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How we converted our Ford Ranger into a camper (CHEAP and EASY)
Here is a summary of some easy steps for converting your truck bed into a storage and sleeping area for camping. This is a DIY overview on our platform, storage bins, curtains and mattress - the things we get asked about most frequently. Enjoy!
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When your lady helps you mod your truck, shes a keeper...and so is the truck! Dope!
@tas4u93
2 жыл бұрын
That's what I will find
Any woman willing to camp in the bed of a truck, let alone help you deck it out, is something special! You two have an awesome Ranger setup here. Looking to do something similar with mine as soon as I track down a shell & locking tailgate.
I've had my 2003 Ranger since 2005, and have used the last 4 years to camp in out West, actually just sleep in. There's 2 layers of cardboard on the painted truck bed (no liner), 1/2 OSB board, moving blanket, Thermarest camping air mattress, sleeping bag, cotton blanket, twin sized electric (for cold nights with power), and a comforter. It's layered so I can adjust the temp. An 80's wine crate turned sideways for shelves. I used green cammo material for curtains, my Ranger is green. To hook them up I added little picture hanger brackets (about 5/8 long, bent at 45 degrees - or offset), to the window frame screws, spaced out, and shock cord in the hems so I can stretch the curtains over the windows like shower caps. The hatch frame has a channel so I just slid a piece of shock cord through one hem and put "S" hooks on the ends. They hook the bottom of the channel, with the curtain hanging down under the rods that lock it down. I don't have any storage areas because I just use it to sleep in on long trips....well....that, and I'll be 70 in August and need the headroom when I sit up in the morning. Stay safe out there.
Thanks I had a dream of getting a van but I got a ford Ranger instead and this is inspiring!
Affordable, functional simplicity IS luxury. Enjoy your awesome camper.
I love it, basic and practical. Gotta love the Ford Rangers.
I just bought an 01 Ranger Literally 20 Hours ago. I LOVE your ideas! The one change I would make make would be to get a slightly TALLER Camper Shell. The extra headroom would be a godsend for you. I have NOTHING critical to say about your simple, neat project. WELL DONE!
@DAYDREAMERSVLOG
6 жыл бұрын
Congrats on the ranger! It’s an awesome truck that has served us well for sure! I’m glad you liked the video and I agree that extra headspace would be the best change possible but little things at a time and eventually we will get there. The shower is from amazon here is the info. Reliance Products Flow Pro Pressurized Portable Showever, 2 Gallon
@whatsachannelnameanyways9907
5 жыл бұрын
Is that a short bed? Because like Bruce Foster I bought a Ford Ranger 2001 two days ago. And I've already had a bunch of ideas about the truck this is helpful
@Sig721Tau
5 жыл бұрын
@@DAYDREAMERSVLOG Finally!! I've found a video on KZread about camping/living out of a Ford Ranger pickup. Nice setup. However, turn off the music when you are talking about your vehicle. Definitely, get yourself a taller camper shell like the guy above me had mentioned. Get one with a mini door in the center. 👍🏼
@missouripatriot6926
4 жыл бұрын
A taller shell would make mpg worse
I have a Ranger, love your conversion. I will try. Walmart mattress, carpeted board, pump shower, you’ve done all the work for me!
Very nice! Great suggestions on hanging the curtains. Our old Ranger had flat spots in the side of the bed where we could run a 2x6 across as support for the plywood. We also cut the plywood in half and put hinges on it so we could easily get to stuff underneath.
So basically a camper shell some draps and a small mattress........... Sounds about right
Sweet setup. Love the idea of not going overblown for what's needed. My 1994 Ford Ranger thanks you! Enjoy your travels.
Cool video nice to see you young people doing truck camping my wife and I in our late 50s still are truck camping .I built wood cap camper rustic like old cabin only modern this is solar power. Enjoy your travels.
I bought a 2011 ranger a few months ago and got a a nice camper shell for it, looking forward to building something similar! So exciting
I have similar setup. Love the idea of the spray bottle, although when going to bed I found that most of the time the cell phone needed to be charge. I had a charging station on the rear of the bed and converted the interior light with LED. It is a blast.
