Modified 79 13'

[Henry-HILO]

Doing over a 79 Sunline. Placed kitchen in back. Now there is nothing in Front. Put back bunk bed and 60 gallon water tank below kitchen. All furniture is out of SPX foam.

 

[JohnGB]

Hi GrosJean,

Which furniture is the SPX foam? Is it in the pics? Is this the foam product you are referring too? https://www.sondor.co.za/materials/view/6

One caution in case you did not work through this, by moving the kitchen to the back of the camper, installing a 60 gallon water tank (500# when filled) and nothing in the front, at least yet anyway, have you checked the loaded tongue weight of the camper compared to the gross weight?

If you plan on towing at highway speed with the water tank filled, trailer sway could be a concern if your loaded tongue weight is below 10% of the gross weight. Just a friendly heads up in case you missed this.

The work looks nice. Thanks for sharing.

John

 

[Henry-HILO]

John: The SPX is pink and purchased at Home Depot or Lowe's. Also used Foam Fusion which is an EPS foam glue. When dry it's permanent. Do not plan on having water in the tank when on the highway. Factory was only 20 but it leaked. Also have two LP tanks on tongue. Do not know gross weight, but I am pretty positive that it's way under factory weight. With all of the necessary supplies in coolers that will be in the front I think it will be okay. Soon will go on a "shake down" trip. It's going to used a base camp as I hike a lot. Have a self contained toilet and plan on adding an outdoor shower. Doubled up the walls with dense insulation (foam used in making coolers). Have a Buddy heater that hooks up to one of the LP tanks and can heat it up in minutes. Power the lights with one Universal Battery which is 60lbs by itself. Kept the weight down as my truck is only a 6 cylinder. Built a ladder to get into the bunk bed. Am definitely a rookie at this. Not a carpenter or an electrician, but have a friend who is an electrician so that helped. It is not showroom, but functional. I just tell others to look at from a distance and not to get too close

 

[Henry-HILO]

And all of the furniture, except the bunk bed is made out of SPX foam. The main bed and all of the kitchen. I faced the foam with thin exterior wood coating which is only 1/8th of an inch.

 

[JohnGB]

John: The SPX is pink and purchased at Home Depot or Lowe's. Also used Foam Fusion which is an EPS foam glue. When dry it's permanent.

Hi GrosJean,

Thanks for the info back. Good you are thinking through the weight and balance of the camper to make sure your loaded tongue weight is at to above 10% of the gross. Ideally load the camper with empty LP tanks. That way, when they go empty and you are camping, you still have enough weight up front. When the tanks are full, then you have extra safety margin. The smaller the camper, the harder it can be sometimes to make sure the front end if heavy enough.

On the pink foam board from Home Depot. Do you mean XPS or SPX? ( maybe a mix up on the letter?) The XPS is the pink closed cell pink board that can be used below grade as it does not take on water. See here. did I understand the wrong one? XPS at Home Depot https://www.homedepot.com/b/Buildin...tion/XPS/N-5yc1vZbaxxZ1z0w1xo?storeSelection=

Just trying to learn if you found SPX and it is something new to me.

Thanks

John

 

[Henry-HILO]

Yes, meant XPS. Without the stove the whole kitchen weighed about 20lbs.

 

[Henry-HILO]

Went out on a weekend and you are correct about the weight issue. Moving the water
tank to the right side where it used to be under the bed. But because original tank was 20
gallons will have to make a new bed out of SPX Foam which is no big deal. Have so much insulation that heated it one night just using one burner on low.

 

[JohnGB]

Glad you made it out camping. Yes, I'm sure the better insulation will keep you toasty.

Thanks for reporting back

John