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Hemtt Camper...

Garret

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rincon, pr
few more pics left to right- 10 below zero silverton, co, extention ramp bookcliffs, co, looking back at custom queen over part of sled/bikes, looking towards living/kitchen/bath over queen supported by sides and roof
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hankstrucks

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Location
riverhead, new york
Garret, Wow , thank you for posting the photos, I emailed them to Rich and he thought it was more than cool he was so excited since he owns a hemmtt. I think he has been wanting to sell His hemmitt but maybe you have inspired him . What is so cool is you made it. You can fix it . You own it And what fun you are having with it.





That's what matters................ Keep us in the loop with photos do not forget water crossing photos if you have them. We should make a garret where is he now web site !!!! Keep trucking hank
 

hankstrucks

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riverhead, new york
Garret, I wanted to ask you do you have A.c. In the cab? Gen power size. Do use solar at all? What gauge tubes did you use? Have any stress cracks started? Would air bags. Be helpful when mounting the box or is that to complex? Do you have more detail photos? How long did it take to make? What was, Your blue print, Of where to start ? Hank
 

Garret

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rincon, pr
Hey Hank, Glad you and your buddy enjoyed the pics and my project. I havent gottin many photos of wheeling because when we are it is usually just my wife and I and nobody around. I imagine if i do anything harry my wife will want to get out and ill have her take a pic. Luckily havent gotten stuck yet but a few tense moments on ring them back upsnowy mountain switchbacks. I have not gotten my chains yet as they are $800/pair and i would want at least 2 sets. I also need a better inflation system as the compressor on the motor is fine for just airing up one tire, but if i air down all 8 for sand it sure would take awhile to bring them back up. With 85 lbsthat i normally run, i do alright in sand but leave some pretty big trenches. With about 25 -30 lbs it sure would make a difference.
Next trip is hopefully to drive the baja all the way to Cabo after ski season, but have to figure out some logistics first. Not sure what they will think when i cross over into Tiajuana. I have driven the baja about 5 times but the biggest rig was a f350 with cabover Lance and trailer. Ill keep you posted..........
 

hankstrucks

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riverhead, new york
Garret How does the low range work in mud & sand? Have you needed ac in the cab? Would a extra air unit work? What year is the camper & size length push out? How did you mount it did you mount direct or on thr flat bed
 

Garret

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rincon, pr
No ac in cab yet. One good thing is the motor is behind the cab which helps, but i was hoping to get some sort of roof top unit that would fit below the rack. I have the newer computerized 2 cylinder gas Generac 4500 which is ok(not the best on the market) but i would have liked to get a nice diesel but they sure are spendy. I have a ac, microwave, tele, marine batteries etc in the living that the gen supports. Also waiting on Solar- plenty of space on the roof of the toyhauler and i would want it before Baja as well as a desalinization watermaker.
Some of the tubes are 2x3 and some 2x2 pretty heavy gauge with no cracks at all in the tubing. The probleme i had with the rack at first was welds between the rack itself and the supports which i did away with and put rubber mounting pads inbetween and bolted them through- no problems now!
The best way to mount the box would ve been a 3 point kinetic mounting system like most of the spendy rigs, and air bags might work also, but i ended up welding and bolting it to the existing 20' bed i had. The existing bed is pretty rigid so it prevents twisting to the toyhauler frame itself which would have been twisted to bits without the bed underneath. The bed with the box on top does get some independent movement above the chasis, but not nearly as much as if you had the 3 point system(much better but about 10 times the cost).
Dont have many build photos, but after lots of planning and thinking we built it in about 2 weeks- the tricky part was keeping it low enough to be under the 13' 6 inch height so we torched a space in part of the bed to let the water tank sit down into it (because it hung down below the frame of the toyhauler) as well as taking out the gery and black tanks that hung down also. Put the tanks in the steel rectangular gear box that came on the bed and mounted it on passenger side just behind battery box/air tanks. Insulated as well as installed both 12v and 110 v heating elements on holding and fresh water tanks. Had to take off the stock ac on roof because of height and replaced with fantastic fan and a portable ac inside that vents out a window. Height came out at 13'3inches. I have a good chainsaw if absolutly necessary for big branches. Lots of scrapes from smaller branches but just cosmetic. My wife loves when i put new scrapes down the sides!
Well the whole thing was pretty much in my head with some basic sketches- the first was the chasis which i thought of many, but i wanted something big enough to have a garage so i would not have to trailer gear.Also the garage keeps everything out of sight as well as well as protected from elements and dirt. 6x6 was the smallest i thought of but most had big hoods which makes it hard to see what your running over. Unimogs were too short although a modified one into a 6x6 may have worked. I looked at Tatra8x8 which are better then hemtts for many reasons but czech parts would probably be hard to come by and Man 8x8 would be another good choice but import and parts were somewhat of a issue. So good old us steel with the detroit and allison were the ticket and with only 10,000 miles on it, the hemtt was a good start.
After deciding not to go with a pro build with one of the expedition vehicle builders because of expense, my mind started turning and decided to mod a toyhauler onto the chasis. Most toyhaulers were stick and tin and too tall, but after lots of looking i found the roadmaster predator which is a steel cage and were originally designed for cargo so much beefier. It also had a lower profile which got me under the height limit. The hauler is 25 ft. of which 10 ft is the garage and the other 15 is living a/kitchen and bathroomwith seperate shower. The slideout helps alot for space the couch area wich is a pullout for guests.
25 feet was a little longer then i wanted because of the hangover in the back but since it is 6 feet off the ground i have not had much problem with departure angle. Also the gas tank for the hauler fuel station was backthere and hangs below the frame of the hauler so that extra overhang was needed especially since any furthur forward on the chasis would make it difficult to pull the trainy.
So actually after we got it on there with a crane, we set up the gen set and had to reduce the 24 volt hemtt electric to 12 volt for the hauler lights to work with the truck as well as charge living batteries while under way. Built a small bumper to make it legal in the back so nobody would rear end me and take it in the windsheild. The bumper flips up as to not restrict departure angle and can be latched up for backcountry. The last thing was diamond plate to mesh the hauler to the truck as well as beef up under the overhang in the back. The rack also came at the end and at first was somewhat of a cluster with too much plating and bad over all design, but i have fixed that as stated above.
Well beyond that just some propane rigging and misc mods to get to where we are today as well as recent black paint on the cab. I know alot of the guys on the site only like drab green or camo to keep it military, but with the toyhauler on the back i think i blew my cover. Alot of people think it s black ops or dea- pretty amusing! Well good thing it was a rainy night downhere in Patagonia or i never would have gotten that all out! G
 

