DIY Flatbed Truck Camper 4x4 Adventure Mobile // Flatbed Truck Camper Tour // CtW

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Links to Modifications Below!
We customized our 4x4 flatbed truck camper to provide us the comfort and ability to drive from Alaska to Argentina. All modifications we did to the truck and camper were done on a very tight budget. And after nearly 2 years of living out of our truck camper, we have it pretty much built out the way we like it!
Enjoy this tour of the truck and be sure to check out our separate camper tour, where we show you not only what we have done to make our camper feel like home, but also why we chose a truck camper for our journey in the first place.
// Flatbed Modifications \\
Aluminum Boxes - amzn.to/2RhNJYx & amzn.to/35TN9FG
Steel For Custom Storage - amzn.to/2FR3zDU
Paint Primer - amzn.to/387wMqr
Paint - amzn.to/2QVRwLV
Camper Tie Downs - amzn.to/2RiKcJr
Generators - amzn.to/3a7wy4x
Jerry Cans - amzn.to/2QUSBDK
// Tools \\
Drill Bits - amzn.to/3acsno3
Drill - amzn.to/3717pXa
// Truck Camper Modifications \\
Kitchen Tiles - amzn.to/2Nr7kV6
Butcher Block Stove Cover - amzn.to/30laLBU
Kitchen Shelves - amzn.to/2NuzVbZ
Fruit Basket - amzn.to/2FR1ZCj
Magnetic Bar for Knives & Spices - amzn.to/38drl9h
Magnetic Spice Jars - amzn.to/2Noj22H
Hanging Utensil Rack - amzn.to/36XPkt9
Pantry Roller Shelf - amzn.to/2NuEDqe
Folding Hooks - amzn.to/35S0rCB
Shower head - amzn.to/3aaNeYN
Bathroom Door - amzn.to/2TtpsBd
Fantastic Vent Fan - amzn.to/2FRnoLp
Bedroom Wallpaper - amzn.to/2Nuqjhi
Reflectix For Windows - amzn.to/36YgzUb
// Solar & Electric \\
Renogy Panels - amzn.to/2TtrYr9
Solar Controller - amzn.to/2RhuJt2
Solar Kit - amzn.to/2tnY7ps
Solar MC4 Connectors - amzn.to/36Xh0hM
Solar Cables - amzn.to/30mwPvQ
Solar Plug Adapter (For Lance Camper) - amzn.to/2u0MEfB
Inverter - amzn.to/2FQFg98
Powerstrips - amzn.to/2QWGczb
LED Light Bulbs - amzn.to/2u5EiTO & amzn.to/35UMwvm
* For more information on how we built our DIY flatbed truck camper:
calledtowander.com/build-a-fl...
* About our DIY flatbed truck camper
calledtowander.com/customized...
*** Save 15% on Harvest Hosts - www.harvest-hosts.com/T58MD/2...
~ Become a Patreon and Help Us Continue Making Content! - / calledtowander
⇒⇒⇒ PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING US:
We're able to continue to travel and produce videos thanks to the support of viewers like you! Please consider supporting us so we can keep providing engaging content from the road!
calledtowander.com/support/
✜✜✜ ABOUT CtW:
We're passionate about helping people as we attempt to travel from Alaska to Argentina in our truck camper. It is our goal to inspire you to begin your next adventure and to provide you with the best information possible to help you prepare for the journey!
We love sharing stories through photos, videos and on our blog. Thanks for taking the time to watch this video and please SUBSCRIBE, comment, like and share to help us help more people!
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send us a note: hello@calledtowander.com
© 2020 Called To Wander, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Опубликовано:

9 янв 2020

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Комментарии : 168

@edgrabowski5241 Год назад

Thanks for the tour. What a great set up! I recently purchaced an f350..04. My daughter began racing motocross a few years ago and trying yo get my set in order. Plan to build a wood flatbed for truck. Just cab and chasis now. Dont plan to live in it ( although i woul personally love that) some great ideas. Love the inverted tool box storage

@CalledToWander Год назад

Sounds great! If you're not going to live out of it you may not need all the storage a flatbed provides. But they're great builds.

@mamiecarson 4 года назад

I love how you guys did all this on a budget like regular folk. Much more relatable for camper demographic.

