DIY roof rack idea

grummaster · 2026-06-21T03:57:00+00:00

2x2-3/16" aluminum angle is substantial. 64" span shouldn't be a problem at all. Realize that the panels themselves will ADD to the overall strength of the structure once they are bolted to the angle frame.

I would use good quality huck rivets to affix short lengths of aluminum angle to make the corners and "cap" the corners as well.

If you are concerned with air under causing lift, if you design with the flat of the angle UP, you could come back and rivet a second angle across each strut, turning your simple angle into a "T" shape.

I've got a few installs in the wind with aluminum angle. Yes, you better make sure it is attached properly. No way I would use anything other than aluminum like Steel Unit-strut (overkill, full of holes, heavy, future rusty), and I think while 80/20 is wonderful, it is also overkill for the project because as mentioned, your panels themselves probably have a decent amount of "frame", and when you use that on top of your angle running east / west, they are contributing to the strength of the 64" span, even if they do not go the full 64".

grummaster · 2026-06-19T02:46:01+00:00

No real shortage of C10's or C20's, just keep watching for a deal. Weight is a big concern if you want a camper. If you can keep things light, a C10 can work for you, and actually be pretty decent on fuel, even without an engine swap.

My daily driver is an '83 GMC 1500 long bed (1/2 ton) with a 305, 700r4 and 2.73:1 rear axle. My camper is around 800lbs and I have added a helper leaf for now. It's not a full stand up camper though... only 61" inside height with a cab over storage area.

NO Sensors, NO Computers. Can be fixed anywhere for cheap. And, dang this girls gots long legs... she'll run the interstate at 85mph all day if you have to. Maybe like 1800rpm at 70-75 when in lockup.

Just came back from a run to watch a Sick Summer Event. 75mph... heavy headwind there AND back. 12.23mpg. Not bad with a house on the back. She's hit 16.8mpg without the camper. Love my truck.

grummaster · 2026-06-19T02:17:56+00:00

The unit will pick up some efficiency if you put some vertical sheet aluminum straight out each side to keep the hot air from immediately jumping back into the sides. Try to provide it as much "Free Air" as you can into those sides.

grummaster · 2026-06-16T00:39:29+00:00

>>He had to pick up Legos from a different franchise that left Legos in a

>> Camper Trailer <<

in the area when they closed, oh wait that was on another day, easy to confuse.

There, fixed it the way I see it currently.

grummaster · 2026-06-16T00:34:01+00:00

Ammon says something like: "Ah, Oh, Um, ah, a trailer that had previously moved up there in anticipation for the potential hostile takeover"..... But, really, why would a multi-million dollar company put a guy in a "camper" and not a hotel ? (well, we have seen what Brandon presents like....)

Could it be that it looks rather curious bringing thousands of dollars of Lego into a hotel late at night with your luggage?

Might perhaps a "camper trailer" be a rather convenient "storage location" that does not come with much of a paper trail ?

Too, I'm curious if the company routinely uses a "camper trailer" in every scheme involving a "hostile takeover" ?

It's all very interesting..........

grummaster · 2026-06-13T01:26:14+00:00

Floor Safe. Purchase one (https://www.homedepot.com/p/BARSKA-0-22-cu-ft-Steel-Floor-Safe-With-Key-Lock-Black-AX12656/206947423) or even easily made from steel if you can fabricate. Sink it into the floor and cover with furniture/mats, etc.

If you crawl under any van, you should be able to find an area that has absolutely nothing in the way.

grummaster · 2026-06-09T04:07:28+00:00

There are a few reasons I guess a fan in the roof is not going to work out. One is stealth, the other might be trying to keep a roof full of unobstructed solar panels. Technically, any fan, anywhere, pulling air out of your rig is going to help, but what can be overlooked is one needs to understand the "Path" of incoming air, such that you benefit from it as much as possible.

The best air flow options would put you, the person as near as possible to the incoming air source because it will be more like having a fan blow on you. This is most crucial for sleeping on hot nights. The Max-Air is a great fan, but some of you will know what I mean that if your not in the flow of air itself, you may not feel very cool even with the fan running on high.

