[GeckoXL7]

est just under 400kg with all us loaded with spares, fridge, battery. Nothing else goes in the car apart from cameras etc.

Trailer would be around 740 fully loaded with quads, camp gear, spare fuel, battery, solar panel etc, still under, but i know i need brakes as that will come more soon enough.

If no adults sit in the seats thats 160kg free to use. The seats prob weigh around 60 Bottom cusion not much but rear would be as steal back.

Not saying i would replace the fuel pump if close to city but if no phone reception and no way of getting in contact with RAA what other choice would there be than to do the work yourself? I only think of the fuel pump as last car it failed going over a bump pulling into a fuel station :LOL:

[atari4x4]

sooo which one is it...

GeckoXL7 wrote:

Trailer weighs 970kg yeah heavey but not over its limits, but the trailer does need brakes esp with the two quads on it.

[GeckoXL7]

Thats before finding what it actually weighs, Trailer weighs 450kg unloaded with awnings (i often dont load the second awning which is close to 100kg). They said 745kg but thats max weight.

[atari4x4]

so you throw all these figures around, yet haven't weighed it.

[GeckoXL7]

Im gona weigh it as soon as the car is up and running again. So i can work out what brakes to get.

A very simalar Trailer with spare tire, kitchen, water tank and same tent weighs 475kg

I am planing of putting a water tank etc on it. so have to add all that up. The idea is to keep as much out of the XL-7 i can and in the trailer. I prob should get a 2 ton axle just for the extra strength and i am not sure how much it will weigh when put a aloy top and ramps on it.

[davico]

magnat wrote:

The rear door table has got me inspired.. How is it constructed ?

The table is simply marine ply with a few coats of varnish.
The fittings ("shock cord loops", posts, hinges) are all from BCF, and the webbing is just a chopped up 25mm tie-down strap.

I removed the plastic trim and fitted the hinges and posts straight to it with bolts and decent size washers on the rear to spread the load. So far this has worked fine.
A more robust solution would be to put small pieces of wood or something on the rear of the trim for the bolts to go through to spread the load more.

My next mod will be to install some kind of LED light above the table, maybe in the brake light housing.

Dave

[atari4x4]

^ sounds like the same shopping list I put together all those years ago when I did my touring table.

[magnat]

If I go to anywhere that remote, It will be Zip ties and Duct tape and 2 cans of WD40
and a decent puncture repair kit..

[murcod]

davico wrote:

The table is simply marine ply with a few coats of varnish.
The fittings ("shock cord loops", posts, hinges) are all from BCF, and the webbing is just a chopped up 25mm tie-down strap.

Whitworths Marine is another place that has lots of nice bits and pieces for that sort of thing. They possibly might be cheaper than BCF and the range of fittings should be a lot bigger?

[GeckoXL7]

Whitworths are pretty cheap good for stainless steel rope, chains, hindges etc. Not far from me but havent been in there since my first car which i use to get 3M marine Cut and polish from.

Good for electrical stuff too.

[murcod]

I was in at Bunnings yesterday and noticed "Form Ply" (used for concreting) was quite cheap compared to Marine Ply (and other other ply type wood sheet.) It also has a plastic type coating / finish on it, if the any cut edges were sealed it should be okay even if subjected to occasional spills. It was about $10 for a 1200 x 600 x 17mm sheet. eg like this stuff http://www.plyco.com.au/index.php?main_ ... Path=48_52 . (It would give a slippery surface finish, you'd need rubber matting over it.)

[magnat]

We need the larger 2400 x 1200 to get the floor done with one sheet.

[murcod]

magnat wrote:

We need the larger 2400 x 1200 to get the floor done with one sheet.

IIRC it's about 1020 x 1070mm to get a snug fit. I posted that sheet size as it gives a price comparison point to marine ply - which is hideously expensive in that sort of thickness. Like $119 expensive for 2440x1220x18mm http://www.bunnings.com.au/plywood-mari ... d_p0320025 or $40 for the roughly equivalent size 1220x610x18mm http://www.bunnings.com.au/plywood-mari ... d_p0320032 . Form ply in 2440x1220x17mm is $58 http://www.bunnings.com.au/2440-x-1220- ... d_p0390172

I'm looking at doing a "split level" design to maximise available space (ie. lower level at the front where the seat base would fit.) With a greyhound, head room in the rear matters ; and two sheets of the size I posted work for that. Plus they're easier to get home!

[atari4x4]

i built my drawers out of the bunnings form ply it's heavy but way better than mdf... if i was to do it again, i'd probably only go a false floor as having removable tubs is golden & keep it around inner wheel arch height. i had to work around my 4 point roll bar but you might get some ideas.

drawers start here & goes for a few pages. http://www.auszookers.com/forum/viewtop ... ly#p396822

[magnat]

So atari4x4 you opted for one BIG draw instead of separate ones...
Still not sure how the hell I am gonna design this thing as I now have to design it to take on
1. 20 litre Water jerry can (For the shower) and a 10 litre Cask of water for drinking.
2.Battery box for the Fridge and lighting
3. Additional ports for 12v appliances
4.Still being able to fit the Air Compressor, Come-along, Snatch Strap and D-shackles..First aid kit and still have room for a Swag, Esky and Kayaking gear !

