Off-Road DIY Truck Camper Test | Overland Camping Trip

[@placesbenwillgo157]

You should make your tail lights recessed in your bumper. just cleaner and won't get damaged. Looking forward videos

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

on the to-do-list 👍

[@ravenfeather7087]

A great camper on a classic truck. Nice job.

[@ozmanfidaar6311]

Awesome work. Keep doing what you're doing, this channel should have way more subscribers--it's no fluff, no expensive fad gadgets, all real camping.

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

Thank you. I appreciate the encouragement!

[@henryi9738]

The camper looks great , enjoy guys !

[@HogTide_Rising]

I watched your build video and I was especially impressed by your attention to detail and the strength that you built in. I’m not at all surprised that it survived your off-road adventure. Great video as always.

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

Thank you

[@realmicrobet]

Just started video - I can't imagine anyone thinking it would fall apart. If anything it seems overbuilt - much stronger than most commercial truck campers.

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

My intention was to build something much stronger than the average commercial camper, but I'm no engineer, so my design is based mostly on "I hope this works" 🤞

[@melissateebarnes8826]

It’s gonna work big dog.

[@genesishep]

Found your channel after someone stole your build video. At least they kept your name on it which allowed me to find your channel. I watched your build video again because you deserve the view count, not them. I have some suggestions if you are open to them. The taillight housing you are considering, build them on the top of the bumper set back from the edge. Much easier to make and gets them way out of the way for off-roading and protection. Winch should truly be considered a necessity. Or at least a Hi-Lift jack since it can operate as both a heavy duty off road tire jack and can be used as a winch. They are affordable and require no wiring, just manual muscle. Might be too late to do now but spring suspension/bed mounts Great job BTW!

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

Thanks. I'm glad you found the channel. I did finally replace those tail lights and mounted the new ones how you suggest. It would be a pretty big project to change the camper mounts to a captured spring system at this point. Those systems definitely work well, but I didn't think it was necessary with my vehicle. I'm no engineer, but tried my best to gather info on this. I measured 3/8" of relative flex in the back 8 feet of the truck frame when the suspension is twisted to the point of lifting the opposing tire. With such a small amount of flex I decided to hard mount it... time will tell if that proves to be a bad idea.

[@marcpikas2859]

Thanks for the video. Love your rig ! Perfect size for exploration yet comfortable.

[@Seemego4WD]

Great job! People will be negative no matter what you do.

[@chingon_grandpa]

Fall apart? Your last build went to Panama This things a fkn tank...people are dcks . Enjoy the build!

[@paulsink2800]

Love that area. Love that build. Thanks, as always for bringing us along.

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

My Pleasure 😁

[@ExpeditionNomadicAdventures]

Great shakedown video!

[@gc1914]

well made camper, really nice

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

Thanks! 👍

[@Dadsgonelive]

for the tail lights... i put DOT approved trailer tail lights on my jeep. no more breaking

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

Thanks I got some trailer lights to replace them and remounted them to safer and more visible location. kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6K4oYN-Zd6UjJYsi=B9cOFZ7oGD3umJFF&t=312

[@darkfireBikes]

Yeah i knew putting the lights down that low was just asking for that, put them on the camper body, like a foot off the bumper. You won't smash them and you got better visibility

[@KristoferTravelsHomesteading]

Awesome. Love it. Worked out great. Maybe the tail lights can come up on to the fiberglass camper. Above the license plate and same place on the other side. Happy camping and travels.

[@KristoferTravelsHomesteading]

Awe never mind. I saw you commented you didn't want to drill into the fiberglass. I understand. Maybe weld a metal box around it. 😁👍🏻

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

Never know exactly what I'm going to do until I do it 😂 But leaning toward welded on a thin box to mount the lights in

[@barrymccockner6450]

You oicked the perfect donor vehicle in my opinion , the 1st gen tundra/sequoias are the most reliable rigs on the road , with maybe the 100 series land cruiser neck and neck . The 1st gens arent the best at towing or offroading , but very capable at everything . I suggest seat jackers for your driver seat ,makes it more comfortable.

