SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Self builds and DIY projects
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wonkywheel
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Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 21380Post wonkywheel
April 12th, 2018, 8:48 pm

Finished cutting the fiberglass sheet to fit some of the remaining areas.
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I need to order more sheet for the roof, under the cab over bed and a few other bits and pieces. Emailed the company for a quote :o Will wait until next month before I order it as it hasn't got any cheaper :? I should get away with the same as I had initially which was 6m by 2.5m 2mm thick. Last time I left it rolled up for about 9 months before I unrolled it. Big, Big mistake. I hope that unrolling it virtually as soon as it arrives it wont be like a coiled spring :lol:

It wasn't welding weather but the engine lift arrived yesterday so spent the afternoon in the damp foggy conditions assembling and trying to see if it will lift the cover off straight out of the box, as it were.
Things went more or less as expected......you must be joking :(
The assembly instructions were a bit like "Put it together carefully" :roll: After trying castors in the wrong places, putting the bolts in the wrong way up, in the wrong holes of course :) I finally got a working engine lift, that wouldn't get close enough to the side of the truck. There were no washers for the castor bolts so they stuck though too far acting as a stop. Resulting in about a 60-degree rotation. Washers when I back at work ;)
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With a longer arm, it would work :D
The review I read said the castors were too small for rough ground, they were :( and I idea of larger rear castors to increase the arm height would work although as the frame straddling the rear wheel get higher, the wheel diameter increases meaning the frame gets even farther away resulting in a longer still arm :|
The next try faired even worse :o

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Nowhere near the centerline.

They say 3rd time lucky ;)
Well it wasn't exactly suited, but I liked how promising it looked

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It was almost to the middle of the cover and with someone doing the steadying it would lift up and off. You cant put it down, mind, but one step at a time :roll:
What it needs is a parallel lift mechanism to be able to keep it steady and be able to lower it to ground level.
Using some of the original bolt holes, an additional arm with an extended head unit and ✖ shaped foot it might just do the trick :geek:

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I think I might have enough pieces to give it a go and its the option I like the best because it means I won't need a boy scout to help. If I make the ✖ foot big enough it will miss the interior light and give a stable platform for lifting.

The thing did pack up quite well taking up not so much room although the markings on the arm "2 TON" might be applied to its weight as well as its lifting capability.
I think I might get my £140 back if I weighed it in for scrap (although it is chinese steel)
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I'm hoping for a better day tomorrow. I can feel a touch of enthusiasm coming on and might need Friday off to get over it 8-) :lol: 8-) :lol: :roll:
Last edited by wonkywheel on May 8th, 2019, 1:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm" .......(Winston Churchill)

2007 Ford Ranger "Thunder" 4x4
Camper aedificavit domum
2016 Ford Ranger "Wildtrack" 4x4

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wonkywheel
Posts: 481
Joined: June 5th, 2017, 7:31 pm
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Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 21389Post wonkywheel
April 13th, 2018, 7:22 pm

With my grandson prepping and me welding, we have almost done every filet weld....... in the base section :o
I never knew there were sooooo many corners. Oh well
"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm" .......(Winston Churchill)

2007 Ford Ranger "Thunder" 4x4
Camper aedificavit domum
2016 Ford Ranger "Wildtrack" 4x4

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wonkywheel
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Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 21413Post wonkywheel
April 15th, 2018, 2:44 pm

Thanks for the coffee and advice. Sorry to take up most of the morning. With a bit of luck, I might have an empty watertight box by the get together 8-)
"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm" .......(Winston Churchill)

2007 Ford Ranger "Thunder" 4x4
Camper aedificavit domum
2016 Ford Ranger "Wildtrack" 4x4

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wonkywheel
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Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 21444Post wonkywheel
April 18th, 2018, 4:59 pm

Eager to get the cover off the back, in this sunny weather, I thought I would push my luck and extend the boom with some aluminium box section I had. I slid it inside the steel boom. Put a "G" clamp on another piece of box to act as a stop ( on both ends)

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Boy, was I lucky :P

Hanging the ropes to lift the cover on the roof bars seemed a good idea :!: It's meant to be there to tie thing too, isn't it :?:
It took a bit of messing about to get the balance right but up she went 8-)

I quickly drove the truck from under the cover. It got a bit of a sway on when the electrical socket for the overhead brake light unplugged itself (LUCKILY)
Jumped out, let it down onto the ground......sorted.

:o
It was only on closer inspection

The roof bars appear to be more for show than to carry any weight.

