Late 70s 11FKS Build

[Tinstaafl]

Originally Posted by Kxracer704

3. When assembling the modular walls together I am using Spax #8 & #10 and other deck screws throughout the camper. I have noticed some of the main wall assembly has been fastened using framing nails. I realize that truck campers flex during transport and am wondering if the Spax and other deck screws will shear instead of bend like framing nails. Will this be a problem in the future?

Sorry I have no input for your other questions, but since I'm in residential construction I feel qualified to offer some advice on this one. You're correct; while they resist pull-out much better, deck screws are more brittle than nails.

Why not just hedge your bet? Use the screws for primary assembly (much easier to move them if you goof), and beef it all up with framing nails once you're satisfied you got it right. Small cost in time and materials, large reward in peace of mind.

[Kxracer704]

Originally Posted by Tinstaafl

Why not just hedge your bet? Use the screws for primary assembly (much easier to move them if you goof), and beef it all up with framing nails once you're satisfied you got it right. Small cost in time and materials, large reward in peace of mind.

Yes I was thinking about adding the nails in addition to the deck screws.
Thanks for the advice.

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by Kxracer704

During this build process I've come across a few things I have questions about:

1. First question is does anyone know where the original battery location was on this 1977 Sportster Deluxe 11 FKS? The 2 locations that may have worked are the large compartment on the passenger side rear of the camper or on the driver side between the heater and propane storage compartment. Here of some photos of both of those areas.

I am not sure of the original battery location. Is any of the heavy gauge wire left inside the camper running to a location?

A lead acid battery needs to have a vented area of sorts. It should not be in an enclosed space with no venting to allow fresh air in and battery gases out. There are ways and kits to do the venting, I have seen them, just never had to install them myself yet. Somehow, if there was a battery, even back when your camper was built, I think there should of been common practice for venting even back then. It is for sure a requirement on new 5th wheels that have the battery enclosed in a compartment. They have a hosed hood over the top of the battery to vent out the gases and fresh air up from the bottom.

Originally Posted by Kxracer704

2. I noticed vents on the bottom part of the aluminum siding under the bunk. What are the function of these vents and what is the proper installation so they function properly? See photo.

Can you take a few pics of the vent up close to see the fins etc?

I have a thought it may need to be there to allow trapped condensation out of the wall space below the sleeping area. I'm not really sure, but it could be.

Originally Posted by Kxracer704

3. When assembling the modular walls together I am using Spax #8 & #10 and other deck screws throughout the camper. I have noticed some of the main wall assembly has been fastened using framing nails. I realize that truck campers flex during transport and am wondering if the Spax and other deck screws will shear instead of bend like framing nails. Will this be a problem in the future?

I see what looks like a nail horizontal into the 2 x 3,or 2 x 4 if that is what you are showing. Not sure that is an original from Sunline. I myself would not use common nails in a camper structural setting. Does the nail have circular rings of other gripping features on the full length of the shank? The concern is back off and splitting the wood. The twisting and vibration in a camper wall is a lot. I have even seen siding staples with no coating on them back out over time from the vibration. Sunline used hardened screws exclusively holding walls to floors, and holding floors together on the travel trailers. They do not break, even when you wish they would. They are harder than a common nail, but the term brittle is relative. I would classify the hardened screws Sunline used as "tough" and not brittle. I would use the screws and not the nails. There is just not enough bite on a normal nail in the soft boards they have. Especially being driven in the end of the board. Cross grain screws hold more than being screwed in the end of the board which is easier to rip out. Are there nails all over?

Originally Posted by Kxracer704

4. On both the driver side and passenger side of the camper at the bottom near the truck bed wheel wells there are external gas line fittings that are bulkheaded thru the camper siding. I feel that these gas lines are vulnerable in this location and am considering moving the connections 100% inside of the camper. Does anyone know why the fittings are located here and the purpose of them being outside of the camper?

I agree with you with the concern, Backing in and scraping the lines is a possibility. I have a possible reason on why they did what they did. Gas leak safety. On the travel trailers, the majority of the gas piping connections are outside the living space, under the camper. All those tee's are under the camper. The only gas line connections in the camper living space is at the end of the copper line to the appliance. This method limits the number of gas line joints in the living space in the event of a leak. While houses and buildings are built with gas line joints in the basements etc, they do not rattle down the highway like a camper does. Vibration concern on the gas joints may have made them put the most of them outside.

I am not sure how a modern day truck camper routes its gas lines. If you end up leaving them routed as they were, maybe while the wall is being built you add some beefed up reinforcement inside the wall so you can screw on a good rigid block of wood or angle iron before and after the gas lines to act as a crash bumper. Odds of a side hit are low. An end hit with the camper going in or out of the truck bed is more likely I would think.


