Camp Lite 14 DBS Overland Build

[Terra Tech Off Road]

We sold our 2015 Livin Lite 7x20 last week so the overland build on our new to us 2018 Camp Lite 14 DBS is underway.

We are replacing the stiff factory leaf springs with a Timbren 5200lb HD Axle-Less suspension with a 4 inch lift.

Tire size is a slightly larger 256/65/17 Nitto Ridge Grappler mounted to 17 inch Method 312's to match our Ram Power Wagon tow vehicle.

Stage 2 will be a custom rear bumper and storage rack as well as an enclosed tongue box and full graphic wrap.

Stage 3 will take place next year with a REDARC solar set up.

We are really looking forward to testing Stage one out in a couple weeks on the beaches of Cape Lookout National Seashore in NC.

[gibby]

Okay, this has a "Cool"  factor of 9.5.

Be sure to post some "Done" pictures.

[Merlin]

Heck, I'd give this project a 10 

And yup, just slightly larger tires!

Looking forward to more posts......

[Terra Tech Off Road]

Suspension is installed and took the trailer for an hour long test drive.  To say the difference in ride and handling is night and day might even be an understatement. 

For those that have this model you know how rough the ride can be and I have even had the tires come off the ground at times.  That is a thing of the past.  I purposely hit as many railway crossings and bad roads as I could on the way home and the Timbren suspension just soaks it all up.

Not only will this be a significant strew reducer on the trailer chassis but it greatly diminishes transfer to the tow vehicle.

The 5200lb spring squatted a little more than I anticipated but the ride is awesome.  I can always replace the rubber springs with the 7000lb parts if required after further testing.

With the larger tire the entry steps will have to be moved back a couple inches but that's about it at this point. 

[GoElectric]

Nice, well done!

[Terra Tech Off Road]

Thanks 👊

[Chappy133]

Very well done. Did you get your windows tinted?  Standard tint shop job or done another way?

[Terra Tech Off Road]

Very well done. Did you get your windows tinted?  Standard tint shop job or done another way?

They appear to be tinted from the window manufacturer as I don't see any film tint lines. 

[Chappy133]

Thank you.

[Merlin]

Couple of suggestions........

Get some truck mud flaps and put them behind those big tires. The tires will throw things from the tread when off-road that could damage stuff, including siding because they stick out so far from the wheel well.

Be sure to fully inspect the frame welds on the camper. There have been reports (and a recall) related to broken welds and when you take that bad boy overlanding you'll want to make sure most of the camper stays on the frame.

Nice job on the rebuilt suspension!

[Terra Tech Off Road]

Merlin,

Thanks for the heads up on the chassis.  We throughly inspected the frame before we purchased the trailer and then had a team of welders at my friends shop do an inspection as well.

This frame looks pretty gusseted - not sure if that's factory, as a result of a recall or the previous owner had it done?

We just sold a 2015 Livin Lite 7x20 toyhauler and the welds in this unit are significantly better and the toyhauler frame did not have the extras this one does.

As for mudflaps are you talking about the truck or the trailer?  Right now we are going to try a trip and see what we want to end up doing?  I just moved the entry steps back 2 inches to gain some clearance with the larger tires and am considering fabricating some wider metal fenders for the trailer to reduce debris up the sides and at the entry door.

[Terra Tech Off Road]

Trailer Update -

We recently replaced the TIMBREN 5200 Aeon springs with 6500's and gained about an inch of height in the wheel wells and it also centered the axle as the 5200's squatted more than anticipated.

The ride is still amazing and I am super impressed with this mod.

We recently moved the entry step back 2 inches to give the bigger tires a bit more room during articulation and dabbed up a 4 inch full width bumper
to hold 2 black tank hoses as the little plastic holder was always a pet peeve of mine on my 7x20 toy hauler.

[Merlin]

Super nice work.

I meant mud flaps for the trailer. I put some on mine and it makes a big difference keeping the steps and tank fittings clean, even with stock tires.