I like the simplicity. We've got a '99 same color but it's not the extended cab 6 cyl. 70k and it's clean. We'll probably pack a small tent or screen room for those rainy times you aren't ready for sleep. Nice job. Thanks.
Just found this video. Great job yall. When I get my '01 ranger to run consistently Ill be applying some of this new knowledge.
Great Job! Love how the wood framework can slide out or stay in place! The shower is great too!
Thanks for sharing it looks cozy. I like that you guys aren't so materialistic, & make it simple.
It's two years. Have you married her yet? What a keeper.
Good job you can have a lot of fun with that truck
Great vlog you guys! Some serious talent here making your camping comforts 🔥🙌🏻 Cheers!
This is identical to how we made our Ford Ranger a camping vehicle, including the slide containers. It worked great until we got tired of doing truck yoga every night. We upgraded to a taller Shell and it makes an AMAZING difference!
Keep it simple, I like it. Great job. My next next vehicle is a pickup, my small SUV is too small to camp in, so it's on the way out.
Cool guys Liken the Vans shirt Rad ! I'm building my sleeper right now
Nice utilization of space.
Awesome,enjoy the vacation time,one day I will try
yall are goals ! stay true
Just got a 96 2 wheel drive ranger and added a contractors canopy for the same reason. Has a side access with a box storage we use as the kitchen with the addition of a table and tarp
My wife would kick my ask if I put her in this small space...but cool build Iike it going to do it for myself for work save some money$$$ Thanks for the video
Nice build. Simple and effective.
Nice little setup...I subscribed
Badass ranger man! props
Sweet set up 😊 we enjoyed your ideas 👍🏼
@DAYDREAMERSVLOG
6 жыл бұрын
We are Glad you liked it!
Your lady seems like a sweetheart, I can't wait to have something like this going with my wife.
Great build guys, just bought my self a ranger. Going to build a living space too
Im getting the same exact ranger color and all with same canopy, mine will be a 2.3 though, but hey it’s at least fuel efficient for a truck!
Cool man I just got a new one but no cap . Once I can get one this is what my plan was and add heat and AC to the back via foldable solar sheets that deliver electricity to a output it’s rad
Nice set-up.Im working on my Nissan frontier in a similar way.Missin the girlfriend part...she got a sister?Haha..thanks guys
Great info! Thank you 🎉❤
I'm looking 5o convert my Mazda that is identical to your truck and cant wait thanks for making it possible
@migratingmazda4708
4 жыл бұрын
Des Rain dude me too I’m having a hard time finding a cap for it mines a b4000 4wd five speed
Good video guys! I’m trying to do a ranger conversion too. This is simple and is good inspiration!
Very nice an simple
Great job. I love my Ranger.
I am super stoked I just got a little Ford ranger and I’m setting it up as my little camping zone I’m in Lake Havasu Arizona if there’s anybody nearby I’m new here as well
Thank you, very interested in made one for my 2002 Ford Ranger been looking into getting out there and do some camping.
You guys are awesome will be doing something similar
Nice box
Doing this to a Ford F-150 Supercab 6.5ft bed Blacked out + solar generator with panels + garmin, computer, crossbow, hunting tags, and speakers that'll wake up bears in the next fuckin county. lol
Great video! I have a Ranger aswell. I know you got the mattress from Walmart. Was wondering what the manufacturer of the mattress was? Thanks! You guys Rock!
There's a Dometic Fridge on Amazon for $379. 55quart. Runs on low wattage. Could run off a 100 watt panel. This could be a great addition to the camper!
@DAYDREAMERSVLOG
5 жыл бұрын
That’s an AWESOME idea! We are putting in a house battery soon so I’m going to look into that! Thanks for the info
@tomross2002
5 жыл бұрын
@@DAYDREAMERSVLOG you're welcome! The fridge at that price is called Costway. There's several brands ranging in price. Have fun and I'll enjoy watching your adventurers!
The pump sprays are really great for cleaning dishes with very little water or taking a showemr washing your hair ,they are . amazing.where do camp i have land i berly utah,holbrook,az and hudspeth,tx.
