Sankey Wide Track Camper Conversion

[listerdiesel]

As this is towed by a Discovery 2 V8, I'll sneak it in here

Our youngest wanted a live-in camper that would go off-road, so he bought a Sankey Widetrack Mk2 and after some time ruminating, started on modifying the chassis.

I'll post a couple of pictures so those interested can get the flavour of what we are doing:

It was a field kitchen trailer, we sold off the fittings.

Trailer with the body removed:

Extended back and front:

LPG tank for cooking etc:

Body brackets:

Bit of paint:

Floor cut out, wheelboxes started:

Fitting body corner posts:

Side panels cut:

If you were thinking 'low profile' .....

Pile of extrusion in the yard, some is for the Mercedes bus:

Building up the rear panel using offcuts:

Getting there:

Cant rails and roof sticks cut:

Layout drawing:

Cutting the door aperture on Boxing Day:

Front sides in place:

Front panel in today, after a very wet morning:

Next job is to cut the mitres for the cant rails at the front, then we can get the roof on.

Hope this might be of interest.

Peter

 

[discostew]

I like it. I Told You you would be up doing this shit again Pete. I guess that would be curb side for the door. I get confused thinking about you people driving on the wrong side of the road.

 

[Devildog01]

That's pretty cool.

 

[mgreenspan]

How high does it sit behind the D2? I imagine it's close to the same height. Any thoughts on it's off-road-iness with that height?

 

[chris snell]

I respect these kinds of trailers more than the typical "adventure trailer" because it's not trying to be something other than a tow-behind camper. It's an actual, legit camper that you could sleep in without being miserable.

but...

I can't imagine having to lug something so heavy behind my truck. I don't doubt that it's going to be super cozy and really nice to have when you want to camp when it's pissing down rain...but man, that kind of weight is really limiting.

Also: that bed seems really narrow. 24" is not much for a guy.

 

[helievacpilot]

24" is not much for a guy.

Speak for yourself. My wife likes my 24" just fine.

 

[listerdiesel]

OK, thanks for the comments

Towability: The weight is very low down, and although the trailer sits high on what are effectively Series III wheels (or Discovery 1) the weight above is not that much, the main construction is GRP/Plywood/GRP sandwich, all of the structural stuff is aluminium (aluminum) extrusion, the roof is 1.3mm glassfibre sheeting with foamed insulation below.

The bed is a pull-out slat type, it goes right out to almost the cooker/sink, so plenty of room.

Batteries will be 2 X 110AH with a 100W or 125W solar panel on top with an MPPT controller and a 30A mains (AC supply) charger.

Philip wanted a full height camper so he can stand up in the shower or inside.

Lights inside are modified RV lights with LED strips fitted.

Cooker is an oldie, but it has two full-size rings, a grill and a decent oven.

Fridge is a standard 3-way caravan type, 240V/12V or LPG.

The maximum weight is 1500kg, so not a big deal for a Discovery, our big 6-wheel drawbar turntable trailer goes 3500kg and we take that through Europe with no problems.

Peter

 

[listerdiesel]

This is the one we built in 2011:

That carries our show engine:

We live in the front

Hope to have the Mercedes bus finished this year.

Peter

 

[listerdiesel]

Still raining!

Philip has got a 5ft flourescent and a 2-bar electric fire in there, and there's a decent sheet over the open top:

Door surround is on:

Door finished but waiting for hinges and lock etc:

Interior started:

Drier weather tomorrow.

Peter

 

[bri]

This is the one we built in 2011:

::monster trailer image snipped::
That carries our show engine:

We live in the front

Hope to have the Mercedes bus finished this year.

Peter

Holy smokes... I know that you can match your driving style to what you are towing, but I would not even dream of getting that on any road around here with a Disco. Hopefully it has brakes.

I don't even enjoy towing minor things with the D1 especially at more than about 35MPH.

But I am slightly spoiled since I have an F350 crew if I need to tow.

 

[discostew]

Holy smokes... I know that you can match your driving style to what you are towing, but I would not even dream of getting that on any road around here with a Disco. Hopefully it has brakes.

I don't even enjoy towing minor things with the D1 especially at more than about 35MPH.

But I am slightly spoiled since I have an F350 crew if I need to tow.

That pretty much proves what I was told a long time ago. " If you don't like towing, your trucks not big enough"
A Disco has like a 2,000lb tow rating, so not much.

 

[listerdiesel]

That pretty much proves what I was told a long time ago. " If you don't like towing, your trucks not big enough"
A Disco has like a 2,000lb tow rating, so not much.

Discovery has 3500kg (7700lb) max trailer weight and 250kg ( 550lb) towball max vertical load. You cannot have a full complement of passengers and luggage if you run at the maximum trailer weight.

The trailer has brakes on all six wheels.

We take that to Europe every year, 2000 miles through Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg and France, then back again. No problems.

Peter

 

[bri]

Hey. I did not say that your trailers look pretty darned good for a DIY... FOR SURE.

Don't get me wrong, I understand it can be done.

Any of my Rovers struggle to keep speed limit up hills around here.

With a trailer, people get irritated very quickly and the altitude does not help.

 

[listerdiesel]

We roll on at 50/60mph with no issues, the V8 is more than capable, especially if you have the R380 box rather than the pudding-stirrer ZF, which only has four ratios to the R380's five.

There are a couple of long hills in Europe that are flat out in third gear for 8 miles or so, climbing out of Liege is one, but we overtake trucks, and cars with caravans so we are not the slowest.

Peter

 

[listerdiesel]

We've got a bit more done, despite the weather:

The roof should be on today if all goes well and subject to the Sikaflex going off hard enough to handle.

Peter

 

[listerdiesel]

After a long, cold day in the yard, we got the roof sheet cut out and fitted.

Work included getting the front bay area reinforced at the top, as there is not equivalent to the floor to stiiffen it, but it all got done, we finished about 17.30, my shoulders and legs were killing me!

Out in the road with the roof sheet unrolled, Rita looking on:

Looking up inside the front:

Working on the last few rivets:

View from above this morning:

It rained heavily last night and there are a few unsealed joints, but it should be pretty good now.

Solar panels to go up on there yet, so we are not finished with the stepladder!

Peter

 

[listerdiesel]

Here's a few pictures from this morning, we turned the trailer round last night so we had better access to the side door.

Philip sealed up most of the corner joints etc last night so we should be pretty water-tight now.

Lots of work to get done inside, but at least it's dry and with a small heater, quite warm.

2 X 100W solar panels are going up on the roof, plus 2 X 110AH batteries and an MPPT solar controller.

Peter

 

[listerdiesel]

Progress:-

Peter

 

[listerdiesel]

A few more pictures:

Wiring going in now for the 240V and 12V stuff.

Peter

 

[listerdiesel]

Wiring going in....

Peter