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

Mamie Carson Thanks! We may try to find all of the expenses and do another shorter one breaking down costs. Unfortunately we weren’t camera savvy when we started our buildout, so we missed it as it was happening. But we definitely did it on an Everyman budget

@caspiancaspian1154 2 года назад

sorry to be so off topic but does anyone know a way to log back into an instagram account? I was dumb lost my password. I love any tips you can offer me!

@jonahtravis5257 2 года назад

@Caspian Caspian Instablaster :)

@caspiancaspian1154 2 года назад

@Jonah Travis I really appreciate your reply. I found the site thru google and I'm waiting for the hacking stuff now. Seems to take a while so I will reply here later with my results.

@caspiancaspian1154 2 года назад

@Jonah Travis It did the trick and I finally got access to my account again. Im so happy:D Thank you so much, you really help me out !

@gypsybelle4757 3 года назад

Your tool box modification is pure genius!

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

As they say, necessity (or a tight budget and no welding knowledge!) is the mother of all invention! Thanks!

@mundodebandeirante Год назад

very good your videos. I'm building a camper and the information is very important.

@CalledToWander Год назад

Glad it was helpful!

@wilderrick2042 4 года назад

I totally forgot that you custom built your, flatbed. However, I didn't realize all the detail/thought that you put into it.😲 Great setup, oh and I'm totally going to steal your outdoor kitchen setup idea.😊 LOL That custom fold up backsplash, very cool. Great video Chris, thanks for the outdoor tour of your beautiful home.👍 Once again, safe travel to you both, and we're looking forward to seeing your next video.😁

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

Wil Derrick Thanks! The outdoor kitchen has been an evolving project. If we thought about it from the beginning it would be a little smoother and integrated into the boxes better but we live and learn! Thanks again for following along!

@kenmunozatmmrrailroad6853 4 года назад

Genius... I’ve wanted to do something similar for years, glad to see your example in use!

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

Thanks Ken! We've loved living in our camper full time for the last 2 years! If you're interested in how we put ours together we have a post on it here: calledtowander.com/build-a-flatbed-truck-camper/

@Gary65437 4 года назад

For a low budget, it looks like you did a wonderful job on your rig. Well done.

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

Thanks Gary! With more money we might have done things a little different, but we managed really well with what we have and appreciate you watching and reaching out!

@terrybowling5973 Месяц назад

Thank you great to see your ideas.

@CalledToWander Месяц назад

You're welcome!

@terrybowling5973 Месяц назад

@CalledToWander we go tomorrow to look at a slide in camper (used) to put on our 2001 Dodge 3500 flatbed truck. I really appreciate that you talked about center of gravity.

@CalledToWander Месяц назад

@@terrybowling5973 I wouldn't do this setup again this way because of that and the total weight. Every time I look back on this rig (sold it over 3 years ago) the pictures make me cringe! Should have had a bigger truck. We were right on the center of gravity, by like 2 inches. But the weight is a huge consideration too. Enjoy the shopping!

@patriot3820 4 года назад

That's a great setup and maximum use of limited space. I really like the short-bed camper on long-bed truck setup, especially with using a flat bed and custom built storage to use the extra space. One thing I always run out of in the 'traditional' setup (short-bed camper, short-bed truck, no flatbed) is outside storage. Really innovative, and clearly a lot of thought and planning went into it. Most of all though - it's set up exactly how you want it to support what you do ;) enjoy the travel - it's the best part!

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

Patriot Thanks! It’s taken us a while to tweak the setup the way we have it now. But it definitely gives us the space to be very comfortable on the road. Thanks for watching!

@thomtrowbridge6508 3 года назад

Absolutely awesome idea storage is such a huge need and that external storage is amazing

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

It really is! We never considered a normal truck bed because we didn't want to waste all of the storage space we were able to create.

@JettRhoads 2 года назад

Love the setup! Just now found this as I’m planning to move to alaska and have been debating on whether or not to put a flatbed on my truck with the camper. The extra space seems invaluable, thanks for the ideas and safe travels!

@CalledToWander 2 года назад

We wouldn't have a truck camper setup any other way!

@Bacon75420 4 года назад

Genius with the flatbed storage!!

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

Thanks. We thought the standard truck bed wastes too much space and we wanted to be able to carry more for longer periods of time full time living on the road! Thanks for watching!

@TheBajaVideoGuy 4 года назад

Thanks for showing us the truck camper! Im just currently building my flad deck so I can do the same thing. I will be taking all of your building/ideas on the truck camper and all the storage!