Hope this helps

John

[Kxracer704]

Originally Posted by JohnB

I am not sure of the original battery location. Is any of the heavy gauge wire left inside the camper running to a location?

A lead acid battery needs to have a vented area of sorts. It should not be in an enclosed space with no venting to allow fresh air in and battery gases out. There are ways and kits to do the venting, I have seen them, just never had to install them myself yet. Somehow, if there was a battery, even back when your camper was built, I think there should of been common practice for venting even back then. It is for sure a requirement on new 5th wheels that have the battery enclosed in a compartment. They have a hosed hood over the top of the battery to vent out the gases and fresh air up from the bottom.

Ok I will keep this in mind when finding a home for the batteries. They will most likely go on the driver side, rearward of the propane storage.

Originally Posted by JohnB

Can you take a few pics of the vent up close to see the fins etc?

I have a thought it may need to be there to allow trapped condensation out of the wall space below the sleeping area. I'm not really sure, but it could be.

I also figured they are vents to help with moisture under the mattress that people seem to have issues with. I will get better pictures in the future of the vents.

Originally Posted by JohnB

I see what looks like a nail horizontal into the 2 x 3,or 2 x 4 if that is what you are showing. Not sure that is an original from Sunline. I myself would not use common nails in a camper structural setting. Does the nail have circular rings of other gripping features on the full length of the shank? The concern is back off and splitting the wood. The twisting and vibration in a camper wall is a lot. I have even seen siding staples with no coating on them back out over time from the vibration. Sunline used hardened screws exclusively holding walls to floors, and holding floors together on the travel trailers. They do not break, even when you wish they would. They are harder than a common nail, but the term brittle is relative. I would classify the hardened screws Sunline used as "tough" and not brittle. I would use the screws and not the nails. There is just not enough bite on a normal nail in the soft boards they have. Especially being driven in the end of the board. Cross grain screws hold more than being screwed in the end of the board which is easier to rip out. Are there nails all over?

In the photo I posted, that is a screw that I believe is original from Sunline because I found multiple screws alike around the framework of the camper. There seems to be a mix of screws and framing nails holding the walls together from the factory. I appreciate your advice with using the screws for the framework. In my case, coated deck screws.

[Kxracer704]

Here is the latest video...

MAIN WALLS COMPLETE - Truck Camper Build Part 8

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[JohnB]

Your buzzing right along. Doing great!! Thanks for sharing.

[Kxracer704]

Here is the latest video...

WALL ASSEMBLY - Truck Camper Build Part 9

[IMG]private image upload[/IMG]

[Tinstaafl]

Rockin' and rollin'! Gotta say, it looks like you might have been just as well off doing a design/build from scratch if you weren't planning to re-use the skin.

BTW, pick a good thumbnail for the video, embed the video here, and no need to bother with postimages.org. Kind of annoying to click on the image and be taken to their homepage. Just my grumpy old buzzard opinion, of course.

[JohnB]

Yeh!!! It's taking shape now!!!

Good job! Thanks for sharing.

John

[Kxracer704]

Bunk Construction - Truck Camper Build Part 10

[JohnB]

Good work! It came out well.

Keep the good times rollin!

Thanks for sharing.

John

[PTHutch]

Very impressed - you're doing an awesome job.

Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to seeing move of your videos.
Hutch

[Kxracer704]

Latest Video...

Front Roof Header - Truck Camper Build Part 11

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[JohnB]

You did really good on the front curved part.

Getting thick (3/16" or thicker) plywood to bend around a small radius is complex. All the glue and cross grain layers in the sheet prevents it from bending. The glue almost has to crack in order for it to bend.

1/8" luan bends a little easier, but still it will approach cracking if the curve is too small.

I ran into this last year making curved rafters to repair one of my project campers. Solid wood is better to create curves, but even that has issues and needs a method on how to bend it and not crack it. A steamer/steam box will be my next attempt on how to create curved solid wood. Wet heat is the trick I believe. There is a lot out there on U tube about steam box bending of wood. Or even using a torch to heat and bend wood.

That said, in the past I have bent thicker wood (solid or plywood)
into a curved shape by ripping saw slits in a table saw in the wood about 3/4 qtrs to 7/8ths of the thickness deep in the long direction of the part. Trial and error in the method until you get the right depth and width of the slits. More slits allows tighter bends. This ends up allowing the wood to bend in the bottom of the saw slit. It creates a mini flat segmented curve that looks like what you ended up with, just the board is one piece.

I really like the framework you made. I will keep that in the back of my mind to pull out that idea some day. That was a great idea!!!

Thanks for sharing. You are doing a great job. Keep up the good work.

John

[Kxracer704]

Originally Posted by JohnB

You did really good on the front curved part.

