BR: Unimog Adventure Truck Build

[ASmileyFace]

There will not be blackwater on this build or dedicated gray-water. The current plan for toilet is this Wrappon system, and gray water will be caught in a catch can when necessary.

The beauty of the wrappon system is that it is deployable, so you can take it out of the cabin if camped for more than a night. Additionally, it completely seals the waste airtight so you can just throw it out, no need for dumping a bunch of chemical waste into a toilet every week.

Interesting! All of those things seem like big perks over a black water system. Being able to just throw the waste away makes life much simpler.

Excited to see how the build turns out!

[mooseknuckles]

Hell yeah! I think I saw one of your rigs post eclipse on 93 heading south as I was heading north. The details are still fuzzy, maybe it was on 75. Either way, I look forward to seeing more of them on the road. Congrats!

[ThreeRidges]

Wrapon = adult version of a diaper caddy. Brilliant


Sent from my iPad using TGR Forums

[skiing-in-jackson]

Very cool. I'll be watching!

[ghosthop]

Not currently. Our custom builds start out around 200k, and the shell would account for a large portion of that. The concern is that someone wouldn't do a great job on the interior build, and it would reflect poorly on us, especially considering the fact that we are super low volume. If the right client came around we might consider it.

We are considering working on some more consumer level goods in the future that don't carry the custom price tag.

I saw someone on insta mention this, but the idea of you dudes building bare-bones shells to go on flatbeds, with less of a bias towards long term living, is pretty appealing.

[happytimefunbox]

I think I might have run into you or someone with a similar build on a Ford chassis in the Evanston Wallyworld parking lot last summer. Even if it wasn't you your stuff is nice.... 200K hell let me get a his and hers!

[lifelinksplit]

Congrats on the new venture! Been drooling over the ford rolling around Bozeman. You guys taken them out on independence or any trails in the roots? Definitely capable but guessing maybe a touch to large?

[DoWork]

Choo Choooooo all aboard the subscribe train


Goddam that uni is sick.

[single]

I think the toilet is interesting. I have ambitions of doing a self build on a box truck chassis someday and that seems like a pretty simple solution in terms of how self contained it is. Have you heard of them being used on expedition vehicles before? How do they hold up to the vibration? Also, how big are the film/bag refills? And how long does the coagulant last? I'm just trying to get a sense if it makes more sense for the application I'm thinking about than a composting toilet. I don't see a bathroom in your mock up though, so maybe being able to move it as a self contained unit is the key.

Wrappon is just getting into the overland market and they have been well received so far. It is a very nicely made unit, and because of that isn't a cheap solution. I think retail is about 1k. Its a sleeve system and the coagulent is in pouches, here's a video.

There will be no dedicated bathroom in this unit. It will be a curtain shower in the entryway with a slat floor/drain with the ability to deploy the toilet in the shower area. You can also take the toilet outside to use when camp is set up.

Shit, if I had seen this might have done it instead of the sprinter! Customer supplies the truck I presume?

Next build! Those sprinters hold their value pretty well eh? We can source vehicles domestically or overseas, or the customer can bring it if they already have it, though we try not to work on used trucks unless they are cool. We prefer to be involved if the client is ordering from the factory so we can spec the best options.

Hell yeah! I think I saw one of your rigs post eclipse on 93 heading south as I was heading north. The details are still fuzzy, maybe it was on 75. Either way, I look forward to seeing more of them on the road. Congrats!

That was my wife and I, went to go see the eclipse in MacKay Idaho with the guys from Goosegear and Tembo Tusk. Came back through Ketchum and Hamilton area.

I saw someone on insta mention this, but the idea of you dudes building bare-bones shells to go on flatbeds, with less of a bias towards long term living, is pretty appealing.

Should be more info on that in the next year.

I think I might have run into you or someone with a similar build on a Ford chassis in the Evanston Wallyworld parking lot last summer. Even if it wasn't you your stuff is nice.... 200K hell let me get a his and hers!