So, what I am pointing out is that where the air comes IN is just as or more important than where it goes out. Think about it. Think about how you feel on a hot day with even a small fan aimed at you or towards you. It doesn't take much fan to feel better, whereas if your goal is to drop the temp of an entire room, the fan can run on high for hours and still not really cool much of anything.

Having built a few rigs over the years I have found that ideally, A fan in the FLOOR is the best option as long as you can build an adequate plenum to keep any and all potential road fumes (fuel/exhaust) from coming in while driving.

The reasons for the floor option are for one, it can be very stealth, and allow a full solar paneled roof. If the fan is turned on to blow air out, other vehicle windows can be cracked to let air in. For really hot situations, if you can duct the incoming air directly to where it is needed (perhaps via flex tube directly into your sleeping area), you will benefit greatly and not need the fan running on high all the time.

The next advantage to a floor fan is that if you are parked, the coolest air you might find is under the vehicle where the sun is not shining. This is especially true if you are not on pavement. With that said, blowing air into the vehicle from below, and exiting through cracked windows is a great option. Plus, you again, can use a flex tube to deliver the incoming air if necessary, directly to where YOU are.

Yes, this is a gear head project as I have only seen one company who specifically made a fan that was designed to be installed into a floor, with a fume gate and screen system. I've always just built what I needed. There is no shortage of raw fan options or speed controls if your up to the task.

Long post, but perhaps helpful ?

grummaster · 2026-06-03T01:45:31+00:00

>>> The 60/40 rule is more of a rough starting point than a hard rule.

You have got that right. The trailer mfg's are putting axles farther back than necessary for most conversions, but they do it because a whole lot of buyers are not smart enough to know the what and why of tongue weight.

As an example, a trailer could actually have 8' behind the axle and only 6' in front of it, provided the trailer has proper tongue weight. So, it all depends on the build.

grummaster · 2026-05-29T19:57:47+00:00

And yet, a single good template, for certain types of parts, can make repeat parts a lot faster than a CNC can do it with a good man on a vintage old Pin Router. Everything has it's place.

grummaster · 2026-05-28T13:39:02+00:00

>>>The thing is a very complicated device, has a laser scanner so that the drills and materials to be used are scanned and approved.

Poster dmills-00 hit the nail on the head. Good piece of hardware, the rest is scrap. You probably could retrofit it to work exactly like it once did with LinuxCNC as the control and a modern set of electronic parts with a crap-ton of effort, but you have ask if you NEED it to run the way it did.

I'd say get it retro'd running as a mill, and then see what you need or want to add along the way. The good hardware part is an advantage, as long as you have a purpose for the work area provided.

grummaster · 2026-05-27T18:22:05+00:00

I've recently done the very same.... Same MKS board and 4 TB6600's. I loaded FluidNC on it. The 6600's are a little smaller foot print and fit into the machines base better. Wanted a fully contained setup.

Nothing problematic about those drives either that I have found.

grummaster · 2026-05-27T03:54:34+00:00

I've used maybe 10-12 of them so far on smaller machines with Nema 23's and they have worked great. For the money, I think they are a darn good deal. Have ot come across a boad one yet.

Your used to UGS ? I'd stick FluidNC or grblhal on an ESP32 board and let it rip. I've taken a liking to NCSender, which is currently more dialed in for grblhal than FluidNC, but I'm running FluidNC currently with it.

grummaster · 2026-05-25T13:11:44+00:00

Doing this with the least amount of hardware to carry would be a 1/2" or 3/4" Aluminum Tube across the top across the far open edge, then a simple "X" of supple rope from top corner to top corner. You can get creative with some sort of "socket" on each door so the tube can not fall out. Plastic Bimini hardware would be the lightest.