Stoked ! yall look happy, I love to surf also but i live along the gulf Coast :-( I subscibed, I only have one little issue, I have found so many people i would love to watch buuuuut I wont watch folks that are in a van or a truck or an RV and not married - aint right, so i fingers crossed with yall
Great setup man👍
@DAYDREAMERSVLOG
5 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much we are glad you liked it and thank you so much for watching!
I keep looking that mattress pad yall got but cant seem to find it
Thanks for the video. I am about to do the same thing with my '03 Mazda B2300. It has a 6' bed, and I finally found a Leer camper top for it a couple weeks ago that was within my budget. The top is not a perfect fit, but I am pretty sure I can make it work. The top was made for a similar size bed, but it is about 1" too wide on each side to be able to utilize the Leer clamps that came with the top. I am going to have to add something to the bottom of the camper top that extends farther into the bed so I have something to clamp to the bed. I may also buy some larger c-clamps and use them instead of the Leer clamps that are actually pretty small. The camper top came off of a later model Ford Ranger, and it apparently had a slightly larger bed than my '03 Mazda B2300, which is exactly the same as the '03 Ford Ranger that my sister owns. Once I figure out how to securely attach the camper top to my truck, I want to adapt your ideas for the inside. As they say on Game of Thrones, "winter is coming" and unfortunately I will be living in my truck for a while. Sometimes life just deals you a bad hand. The way you play the hand is how your life is defined.
@DAYDREAMERSVLOG
5 жыл бұрын
Wow that’s interesting that it ended up being so different in size but I feel like bigger clamps makes sense as long as you aren’t getting cold air coming in from somewhere because of it... we had some cold issues we have worked out more and more but in all honestly it’s not too bad as long as you put the effort into finding where you are getting cold from! It’s honestly such a nice solution to have the conversion but hopefully you don’t have to do it for to long out of necessity and can start enjoying it for fun sooner rather than later! I know the feeling and it’s not ideal but I think if I had this set up then it would have made it way easier! Good luck and thanks for checking out the video!
I cant find that mattress on Walmarts website. Any help would be appreciated! Got a trip in my Ranger coming up in June. Thanks.
@orests3482
2 жыл бұрын
Any luck?
Nice setup.
Great job
I'm interested in doing this to my truck, but can't find a way to open my back box from the inside. Do you just pull it down and not fully close your back doors, or do you have a way to unlatch them from inside?
Tie a small rope to the items that are under the platform way up in the front. You can than grab whatever is up there nice and easily. I also recommend a power inverter for fans and music. I like the conversion. Can you make a video on the cap though? I am looking for a truck cap but there are no how to videos on them. Or did it come with the truck?
Girl u could never mess up the camping lasagna.
how did you deal with the two outermost 2x8s -- wouldn't the wheel wells block them?
I see this video is a little older. I like the back curtain I think I want to make one from a no see em screen for my Nissan. I'm not wild about the drawer under bed idea because I can barely sit up in my camper top on the floor
Can you put in the information for that mattress? Where in Walmart can you find it? Patio section??
What size is that foldable matress
Do you have the link for the mattress that you used?
Is that 1/2” plywood? About to do a very similar thing with my ranger and was curious what size plywood y’all went with. Awesome video! Great content on your channel!
@DAYDREAMERSVLOG
5 жыл бұрын
It’s half inch and works great but may be worth going a little thicker but half inch does the trick
@jayfinlayson7438
5 жыл бұрын
DAYDREAMERS VLOG thanks for the reply! I finished mine this weekend, slightly different than yours but pretty close, and I used 3/4”. Excited to hit the road this weekend!
Thanks for sharing. Good ideas. Would like to see you actually pull the whole bed system out. Can it be done by one person?
Well done!
Nice video I recently just got my first truck and wanted to make it a camper! But I was wondering how do you lock your truck tailgate when camping?
Is that mattress comfy? Looks a bit thin
Q: How tall are you sir (I know you said she's 5 foot 5) and how long is that bed? The term is "6 6 foot" but I'd love to know exactly how many inches internally length/width. One guy said he "took out the back seat" but obviously that entails using a Sawzall. Total cringe and water leakage risk. Thanks
Hey, I'm a simple guy from Poland who bought 1999 Ford Ranger few months ago, my daily car but also want to make sort of Camper conversion smiliar to yours. Got question about safety - how you guys lok your tailgate? I know about popNlock but it's to expensive to order it from US (shipping will cost me more than popnlock). Got hard shell with T-handle to fix but have no idea how to lock tailgate to prevent from stealing. Next one - did you seal your shell somehow? Cheers! David :)
Any chance you have a model # or something for the mattress, if you still have it? Can't seem to find it, or even something comparable on Walmart's website. Thanks!