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

This is a T100. I definitely considered the 1st gen tundra. They are basically the same size. The tundra obviously has more power/torque and comfort, which would be nice. I went with the T100 because I could get one with 4x4, manual transmission, and manual transfer case, it gets slightly better fuel efficiency, curb weight is lower, payload capacity is higher, and since I am taking it abroad I like that it shares a lot of parts with the Hilux and a few other Toyotas that were offered outside the USA. The 1st gen Tundras have a well deserved reputation as a reliable vehicle and I suspect it may run correctly more reliably since the 5vzfe engine is so susceptible to vacuum leaks, but I'd argue the T100 is less likely to leave me stranded with its manual gearboxes, parallelogram steering, no serpentine belt, front suspension compresses balljoints, and a fully boxed frame.

[@centauri9458]

Like the roll on bed liner you used. Bet it would be good on the front two corners behind the cab and the over cab leading surface. Just to keep scratches from branches from harming the finish and fiberglass

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

🤔 That's an idea

[@Everlanders]

Come to Bolivia 🎉

[@kelleypierson1712]

Miss jager

[@centauri9458]

Looks like you need a winch on a cradle with the male end for a hitch receiver on front and rear bumper.

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

I'm toying with the idea. It would definitely free me up to push the vehicles abilities a bit more

[@hanshormannbbb]

Looks great! If your in Ojai, would love to grab a beer at tops or OBC sometime

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

My parents live in Ojai, so I'm always coming and going. Shoot me an email: [e-mail]

[@johnsebastianbach]

South America 🎉

[@oliverkashyap2622]

any advice on getting your truck level for when you sleep? Also, thanks so much for posting such good content! love your channel and have enjoyed the recent build!

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

Thanks Oliver. Personally, I can tell when the truck is level while sitting in the driver's seat, so if I pull up somewhere that has pretty level ground, I'll shimy the truck around a bit until I feel the truck level out. If we are trying to setup somewhere that doesn't have level ground I prefer to put the back of the truck up hill so the camper entry ends up lower to the ground and I either dig holes for the rear tires to fall into (camping at the beach or other soft soil situation) or I grab some rocks/sticks to drive the front tires onto to level the vehicle. This can be a bit of a project. Recent experience in campgrounds here in the USA has me wanting to get some foldable traction boards that can be used as leveling blocks and recovery gear. Something like these: amzn.to/3VT5Hn4

[@hakanuzumcu4754]

why not relocate the lights to the camper body?

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

I didn't want the mounting holes (potencial leaks) in the camper body.

[@black_widow_overland]

What about putting the taillights on the camper instead of the rear bumper.

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

I like the look, but didn't want to risk water intrusion through additional fasteners in the camper walls

[@rollwiththepunches5932]

nice work and those trails definitely tested it out ! whens Amie making an appearance?

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

Thanks. Yeah, I felt like it was a pretty good first test. Amie will be making an appearance in an upcoming video... probably 2 weeks out.

[@rollwiththepunches5932]

@@TheTravelingTogetherJournal 👍

[@colbyprince9409]

You should put a lunch box locker in the rear looks open

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

I originally planned on it, but I'm seeing if I can get by without it because I don't want to add any weight behind the rear axle if I can help it.

[@colbyprince9409]

@@TheTravelingTogetherJournal I mean your rear differential looks open. looked like only one wheel was getting power when you were stuck. a lunch box locker as in a non-selectable locking rear differential. you just replace the spider gears in the rear diff with a lunch box locker its cheap and easy

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

@@colbyprince9409 😂I was having a conversation about storage and my mind went right to adding a storage locker under the rear 😂 Yes, it's an open diff front and rear. I think you are correct, a rear locker would improve the vehicles capability a lot

[@sharpsticksnz4112]

Hey Matt, I'd love to see a video with your experience of the insulation, hot and cold weather testing. Anyone else want to see that? Please comment "yes"

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

That sounds like a great video idea. More testing (super fun camping trips) will be necessary 😁

[@ozmanfidaar6311]

Just quick question: Is the T100 equiped with traction control? Thanks!

[@TheTravelingTogetherJournal]

No. Part time 4 wheel drive through a chain driven transfer case to open differentials.

[@ozmanfidaar6311]

@@TheTravelingTogetherJournal Thanks!

[@skudwoofer]

panama!