Pay special attention to how the doors will interact with other parts of the camper - especially the main door. It looks like you'll have a storage door on each side of your main camper entrance door. Assuming the camper door swings open to the right, you might want to make sure it won't hit the adjacent compartment door when it's open.
C5500 TopKick 4x4 Crew Cab Build
- Thread starter NeverEnough
- Start date
What the industry does
Camper builders in Germany mostly build this way:
Top hinge: For large doors. They will open all the way, you just need proper gas shock. it will cover you from the rain/sun.
Side Hinge: All smaller doors and they will also typically be shorter heigth wise so being side hinged you can look easily into the compartment.
Saludos
Camper builders in Germany mostly build this way:
Top hinge: For large doors. They will open all the way, you just need proper gas shock. it will cover you from the rain/sun.
Side Hinge: All smaller doors and they will also typically be shorter heigth wise so being side hinged you can look easily into the compartment.
Saludos
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Ford Prefect
Expedition Leader
On the hinges, with side hinge... I think if you just put in a tiny inch or two inch awning over the door, heck even a tiny little gutter, you will reduce your sealing issue, no?
Have you thought about a bottom hinge? With that you have similar to the side hinge with issues, etc, but you also can make the door drop all the way down, or set up a hook and wire (like the tail gate of a truck) and then you have a nice work station outside. Good for spreading parts when working on the truck, or bikes, and good for an outdoor cook station or table when eating outdoors. I have seen a few people do this and I personally really like it. If you look at the Eco Roamer he has one door that is like that which is hinged in two places to allow the table to be lower when in the flat position. (IE bottom section hangs straight down while the top folds up to a 90 making a table.) He does, however, have a very tall rig, I do not know how high up your doors will be. (edit: looks like someone said that already, darn and I thought I had a good idea all to myself...
)
Whatever you choose to go with, best of luck!
Have you thought about a bottom hinge? With that you have similar to the side hinge with issues, etc, but you also can make the door drop all the way down, or set up a hook and wire (like the tail gate of a truck) and then you have a nice work station outside. Good for spreading parts when working on the truck, or bikes, and good for an outdoor cook station or table when eating outdoors. I have seen a few people do this and I personally really like it. If you look at the Eco Roamer he has one door that is like that which is hinged in two places to allow the table to be lower when in the flat position. (IE bottom section hangs straight down while the top folds up to a 90 making a table.) He does, however, have a very tall rig, I do not know how high up your doors will be. (edit: looks like someone said that already, darn and I thought I had a good idea all to myself...
)Whatever you choose to go with, best of luck!
No hinges?
Have you thought of no hinges at all. I only have two side exterior access doors on our rig and both are small. I put a lip on the lower edge of the door and the lock at the top. I open the lock and just pull the door off, set it down next to the truck. Super simple, nothing to go wrong, unless you drive off without the door- and it makes a very tight fit. I'll take pics if interested.
Have you thought of no hinges at all. I only have two side exterior access doors on our rig and both are small. I put a lip on the lower edge of the door and the lock at the top. I open the lock and just pull the door off, set it down next to the truck. Super simple, nothing to go wrong, unless you drive off without the door- and it makes a very tight fit. I'll take pics if interested.
That One Guy
Adventurer
That's a really good idea.
Overland Hadley
on a journey
Overland Hadley
on a journey
You would need both hands to open and close the doors. If you had it hinged you can open and close the doors with one hand, leaving one hand free for holding stuff.
Overland Hadley
on a journey
Have you thought about a bottom hinge? With that you have similar to the side hinge with issues, etc, but you also can make the door drop all the way down, or set up a hook and wire (like the tail gate of a truck) and then you have a nice work station outside. Good for spreading parts when working on the truck, or bikes, and good for an outdoor cook station or table when eating outdoors. I have seen a few people do this and I personally really like it. If you look at the Eco Roamer he has one door that is like that which is hinged in two places to allow the table to be lower when in the flat position. (IE bottom section hangs straight down while the top folds up to a 90 making a table.) He does, however, have a very tall rig, I do not know how high up your doors will be. (edit: looks like someone said that already, darn and I thought I had a good idea all to myself...
