So I was recently inspired by a post on Pinterest to solve a problem I was having with the whole "pop up" design. Recently i was growing frustrated by the fact that, while folded closed, it is near impossible to effectively load or prep the trailer for a trip; specifically food and linens.
The post showed a janky old teardrop with a pullout "kitchen" accessible from a hatch near the front of the unit.
I started to plan a similar pullout in my 2006 10.0, but couldnt come up with a design that was large enough that didnt render the interior useless. Then it dawned on me- why not add a complete drawer unit on the back of the 10.0?
Had my 10.0 been equipped with the rear deck, life would have been easy. I began the project by removing the rear bumper and adding aluminum hollow beams to the existing frame to create a deck space.
Let me add some photos.
Here are the bumper mod images.
The next srep was to create an aluminum exterior waterproof box to attach on the modified bumper. Note the creation of a track by attaching a 1 by 1 1/8th aluminum angle within a 2 by 2 of the same thickness. The bottom of the kitchen "drawer being test fit is shown. The entire structure is riveted together uding aluminum rivets with steel mandrels.
The box is then attached to the trailer and the drawer is built.
Finally, the unit is completed and taken on a maiden voyage. The bunk arms were shortened to accomodate the bottom brackets that were moved further aft. Two sets of bunk "buttons" on the bottom of the bunk ends were also removed in favor of trapping the tent material betweern the bunk ends and kitchen "top". The completed unit accomodates a drawer that is 80 inches long by 22 deep by 22 high.
The pics
The unit is now too light on the hitch. Ironically, I had moved my deep cycle marine battery inside on the axle to remove tongue weight when I pulled the trailer with my 2005 Passat TDI wagon. Ive now moved it back to the hitch. Pics to follow and an update on how it pulls now.
Yes I added propane to the 10.0. One line is routed inside the traiker to a Big Buddy heater ehile the other terminates just in front of the right wheel, where a second hose is attached when set up.
i like it.. i will not show this to the wife, because you know what she will say 'MAKE ME ONE!"
Wow this is really neat!
I really like this as well. This looks like a great project that I wish I had the tools to tackle.
There should be an award for most practical and extensive mod. This looks great and extremely useful.
Michael
Thanks! I was surprised how easily the aluminum checkerplate was to cut just with a jigsaw. There is a wax that you dip the blade into occasionally but it cut as easily as wood. The major impediment is really the cost of the aluminum. I was up to $660 CDN for the metal alone (thats after getting 3 sheets of checkerplate off of Kijiji for half the price of new) when I decided I needed to "sell out" and use some wood! I varnished it with several coats of Spar Urethane before assembling it though.
Yeah, working with aluminum is surprising. I help a buddy with his boat that we have outfitted for flounder gigging / bow fishing. Cutting the metal is as easy as cutting wood and we found that no special blades were needed. The hardest part for us was learning to arcuately weld on it. He has extensive steel welding experience with just about every method available, as a body tech working in the automotive field. I on the other hand have basic MIG skills. Moving over to aluminum was interesting because I can only describe it as more delicate. I kept burning through at the start but it eventually came together. I still wouldn't say it looks like a good weld, but it gets the job done and it keeps the water out :)
I dont know if I'd be confident in the look of my finished product on a project like the kitchen.
An awesome job!
Interesting, I used to own a 6.0 without the extended deck. I called Livin Lite to see if there was any option of adding a deck. I was told that it was simply not possible. Looks like your great mod proved the "experts" wrong.
@bjugrad79, I'd say anything is possible with enough effort. Yet I can see why the factory would just say no to that kind of mod. If they do the modification then they are responsible for it. If some some reason that frame extension fails and the box comes off I can see why the factory wouldn't want that liability on them.
[quote source="/post/23812/thread" author="@admin" timestamp="1470930429"]@bjugrad79 , I'd say anything is possible with enough effort. Yet I can see why the factory would just say no to that kind of mod. If they do the modification then they are responsible for it. If some some reason that frame extension fails and the box comes off I can see why the factory wouldn't want that liability on them.[/quote]I agree with that assessment.
now without talking to the wife - I m actually thinking about this - but I see its a 22x22 size I think i could get away with a little smaller at 16 to 18inches due to the fact it could replace my camp kitchen that I use and I haul in and out at every camping trip.
only issue is using the awning along with the screen tent on that side, and thinking how it would work. but the benefits of having a little more storage room, and a place to put sheets, and other things that are loaded at camp time outweighs the benefits of the awning screen room, considering how often I put the walls up.
clyde
wow, are you kidding! that's awesome. Can you put dry food goods in it or does it get too hot?
[quote timestamp="1470930429" author="@admin" source="/post/23812/thread"]@bjugrad79 , I'd say anything is possible with enough effort. Yet I can see why the factory would just say no to that kind of mod. If they do the modification then they are responsible for it. If some some reason that frame extension fails and the box comes off I can see why the factory wouldn't want that liability on them.[/quote]We're on the same page.
What they told me, however, is that from an architectural and engineering perspective the job could not be done. What they should have told me was that it could be done but they will not do it because of liability issues.
Either way, this is a great looking mod.
You win the award for best mod ever.
Thanks for the feedback everyone. I was also wary of welding aluminum so I riveted the entire thing together and sealed with silicone.
i find it doesnt get super hot as the aluminum is so reflective, and of course I live in Canada!
The exterior box itself is 23 inches high and 25 wide. The drawer unit itself is 22 wide by 21.75 high to be exact.
Extending the bumper made me nervous at first as well. Technically I should have cantilevered the 1 by 4 aluminum rectangular tubes twice as far down the existing frame tube as they extend past, but the pieces I acquired were sold to me as scrap so I couldnt refuse the price. I have the two extension tubes running 20 inches past where the original bumper attached, and 28 inches down both sides of the frame tube (on both sides- 4 tubes total. I also added a 2 by 4 rectangular tube in the center which extends past the first crossmember under the trailer.
I am pleased to report there is absolutely no flex or movement of the box against the trailer- even with my 200+ pounds jumping on it!!
I sent several screws through the side of the exterior box into the trailer corners, primarily to square the box at the drawer end, but these have experienced no flex yet either.
I have only pulled the modded unit 200 miles so far however.
The ability to open and pack the kitchen before heading out with canned and dry goods, washed towels etc, is the best part. The plastic bins work almost perfectly as drawers at the top. Theres 5 and at 22 by 16 each theres alot of room!
I used stainless bolts to attach the frame extensions as I read it has the least risk of corrosion.
I use a 10 by 10 pop up canopy frame and a heavy poly 18 by 24 foot tarp that covers the open tent trailer top and the "kitchen" area just past this kitchen extension.
As my son says, the tarp as an awning does look "janky" but it is very effective. We have had abnormally heavy rainfall this summer so I can attest to the effectiveness of the "awning".
I bought the LL awning when I bought the trailer but I found it never hung very well and seemed to strain the tent. The zipper failed relatively early on as well so it sits in my garage with no specific purpose!