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

Justin Huebert The storage was the biggest factor for the flatbed. That and we didn’t already have a truck so we could shop for a flatbed. You’ll enjoy the storage space for sure. Keep us posted on your build!

@dz63338 3 года назад

Hey, I was cuirios if you would be willing to share your experience?Iam currently designing a flatbed for my dodge ram around this very idea.

@MrDDDVideoTube 4 года назад

Never thought of it.. Pretty genius 👍

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

Thanks! We were just trying to be creative with a maneuverable rig that could support us for long term travel and it seems to have worked out!

@sirjefferies54 4 года назад

Been following you for some time now,you guys are great.I am building my flatbed to do the same thing right now,a lot of good info from you.Building on a 2005 dodge ram w/ cummins.I have spent the last year building the steering and suspension on her,just for doing this.You are a great inspiration for me.Rock on.

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

Thanks and hope the buildout goes well! Let us know when and where you get on the road!

@kyleesingh3834 3 года назад

Hey jeffrey I am just starting this process and would be curios to hear/see how your flatbed set up worked out. i also have a 2005 ram cummins

@CustomJeep 2 года назад

Thanks for this video! Exactly what I wanted to know and done very very well. Good job!

@CalledToWander 2 года назад

Glad it was helpful! Thanks so much!

@beanzbeanz 3 года назад

Big fan. This is great and the direction I'm headed with my truck camper. Keep it up!!

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

Awesome! Thank you!

@ConnerWells 3 года назад

One of the best things that my Lance came with was a plastic gutter for the poop pipe. It's really easy to clean out and keeps water from coming into contact with the metal bumper. Cool build, I never thought of putting a short bed camper on a long flat bed.

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

Our camper may have had one of these once upon a time, but it has since gone missing! And yes, we were kind of revolutionary when setting out to combine the long bed truck and short bed camper. But it's worked out well! Thanks for watching and reaching out!

@RJM1011 3 года назад

I like the idea of using a flatbed like you said more places to keep things you will need. Well done and thumbs UP. :)

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

Thank you! Cheers!

@markoverholser8450 3 года назад

Great video,. Good luck on your travels

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

Thanks so much!

@Keith_the_travelling_mechanic 7 месяцев назад

Very nice we have pretty much the exact set up on our flat bed. I use my side took boxs for my mobile mechanic business.

@CalledToWander 7 месяцев назад

That's a great idea!

@situationaladventures 4 года назад

Great ideas. Keep up the great vids and safe travels! Subbed and belled!

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

Thanks! Great video coming out tomorrow night!

@alphatruckhouse8223 4 года назад

Nice Rig ! I hope to catch you guys out there somewhere/time , i really have been enjoying your Vids ! They are inspiring for me to watch as my rig is being built ~peace~

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

andrew buchanan Awesome and thanks for watching! When do you expect to hit the road? And in what direction? We’d love to meet up if it works out!

@DOUGLASLASH-xy4ct 4 года назад

WELL DONE!THANK YOU FOR SHARING!

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

Thanks! Maybe a bit too thorough as it's longer than most tours but hopefully you picked up on some info for how/why/what to do with your rig!

@DOUGLASLASH-xy4ct 4 года назад

I WILL TRY NOT TO WRITE A "BOOK" LOL. BUT WHAT YOU AND YOUR WIFE ARE DOING I DONE FOR 27 YEARS, THE ADVENTURES AND EXPERIENCES AND MEMORIES ARE ENDLESS! LIKE YOUR WIFE, I HAVE A LIFE CHANGING DISEASE, I WATCH THE WORLD THREW YOUR EYES! CARRY ON!

@benboleyn514 4 года назад

Nice setup!

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

Ben Boleyn Thanks! We love our home on the road!

@thomasdipaolo2349 4 года назад

Nice setup. Been buidling out a truck & camper for similar travels. Not on the road yet. Appreciate you sharing

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

thomas dipaolo thanks for watching and reaching out! You’re going to love the road!

@thomasdipaolo2349 4 года назад

@@CalledToWander :)

@ginacardarella 4 года назад

very clever love it!

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

Glad you like it!

@grannylow7073 3 года назад

Nice work , safe travels

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

Thanks for watching and for reaching out!

