What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Setting up for Expeditions

Blue85

Blue85

Yooper
 Premium
GMOTM Winner
Joined
Jul 26, 2000
Posts
16,754
Reaction score
9,772
Location
Keweenaw
So I am gearing up to take multi-day trips off-road in the K5. Suggestions welcome.

Here are my plans:

1) Add auxiliary battery to power interior lights, refrigerator, computer and amps.

2) Build a sleeping deck at the height of the wheel wells. Underneath will be storage, but haven't planned that out yet. No back seat. Probably a futon mattress on top. (Full-size spare is on a tire carrier out back.)


3) Remove the center seat/console and strap the refrigerator in there. I just picked up a Norcold 1.1 cu. ft. 12V/120V portable fridge/freezer and it is awesome.

4) Roof Rack? I have 4 sturdy mounting points up there due to my hardtop removal system. I don't know if I'll have time for this. Maybe I will buy some pre-made rack and just add something to use those mounting points. This would be used for big gear: shade tent, chainsaw, hitchhikers?

5) Portable toilet. This is actually a requirement for some group runs and at least a strong bonus for the wife. I doubt anyone else would let me share... Will have to buy. I'm thinking of the kind with a freshwater tank and holding tank. This will probably get integrated into the under-bed storage (for transport, not use). Then maybe a small privacy tent to use as a changing room and bathroom.

6) Ventilation. I think I can get magnetic window screens for the doors. What can I do to the back window? I was thinking of a frame I can stick in the back window slot that would be mostly screen. Maybe I could also mount a 12V fan somewhere? I like the idea of the tailgate tents - gives more space and puts a screen in back for ventilation, but I'm not sure they actually seal against mosquitoes and doubt they seal against rain.

7) Privacy. There are 6 windows in a K-5, not including the vent windows. Perhaps privacy and ventilation are not compatible, but I still need a solution for at least temporary privacy. Put a curtain behind the front seats? Stryrofoam cut to fit the side and rear windows? Does anybody make a screen you can't see through that passes air?
 
Get a 'Burb?

Kidding, of course. But last year a friend and I spent 1 week out in the middle of nowhere with the K5 as our mothership. I took out the back seat and put my rack on the topper. We had camping, cooking and fishing gear lashed above with the spare tire, and our sleeping bags, clothes and some food basics (remember, we were fishing) in the back. Things were tight, especially after a week. I kept wishing I had taken my '96 Suburban on the trip. The Blazer was serviceable and it ran great - I was just wishing for a little more room, especially once the laundry and garbage started to pile up. I can't imagine having a reefer and porta-potty in there too, but I didn't have a raised sleeping platform like you're planning.

BTW, we slept with the front windows rolled down and the tailgate lowered. We secured a tarp from the rear of the roof rack to the ground a few feet away from the tailgate, giving us a little weather protection in case things went sour. Didn't need it, or much privacy, given our location.

Anyway, I think a screened frame for the rear would work. I've been thinking about building something similar, along the lines of the 1st Gen tops with the integral rear hatch. You might be able to modify the rear window frame from a full-size pickup truck cap for a start. In a pinch, some camo netting might work well for privacy while still allowing for air circulation.
 
I am doing a similar thing with my Yukon, I was going to do this with a Blazer, but the lack of interior space made it unfeasible. I like the idea of the sleeping deck, I am going with a roof-mounted tent setup with a ladder. I would have to make a sleeping deck like that that could extend with the tailgate down because I am longer than the rear floor of K5's:D

Sanitation: http://bumperdumper.com/bumper2.htm:haha:

If you're good with wood working, you could make a screen that fits in the window space by rolling the window down partway, inserting the screen frame, then rolling the window back up to hold it in place. A nice cross-vreeze is very welcome, espcially if you're going to sleep inside the Blazer.

Con-ferr roof racks are great, but not cheap, unless you happen to score on craigslist.
 
I'm not sure if you are considering it, but as a fellow person who likes to go on mini-expeditions I have one suggestion:

On board shower :)

I haven't done it myself yet, but it sure would be nice to be able to wash off every couple of days or so when you are way out there!

