I need some advice on how to proceed with a summer project. Basically what I want is a truck tent, but I want to put it on a platform that attaches to the factory tow hitch. The whole thing needs to be able to be set up or taken down by one person, in a driving snowstorm. Also when it is set up it needs to support 2000lbs and withstand 100mph winds. Those figures (2,000lbs & 100mph winds) are overstated and the tent would never really be subjected to those extremes, but I can see 1,500lbs and 75mph winds on rare occasions. The tent would see most of the use in the winter & spring seasons up in the mountains and often enough the weather will turn nasty and winds will easily hit 40-50 mph. I'm using the higher number because I want to have no surprises so I'll overbuild it (everything's negotiable). Also when broken down the whole thing should be contained on a storage rack attached to the hitch. The tent will be sitting on top of snow and or mud so the platform will keep it out of the muck and also provide support for those inclement weather days.

What I have on my 01 4X4, F150, super cab, shortbed is an A.R.E. cap with a horizontal door in the back (the tailgate has been removed). The entire back end will also swing up, like a station wagon. It creates a nice overhang and I want to incorporate that feature into the design of the tent.

So here are the particulars:

Custom hitch with 30" galvanized pipes welded 5' apart, parallel to the ground and each other, and pointing directly away from the truck. On the end of each pipes I'll thread a 3way sleeve so I can extend the pipe another 5' and also place a small piece pointing down to create a support. At the end of the second pipe add an elbow for another support. I'm think using the galvanized pipe because it's relatively inexpensive, easy to find almost anywhere and also has standardized connectors available.

On top of these pipes go 3 pieces of plywood,. Approximately 60"x30" each -remember everything has to condense to fit on a hitch mounted storage rack.

On top of the plywood I'll set up a wall tent using 1" EMT conduit (recommended by a tent mfg that may be making a custom tent for this contraption).

Some questions I have:

Is galvanized pipe the right material and what size do I use? It has to be sturdy but I'd like it to be a manageable weight when it is in storage mode

How do I connect the plywood to pipes? I was thinking of drilling holes in the wood and pipe then simply bolting it together but I want to avoid having to get under the platform as it will probably be wet and/or muddy. So I'm thinking of either studs permanently fixed to the pipes or brackets that the plywood corners will fit into. Any ideas?

How do I connect the tent frame to the plywood? Again here I was thinking of drilling holes in the wood and mounting some sort of sleeve the EMT conduit can slide/screw into.

This project is in the conceptual stage and there's a lot more I want to do* with this but I need to get past the "how to" of connecting the different materials to each other.

Thanks for any suggestions
Tim


*Solar shower, 12v appliances and other typical convenience items

 

BLUNTLY - Galvanized pipe is a bitch to weld. The zinc coating vaporizes and ruins the join. It's also weak steel.

You should surf some metal supply houses, and steel resources looking specifically for tensile strength and heat treatment ratings of different materials.

The load spec, and the wind factor are also problematical. A solid roof - like a Coleman foldaway is a design you should look at, though I think 100mph winds would rip one of those to pieces.

Another consideration - high winds - times the surface area on the sides of the rig - equal "Blow Over" or ripping loose of the stiching if you have fabric sides. If I were looking into a design spec like this I would consider reinforced fiberglass/foam panels that could fold in to store in the main travel box. Corner jacks would go without saying - it will have to be low to the ground, rigid, and streamlining to help re-direct the winds is a consideration as well.

By angling the back and sides, you may eliminate a part of the force applied to the sides and back by redirecting it past the structure. (Instead of hitting it dead on like a brick wall)

-Just a few thoughts off the top of my fuzzy little head...

 

Thanks for the reply. I really don't expect to be out camping in 100mph winds but usually 1 or 2 times a year when I decide to stay the night it turns out to be a mistake. A storm will come thru and shut the ski resort down. Typically in those instances I'll find a place to park that's nestled in behind a snow bank. A number of times during the year the forecast includes "Winds gusting from 80-100mph over the ridges" and I usually won't go with that type of forecast. However I've had more than one uneasy nights sleep wondering if those 75' pine trees, blowing sideways, were going to snap.

I'll have to check out coleman's offerings and some metal suppliers. I hadn't really considered using panels but I'm open to all possibilities. Even the one making this project a fair weather option only.

Tim

 

An interesting idea. As noted by Greywolf, galvanized pipe is a poor idea, very weak for its weight. Overall tent size is a limiting factor in high wind areas. A low dome version is most applicable as it will flex with the wind load. Here's my idea. Use a version of a hitch extender to support a plywood floor that slides back into the bed when not in use. A false floor above this would support the truck bed load. As for the tent design, I would use a modified dome similar to mountaineering tents. I would model it after those clever little insect 'tents' that pop up to cover picnic foods. They collapse down to near nothing and a single pull pops it into shape. This would allow the plywood floor to slide out and the tent to be quickly erected, keep you out of the mud and could be buttoned to the tailgate overhang you want to incorporate. That tailgate will have to be securely anchored in both directions.
Good luck with the project.

 

Mmmmm. Interesting idea. I had thought of the sliding feature but discounted it due to the fact I will carry 2-3 bikes in the bed and wanted to be able to set up w/o unloading the bed. However the idea of the false floor would pretty much take care of that issue. Although when the platform is deployed it should sit less than 1' off the ground.

As far as the dome style tent, it is not quite what I had in mind. I hope to have enough headroom to stand and enough moving around room accommodate 2-3 people with ski/snowboard boots on.

Grand ideas, I know, but why think small?

I had originally thought of a pop-up trailer tent. However, in winter, sometimes the Highway Patrol will not let you through chain control with a trailer and then in summer the trailer could limit where I can get to off road.

My original idea was to utilize one of those hitch mounted cargo carriers and build a box with hinged panels that could unfold into a floor. Stabilizing the floor would be the main issue and that's where I started thinking of pipe.

Do welders have a preferred metal for these types of projects?

What about angle iron? It's shape would provide many positives in terms of supporting plywood but I'm not sure how to securely connect pieces.

Thanks for your response
Tim