@alfredstaude3955 4 года назад

Very well build. Thank`s for share. Best Regards, Alfred

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

Many thanks

@ew1421 2 года назад

Great ideas thanks for sharing. I really like how you use the the toolbox lids as tables. I just starting my flatbed camper build and I'm going to use your idea. I have a Duramax a 8' idle time overhead camper and a flatbed I just need to get everything put together.

@CalledToWander 2 года назад

It was the best idea we knew to do in our own. We’ve seen lots of custom welds since we hit the road. But for our budget and skill set this worked perfect!

@Serf_dumb 4 года назад

Really like your rig...and a flatbed is definitely the way to go!

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

acrodriguez34 We Love the flatbed and had this in mind from the beginning of our truck camper planning. So much wasted space with normal beds! Thanks for following along!

@Serf_dumb 4 года назад

@@CalledToWander thanks for the inspiration! Hoping one day soon to have a very similar rig capable of eventually taking me to the northernmost reaches of Alaska/Yukon, down to Patagonia & everywhere in between! Did your truck already have the flatbed or did you add it?

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

@@Serf_dumb Sounds like an epic trip and exactly what we had in mind when we built our rig! The truck had the flatbed already when we bought it, but if money weren't tight we would have bought a truck and put an aluminum flatbed on it.

@Serf_dumb 4 года назад

@@CalledToWander the real epic part will be the planning & creating the means necessary to make it happen lol. Thanks for your excellent & entertaining content!

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

@@Serf_dumb The challenge makes the journey worth it! We're in the middle now of continuing to try and create the means necessary so unless you get a winning lotto ticket or another big win, make the struggle of financing part of the journey. We've worked odd jobs in places we didn't think we'd have to in order to keep this dream afloat! Best of luck and keep us updated!

@titanc5955 2 года назад

Good idea on the toolbox’s

@CalledToWander 2 года назад

Thanks! We planned to be in the truck camper for 2-3 years driving the Pan Am and figured we could use all the space we could get!

@KarenHartt 4 года назад

You should look at doing this as a business, you did a great job!

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

Thanks but wouldn't even know where to begin!

@knightmareking1342 2 года назад

I recently traded a 00 dodge ram 1500 for a single cab 04 chevy 3500 dually 6.0 gas vortec with a utility bed which i already removed and sold and i found a 8ft long bed dually to place on it but the holes dont line up with the frame so now i need to make some brackets to make it fit but i did wonder if i could tow a cab over on a flat bed im glad i searched for it and found your video it really helped me out now if i get a chance to get a cheap cm or norstar steal flat bed i will do exactly the same setup you have on your rig its very convenient and looks amazing!

@CalledToWander 2 года назад

Thanks so much! In the industrial world, anything is possible! We've made friends with people who built out some even more spectacular truck campers than ours because they had the skills and abilities (or money) to hire someone. So if you can think it up, you can find a way to make it work. We'd advise above all else to consider safety first. Be sure you are within weight rating as best as possible (add the biggest tires you can to support the weight), invest in good suspension (upgrade if necessary), and be sure you anchor the camper to the bed securely. If you account for safety in your design, then you'll be glad with the rest of your buildout! Enjoy the journey and let us know how it ends up!

@ohUredneck 4 года назад

Nice outfit!

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

Thanks!

@shilosheena 3 года назад

Good vid

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

Thanks!

@thatdudeinblackshoes 3 года назад

Sherptek. Go look at it. You basically made the affordable version. I love it !!

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

Yeah, incredibly stripped down version! No way we could afford anything other than what we managed to put together! Thanks for watching and reaching out!

@thatdudeinblackshoes 3 года назад

@@CalledToWander we all want the ferrari on the honda civic budget. Seems like life doesn't work that way. What you have done is awesome! You put real effort into your home and I like it! Plus ford❤️

@mannyvaldes1101 3 года назад

I like your designer how you make set up nice truck

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

Thanks 👍

@wyzzardfamily 3 года назад

Tips on finding your center of gravity? I have a pop top palomino one a short bed Ram 2500 gasser. Killer vid. I’m Also considering fabricating a flatbed! Thanks for sharing!

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

Our camper manual had a diagram indicating the center of gravity. I would assume you could look it up for your model. But I think putting the short bed pop top on a short bed camper you'll be fine. They made those two to go together. We were a little out of the box in our thinking so we wanted to be sure we didn't have the camper so far back that we popped a wheelie when hitting a bump! Enjoy the road!

