAMPSITE EVER' (yes, outdoing the one in post # 242) this site we also had to ourselves, but in addition, we had our own natural waterfall warm spring to swim in & overlook the canyon.
I figure if we can find just one site like this a year, we're doing all right.
P8240128.JPG
notice the bullet across the river in the distance, the river's about 30' below the warm spring
P8250157.JPG
you've gotta look close to see Bethany in the 95 degree spring just above the waterfall.
& this is why I built the bullet as a pop up, places like this.
P8250203.JPG

[nick disjunkt]

J
I'm looking for some 12 volt, push-type, low-clearance, constant-duty solenoids, with a piston that extends when power is applied. If I can find them 1/2" thick, with a piston that extends 1/2", I can fit them on the sides of the drawers over the glides, drill a small hole in the drawer sides, mount them to the walls between the drawers, power them with the key, then anytime I'm driving, all the drawers will be dead bolted from within. Anyone familiar with solenoids like this?

I am currently converting an ex Brinks cash-in-transit truck and there were solenoids exactly as you describe on all of the doors and hatches when I bought the truck. There were several independant security systems on the truck including the solenoids and a series of electro magnets.

The solenoids are basically just a large copper coil mounted on a stainless plate. A sliding bolt extends about 10mm out of the inside of the coil when 24v is applied to them. I'll take some photos when I get a chance and see if I can get a manufacturers part number off them. They are pretty heavy and bulky, and the bolt doesn't extend far, but they would certainly work as you require.

They were used in a number of ways on the truck I bought, Some of the doors had multi-point locks with bars joining the locking components. The solenoids would slide into notches on the joining bars preventing the lock from retracting and being forced. In other places, the solenoid was mounted on a hatch and the bolt would just drop into a hole in the frame. Another applications was in conjunction with a sliding bolt. The sliding bolt was applied manually, and the solenoid would be applied in an emergency, preventing the sliding bolt from being retracted.

In all cases, a microswitch was used to confirm to the on board computer that the solenoids had engaged!