While we do go out in our Suburban, where we live I suppose I'm lucky: at night, we just have the wing windows open for ventilation, and that's been sufficient. But we usually have been camping near the coast, where it gets cold (i.e. comfy) at night.

Having the back windows tinted is nice, and for the rear window I just use a Mexican blanket. Roll up the window with the blanket hanging over the edge. I don't do anything for the front window, and the only creature who was spying on us was some insane raccoon who was able to jump up on my hood one night.

I believe I've seen some foldable portable "toilet" devices that use a plastic bag. I'm going to be looking into one myself, and for space saving, I'd recommend it over a traditional porta-potti with it's own water tank etc. just for the space saving.

A futon mattress is pretty good, however my wife picked up some egg-crate foam from a futon shop in Santa Rosa, CA for about $100. Double size, and it fits in the Suburban OK with a little fold at the wheel-wells. It's WAY more comfortable than just a futon mattress. I highly recommend looking into it. I think we got some 3" thick stuff, but they also carried 5" thick stuff.

You might want to consider a hitch-rack? Not sure how much stuff you want to bring, like firewood, with you, but I hate hauling firewood inside where I sleep. Mostly due to the black widows who may be living in the wood. They like it out here.

Have you thought about tools & spare parts for the trip? I generally take my larger toolbox with me, as well as tire plugs, air compressor, etc. I'm going to be picking up a tube for a 35" tire too since the stock spare won't fit, and a 35 probably won't fit in my stock location. Having a spare with you must be nice :)

Be sure to post photos of what you do, and of course trips!

Here's one from our "Usal Beach Expedition" last year:
DSC_0783.sized.jpg


My wife is checking out the Elk who kept coming near our campsite. We love going there but it gets a bit packed during the normal camping season. Might have to try later or earlier in the year sometime :) more mud!

Good luck!
 
Blazers are plenty big for an excursion rig. Hell Im building my trooper into one!

All over the world the typical 4x4'er is 33s and a small truck. Excursion/overlanding is WAY more popular than hardcore 40s, one tons etc wheeling that we're starting to see as ordinary.
 
Yeah, I can't complain too much about the space because most of the other rigs are Land Cruisers, Land Rovers, Tacomas and Wranglers. The most popular style is the roof-top tent, but those are way pricey. I'm trying to do some of this "quick and dirty" the first time through to see how well the wife likes it and get a better feel for what we really want. I've considered "Wag Bags" because you can toss them in regular trash bins later, but taking a leak in the woods is not as easy for the woman. This is why I have been leaning towards the chemical holding tank type. It works fine in RVs... Something like the bumper dumper is out of the question when there could be 50 people in the caravan.

The irony is that we have a 32' motorhome, but those can't make to it most of the coolest places.
 
Marine battery is installed. Nothing but the absolute best!

PICT0426.jpg


I won't have anything on this battery my life depends on, so I'm going cheap to see if I need more later. Do I really need a $230 Optima when these are $60? I stuck with group 24 because it fits in the tray. A real deep cycle might make more sense, but this is rated at 600CCA, which works as a backup plan should I kill the main battery.

Battery isolator installed:

PICT0427.jpg


Right next to my Ford solenoid and my Ford electrical center. (I also have Ford Racing injectors and Ford ignition in case anybody is keeping count). This is only a 90A unit, but it is only connected to a 63A stock alternator, to charge both batteries. The OTHER stock 63A alternator is charging only the main battery.
 
I would have to find the link but they make stuff that you put in your toilet that turns the crap into basically fertilizer. A five gallon bucket and a seat work great and a portable shower works well too.
 
If you do go to AGM forget about optima. Head to sears and get a Die Hard Silver. Its a re-branded Odyssey and one of the best batteries on the market.
 
Blue85 said:
So I am gearing up to take multi-day trips off-road in the K5. Suggestions welcome.