Good for shallow compartments. With a deep compartment it would be harder to reach the back.
Photomike
White Turtle Adventures & Photography
I would go with the side opening. They get out of the way and hold the load without shocks or cables.
I did see a nice unit that had top opening doors that had a rubber hook to hold them open without using a shock or cable but it again added something else to the build.
I did see a nice unit that had top opening doors that had a rubber hook to hold them open without using a shock or cable but it again added something else to the build.
NeverEnough
Adventurer
Excellent feedback from everybody, and great ideas. I've explored a lot of different door types, both hinged and more unique. I really like the way pantograph doors move up and out of the way on buses and bus-style class A coaches. But, as with gas shocks, they eat up space and have lots of moving parts. And I love using heavy duty drawer slides, but worry that tieing them into the door will limit loading options (unless I build in some sort of hinge for the drawer/door front). My generator enclosure box is mounted on heavy-duty slides so all sides can be easily accessed when needed.
Because I'm over budget on both time and money on this project, it's tempting to just take the easiest path, even though it might not be the best. So, with all your comments and ideas in mind, I spent some time walking around the rig late yesterday, paying special attention to how each door would be used, as well as it's interaction with other aspects of the camper. Even though it might take a little longer, your comments have inspired me to deal with each doors' unique needs.
For example, the two largest doors allow access to the waste water tanks (driver's side) and the generator/toy tank (passenger side). Neither have any storage capacity, they're just there in case I have to service or remove the components.
Waste water compartment (closest to the cab in the image below): The pull-handles for the empty valves are inside the waste compartment, but I can easily install a small, pre-fabricated (big plus) access hatch for each, or even a remote actuator system (also available in either manual, using cables, or electric). So that compartment is a candidate for a hingeless, completely removable door, as Shachagra suggested.
Genset/toy tank (closest to the front in the image below): This compartment opening has the same dimensions as the waste water door. Since the generator control panel is inside the camper, it only needs to be accessed for service/maintenance. This compartment also contains access the toy tank ( extends back under the interior steps and doubles as the generator fuel tank). I had intended to have the fill port and to the pump-out nozzle inside to avoid tampering. However, it might make more sense to install the fuel fill-port on the outside (again, using a locking, pre-fabricated hatch/cap set available through several manufacturers). I would need to install an access door within the larger compartment panel for the pump-out nozzle. The hose itself may be the biggest problem, since I don't believe I have room for a auto-retract spool. If I do, then it might be a candidate for a completely removable door. I would probably use two or more bolts, in addition to the locking Trimark handles I purchased for all of these doors.
The propane bottle compartment (behind the side personnel door in the image above) may be perfect for a drawer assembly. Due to the solar/battery capacity, and the fact that the primary heating is electric radiant, I won't be using a ton of propane. And, like the generator, it's a fixed component that has a set foot print. I would just need to make sure the hoses are long enough to articulate with the drawer slide.
I'm leaning towards side mount hinges for the rest of the doors, which are almost square, and provide access to storage compartments. The two rear compartments are complete "pass through", so there's a door on each side.
And speaking of Shachagra's reference to a real-life Tetris game, we burned up a day replacing the rollers for the big slide out room. This build is a game of tight tolerances, so, after adding 1/4" aluminum wear strips for the original rollers, the room would potentially rub on the ceiling during extension/retraction. In addition, the original five rollers, which are standard issue in the RV industry, are, of course, cheese.
I ordered a box of 20 and we buggered several of them already. So, I came up with this:
5 actual sealed bearing assemblies (only 4 are visible in the shot above), recessed and mounted on stainless axles. It gave me the clearance needed, as well as much greater piece of mind.
While this build began in the world of composites, it seems to be finishing in the world of aluminum. There are aluminum shavings in every nook and cranny of the shop, but at least it doesn't itch!
Because I'm over budget on both time and money on this project, it's tempting to just take the easiest path, even though it might not be the best. So, with all your comments and ideas in mind, I spent some time walking around the rig late yesterday, paying special attention to how each door would be used, as well as it's interaction with other aspects of the camper. Even though it might take a little longer, your comments have inspired me to deal with each doors' unique needs.
For example, the two largest doors allow access to the waste water tanks (driver's side) and the generator/toy tank (passenger side). Neither have any storage capacity, they're just there in case I have to service or remove the components.
Waste water compartment (closest to the cab in the image below): The pull-handles for the empty valves are inside the waste compartment, but I can easily install a small, pre-fabricated (big plus) access hatch for each, or even a remote actuator system (also available in either manual, using cables, or electric). So that compartment is a candidate for a hingeless, completely removable door, as Shachagra suggested.
Genset/toy tank (closest to the front in the image below): This compartment opening has the same dimensions as the waste water door. Since the generator control panel is inside the camper, it only needs to be accessed for service/maintenance. This compartment also contains access the toy tank ( extends back under the interior steps and doubles as the generator fuel tank). I had intended to have the fill port and to the pump-out nozzle inside to avoid tampering. However, it might make more sense to install the fuel fill-port on the outside (again, using a locking, pre-fabricated hatch/cap set available through several manufacturers). I would need to install an access door within the larger compartment panel for the pump-out nozzle. The hose itself may be the biggest problem, since I don't believe I have room for a auto-retract spool. If I do, then it might be a candidate for a completely removable door. I would probably use two or more bolts, in addition to the locking Trimark handles I purchased for all of these doors.
The propane bottle compartment (behind the side personnel door in the image above) may be perfect for a drawer assembly. Due to the solar/battery capacity, and the fact that the primary heating is electric radiant, I won't be using a ton of propane. And, like the generator, it's a fixed component that has a set foot print. I would just need to make sure the hoses are long enough to articulate with the drawer slide.
I'm leaning towards side mount hinges for the rest of the doors, which are almost square, and provide access to storage compartments. The two rear compartments are complete "pass through", so there's a door on each side.
And speaking of Shachagra's reference to a real-life Tetris game, we burned up a day replacing the rollers for the big slide out room. This build is a game of tight tolerances, so, after adding 1/4" aluminum wear strips for the original rollers, the room would potentially rub on the ceiling during extension/retraction. In addition, the original five rollers, which are standard issue in the RV industry, are, of course, cheese.
I ordered a box of 20 and we buggered several of them already. So, I came up with this:
5 actual sealed bearing assemblies (only 4 are visible in the shot above), recessed and mounted on stainless axles. It gave me the clearance needed, as well as much greater piece of mind.
While this build began in the world of composites, it seems to be finishing in the world of aluminum. There are aluminum shavings in every nook and cranny of the shop, but at least it doesn't itch!
Ford Prefect
Expedition Leader
Well the idea is that the table portion can hang down flat against the truck when not in use as a table.
If it is any consolation for you, that seems to be a very common refrain on this forum. Building a dream, one-off, custom expedition vehicle never seems to come in on budget nor as fast as we seem to think it will.
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NeverEnough
Adventurer
You haven't missed it because it's still undecided! It's another detail that I'm having a hard time with. Using a bi-fold wall (instead of the fold down wall) makes for an easier deployment and better weather seal. However, it removes the ability to use a screen wall for the pop-up room when the weather allows. And it makes the roof-access door a bit more tricky. I'm about ready to flip a coin on this one.
Ford Prefect said:
I thought about this idea a lot when I did my recon on Saturday, and I think it works for a lot of rigs. But with my layout, it would be redundant. Between the slide-out "porch" on the front passenger side and the 6' table that slides out of the passenger side storage bay behind the rear wheel, I think I'm covered for work space.
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