I am considering all options for a Dual battery set up.. I am not clever enough for a washer bottle relocation and really am looking to spend as little as possible (Yes I know you get what you pay for)
So If I get a Super cheap Auto Battery box ($74 and a El-cheapo Battery $69 and a 5w Solar panel) Should do the trick to run the LED lights and the Cooler for 3 Days .... I hope...

[got_bar_work]

5w solar isnt going to do jack
U want 80w to run the fridge

[got_bar_work]

U can get long flat gell batt that would prob lie down under the draws where the seat base goes
Their about 120 wide 600ish long and about 350 tall 150-200ah depending on model
They have small 6mm stud terminals that stick out the front at the top
I have one behind my seat in my ute And under my camper
12mm ply is heaps for draws as well. No need to go thicker . I fork 500kg pallets on to my 12mm ply draws in the work van

[GeckoXL7]

Ive got a 120watt which just keeps up, the thing is you need the solar panel facing the sun all the time which is a challenge. at full sun my 120 wat generates around 6.5amps its max is 8.4 on avg it generates 4.5 between around 9am to around 3am then drops. If only need fridge running for a few days a good 80watt will work with a good regulator. (The regulator i have is a 3 stage charger built in it from memory cost around $65)
You will need a minimum of a 60amp hour battery to run a fridge and a few led lights over night. Ideally a 100amp hour so there is still juice in it incase of a cloudy day etc.

9mm marine ply would be good to use, if it ever gets wet it wont swell.

http://www.bunnings.com.au/our-range/bu ... ne-plywood

[magnat]

Did I mention the budget of next to nothing lol....
$79 is about the cost I have for the entire draw system let alone just one sheet lol..

[atari4x4]

lol, give up now.

[GeckoXL7]

You could do it for 79 but it wont look pretty.

6mm ply top and bottom , some pine http://www.bunnings.com.au/treated-pine-dar-90-x-18mm-2-4m-porta_p8480490
as the draw dividers and to provde enough strenthg and support for the ply to be screwed down to.
and some plastic tubs (Ikea have real good ones with optional lids can even get sliders for them) . Just spray the ply with some cheap $2 black enamle.

Put marine carpet on it when get more cash. and maybe draw runners and some draws $14 for set of runners and some cheap pine nocked up with ply bottom for draws. Can get pine offcuts about 80 to 120mm by 1200mm for like $6bucks a length sometimes at bunnings.

Also depends on how deep and long you want your draws too. I think 90mm would be good not to high and enough depth to lay cups and stuff down in. Idealy you would want it about 150 - 160mm high

[murcod]

Ummm... How many days is 30 litres of water going to last you (and how many other people)? Or will you have other water sources?

IMHO you'd be better off (for now) buying large stackable storage containers that will fit in the rear. We've been going camping for years like that- you can take out the relevant containers and have them in the tent, leave the rest in the vehicle. The front recessed part of the floor (where the seat base fitted) allows more space for the bigger sized containers.Forget about the rear wooden shelf.

[atari4x4]

drink booze & 20l will go almost a week... lets face it, he's never doing the canning stock route.

[GeckoXL7]

For a family of 4 i would be planing 5L a day drinking water min and cost what 3 or 4 bucks in a neat box (General rule is 2L per person per day, i would be realistc and say 1L for kids). Usually i found i would use 5L and still have some left over a weekend (as drink more beer) but better to have it there than die of thirst during the night.

20L container with tap water for washing, rinsing cups etc lasts around 3-4 days. But if your by a river, creek etc etc you can simply fill them up.

I got some black locable tubs on wheels (stanly brand) from super cheap when on sale for like $8 each there alot stronger (can sit / stand on them) than Kmart or Target ones and fit nicely in the back the wheels also sit into there place on lids. For me i got them for the trailer as make things SO MUCH more neater and simply role out. In the back i could fit four of the large ones. They come in all differnt sizes.

[magnat]

Well, I went looking around for some storage containers and ended up at bunnings after checking out what office works has... then looked back on here and decided.. False floor it is..
16mm MDF was the go..If it does screw up and goes bad... then I will at least have a template for marine ply
I got two storage containers that will fit under the seat..
One side will be the first aid and the other side... Tools.

Just have to figure out how to secure the false floor to the seat base and the bolt holes..
Then work on the rest...

[murcod]

I've started making a false floor for mine out of the 17mm form ply. I've routed out 7mm and 15mm deep cavities on the under side of the ply - to fit over the floor brackets that stick up on the higher section near the door opening. It lowers the floor down nicely, so it's almost flush with the plastic trim around the door opening. I'm still debating whether to do it all the same level (with hinged trap doors to access the space underneath?) or step it down to the lower front section.

[magnat]

Not finished yet... the light switch is for the awning and Boot LED's..
Still have to seal the MDF and cover it with carpet and install some tie down points and make up some drawers

[atari4x4]

MDF has no place being in a 4wd... I know no one plans on drowning their 4wd, but it happens & that shit soaks up water like a tampon.

[GeckoXL7]

Yeah youl have to coat the edges, it will swell with humidity to and go moldy. Paint edges and holes with cheap 2 $ export enamle and should be ok

[atari4x4]

mdf will soak up spay paint like a incontinence pad & still won't seal it... i'd be using a acrylic lacquer all over it, all cut edges & the flat surfaces.