@wyzzardfamily 3 года назад

@@CalledToWander thanks y’all! Same and safe travels! Looking forward to following along!

@1019buster Год назад

Inside tour requested!,

@CalledToWander Год назад

It’s on our channel! 😃

@RWWRENTAL 4 года назад

that is sick!! I am thinking about the same thing. Buying a dodge 3500 flat bed, then finding a metal fab shop and make a really nice drawers like that. question how did you mount the camper? how does it do taking it on mild off road to boon dock?

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

RideWithWill You’ll have a great time! We actually didn’t do too much welding. The camper is secured at 4 points with tie downs. Then gravity keeps it nice and snug most days. The rig handles off-road adventures- some more than others. But as we live full time out of this we have decided we need to take it easy on the off-road! We went with single rear wheel F250 so you’ll have different options with a 3500. Let us know how it goes and if you have any other questions!

@snowistasty 3 года назад

Awesome setup. I’m working on getting our north star camper on our new flatbed, did you use a regular tool box on the side that you have the outdoor kitchen? And how did you secure the boxes that you used? Thanks for sharing!

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

Yes those are standard tool boxes tilted at 90 degrees to open sideways instead of up. We drilled 4 holes, one into each corner, through both the box and the bed and then bolted them in using washers on each end. It was a pretty simple process so it should be easy to replicate. The hardest part was finding the right size boxes to optimize the space beneath the camper since we did not custom weld them to fit exactly. Hope it goes well for you!

@fasteddie51 4 года назад

Great functionality. I like it. I’ve got a 99 F250 LB, V10, 4x4, 5 speed manuel transmission and air bags. We bought a 2013 Lance 850. When we were loaded for a 2 week trip it was 1,600 lbs over the trucks GVWR. It sat level but handled bad. We traded it in on a Lance trailer and I hate pulling a trailer. I’m thinking about an aluminum flat bed on my old truck with dual rear wheels and another camper. In my mind there is no better way to travel. I’m I nuts?

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

You are absolutely NOT nuts! We love our truck camper for being able to go virtually anywhere. We've never wanted to tow anything so we'll be in our truck camper for a while! Aluminum flatbed would be great from a weight standpoint. We lacked the funds to start this way but if we had more money we'd look to lose the steel and go with aluminum. Keep us posted on your journey!

@allenriege 3 года назад

inspirational ! Thanks for showing . R u happy w 3/4 vs 1 ton ?

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

Thanks for watching! We were happy with the 3/4 ton particularly as we wanted a single rear wheel 7.3L diesel. Any full tons would be dually and our camper would not have worked out without adding dually brackets. But as our purpose for our truck and camper was to equip us for the Pan American highway, we learned that single rear wheel is an advantage and thus the 3/4 ton became our truck of choice.

@jitskid831 2 года назад

Awesome set up. how did the RV set against the bumper in the rear was it right up against the flatbed or is it gapped?

@CalledToWander Год назад

It fit with about 1/2" of room between the end of the flatbed and the black tank cover. With the boxes we welded behind the cab, it was the perfect, tightest fit.

@kent5201 4 года назад

I love your videos, I'm in the process of mounting a popup pickup camper onto a flat bed. Do you just use the 4 normal tiedown points on the camper or did you do anything else to prevent camper from sliding side to side? My flat bed is slippery metal diamond plate.

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

We have the rear tie downs pulling forward and the front tie downs pulling inward (across each other). We don't have anything pulling back because honestly the camper stays pretty well put. There have been a few times it did move around a little and we tweaked it by putting the jacks down and repositioning. A pain, but not terrible. You could invest in a rubber mat that would provide a little more traction. You could also install self-made "stoppers" to mount on the bed and guide the camper where it should sit.

@1101rcampana 3 года назад

Great job guys!!! i am currently doing the same thing along with a camper remodel to add a shower/toilet. Where do you guy=s have your holding tanks mounted? i saw your "poop tube" great idea!! does your black water tank hook directly to that tube inside the bumper or is it located under the truck? any insight would be extremely helpful. Thanks in advance

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

Our black and grey tanks were both at the rear of the camper next to the bumper. The switch valves were in a small outside compartment on the rear driver side. But the outflow pipe hung out from beneath the camper. So we would have to pull out the poop tube and connect it before dumping. But all that was conveniently located in the same rear/drivers side and was quite simple. Hope your remodel goes well!