hankstrucks

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Location
riverhead, new york
Well I think that red dot would have a unit for your cab. On the corners of the camper I would beef that up for protection from branches & may be That line a rubber paint bed stuff in a would hide s aches and small dents. Do you have room for solar panels for up top? Honda 3000 eu is the best gen or use two if needed, Maybe you can make a slide out deck from under the udder side of the truck bed . Does tha truck still have the a wicnh in side the frame? Maybe air unit from refrigerator used in. Refer truck? Om unimogs. My buddy has a few along with a u 1500 he wanted to put a truck camper on it but hight was a problem. That seems to be a problem with all. These super millitary trucks. Thanks for sharing info it's refreshing to hear and see. Hank
 

Garret

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rincon, pr
Hey Hank, the corners and bottom half already have either corrigated aluminum or diamond plate, so that is fine, but if the top half gets bad then the bed liner might be a good idea. Plenty of room up top for solar- just need to makea few more bucks first. Curently using the hauler ramp for a 7ft by 7 .5ft deck off the back which works pretty well, but support chains from the ramp end up towards to top corners would be nice to do away with the multiuse ladder supporting it now. Yeh, maybe the future brings a better gen set/ ac- Honda is always a good product.
Well thanks for the insight and yes the 20k winch is on the back- works great as long as there is something dam big to winch off!
 

alphadeltaromeo

Active member
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Location
Alto, GA
I could use one of those. I've been thinking about converting an MCI bus for the family, but I could also enjoy settling in on one of those *grin* - with baby #14 on the way, it'll fit us...I think.
 

philofab

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Location
Bullhead, AZ
I'm interested in any issues of getting, in, out, and around Baja. I am looking to build a 5 ton RV in the future to be used in Mex and the southwest. Have you looked into licensing and insurance for Baja yet? Do you use Baja Bound?
 

Garret

New member
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Location
rincon, pr
hemtt camper in baja

photo (16).jpgphoto (15).jpg
I'm interested in any issues of getting, in, out, and around Baja. I am looking to build a 5 ton RV in the future to be used in Mex and the southwest. Have you looked into licensing and insurance for Baja yet? Do you use Baja Bound?
Well thought I would give a update. We just did a 6 week run in the Hemtt from Colorado to the tip of Baja and back. No problems at the border going in through Mexicali. Just a lot of interest in the rig and a quick drug check with their dog. We went down the sea of cortez side which was great all the way to Gonzala bay where the new road finishes. The next 40 miles was old style Baja and it took a few hours but nice and remote. A few military checks but once again just wanted to check out the rig. Drove the east cape down to 9 palms just east of San Jose del cabo and set up camp for the month. Great surf, dirtbiking and fishing/spear fishing. Bought a used navy seal zodiac which was nice to have- launced off the beach. Truck ran flawless with no issues. We were set up with a spitzlift crane for the wheels/tires, 1300 ft lb impact wrench, all the spare parts- belts, hoses, seals etc but did not have to use any. I guess when your prepared you tend not to need it! Camping in remote areas on the sand was the best. Aired down from 90 to 60 for wash board and beach driving which seemed about right. Ran back up more on the pacific side with more checkpoints and going north they check more for drugs and it takes awhile, but no issues- just a lot of photo ops and interest in the rig. Came back through Tecate after the wine country. Nice! Did not use Baja bound, and insured at as a rv with no problem. Great trip but a little sketchy on the narrower sections of rt 1. Semis and buses with no shoulders- mirrors only a few inches away and if you drop a wheel off the edge- well you don't want to go there!
 
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