Ford Expedition Camper Conversion: Guide, Tips, Accessories
The design you pick will depend on the type of lifestyle you want to live. Not everyone can fit into a Ford Expedition conversion so you have to be careful in how you want yours to look. These vehicles don't have the headroom unless you create it.
The key to your conversion will be what you want inside the converted Expedition. The bed is a must but you also need to save room for storage, accessories food storage, and so on. The accessories you need will be a stove, cooler, battery and blackout curtains.
To learn more about this conversion opportunity, just continue to read our article. it has the information you want to know about so you can plan your project accordingly. take a few moments to see what this article contains and how that information can inspire you to convert your Ford Expedition.
Ford Expedition Camper Conversion
This is listed as one of the best vehicles you can choose to convert. it has competitors but the Ford Expedition may offer you a better ride, more space, and a reliable vehicle to use throughout the day.
The key to a good conversion is how to maximize the space without going overboard in the number of accessories you want to include. Sometimes, the basics are all you need to live a comfortable life on the road.
With the limited space you have available, you don't want to pack so much that you have no comfortable way of entering or exiting the vehicle. A lot of thought should go into your design plus you may need to experiment a little to see which design will work and which ones won’t.
That means you need to be flexible with the design feature and you may end up combining one option from one design with another option from another design. The actual conversion itself is not going to be that difficult if you stick to a minimalist outlook.
The difficulties come in when you want to add power appliances or accessories that you really don't need.
Expedition Converted to Camper Ideas
The internet is full of ideas you can use or adapt to meet your camping needs. One is the bed. Some people simply fold the seats down and throw in a small mattress and some memory foam for their bed.
To level out the uneven nature of that option, one can easily place a camp table underneath the mattress.
Or you can leave one seat upright and use the space for your cooler while sticking a little storage cabinet beside the bed to hold clothes, utensils, and other necessities. Or you can go with a platform bed and have a pull-out drawer underneath to hold those same supplies.
Other options include a second pull-out drawer to hold the stove and then build a storage unit on top of that drawer. Removing the seats is not a problem and may give you a little more space to work with.
None of these ideas exclude the use of a tent that attaches to the rear of the Expedition. If you are claustrophobic, adding a tent will give you more living space and keep you from having issues while on the road.
The use of cargo nets can come in handy. They will hold the items safe even as you are driving. Plus, they can be elevated making use of the upper space that is hard to fill.
Can You Sleep in a Ford Expedition?
When you are tired enough you can sleep just about anywhere. The major issue with sleeping in a Ford Expedition will be your height. The 2021 model is not exactly conducive for tall people to sleep. The maximum headroom you get is 42 inches and that goes smaller when you sit in the back 2 rows.
To sleep comfortably, you would have to remove at least two seats from the same side of the vehicle. That is just to get enough length to stretch your legs out. But with a total of 210 inches, from front to back including the engine, the Ford Expedition is not meant for tall people to sleep in.
The 2015 model is not going to make it any better. You only get about 18 cubic feet in the cargo section to use. Without the seats that space opens up to 108 cubic feet which makes things a little easier.
In other words, you are not going to have a fun time at night if you are tall if you want to stretch out. When you are smaller, this vehicle should be ideal for you to sleep in as you will have all the room you will need.
Ford Expedition for Camping
It is one of the better SUVs you could use for camping. It is a tough, durable and reliable vehicle. But that is the performance side of the adventure. The other side of camping may paint a different picture and have you wondering if it is such a good idea to use this SUV as a camper.
Many people have successfully done this but not everyone is the same. Here are some things to consider before you take the plunge:
1. Lack of headroom and foot space- this is going to be your biggest challenge as you do not get a lot of headroom inside this vehicle. Then if you are not traveling alone, you will have double the comp0lications as you need to fit both people inside comfortably.
The key to this issue is to work out the bed space first, then worry about the other parts of the conversion.
2. There is not a lot of room- while it may be a good idea to convert your Expedition to a camper, there will be some things you cannot do inside. One is to have a lot of storage space.