@kemonary 3 месяца назад

Look awsome, how much is the set up weight? I have same but short bed im worried carrying my 821 Lance

@CalledToWander 2 месяца назад

Couldn’t tell you now 3.5 years removed. We were heavy for sure. Most of that was in the steel flatbed itself. If you have options to remove the steel bed or go with a dually that can support more weight then better off. I cringe at how much weight we carried with this setup

@adamfowles1060 4 года назад

Great video 👍, Im also curious about the width/length and weight of the flat bed and the weight of the camper? Thank you

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

I don't have my notes around anymore with specific/exact specs. But we have a big steel flatbed that weighs too much (in our opinion). It was a work truck and we didn't budget to modify/change the flatbed. The width/length of the flatbed is roughly 8' in length and 1" less in width than our camper (makes backing beneath the jacks very, very tight). Again, I don't have the numbers and with the rig together now I couldn't get much more exact. As for the weight of the camper, factory specs say just under 3k wet (including our air conditioner and additional propane tank). Of course we have added weight as well - a second battery, a few jerry cans (water x2, diesel x1, gas x1), 2 x honda 2000 generators 3x 100w solar and then the stuff of life. At one point we tried weighing all of the variables and honestly as we live 100% of the time in our truck and camper things are constantly changing in what we have/jettison as we're always looking for ways to go lighter and with less stuff (yet always equipped to be self-sustainable)... Our biggest recent modification, thanks to the roads in Baja, has been to beef up our rear suspension. We have 2 x Rancho5000 shocks (yes, a Mexican welder modified that for us since we couldn't locate the Rancho9000s) and we also have beefed up leaf packs (yes, a Mexican leaf expert added 3 overload and 2 standard leaf springs to each pack). The axle doesn't carry any more weight, nor the tires, so we are always wary of weight. But by definition this truck/camper is big so we look for ways to carry the weight better (kind of like my wife... don't tell her I said that, lol). Iknow that's not specifically answering your questions but with every modified flatbed truck camper the specs will be different. We've seen about 10 others in Baja and know that our truck and camper would not work in combination on any of the other setups... We also had our camper before our truck, so we shopped for a truck that would fit more or less the way we wanted (single rear wheel was important to us) and then kind of worked the math backward to make sure everything fit! Hope some of this helps! Do you have a truck and/or camper already?

@adamfowles1060 4 года назад

@@CalledToWander thank you for the reply, it is very helpful, I don't have either currently but Ive been putting a plan together, I've decided to get my camper first, and have been looking for a srw 1ton crew cab. Weight is my biggest concern at the moment as I plan on towing a Jeep and trailer with us. So I was thinking about and aluminum flat bed but don't think the budget will allow for this setup currently, but seeing your setup, makes me wonder if something I can do down the road.

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

adam fowles I think you have the right idea. SRW is always limiting on weight but for us the roads on the Pan Am (tolls are by wheels, airing down in some cases, etc) made us stay away from dually. We also knew we wanted 7.3l engine so that narrowed our search quite a bit. We were fortunate to find the combo we wanted in truck (flatbed, longbed, crew cab, 7.3l, srw) and made sure the flatbed fit the camper (yes I had my measurement then and took tape measure to bed before buying the truck!)... also aluminum was not in our budget, nor did our welder friend have ability to work with aluminum... budget aside, we’d go lighter aluminum bed for sure... BUT also consider if you want the truck apart from the camper. Some DIY flatbed campers fix the camper to the truck and it becomes one. We wanted to be able to separate them (and fortunately we did as we’ve had several instances we needed them apart). We’d love to hear how your decision goes so please reach out when you make your buy and also if you have any other questions! We put our diy in our website for the steps we did, if that helps

@tna2me197 3 года назад

Have you thought about putting an awning of some sort over the outside kitchen area? That’s what I’m thinking of doing on mine.

@tna2me197 3 года назад

Lol. Spoke too soon. I see you do have an awning there.

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

It does have a full awning that stretches out over the whole outside kitchen area! We didn't have the awning out for this video but definitely used it when cooking in the rain before! Great idea and definitely worth doing on yours!

@dz63338 3 года назад

Hi , I am currently also looking into this process. I see that you have changed to an RV but i know you have ample experience with the flatbed. based on all the comments and the information on the internet it seems a lot of people are looking into this but theres really not much informaton on the web on how to go about designing the flatbed and choosing the camper.I am trying to design a flatbed now for a pop up camper and would love to hear some of these folks similar experiences or information they have come across.