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It had started to pull apart!!!!
Last edited by wonkywheel on May 8th, 2019, 1:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm" .......(Winston Churchill)

2007 Ford Ranger "Thunder" 4x4
Camper aedificavit domum
2016 Ford Ranger "Wildtrack" 4x4

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zildjian
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Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 21445Post zildjian
April 18th, 2018, 5:04 pm

Well thank you for researching the viabilty of those bars before I had a chance,
I was going to try something like that myself!

TBH in my case it's easier to leave canopy off most if not all year around but not workable for all of you

Mike
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Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 21446Post Mike
April 18th, 2018, 7:05 pm

I think the thing is that the bars normally have weight pushing down not pulling up. When I did that on another canopy I tied rope round the window openings difficult to balance but it worked ok. The key as you say is not to let it hang too long.
2008 Ford Ranger 3.0 Wildtrack
Nomad ( Ranger ) Demountable

Mike
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Joined: August 23rd, 2014, 8:36 pm
Location: near Yeovil

Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 21448Post Mike
April 18th, 2018, 7:07 pm

BTW Zildjian said you wanted ideas re a washroom door. I did extend mine I'm happy to show pics but I have difficulty uploading them to this site from my tablet. If you pm me I will e mail them to you? Cheers

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2008 Ford Ranger 3.0 Wildtrack
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wonkywheel
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Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 21450Post wonkywheel
April 18th, 2018, 8:12 pm

Thanks for the input, Mike.
The roof bars coped ok holding an 8-foot Malibu foamy surfboard down at 80mph, eerrr :oops: I mean 70 mph :lol:It did howl a bit at times with the wind. So you are probably right.

It's nice to see someone else that doesn't appear to like plain white. Idea's noted and the tiger pattern looks great 8-)
"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm" .......(Winston Churchill)

2007 Ford Ranger "Thunder" 4x4
Camper aedificavit domum
2016 Ford Ranger "Wildtrack" 4x4

Mike
Posts: 236
Joined: August 23rd, 2014, 8:36 pm
Location: near Yeovil

Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 21466Post Mike
April 19th, 2018, 9:29 pm

Thanks, i can't claim I chose the pattern, that's my wife's area of expertise!!
The plastic sheet is from a facia and guttering shop. Pretty inexpensive and I built a washroom cabinet as well from the couple of boards I bought. Lightweight to boot.
Having extra knee room let's say when your manoeuvring in the washroom is very useful as I am over 6ft.
Good luck with the rest of the build
2008 Ford Ranger 3.0 Wildtrack
Nomad ( Ranger ) Demountable

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wonkywheel
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Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 21467Post wonkywheel
April 19th, 2018, 11:23 pm

Thanks Mike.
I did a bit more today in the afternoon sunshine.
With the cover off the truck, I was able to try the welded base back in the tub. Even with the tailgate down and the base pushed up to the cab the side overhang was 50-60mm above the side of the tub :(
Not really what I had aimed for, but, might come in handy if I ever get a different truck. The newer ones look quite a bit bigger :?:
I marked out the base of the tub with a view to sticking 4 eye bolts in to nail the camper down. Then tried(for the very first time) one of the complete side sections to check it fitted over the cab. :( . This too was not quite what I aimed for. It was about 80mm above the cab.! I wanted it closer. On the good side, it does just fit nicely over the cab roof bars. I am tempted to pack out the gap and fix the cab over nose bed section to the roof bars to move the weight distribution forward :idea: :?:

I still have all the roof section to fillet weld as it is only face welded at the minute but I am almost out of gas AGAIN :cry:
I am going to strap it on the truck and take it to a local welder for an estimate. If it's reasonable I will leave it with him.The gas, with the bottle carriage charge both ways is quite expensive so a contract welder might work out economic :?: I will still need more gas, (oh, and more wire) when I do run out to fix it all together.

I am still in two minds about the tailgate.

Zildjian has told me that most remove their tailgate to mount :oops: the camper :roll: , but the ranger tailgate is bolted on good and proper :( I am aware just how much weight saving it will mean but its a pig to get off and will be even worse putting it back on, I have marked the base with a view to cutting :o a section out to allow the support wires to remain. It will mean an angular box , on both sides to accommodate the wires. The right hand side,(shower/toilet) might be a problem but...... :roll:

I took some photos of all the above and might post them if I can ever get them off my phone with a broken screen
"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm" .......(Winston Churchill)

2007 Ford Ranger "Thunder" 4x4
Camper aedificavit domum
2016 Ford Ranger "Wildtrack" 4x4

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