Getting thick (3/16" or thicker) plywood to bend around a small radius is complex. All the glue and cross grain layers in the sheet prevents it from bending. The glue almost has to crack in order for it to bend.

1/8" luan bends a little easier, but still it will approach cracking if the curve is too small.

I ran into this last year making curved rafters to repair one of my project campers. Solid wood is better to create curves, but even that has issues and needs a method on how to bend it and not crack it. A steamer/steam box will be my next attempt on how to create curved solid wood. Wet heat is the trick I believe. There is a lot out there on U tube about steam box bending of wood. Or even using a torch to heat and bend wood.

That said, in the past I have bent thicker wood (solid or plywood)
into a curved shape by ripping saw slits in a table saw in the wood about 3/4 qtrs to 7/8ths of the thickness deep in the long direction of the part. Trial and error in the method until you get the right depth and width of the slits. More slits allows tighter bends. This ends up allowing the wood to bend in the bottom of the saw slit. It creates a mini flat segmented curve that looks like what you ended up with, just the board is one piece.

I really like the framework you made. I will keep that in the back of my mind to pull out that idea some day. That was a great idea!!!

Thanks for sharing. You are doing a great job. Keep up the good work.

John

I did think about cutting slits in the paneling, but it was after I already had the strips of paneling installed. Thanks for the ideas John!

[Kxracer704]

Raise the Roof - Truck Camper Build Part 12

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[PTHutch]

Nice looking Box.

Thanks for sharing.

Keep up the excellent work. Very impressive.

When you're all done, you and your family will have to come to one of the M&G and show it off.

[Kxracer704]

Originally Posted by PTHutch

Nice looking Box.

Thanks for sharing.

Keep up the excellent work. Very impressive.

When you're all done, you and your family will have to come to one of the M&G and show it off.

Yes! We would love to got to a meet and greet. Are the dates and locations picked far in advance?

[PTHutch]

Originally Posted by Kxracer704

Yes! We would love to got to a meet and greet. Are the dates and locations picked far in advance?

Hi Jay,

Typically the dates are set a year in advance. Most of the M&G fall in the similar time frame every year.

Monitory the Sunline Owners Meet & Greet thread for information on the various M&Gs.
This thread lists all the M&Gs with information on their dates and locations and for attendees to post their reservation site and attendance dates.

Not sure where in PA your located, so not sure which PA M&G would be closest to you or if you're willing to travel to a M&G outside PA.

The 2021 Buttonwood M&G is schedule for June 11 - 13th. Buttonwood is in south central PA north-west of Harrisburg off 322.

Ives Run M&G is in north-central PA - Tioga, PA just south of Corning, NY off Rt-15. No date has been set for or it one will be held in 2021. Depends on the interest and desired date.

Other M&Gs outside PA include (if interested in traveling)
ADK M&G - in the Adirondacks of NY, scheduled for September 9 - 12, 2021.

WNY M&G - located between Rochester & Buffalo NY, schedule for September 23-26, 2021.

Mid-West M&G - located in west central Ohio - no dates have been set for the 2021 M&G yet, but typically it's the end of Sept. or 1st week-end of Oct.

Note: Anyone is able to organize and run a M&G. It's sort-of "If you plan it, they will come"

Hope this helps and looking forward to seeing you at one of the M&Gs.
Would love to meet you and your wife and see your Sunline - fully restored.

[Kxracer704]

Originally Posted by PTHutch

Hi Jay,

Typically the dates are set a year in advance. Most of the M&G fall in the similar time frame every year.

Monitory the Sunline Owners Meet & Greet thread for information on the various M&Gs.
This thread lists all the M&Gs with information on their dates and locations and for attendees to post their reservation site and attendance dates.

Not sure where in PA your located, so not sure which PA M&G would be closest to you or if you're willing to travel to a M&G outside PA.

The 2021 Buttonwood M&G is schedule for June 11 - 13th. Buttonwood is in south central PA north-west of Harrisburg off 322.

Ives Run M&G is in north-central PA - Tioga, PA just south of Corning, NY off Rt-15. No date has been set for or it one will be held in 2021. Depends on the interest and desired date.

Other M&Gs outside PA include (if interested in traveling)
ADK M&G - in the Adirondacks of NY, scheduled for September 9 - 12, 2021.

WNY M&G - located between Rochester & Buffalo NY, schedule for September 23-26, 2021.

Mid-West M&G - located in west central Ohio - no dates have been set for the 2021 M&G yet, but typically it's the end of Sept. or 1st week-end of Oct.

Note: Anyone is able to organize and run a M&G. It's sort-of "If you plan it, they will come"

Hope this helps and looking forward to seeing you at one of the M&Gs.
Would love to meet you and your wife and see your Sunline - fully restored.

Thank you for the schedule. This will definitely set a completion goal for us to meet for the summer of 2021