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

Thanks for watching and reaching out! When we started this project in 2017 there was so little info out there. We knew what we wanted to do (drive from Alaska to Argentina) and we knew we wanted a certain TC setup. But we kind of tweaked as we went along. Here's our post on the criteria we had, the selections we made and how we built our TC. I plan to try and update it sometime down the road but it should give you a clearer idea of what/why/how we did some things. Please feel free to email us with any specific questions! calledtowander.com/build-a-flatbed-truck-camper/

@randywarren6925 4 года назад

I really like your flatbed setup 🤓. What kind of fuel mileage are you getting with the 7.3 and the camper? Again nice setup.

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

Thanks! So in the US we were getting around 11.5-12 mpg. In Baja we're getting slightly less, still averaging around 11 but sometimes under. We've learned the lower quality of diesel has some effect on the mileage. But the 7.3 is a champ and runs great whether on higher or lower quality diesel - one of the reasons we bought the truck knowing diesel would be sub-par on the Pan American highway... one of our issues in being super-precise is the way we fill our fuel on the flatbed is hard to actually top off. The fuel intake is only slightly higher than the tank and in Baja attendants fuel your vehicle so sometimes they have the patience to drip the last diesel to top off the tank and other times they stop when it comes spewing out! That said, I budget everything on 11 mpg. If we get better than that I am stoked. If it's under that I scratch my head and think back on the terrain and last fill-up, but it doesn't ruin my day.

@randywarren6925 4 года назад

11mpg with that big camper, tires and all your gear that's not bad. God Bless and safe travels.😇

@chrisstadnichuk4382 4 года назад

I’m doing a similar build to an 06 Power Waggon I’m trying to find a good aluminum deck but almost near impossible

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

chris Stadnichuk That was one of the hardest parts of our setup too, and maybe the weakest link as the steel is definitely heavy. But we couldn’t find or afford aluminum either so sometimes you take what you can get and get on the road!

@peterwalker6878 5 месяцев назад

Did you have to modify your front jacks to get out past the edge of the flatbed?

@CalledToWander 5 месяцев назад

No. But we only had about 1 inch in either side of the flatbed so we didn’t take the camper off often!

@iwin2052 4 года назад

How stable is it being a srw? How does it handle all that weight would I be better off with a dually?

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

It is quite stable, though we’ve learned a sway bar in the rear would be the last thing to shore up any instability. And yes, a dually is a great idea if you’re not planning to drive the length of the Pan American Highway, which is our goal when we built this setup. Driving around the US would be fine with a dually as there are fewer places to need to air down or worry about off-road maintenance and there are no toll roads that charge extra for dually (Mexico).

@philguzman6932 4 года назад

Just curious, how much does your rig weigh? It's a very nice setup.

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

A lot. We stopped weighing it after we first hit the road and we've since stripped down and added a variety of things that make weighing it again futile. At that point we were pushing the manufacturers limits - largely due to the bulk of the steel bed. In hindsight a lighter bed (if we could have afforded it) or a full ton dually (we didn't want a dually south of the border) would bear the load better. But we're safe.

@elouisevanhelsing3430 4 года назад

Curious if the width of the flatbed caused any problems with the removal jacks? Those front jacks look kinda beefy... are they custom?

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

Elouise Vanhelsing The width of the flatbed is only a marital issue as we have about 1/2 inch clearance between the jack and the bed and backing beneath the camper is a huge marital strain! The jacks are standard from the dealer with no mods. We did think about switching out to dually jacks that would swing wider but we rarely take the camper off the truck so marital stress be damned!

@tiger37373 4 года назад

Could you tell me what the tire/wheel setup is that you chose for your truck?

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

The wheels are the stock Ford 16" aluminum wheels, ours are just painted black. We love the tires we chose and they've performed and held up well for us. They are Toyo Open Country A/T 285/75/16 (I believe)

@lisamorand9607 3 года назад

Can the camper be open to the cab of the truck? Like you coukd go from the back seat into the camper?

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

Not in our setup. For one, the flatbed raised up to cover the rear truck window. Second, with the 16" space we designed between the shortbed camper and long bed there was not space. Third, we built out storage in our backset so we never had the room to use the rear window anyway. A normal truck camper would give you that option. But we were not looking for this feature in our particular setup.