@orests3482
2 жыл бұрын
Any luck?
What hard topper is this?
how did you make the flat piece with the 2x4’s underneath?
how is the moisture from breath etc
Maybe a stupid question but where do you guys park when sleeping?
@stevejeffrey11
3 жыл бұрын
when in the city- hotel Hotel Walmart ;)
👍
Please tell me where you got the portable shower!
The 2x8 allowed clearance over the top of the wheel well? I’m building mine similar to yours, I have some questions if you’re willing to help out! Thanks
What’s the bed length of that ranger?
How do you lock your shell from the inside for security?
@DAYDREAMERSVLOG
5 жыл бұрын
We just put some latches from Home Depot on the inside that on both sides of the hatch. They work pretty cool and it was cheap but I’m sure there’s a better solution but it works so far!
@kimberly7558
5 жыл бұрын
Be smart get a 🔫
@juangutierrez6483
4 жыл бұрын
I have my 2 Chihuahuas with my. names??? mister peanut. and big papa and my pitbull sandy all rescue they love my and i love them very much
hey how do you reach for those plastic storage bins underneath the platform? i have a very similar build
@LandOfTheFree1776
4 жыл бұрын
Make a trap door with hinges ? Lol 😂
@ronaldrobertson2332
3 жыл бұрын
I'd seen another similar build like that and he installed a trap door. Worked for him.
I’m always impressed when people build there own campers. But, I disagree about it being better than a tent. In our tent we have room for our little buddy heater, our 100 pound dog, gear, and most importantly, my luggable loo. I’m not getting out in the middle of the night to pee. The vestibule also provides plenty of dry storage.
Is this the normal sized bed on a ranger or is it a longer option?
Where’d you get the camper shell from?? I can’t find any anywhere.
What is the pad called you got at Walmart for a mattress??
im kind of jealous of this guy. in a healthy i can do this too then attitude of course lol
I'ma do the same thang
Dope
Nice set-up, looking to do something very similar to my 04 suburban. Any info on that shower contraption?
@DAYDREAMERSVLOG
5 жыл бұрын
We got it on amazon! www.amazon.com/Reliance-Flow-Pro-Portable-Shower/dp/B01MY6CZ6J/ref=mp_s_a_1_17?crid=1OP3HH230RAQG&keywords=portable+shower&qid=1551424129&s=gateway&sprefix=portable+shower&sr=8-17
Good job guy's. I like the color of your truck, what color is that?
@DAYDREAMERSVLOG
5 жыл бұрын
Lol just peeling and old green stock ford from 1994
@missouripatriot6926
4 жыл бұрын
@@DAYDREAMERSVLOG I have a 93 2wd just like this I'm about to put the topper on
Hi, like so many I wonder what you do if weather comes? laying down all day looks rough.. I have one side a platform ( for 1 ) and the floor ( with pad) for the other sleeping person. this way two people can sit on chairs inside and for sure one person has a nice chair inside to sit on.
@juangutierrez6483
4 жыл бұрын
I make my the same way.2x6x10''plataform i like the bottle spray i don't think about thanks for that
Dude i have a ranger as well this is sick! Is that a 4 banger or a 6 ?
What did you lay over the Bedliner?
Really trying to find that exact mattress pad! Any help?
@DAYDREAMERSVLOG
6 жыл бұрын
We got it at wal mart and it is called the FOLD O MAT. They have them on their website if you can’t find it in store.
How long is the box ?
I'm looking at doing basically the same thing in my ranger. is it a pain in the ass to climb in and out of the back?
@juangutierrez6483
4 жыл бұрын
It is but in a emergency don't make a difference i live on Galveston when hurracan rita hit. i have leave the island it was a pain on the ×=;#s trying to found a hotel room. but it worked oans you lay down you will sleep like a rock. sorry my inglhis
Rack for your surf boards