You may need to add a roof rack to increase the amount of space you have for storage. Plus, your cooking, showering, and other duties will all be done outside.
3. Storage- while mentioned in the previous section, storage is going to be tight even if you expand to the roof, use cargo nets or build a platform bed. You will only be allowed to take along the bare necessities.
4. No personal space- unless you are traveling alone, you will have no personal space inside your expedition. That means you really have to love your traveling partner because they will always be right there.
5. No frills- unlike regular RVs you will not have running water, toilets, showers propane heat, and more. Even insulation may be at a minimum unless you cover the windows with some good material
What offsets these inconveniences is that you have a good vehicle to drive into town and no one will know it is a camper unless you tell them. That way you can avoid the stigma that comes with RVing.
Recommended Expedition Camping Accessories
There are quite a few good accessories you should take along with you. There are also too many to select from when you have a limited amount of space. A good camp stove is ideal and unless you enjoy cooking over an open flame, it is a must.
Next would be a good food cooler to store your food plus a large enough water jug. You always will need good food and fresh water. Having a portable generator to help you power up electronic devices including your car battery is also a necessity.
Cooking utensils, plates, cups, and so on are also important to have, as are good bedding and a good foam mattress. These are items everyone has. Other accessories you should consider would be a rooftop tent or at least a tent that attaches to the rear of your car. The rooftop model will give you sleeping space.
Your food cooler should be bear or other wild animal proof. Then in case you get a flat tire, a compact air compressor will get you out of that jam very quickly. Then finally, extra lights for emergencies and extra gas cans to make sure you have enough fuel to make it out of wherever you ventured into.
Ford Expedition Camper Kit
These may exist but they are not appearing on any search results so far. If you want to use a kit, and you really don't need one, to convert your expedition, the best thing to do is contact a company that handles conversions.
Many of the conversion kits you can buy are made for different vans and not SUVs. These kits range in price from very inexpensive to very expensive depending on what you want inside.
Probably the difficulty in finding a kit to convert an Expedition lies n the word Expedition. That term is used in so many common ways that any search results are obscured by the myriad of other results that pop up first.
We do know of one company that does SUV conversions but their work is limited to GM and Chevy vehicles only. Then, you really do not need a kit to make the conversion. You have to be good decisions makers, eliminate extraneous items and plan well.
If you have good DIY skills or know someone who does, then it would be far better to go that route than spending a lot of time looking for a kit that may not fit your needs.
Ford Expedition Camping Tent
There are a lot of these to choose from. Any search for this type of tent will turn up more top 10 lists than you want to look at. There are two basic types of tents you can use when you want to turn your Ford Expedition into a camper.
The main tent option is the one that attaches to the rear of your vehicle. It lets you stay protected while you reach into the SUV for needed items and supplies. The second version will attach to your roof.
It is a built-in platform with a ladder and once set up all you have to do is climb up to go to bed. Each version has many designs to choose from. The good thing is that not only do you get more space, you also can pack these tents away in a very small area.
Plus, they are made from top-quality materials that should keep the weather away.
Living in a Ford Expedition
People do this type of adventure. For them, they are usually young, alone, and have lots of free time on their hands. As mentioned earlier, this type of lifestyle is not for everyone and you have to be able to handle the lack of space and storage.
Also, you would have to make adjustments to your personal care as you will be without modern conveniences. It is a big sacrifice to make as the Ford Expedition doesn't come with all the amenities that a regular RV or travel trailer would have.
Also, you will need some special accessories like traction mats in case you get stuck in the dirt, sand, snow, or mud. You will have to prepare for as many situations as possible and you may not have the space for everything.
Those are the drawbacks to living in your Ford Expedition. Some of the good points are that you get your freedom, you are off the grid and you get to see the country at your own pace.
Some Final Words
Turning your SUV into a camper may not be the best idea you could have. It is just a small cramped space that takes a lot of thinking to make usable and comfortable. Eliminating needed items because you do not have the room is going to be the toughest part of the job.