@neilsalmon5900 3 года назад

Wondering how much your setup truck and camper cost with everything added for your power package ? Can you let us know in another video ?

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

Hey Neil great question! We sold Rocket + Tree Trimmer and bought a class C we're remodeling now. So we won't be able to go back and cover much ground with doing a video to answer your question. But what it broke down to was we bought the truck for 7K (with 445K miles) and the camper for 5K. Then we budgeted 8K more for everything from solar and batteries to kitchen accessories and the likes. So we were 20K all in... then on the road we had to make some repairs/upgrades. 4K for new rear suspension (airbags, additional leaf springs, airbag brackets) then we had a few more significant repairs that were part of routine maintenance on a truck that old/high mileage. Like all things, you can spend more or less depending on your specific circumstances. We wanted the 7.3L engine but could only afford the 7K when we first started and took our chance on what we had to put into it later. Hope this helps!

@alb6434 3 года назад

Is your truck f-250 or f-350? Is it short bed or long bed? Is it dual rear wheel or single rear wheel? How many miles on your diesel? Thanks for the info.

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

F250, long bed single rear wheel. We just crossed 491K miles and still going strong. We'll be putting our rig up for sale if you're interested!

@kalebstout7673 3 года назад

What engine is the truck and what kind of mileage do you get fully loaded on your travels?

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

7.3L diesel. We averaged 11 mpg. Less up hills and over 65. More on flat at 55.

@kalebstout7673 3 года назад

@@CalledToWander Thanks for the reply do you mind sharing the weight of the camper if you know. I'm currently trying to convince my partner into getting a truck camper instead of 5th wheel or bumper pull specifically for off road trips like Mexico. Its just the two of us, our dog and cat going fulltime, just trying to decide if its too small. How did you two adjust to living in such a small space and always bumping into each other.

@belowmars 3 года назад

is the camper permanently attached to the truck bed? I read some flatbed campers can slide in and out just like normal slide in campers.

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

Ours was not permanently attached for a lot of reasons. Because we custom built ours we gave ourselves the option to detach (which we needed several times!). We put together a quick post and video on the how/why of loading our flatbed truck camper to give some insight into how convenient it is. Thanks for watching and reaching out! calledtowander.com/load-a-truck-camper/

@belowmars 3 года назад

@@CalledToWander Thanks, it would be really nice to have a video on it. I see that the bottom of the camper is still grooved like a camper for a regular truck, I thought the bottom would be completely flat to offer more room, or is it completely just custom?

@rushgarrett7410 2 года назад

Where is your spare tire?

@CalledToWander 2 года назад

It is located in the rear beneath the bed, suspended off the ground. You insert a crank to lower it when needed.

@richardcoady1167 2 года назад

What is the length of your flatbed?

@CalledToWander 2 года назад

I do not have those specs written down and we sold the truck and camper over a year and a half ago. It was a standard longbed. We had around 16" between the shortbed camper and the cab. I believe it was 8' or 96"

@jonny_mazerati9410 3 года назад

Where’s the inside 🤔

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-E5lTUOGb9gE.html

@cmh2111 Год назад

Your tie downs are upside down.

@CalledToWander Год назад

We did that intentionally after consulting with the company. Better fit for what we needed with the space.

@Mataiodragon 3 года назад

I thought travel from North America to South America was impossible cuz of the Darien Gap? Other than shipping your vehicle

@CalledToWander 3 года назад

Correct, you must ship around the Darien either in a container or an open-air freight ship.

@georgeshotrodbarn2113 Год назад

How do you weigh research

@CalledToWander Год назад

Not sure we understand the question? Weight was nearly max GVWR and we upgraded tires to biggest possible to distribute the weight. Head to truck stop for CAT scale to know how much and how it's distributed between the axles.

@georgeshotrodbarn2113 Год назад

@@CalledToWander You said you did a ton of research i was just wondering how to weigh research a ton is a lot

@PTcruser65 4 года назад

nice build and all that, all good and well, but the real question is, how many Banditos and Policia did you have to pay off to stay alive and make this vid? Are you in trouble? do you need help? on your next post, blink once for yes and..... agh,..my bad. Vid from Jan 10. today march 2 nd. you two are probably dead by now. Hasta la vista. RIP.

@CalledToWander 4 года назад

PTcruser65 yep, we’re dead. Mexico is bad.