Don't know if we have been through there with the trucks... Maybe it was an earthroamer? They do pretty similar builds, though theirs are a lot bigger and built from fiberglass. Wish we could be more affordable, but for the custom builds it just isn't feasible without compromising quality.

Congrats on the new venture! Been drooling over the ford rolling around Bozeman. You guys taken them out on independence or any trails in the roots? Definitely capable but guessing maybe a touch to large?

Thanks man! Have done a bunch of trails in California, the cinders in flagstaff, and a fair bit up here in Montana. Tree clearance is an issue a lot of places, but we have done some really cool trails outside of cooke city that are super technical and will clear the big rigs. There are a few spots we have been up north meadow creek as well.

To be honest, they will absolutely rock crawl, but its not really fun to use this thing as a trail rig. I will absolutely take it through the rocks if there is a place that I want to go, but to just go out and wheel the thing, I would rather take the 80 series. Will probably take this thing to moab this year though just to get a performance baseline.

[Meathelmet]

Single for the Win..gle?!

Diggin this thread already. It is funny how often your project van pics pop up on different camper/overlander forums with the question "how could I make this kind of shell behind my shed?".

And damn, if someone would like to come up with a solution how to make a modular system that fits different vans? Like these : https://www.kauai-camper.de/produkte...wcase-lrd-110/



This particular unit for a 110 Defender costs (afaik) 2200€+. Basically a bunch of CNC cut plywood. Markup is decend..

[MarcusBrody]

Cassette toilet. Empties from the outside and dumps into any household toilet or dump station. No coagulant needed. A splash of RV antifreeze will keep it from freezing in winter temps. Simple. Cheap. And the women folk dig having a crapper inside.

I was thinking about cassette vs. composting. I read some opinions that even if you end up emptying the composting semi-frequently, it's nicer to deal with than cassette. I've only used basic composting set ups though (basically bucket and sawdust) and never used a true cassette toilet, just a standard motorhome toilet.

[Alaskan Rover]

Good choice on the Unimog.

For medium to large-sized expedition transport, there is simply no vehicle that compares. No other production vehicle offers the outstanding articulation and hence traction of the Unimog, combined with the ability to carry very heavy loads over ridiculous terrain. It is simply in a class by itself.

Note the absurd articulation in the following photo:

[MarcusBrody]

Given that a lot of that articulation seems to come from frame flex, I imagine that single is going to have a good time making sure that mounting system works well.

[lifelinksplit]

Good choice on the Unimog.

For medium to large-sized expedition transport, there is simply no vehicle that compares. No other production vehicle offers the outstanding articulation and hence traction of the Unimog, combined with the ability to carry very heavy loads over ridiculous terrain. It is simply in a class by itself.

Note the absurd articulation in the following photo:

I could be completely wrong but based on that pic he is using some sort of heavy pivot system between cab and bed. I know I have seen it before but can't remember the exact method.


Stoked to see this build! Might have to hit single up for a live look once it's progressed. (Assuming your still in bozeman)

[single]

Atlas 4x4 makes a subframe that is pretty much a better copy of the stock mercedes system. We are using a slightly modified version.

[single]

Just got back from a rad trip to california with the big trucks and a new prototype affordable mini camper we are building. Will post an update soon.

[Dantheman]

new prototype affordable mini camper we are building.

How affordable? My old man is looking for a new vehicle for winter road tripping and desert adventuring (it would also be his daily driver, but he's retired and lives in a small town so unless he's road tripping he doesn't drive much). He's currently pondering getting a Transit van and doing the aftermarket 4x4 conversion, but in no rush as there are apparently rumors of the Transit being available stock with 4x4 in the US in the near future. He hasn't really looked at trucks since he isn't a big fan of most slide-in campers, but would probably really dig one of your rigs if the price was comparable to a built-out 4x4 Transit.

