[Ernie]

Hi all

I am looking for a caravan. Now the budget will be tight for this one about R35K Max. Any suggestions as to make / model.

Second question. Will it be possible to modify a normal caravan for semi offroad use, like dirt roads,some mud perhaps,sand.....Something like the pic.

[HBannink]

Hi Ernie

This is one of those projects that I have been planning for a long time. To take a normal pop topper and turn it in to a gravel roader is quite possible if you are not afraid to get your hands dirty. In my research I have come to the conclusion that a 4 or 5 berth early model sprite pop top would be a good donor caravan. I know of two that have been converted privately and kempton sprite does a commercial conversion.

The first would be to build a decent suspension and chassis as the thin stuff used by ci is hardly good enough for road use never mind off road.
The body shell could be removed from the chassis without major problems and lifted off as a whole. A stronger and more substantial chassis could be built on top of the old one and a decent 2.5 ton axle with off road wheels should be used. Fitting shock absorbers is a must as it would save a lot of jolting around and enhance towing. With this mod done you would almost be as high as a normal full profile caravan hence the reason for a pop topper.

The interior of the commercial caravan is of the poorest standard available and it is held together with staples and spit with a generous coat of bling. This would never stand up to any rough road shaking and will destroy it self before you have traveled 10 ks so be prepared to gut the interior and build new furniture to tour own standards. The furniture is not only for practical and cosmetic purposes but also serves to enhance structural rigidity so the old school screws and glue comes in to play.

My suggestion would be to try and get a sprite make as they are lighter than the others and to look around for something that the interior is all but had it as long as the body panels are in good nick. Repairing caravan interior and pop tops is not rocket science and requires basic tools and generous amounts of patience. The end result can be magic.

If and when you want to push this further give me a shout as I have done the caravan thing a couple of times and would be glad to advise

Henk

[Ernie]

Thanks

I will start to look for a sprite then. I will definitely call on you expertise in this field. like you say live is to short to make all the mistakes yourself, learn from others that's been there , done that, got the t shirt

As for the practical part I am a jack of all trades. My dad thought me everything I know. If a human designed it I will make it or fix it.

Regards
Ernie

[4ePajero]

Having grown up with caravans, and having owned a few of my own, here is my take:

"Larny" / "on-road" caravans are just to flimsy to be converted into an off-roader.

The only part you might be able to strengthen adequately will be the chassis.

IMHO it's not a viable project.

[Ernie]

If I can ask this. What is the skin of a caravan made of. Fiberglass or alu or combination of the two. I was thinking of building a lightweight frame inside the caravan and welding that to the strengthend chassis. Then fiberglass the frame to the skin of the caravan. I know it will be heavier but it should be ok I think.

As for the inside. The other night on Discovery they had that Winnebago camper. Its skin is made with fiber+polystyrene+alu if I remember. In the past I used T Shirt material and fiberglass resin on a piece of glass to get it perfectly straight and flat. Then glue the fiberglass panel onto polystyrene and use this for the inside. A lot of work but worth it, if I look at Offroad Caravan prices.

What do they use on real offroad caravans for the skin?

Regards

[CATS]

Ebot

My Xplorer off-road van has a wood sandwich wall with wood on the inside, polystirine in the middle and aluminium on the outside. This has lasted extremely well over the last number of years. One must remember that even boats were made of wood not too long ago and this has lasted well enough for early sea explorers over rough seas to reach faraway new countries. I think your idea of beefing up a normal 2nd hand caravan is not a bad one. I would try and see one of the scout gravel roader that Kempton caravans build as an example close up. They have tested this caravan with our 4x4 off road adventure club before release and it seemed well put together. The only downfall is that it is still wider than all the true off road caravans.

CATS

[Ernie]

Thanks Cats. I will try to go and have a look sometime(steel with my eyes ) I guess it is a wood veneer on plywood(3ply) How thick is your walls on the van?

[HBannink]

Most caravans from the 80s and up are made in what is known as vacubond. This basically consists of a skin of renolith (fancy name for a cheap 3ply wood with a picture printed on the one side), A cerntre core of styrofoam and an outer skin of aluminium all glued and pressed by vacuum in a big bag. They insert pine or similar boxwood as reinforcing around window and door openings but the days of the wooden framework is long gone even on the dedicated off road caravans.
Because of the flimsy construction it is important to make the furniture part of the body shell to increase strength and rigidity. CI make use of a peel river to secure furniture and bits to the side of a caravan, this looks like a normal pop rivet but instead of just forming a mushroom bubble on the inside when tensioned these goodies split open almost like a brolly anchor and spreads the load over a larger area. This together with wood glue makes a half decent fixing.

[Ernie]

Hi Oom Henk (Sorry ek is net so groot gemaak )

Wat dink oom van die frame binne in die caravan? Sal dit werk? iets soos 15mm of 20mm X 1.6mm tube( ek dink aan staal condute) met reinforceing in die hoeke.

[HBannink]

Ernie

Dit is nou wat hulle se 'n mooi gedagte, maaar, as jy 'n soliede konstruksie binne in die wa sit gaan jy die natuurlikke "flex" beduiwel en dit oordra in punt ladings wat dan weer ander groter probleme skep. Die ander ding wat jy van die begin af in gedagte MOET hou is gewig. 'n Kilo hier en 'n halwe een daar en voor jy weet sit jy met 'n wa wat 1.5 ton weeg en soos 'n hond sleep. Die "dop" of bakwerk van die "volbloed" off roaders en die van die gewone karavane is die selfde konstruksie maar met die off roaders is die meubels stewiger en dit het al die indrukwekkende pyp en plaat werk aan. Bou jou raamwerk vir die meubels met 20 X 20 ordentlikke den of meranti en onthou die beginsel van driehoeke. Moet nie net staples gebruik maar gebruik skroewe en lym. dit gee 'n soliede konstruksie en met 'n bietjie reguit denke kan jy die struktuur heelwat verwsterk.
Deur gebruik te maak van seil kas deure en velcro neem jy nog 'n groot probleempunt uit die samestelling want die deure raak altyd los en lendelam.

Dit klink na kern fisika maar glo my as jy eers begin is dit 'n vulletjie. Ek het my eerste karavaan herbou toe ek 19 was en nog nooit opgehou, ek praat nie van klein veranderings nie maar totale herbou.
Beste van alles is jy hoef net te skree dan help ek graag