Living quarters conversion... real world feedback/experience needed

[kalsc]

Hi all,

Having decided that I will be removing the steel personnel carrier from my m656, I will be setting it up with some form of living quarters.

I don't want to convert it to a tractor and tow a trailer like the m146. I do want to have the living quarters on the vehicle itself.

Many have done various conversions: Dropped a truck camper on the back, dropped a 5th wheel travel trailer on the back, built a tiny house on the back, used an aluminum container like the GSQ-80B message center, and some talk of a 20' steel shipping container.

Questions I have:

When it comes to dropping a truck camper or 5th wheel travel trailer on the back, who has real time experience traveling with these units? Are they (the camper and trailers) built strong enough to handle the rougher ride due to rougher terrain one may go on? My concern is that they may not be strong enough structurally. Chime in!!

Building a tiny house is no go for me. No time and too ****ed expensive.

Finding an aluminum container like the GSQ-80B message center series or an aluminum expansible van is a tough one... good luck from what I am told.

Just like campers and 5th wheel trailers, shipping containers are everywhere. My concern here is that the empty weight of a 20' container is HEAVY all things considered, coming in at about 2,200kg tare. Once it's outfitted... who knows.

So for me, short of finding an aluminum container message center or an aluminum expansible van... my options are 5th wheel travel trailer (basically a ready to go, drop on self contained unit) or outfitting a 20' shipping container.

Looking for some insightful feedback based on experiences. Thanks in advance to all. Cheers!

 

[Mos68x]

Well I’m doing mine in a 20’ container that will removable from the truck, however I’m building mine myself. But you can always buy one prebuilt and just drop that on the truck itself. I’m also building a frame that will bolt to the truck and use the standard corner locks for securing it down. Soon as I finish this engine rebuild that will be the next project I tackle.

 

[kalsc]

I take it the two major factors for you are 1) being able to remove it and 2) sturdiness? For me, those two are a huge as well... I just get concerned with starting out with such a heavy empty shell... I suppose I shouldn't get too caught up in the weight issue considering the m656 can handle a fair amount, just over 10,000 lb payload.

 

[4XDesign]

Awesome truck to start with! Had to look it up. If you went with the 5th wheel or regular camper. You can build a rigid frame to put it on. Then attach it like the beds on military trucks using fast mounting points and points with springs, to allow frame flex. I do think you are correct in being concerned about the "toughness" of the light weight civilian units.

 

[Mos68x]

Self-removal was actually the main priority for me, robust strength was a bonus but still necessary. If I ever make it to Haspin, Rausch, or any of the other off-road rallies I’ll be taking it onto the trails with me since it will have to handle the punishment of being on the trails as well since I hope to not see a ton of pavement when I start traveling south.

With a shipping container I can build ‘jacks’ for it so that it can lift itself off the truck, I seriously doubt there are any civilian camper frames that withstand the abuse of that alone, never mind being done multiple times. Yes the container weighs nearly half of the payload capacity of the truck, but if you were to do the same I would doubt that you would add 5k in weight on the inside...but I could be wrong. As my build progresses I will try to take weights at a CAT scale so I have some frame of reference as I go along. If I do start getting close to the ‘limit’ I can always put the wrecker springs on the rear to get me a few more pounds of capacity.

 

[VPed]

Most campers are wood-framed and will start coming apart as screws and nails loosen. I have experience with slide-in truck campers on pickups. there are some campers that are welded steel or welded aluminum framed.

Wrecker springs are not actually springs but solid steel beams that do not "spring".

 

[gunsgreg]

Why not an S280 commo shelter? Or do you need more room? I am modifying one now to eventually use as a camper mounted on my M989A1 HEMAT trailer...

 

[kalsc]

Hey gunsgreg... interesting that you mention the S280 shelter, I looked it up and that is very much like the GSQ-80B message center I referred to above. Curious where you got your S280 from and how much? (If you don't mind me asking, can always PM if you like).

Completely agree with the comments re: civilian type campers/trailers, too much potential for weakening structure.

I was contemplating the shipping container in lieu of finding an aluminum type shelter, but if shelters like the S280 are around... that may be just the ticket to start with.

 

[Idunno]

There’s a S250 that’s already been turned into a camper in the classifieds.

 

[71DeuceAK]

I'm kinda going this route with an M928A1 that already lacks the stock bed.

 

[jcappeljr]

I have a really nice 280 shelter camper for sale in the classifieds.

 

[kalsc]

I have a really nice 280 shelter camper for sale in the classifieds.

I saw that. Looks good.

I'm realizing that the S280 is definitely the way to go. However... i am in the great white north... more specifically... British Columbia Canada. So my best option is to 'try' and source one up here. Realizing though that it will be difficult.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

 

[Nick02]

I thought that placing a stick and tin 1987 fleet-wood prowler 5th wheel on my M932A2 mk48 cab swapped truck was going to cause it to shake apart. I made sure that the frame of the trailer was independent of the truck, with a pivoting system similar to a 404 Unimogs. The camper follows the area where the 5th wheel plate was on the truck and is directly welded where the axles went and it pivots at the front and back.

I have taken mine offloading and technical rock crawling around CA for Southwest Mogfest and a few light trails around King of the Hammers, enough sharp rocks to chunk a couple year old 395's.
So far the factory 5 ton battery box has fallen off the truck, I melted a T1138 input shaft, blew up my assist cylinder and lost a dogbone....

But, amazingly, nothing has fallen off the camper, although the AC on top had to come down as it was moving around too much off-road.

I have seen plenty of stick and tin bumper pull trailers get air when taken off-road and into Mexico and come out just fine, I think it is pretty happy on the back of the 5 ton.

The best part is the stick and tin trailers weigh next to nothing so you feel planted, I dont even notice the thing back there.

 

[kalsc]

I thought that placing a stick and tin 1987 fleet-wood prowler 5th wheel on my M932A2 mk48 cab swapped truck was going to cause it to shake apart. I made sure that the frame of the trailer was independent of the truck, with a pivoting system similar to a 404 Unimogs. The camper follows the area where the 5th wheel plate was on the truck and is directly welded where the axles went and it pivots at the front and back.

I have taken mine offloading and technical rock crawling around CA for Southwest Mogfest and a few light trails around King of the Hammers, enough sharp rocks to chunk a couple year old 395's.
So far the factory 5 ton battery box has fallen off the truck and I broke a Rockwell T1138....
but nothing has fallen off the camper, although the AC on top had to come down as it was moving around too much off-road.

I have seen plenty of stick and tin bumper pull trailers get air when taken off-road and into Mexico and come out just fine, I think it is pretty happy on the back of the 5 ton.

The best part is the stick and tin trailers weigh next to nothing so you feel planted, I dont even notice the thing back there.

Well alright then... that's some great feedback. Thank you.

And due to availability of donors, one has a much broader selection of units to choose from... which are already outfitted short of being mounted on the vehicle properly.



Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

 

[moparrob]

I've given a lot of thought to this, and I'm leaning towards commercial box van bodies. They come in laminated plywood or aluminum, and are build in a wide range of sizes. If you want one you can drop off quickly, look into a hooklift or rolloff system. I've seen several of the aluminum bodies in a hooklift configuration at churches, used as donation collection centers. The aluminum would be light weight and easy to modify into living quarters, and I suspect they are easy to find.

 

[Robo McDuff]

Is the S 280 the same as the containers used for UN missions as radio shack?




This is from the other side of Canada, however, long live BBC

 

[gunsgreg]

Sure looks like my s280 from what I can see...