Okay so I got bored...

[HotRodYJ]

so I started a mod on the camper. I added a 2" receiver to the factory camper rear bumper so I could use a hitch hauler on it for carrying firewood etc. Well the factory bumpers are very very thin walled 4" square tube. They are basically only meant to store the sewer hose and thats about it really. With the hitch hauler now hanging on it I could easily cause the bumper to twist. I could stand on it but I didn't have that warm fuzzy feeling about it.

So what does a Jeep guy do when he has a problem? Breaks out the welder of course!! So I chopped the factory bumper completely off the camper and fabbed up a new Jeep style rear bumper out of 4x2x3/16" rectangular tubing. BEEFY and no more deflection. This thing is 92" wide with a nice receiver sunk in it. I'll post pics when Corey brings my Camera back from Orlando.

It's Sweet 8) !!

[BillM]

So what are ya gonna do with the sewer pipe now? ;)

[BroncoMike]

Do you think that mod would be strong enough to hook a trailer behind it to tow your jeep?

[HotRodYJ]

So what are ya gonna do with the sewer pipe now? ;)

I keep it in the cabinet over the sink, where else?

Actually I had planned to add a sewer hose carrier anyway. It looks like a PVC tube and mounts on top of the bumper. The 4" sqaure bumper is a very tight fit for the hose fittings. Many times the hose would hang upo in there and be difficult to get in or to get out. The PVC carrier is MUCH nicer.

Do you think that mod would be strong enough to hook a trailer behind it to tow your jeep?

I think it would hadle a small trailer behind with a golf cart or something 1500-2000 lbs somehting light weight like that, but I wouldn't dare put the Heep behind it. Pulling tandem would be bad enough, but that would be a ton of weight. It maybe would handle flat towing, but to risky. The bolts would tear out of the camper frame rails before the bumper fails I think.

[BillM]

I looked into doing that and the trailer frame would need to be reinforced in a serious way to withstand the weight of a trailer and Jeep.

[BroncoMike]

I've seen very few pics of people doing it. I've always thought it would be scary to do something like that. I know I wouldn't want to do it even with a truck that could pull that kind of weight if the camper frame could handle it.

[pplblazerdude]

Ive seen it in a person. Saw a guy pulling a pretty good sized ski boat like this.

[HotRodYJ]

I've seen a boat behind a 5th wheel also. Not for me though. If you've ever seen the I-beam used for camper frame rails, there isn't much there. Some campers use rectangular tubing instead of the I-beam like mine has under it, but the recatnagular is pretty thin stuff too. My I-beams are about 1/8" thick material.

[pplblazerdude]

I've seen a boat behind a 5th wheel also. Not for me though. If you've ever seen the I-beam used for camper frame rails, there isn't much there. Some campers use rectangular tubing instead of the I-beam like mine has under it, but the recatnagular is pretty thin stuff too. My I-beams are about 1/8" thick material. See the one I saw was a bumper pull and the camper was atleast 28 feet+ I was very scared when I saw it. All I have to say is when pulling in to the campground I see parking being a big problem. Also better hope you dont have to back up alot cause I bet it would not be easy.

[BillM]

Near impossible to back up doubles.

[SamuraiGuyTN]

when I worked as a baggage handler at the airport we had to pull carts 2-3 at a time. yeah backing up more then a few feet is pointless. NOT to mention during turns the last cart or trailor makes a tighter turn. so you have to begin the turn really wide. So I can only imagine what it would be like to attempt to drive something like that in a city. :shock:

[Tom-Boy]

About the worst my family ever did was use a Dodge station wagon to pull a pop-up camper with a boat behind. It was loads of fun when we had a flat on the camper on the way home. :oops:
At least I was still young enough then that I wasn't the one to blame. :wink:

[HotRodYJ]

Pics...

http://www.4x4grace.com/Coppermine/albums/userpics/10013/normal_100_0258.jpg

http://www.4x4grace.com/Coppermine/albums/userpics/10013/normal_000_0015.jpg

Bumper details. It's fully welded construction and bolted to the camper frame rails. The extra tubes sticking out are to support the carrier and keep it straight and level. I always hated seeing these carriers on the back of campers flopping side to side or sitting crooked. These insure it always sits flat and level as it should.

http://www.4x4grace.com/Coppermine/albums/userpics/10013/normal_100_0252.jpg

http://www.4x4grace.com/Coppermine/albums/userpics/10013/normal_100_0253.jpg

And the Sewer hose carrier. It's the same cap on both ends so the hose can be removed from either end.

http://www.4x4grace.com/Coppermine/albums/userpics/10013/normal_100_0256.jpg

http://www.4x4grace.com/Coppermine/albums/userpics/10013/normal_100_0257.jpg

[Thumpszilla]

Nice man!!

[pplblazerdude]

looks sharp.

[Bluegill]

Sweet job Brian 8)

[BroncoMike]

That's a very nice upgrade to the camper man!!

[LoOnaTik]

Wow, that looks nice!

[SamuraiGuyTN]

Pics...



Bumper details. It's fully welded construction and bolted to the camper frame rails. The extra tubes sticking out are to support the carrier and keep it straight and level. I always hated seeing these carriers on the back of campers flopping side to side or sitting crooked. These insure it always sits flat and level as it should.




Thats funny cause as soon as I saw the first picture, thats what I thought of. I always disliked that about those. glad you solved the problem.

[Want2Wheel]

nice job.

[HotRodYJ]

And the TV mod... 8)

http://www.4x4grace.com/Coppermine/albums/userpics/10013/normal_Camper_TV.jpg

[Derrickalda]

it needs this now...

http://static.flickr.com/92/229277918_b33483244f_m.jpg

[Dino1967]

very nice

[Gordon]

Looks great, Brian. Excellent work.