The TARDIS - A Four Wheel Camper Build

[Overland Hadley]

What an inspirational video!

Wow

Yes.

Gunther has given me some things to think about.

One of the things is how happy I am that I bought the FWC, and I plan on using it for years to come.

[Overland Hadley]

Wheres the next Overland adventure?

It will either be Montana/Idaho or Utah/Colorado this autumn.

BTW, My Laguna table leg is ordered.

Good for you!

[Overland Hadley]

Thinking of getting a set of guns for the camper, Fastguns.

The factory turnbuckles are a bit of a bother to work with in the limited space of a Gen2 Tacoma. Not sure if these will be better, but it is worth a try.

Well, I received the FastGuns and I am going to return them.

They are a lot larger than I had expected, and I think it would be mighty hard (impossible) to work with them inside the space available. They are also heavy, weighing 8 pounds for the set. They were a good idea, just not going to work the way I had hoped.

Instead, I am ordering a new set of turnbuckles. I am going with a set of stainless steel turnbuckles with shackle (or jaw) ends. With the shackle ends, even if the turnbuckle dramatically loosens up the camper will still be attached to truck, although loosely. I am also ordering a set of jam nuts for the turnbuckles. Turnbuckles are here at McMaster-Carr.

[Overland Hadley]

SS eh?, gee, I hope I didn't scare you off aluminum ! btw, our orig aluminum turnbuckles have held up fine (with a nut added)

Shackle on the top, I like. Shackle on the bottom, not so much. I hope you have thought that out because the requirement for a small cotter pin/ring in a confined space seems to me a receipt for frustration.

Yeah, you are probably correct about the shackle on the bottom. I am jumping the gun by working with the turnbuckles, but it was something I was working on the other night when I could not sleep. Ah well, I can order new end fittings.

How did you add a nut to the original turnbuckles to keep them from loosening? Easy to do to keep them from tightening, but loosening?

[Overland Hadley]

Or, I've read a wire can be used, presumably from the "adjuster" to an eye or perhaps a hole drilled in the hook shank/thread and made tight to prevent rotation and therefore loosening.

That is the way the turnbuckles on the boat work, they have a pin or ring going through the thread, thus stopping the turnbuckle body from turning.

[SLO_F-250]

Well, I received the FastGuns and I am going to return them.

They are a lot larger than I had expected, and I think it would be mighty hard (impossible) to work with them inside the space available. They are also heavy, weighing 8 pounds for the set. They were a good idea, just not going to work the way I had hoped.

Instead, I am ordering a new set of turnbuckles. I am going with a set of stainless steel turnbuckles with shackle (or jaw) ends. With the shackle ends, even if the turnbuckle dramatically loosens up the camper will still be attached to truck, although loosely. I am also ordering a set of jam nuts for the turnbuckles. Turnbuckles are here at McMaster-Carr.

I was wondering if they were going to fit in there! I think they are WAY over priced. $20 turnbuckles sure beats $400 fast guns. Thats ALOT of little things for the camper with money left over for BEER!

I added some Jamb nuts on my turnbuckels. They seem to work ok, but am probably going to add a lock washers because they still rattle loose at times. I have a stainless locking carabiner connecting to the camper eye bolt. It then connects to the closed loop end of the turn buckle. The other end of the turnbuckle is just a hook that goes eye bolt to the bed. I figured that if it comes loose it is less likely to unhook from the lower eyebolt than upper. Make sense? Ill try and get a pict up.

[Overland Hadley]

I was wondering if they were going to fit in there! I think they are WAY over priced. $20 turnbuckles sure beats $400 fast guns. Thats ALOT of little things for the camper with money left over for BEER!

I added some Jamb nuts on my turnbuckels. They seem to work ok, but am probably going to add a lock washers because they still rattle loose at times. I have a stainless locking carabiner connecting to the camper eye bolt. It then connects to the closed loop end of the turn buckle. The other end of the turnbuckle is just a hook that goes eye bolt to the bed. I figured that if it comes loose it is less likely to unhook from the lower eyebolt than upper. Make sense? Ill try and get a pict up.

The Derringers were $80, ended up being less than the SS turnbuckles that I have on order. But I might decide to return those as well. Sometimes I definitely have a hard time leaving good enough alone, as I am always looking for a better solution.

When you get a chance post a picture of your turnbuckle setup.

[Overland Hadley]

Only worked a ''half day'' (7 hours) today, so I had some time for the camper.



Finished the last roof rack bar. Now ready for the canoe or kayaks, or ski boxes.





The new struts came, so I installed them, complete with French SS twisted shackles. The shackles are captive pin, so they are easy to use.





Yes, the struts are also SS. This is from my last post.

Sometimes I definitely have a hard time leaving good enough alone, as I am always looking for a better solution.

Mounted the Rigid Industries Duallys. Not crazy about the wire location, but that is what I was given to work with. Just this afternoon I noted similar wiring on a friends super nice fishing boat, so I am sure it will be okay. Still need to finish sealing the hole where the wire comes out.






Thats all for now, I was happy to get some more work done!
(Sorry for the poor picture quality.)

[RickNV]

nice work

[SLO_F-250]

Dangit Overland, quit doing mods that get me thinking! You spend my $$ faster than I can! LOL!

Camper is looking great. I REALLY like the seamless roof. Quick question, why did you install the SS Shackles up top? Seems to be more expensive and move around rather than just doing the same bracket in both places. I know you have a reason. Also, on a scale of 1-10 how much do they help and were they worth the money? I'm debating on doing the same so my girlfriend does not struggle so much when opening the front.

Thanks!