I've done the bed in the k5 thing. You can keep your rear bench. What I did was take plywood, and attach hindges. The k5 bench in the rear folds down. You don't need to fold it forward. You make it so that it can clear the top of the camper top. , support the rear and forward areas with 2x4's. Storage underneath. If you want to go real comphy, you can get a inflatable air bed. (camping style, they are thinner). As for the toilet, you can do a bunch of ways, some are better than others. I hate liquid styles. THey freakin are terrible, always sloshing around, smelling like.. nasty. Get clumping kitty litter. Use the same porta toilet, but clumping litter, spread about 2" at the bottom. After use, sprinkle some more on top, then scoop it out into a small plastic bag. Its fine if you dont, but it will smell better if you do. If you don't leave poop in there it will work the whole day without scooping. Just scoop at night. For privacy, I suggest you get a solar shower tent thingy. I used to hang mine from my CB whip. I'd also suggest you consider a heat exchanger. I haven't hooked up mine, but its a stacked plate heat exchanger- and will allow you to take hot showers. I just havent designed a good way to control hot how it is. It will easily add 30-35 degrees to water at 1gpm.
Click to expand...
 
Blue85 said:
2) Build a sleeping deck at the height of the wheel wells. Underneath will be storage, but haven't planned that out yet. No back seat. Probably a futon mattress on top. (Full-size spare is on a tire carrier out back.)
Click to expand...

Someone did this in Four Wheeler back who knows when. I don't remember where I found it but I saved it. It might help you out in your planning. Click on the thumbnails. I didn't want to load the huge images in the post.

 
I have been doing this for years, with my blazer and with my long bed.
The long bed had much more room which allowed me to have 2 feet in the forward position for tall item and still left 6 feet for a queen size mattress.
The bottom part was great for smaller stuff in the easy access area and the spare parts where all the way under the head area.
I never took a toilet but I do have the cardboard seat with the wag bags, I did have cooler in the beginning and evolved into a fridge later.
Now I am adding to the setup some solar panels on the top, not much, just a 45w setup to keep some power replenished in the accessory battery for long trips.
BlazerFarm said:
Someone did this in Four Wheeler back who knows when. I don't remember where I found it but I saved it. It might help you out in your planning. Click on the thumbnails. I didn't want to load the huge images in the post.

Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the good tips. I think I have that article saved somewhere, but have a different idea in mind.

Progress: Added a maxi fuse behind the aux battery, added a small fuse block under the dash for aux battery distribution. All interior lights are now LED and running from the aux battery. The amplifiers are also running from the aux.
 
Progress: completed all wiring for "aux" equipment. The computer, audio equipment and 12V outlets are each on separate fused circuits from the aux battery. I used a simple 6-circuit fuse block mounted above the DS kick panel.

I built a simple relay logic controller for the PC and audio amps. It uses the USB power to determine when the PC is on. So whenever ignition is on OR the PC is on, a relay supplies power to the PC. Then the EQ/amps are turned on whenever the PC is on, but there is also a toggle switch in series for this. The control from IGN is to ensure that the PC battery gets charged when the engine is running, even if it's not being used. This lets the PC start on it's own without the key, then the relay kicks on.

The tablet PC is my music player. With this aux battery, now I can just leave it running when I go into a store or something. I just flip the amps off and push the "screen off" button on the tablet. It saves me the 10s to hibernate and 35s to wake back up. I should measure the current draw, but I'm sure it will run a long time on 105AH.
 
So my house sold and I scrambled to ditch all summer activities to pack, find a new place etc. So this project has been on the back burner. However, it appears there is now some hope to retain this one trip. I did make the list for the Upper Peninsula Overland 2011: http://upoverland.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=772

And now I'm happy to report more progress. Refrigerator installed:

PICT0001.jpg


This is a Norcold Tek II, which is the same as an Engel or ARB fridge. It is just ratchet strapped to the seat bases (I flipped the handles upside down to make this work better). Since the cigarette plugs are wired to the aux battery, it simply plugs into one of them.

The sleeping platform is also complete:

PICT0003-1.jpg


The four sections flip up to access gear underneath. I used piano hinge for the low profile.
 
Progress from yesterday. A tube of this:

41gWPl-5DqL._SL500_AA300_.jpg


Plus a roll of "Solar Screen" from Lowes:

047888374908lg.jpg


and a couple packs of magnets:

xprd148234_m.jpg


and you can build some ventilation:

PICT0013.jpg


I have a design in mind for the back window as well. I also cut some of this to cover the side topper windows for privacy:

045162487559lg.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom