DIY Off-Road Caravan

[Gemaskerde Tuinvurk]

Amazing...

what do you do for a living? where do you get the time for this?!

[4x4 Outthere]

Hi Kmroloff
I spend most of my time in Africa. I visit the Mines in Africa and assist them with the processes on the Plants. I decided in February this year I am going to build this caravan I have been designing for the past two years.
Decision was made and I got myself all sight up and started with it. I only work on it one weekend a month when I am in the country and some times during the week in the evenings I will also scratch here and there. It is really very seldom that I spend more than two weeks a month in SA.
But yea, you can see there is progress although a bit slow, but I am getting there. I hope to use it for my trip to the Manapools in December.

[4x4 Outthere]

Just an update. I have received the chassis back from the galvanizers. The nice thing now is that now what you put on is complete and no more put and take off.

[KaiV]

Thinus

I been watching this thread:) Well done so far.

Question: I cannot see what type of suspension you have? How did you attach it to the chassis?

Please post some pics:)

[CATS]

Thinus

I have not commented a lot on your thread thus far and the only reason is that I don't want to frigten you too early by telling you that I am taking over the caravan as soon as you finish it !!

Excelent work so far and thank you for sharing the progress and keeping us up to date with the photos. Keep it coming.

CATS
PS - I have thanked you with the 'thumbs up' logo as well for the time and effort made to document and share on this thread!!

[fouriebros]

Ok Guys
Now that the go-ahead is been given......Let’s go for it.
I have been walking around with the idea of building my own Off-Road caravan for over two years.
Ten Years ago I designed my own Off-Road trailer, and even sold a couple of them in SA. I did post some photos of it on the Forum. I think was in December?
For the past two years now, designing and redesigning my Off-Road Caravan up to where I am happy with what I want. Please keep in mind that I do a lot of cross Border travel and is one of those guys that normally will take the route not recommended just to see why it is not recommended. So my first thought was to design as light as possible and that it will not be wider that the Pajero and not higher. We also hardly ever sleep in proper Camp Sites. So the challenge was to design something that if I pull off the road and want to make something to eat, I do not have to unpack to do it. If I see a spot to camp for the night....same story. But if me and ma feel we just want to get away for a weekend nearby it will still be comfortable enough to go to the lani camp sites. My feeling with this is I only spent time in it at night, so it is going to be compact.
I have put a photo of my drawings on as well to give you an idea of my plan where I am going with it at the end of the day. If you guys would like to discuss the detail of it we can. E.g. Water tanks, Shower, Stove, fridge, battery system, Kitchen, packing space.
I started on Saturday and was quite impressed to see what I have done in 12 hours.
I just want to asked the guys that is going to follow my progress to keep in mind that I will not be able to work every week and weekend on it because of all my travelling in Africa. I am currently in Mozambique (Tete) Will do something over the weekend though, but next week it is of too Tanzania again for three weeks.
I hope you guys will enjoy it as much as what I am going too.

Hi Phillip here,

Want to ask you some questions abouth this caravan:
*What tipe of materials you going to use for the frame and the panneling?
*Did you draft the drawing your self and how is your lay-out of the caravan?

[4x4 Outthere]

Thinus

I been watching this thread:) Well done so far.

Question: I cannot see what type of suspension you have? How did you attach it to the chassis?

Please post some pics:)

Hi KaiV

I ordered a what they call a Rub-Axe. Commonly use on Caravans. I just went up on the loading capacity of the axel to 1,8 Tonnes. The axel has its own mounting bracket which i Just bolt on to my Chassis with 8 off M16 x 30mm 8,8 Bolts, Nylock nuts and washers.

[4x4 Outthere]

Thinus

I have not commented a lot on your thread thus far and the only reason is that I don't want to frigten you too early by telling you that I am taking over the caravan as soon as you finish it !!

Excelent work so far and thank you for sharing the progress and keeping us up to date with the photos. Keep it coming.

CATS
PS - I have thanked you with the 'thumbs up' logo as well for the time and effort made to document and share on this thread!!

Hi Cats
Good to hear from you again. Man we will have to see about that taking over thing you are talking about.
Thanks for the support to everyone.

[4x4 Outthere]

Ok Guys
Now that the go-ahead is been given......Let’s go for it.
I have been walking around with the idea of building my own Off-Road caravan for over two years.
Ten Years ago I designed my own Off-Road trailer, and even sold a couple of them in SA. I did post some photos of it on the Forum. I think was in December?
For the past two years now, designing and redesigning my Off-Road Caravan up to where I am happy with what I want. Please keep in mind that I do a lot of cross Border travel and is one of those guys that normally will take the route not recommended just to see why it is not recommended. So my first thought was to design as light as possible and that it will not be wider that the Pajero and not higher. We also hardly ever sleep in proper Camp Sites. So the challenge was to design something that if I pull off the road and want to make something to eat, I do not have to unpack to do it. If I see a spot to camp for the night....same story. But if me and ma feel we just want to get away for a weekend nearby it will still be comfortable enough to go to the lani camp sites. My feeling with this is I only spent time in it at night, so it is going to be compact.
I have put a photo of my drawings on as well to give you an idea of my plan where I am going with it at the end of the day. If you guys would like to discuss the detail of it we can. E.g. Water tanks, Shower, Stove, fridge, battery system, Kitchen, packing space.
I started on Saturday and was quite impressed to see what I have done in 12 hours.
I just want to asked the guys that is going to follow my progress to keep in mind that I will not be able to work every week and weekend on it because of all my travelling in Africa. I am currently in Mozambique (Tete) Will do something over the weekend though, but next week it is of too Tanzania again for three weeks.
I hope you guys will enjoy it as much as what I am going too.

Hi Phillip here,

Want to ask you some questions abouth this caravan:
*What tipe of materials you going to use for the frame and the panneling?
*Did you draft the drawing your self and how is your lay-out of the caravan?

Hi
If I understand your question now correctly. The Top frame of the Caravan will be mainly out of 25 x25 x 1,6mm Square Tubing and some 25 x 50 x 2 mm Rectangular that will make up the base of the Box if I can call it that. That will get covered with Aluminium Stucco Sheeting of 1mm thickness. Then between the skeleton I am putting in 25mm Polystyrene for isolation and then the inside will be covered with 3mm Marine ply wood.
I will make a sketch of the Layout and post iy soon. Yea the design and drawings I did myself. I did ask a friend though to assist on his drawing program to check for where my main stresses would be so that I can work in extra support.
Feel free to PM me so that I can send you my number if you want more info.
Thanks for the intrest.

[4x4 Outthere]

Guys
Sorry I am in Maputo currently. I will post more photos on my return. I am here to buy a 4x4, then I am going to drive from Maputo up North to just North of Pemba. From Pemba I am turning West threw Nampula to Malawi. From there it is South East to Tete. Just over 4000km I am going to do in the next 10 days. Once in Tete I am leaving the 4x4 there and will fly back to SA.