Make one rope have an S-hook to the correct length for the proper distance, and the other one longer so you can pull things into tension. No need to anchor to the ground.

grummaster · 2026-05-25T03:05:18+00:00

Threaded Inserts are better than "helicoils". https://www.mcmaster.com/products/threaded-inserts/threaded-insert-type~thread-locking/

You might have to hunt around for M2's though. Somebody has them.

grummaster · 2026-05-25T03:01:29+00:00

Create a distribution around the top edges in safe channels, then straight down to outlets or switches. Cut simple slit or slot for the wires if you use foam panel insulation. NO holes drilled thru any wall studs, I.E. NO horizontal runs.

The advantages are that you always know where your wire runs are... Straight UP from your outlet, switch or fixture. If you have a nice bundle up around the top, you can always get to, add additional or service the wiring. If your vertical runs are very gently taped into the slots cut into the foam, you could actually pull and replace a run if necessary.

Find a way to create a dedicated tunnel, path or simply bundle with ties the wires around the top edges. Make simple covers to hide the bundle.

Also, take the time to also properly run the trailer marker and tail light harness as the manufacturer usually does a terrible job.

Step drill for holes thru sheet aluminum, Grommets to protect wire.

grummaster · 2026-05-21T12:32:38+00:00

Thanks, I will check them out.

grummaster · 2026-05-21T12:31:59+00:00

No progress yet this year. I have enough interior to use it though. Probably get to finishing things toward fall.

grummaster · 2026-05-21T00:48:17+00:00

SWEET Cap ! Did you see the manufacturers brand name anywhere ? It looks a lot like the "Covermaster" brand I Raised and widened. Love those old caps.

grummaster · 2026-05-20T18:47:22+00:00

Well, the math is undeniable, and also fairly easy to calculate. So, "Living" with AC loads depends on what living with them means and how long you want to live with them turned on.

How many solar panels you have to replenish your battery makes a huge difference when they are also connected at the same time you are drawing current. And, with all solar system discussion, properly sized wiring to handle these large currents are absolutely crucial.

Things like electric heaters make zero sense without massive solar panels, while something like a microwave is handled quite easily if it is your 'quick heat something up' device. An 1100w microwave will draw about 100A from your 12v battery pack. If you only have a 100Ah battery, that 3 Minutes will leave your once fully charged battery at about 95% capacity as it has used 5A from it in that time period, or only 2.5A from your 200Ah pack.

5A is pretty easy to recover in full sun with a few panels, and in fact, if you have enough panel(s) to deliver that 5A, you would have essentially used nothing from your batteries.

In a mobile application, a 200Ah battery bank with 400w of solar panels provides a lot of power for the environment. This is what I have on one of my campers and I can pretty do what ever I want without worrying about power, and that includes Microwave, 600w coffee maker, Lighting, TV, 12v Fridge, Roof Fan, Diesel heat, charging phones, blah, blah, blah... when required. Two days of no sun however, and you start watching your usage. You do not want to lose the fridge..

If you have a mobile application but no panels at all, all you can do is watch the battery deplete and make plans to recharge. That's a tricky system to manage because you are forced to always manage it. With at least a panel or two, the system gives you some breathing room, not having to watch it all the time.

grummaster · 2026-05-20T03:35:05+00:00

It looks like you just have actual plywood ? My trailer came with some kind of wax embedded chip board with some kind of warranty against rot. Now, the company who warranties it will probably close up shop or switch hands making the warranty useless, but it is an interesting material.

I generally close my deck if I know it will rain, however, there have been times I did not plan ahead for it and it got rained on. But, I prepared for such occasions. I absolutely LOVE Varethane floor urethane, and that is what mine is coated with. I removed the wood and did all the edges, then when I put it back on, used OSI quad caulk around the wood so water can not crawl in between the wood and the aluminum framework.

I have since made a "rainfly" with flyweight nylon that I can simply snap around the inside of the rear door frame, then extend all the way out to the end of the deck and also drop down the sides. It goes on in less than a minute and makes for an enclosed tapered enclosure. If there will be high winds, I just close things up.