[that dude who did that thing]

Cool ideas and I imagine lots of ways to improve over typical camper tops. A couple suggestions for your consideration (or not). Since you're working with aluminum there's no good reason to stick with square bodies and angular elements. On the Unimog it will look awesome, but on the pickups, the square shell over well-rounded body panels is a bit off, aesthetically. Some folks will like it, others won't. In addition, it looks like you're increasing drag more than you really have to to obtain the space you want. The aluminum sheet is happy to bend over whatever frame you put it on, the only trick to a sleeker look and reduced drag is shaping the frame components. It also seems like you're not really into windows. When I spend the time and effort to get into the kind of country I like, I like to see it. Finally, your site has no interior pics. For your prices, you should be wowing people with high end finishes.

As to that toilet that's been spec'ed for the Unimog, the Diaper Genie seemed like a good idea, too, until you had to empty it, then you discovered that polyethylene bags are not actually all that good at containing odor. It was still better than accumulating dirty diapers in a trash can without the polyethylene, but it was not an ideal solution, and it was a hell of a good day when the kids learned to poop in a toilet and flush.

[single]

Appreciate all the feedback. How much have you worked with aluminum?

The material we use is .090-.125 so it doesn't just bend and form quite as easily as you might think. There are many reasons to use less windows rather than more. Structure, expense, security and insulation are only a few.

Complex metal forming is pretty hard to justify on low volume custom builds. If we migrate to a set model like earthroamer it may be something to consider.

Additionally, when I get into country I like, I go outside. Prefer having the camper more as a refuge.

We are booked through to next summer, but will update the site as needed. Currently finishing our first round of interiors this winter, which is why there are no completed images.

[that dude who did that thing]

I play around with airstreams. Skin thickness is only around .032 (and another .032 on the inside), and it forms up quite easily. They get away with that thickness because of a semi-monocoque design. The panels dent easily if they are actually hit, but the design lets them stand up to pretty rough treatment short of impact.

[single]

How affordable? My old man is looking for a new vehicle for winter road tripping and desert adventuring (it would also be his daily driver, but he's retired and lives in a small town so unless he's road tripping he doesn't drive much). He's currently pondering getting a Transit van and doing the aftermarket 4x4 conversion, but in no rush as there are apparently rumors of the Transit being available stock with 4x4 in the US in the near future. He hasn't really looked at trucks since he isn't a big fan of most slide-in campers, but would probably really dig one of your rigs if the price was comparable to a built-out 4x4 Transit.

What we are currently working on is probably less than what your dad is looking for. Trying to hit the $5k mark for a pop up topper/camper system for 1/2 ton and under trucks.

Emphasis is ultra-lightweight and strong system made in the USA that is affordable for most consumers. Perfect family weekend rig, surf/ski/mountain bike setup.

We are scheming on something that would be a transit comparator like what you're talking about, but we are a long way out on it.

[single]

I play around with airstreams. Skin thickness is only around .032 (and another .032 on the inside), and it forms up quite easily. They get away with that thickness because of a semi-monocoque design. The panels dent easily if they are actually hit, but the design lets them stand up to pretty rough treatment short of impact.

Yeah, thats a great design for road travel. The thin stuff forms really well, but the tooling to build the corners on those things is significant. I drag my truck through the trees constantly, and actually managed to dent my roof last weekend in the Inyo mountains. If it was .032 would have been a big problem.

[ghosthop]

What we are currently working on is probably less than what your dad is looking for. Trying to hit the $5k mark for a pop up topper/camper system for 1/2 ton and under trucks.

Emphasis is ultra-lightweight and strong system made in the USA that is affordable for most consumers. Perfect family weekend rig, surf/ski/mountain bike setup.

We are scheming on something that would be a transit comparator like what you're talking about, but we are a long way out on it.

oh word? Are you planning on keeping the affordable build for smaller trucks only, or is there something in the pipeline that will be able to make use of the 8ft bed on my 3/4 ton?

[Harry]

What we are currently working on is probably less than what your dad is looking for. Trying to hit the $5k mark for a pop up topper/camper system for 1/2 ton and under trucks.

Emphasis is ultra-lightweight and strong system made in the USA that is affordable for most consumers. Perfect family weekend rig, surf/ski/mountain bike setup.

Really ? I would buy one. Seriously. Keep us informed.

[TAFKALVS]

Hardsided winter worthy pop-up for 8' beds?