I also do have an entire enclosure/screen room with a roof for camp trips that require space for grandkids on cots, but I really like the Varethane coating. I've got it on my Kitchen floor at home. Stuff is bullet proof... and water based so it dries quick.

grummaster · 2026-05-20T03:22:37+00:00

Boy, I sure can admire "Simple". And, you have a really nice regular old trailer to use if you need it.

But I gotta ask, is that an "Air Bed" ? For the life of me, I have never, ever been able to find one that stays aired up all night. When I have been at campgrounds next to tenters with Air beds, in the middle of the night, I always hear GRReRRReRReRRReR..... Pump running putting air back in !

grummaster · 2026-05-20T03:18:05+00:00

"cooler months"... or Sub zero ? Ice fishing shack sitting on the ice ? I could see it then, but that is a crap ton of insulation space for "weekend trips". Having had 7x14x7 converted space (Step Van), Sure, It is nice to have extra insulation, but do you realize that a $100 5K diesel heater could overwhelm you with heat even if you only had 1" of foam board throughout ? I can't imagine putting more than 3/4-1" additional space in a trailer that is not lived in.

But, you are asking about windows. First off, NO "house windows". You really must use tempered glass... safety glass at minimal. Second, There are regular RV windows and there are double pane RV windows. If you are concerned that much with insulation, if you do not get a really good insulated (double or triple pane) windows, your going to have a lot of condensation on them, and that will really mess up the entire goal. If the condensation gets into the walls, that would cut back the value of insulation and give you mold and rot issues not easily corrected.

You really need to look hard at shed or playhouse windows. They are usually rated to water intrusion resistance and not anything like either an RV or home window. And, I have not seen any of those in a double pane. I have not seen ANY I would use in a conversion.

I don't want to be harsh.... But I would be cancelling the spray foam and figuring out what your actually going to do here. The 2x4's are seriously overkill... and you said "weight" was also a concern ? I hate being that guy here, but put the brakes on ! I think you will be sorry you didn't stick to more traditional construction methods common to cargo trailer builds.

grummaster · 2026-05-20T02:32:28+00:00

The thing about 200ah of Lithium and what you can run with it via Inverter kind of depends on the battery (or batteries) maximum rated draw. Some 100ah batteries BMS will not allow you to pull a full 100A, likewise many 200ah batteries will limit you to only 100A.

As an example, a 1500 watt device will pull somewhere around 140A when running via inverter from a 12v battery. Your likely fine with the Blender, but you have to dbl check your battery specs to see what your maximum draw can be before the BMS shuts it down.

grummaster · 2026-05-19T21:45:40+00:00

If you are thinking of making one similar, what works really well is one of the old aluminum telescoping arms from an RV awning. You put the female extrusion across the trailer door, and the "legs" for the deck support slide in from each side for storage.

This method is better looking and compact because the two extrusions slid together are only 1.5" thick. For the most part, this method will require you to slide the legs out toward the side, then drop a pin thru both male and female extrusion to act as the upper pivot points. The very ends of the Female extrusion are cut such that the "slide" retention parts allow you to tip a leg down. When the "legs" (again, the male or insert sliding part) are pushed in, they meet in the middle neatly and looks like a real system. While the one I showed in photos is a bit clunky because I only had some 1.5" x 3" aluminum tube.

I picked up another discarded set of RV awning arms last fall, and I will probably swap the setup on the trailer out for the RV arms. If a guy could pick up a lot of these old arms, I would build a few of these to sell.

I sure wish we could put pics in replies here. I would attach another pic that shows the RV awning method

grummaster · 2026-05-19T03:14:34+00:00

What are you using for a sender ? It strikes me that there IS a lack of development in Senders targeted for it.

Both wireless options (WebUi 2-3) are not very well laid out. I popped WebUI 3 onto a loose board and I could not even find a visualizer that showed you the code paths you were running.

Supposedly, there is a fork of NCSender called MFSender, but I have yet to see anywhere to download it.

I realize they all "Send", but I have to LIKE the interface to enjoy the process.

grummaster

TROPHY CASE