Truck Conversion & Toterhome Community - View Single Post - just getting started on toterhome project...

hot rod · 01-20-2011, 04:38 PM

Hi MMM-

Thanks for your reply, and for the welcome. I have been reading through the various threads for a few months now, and gotten a lot of good ideas.

We currently have a 40' gooseneck trailer (around 20,000#) with "living quarters" we are pulling with our dually, and just beating the truck to death and need something bigger to pull it. Going the toterhome route for comfort and to hopefully get around scales, etc.. I know that is a stretch these days though. We have been using the current trailer "living quarters" (really more of a racers lounge) but it only has a toilet and sink, but no shower, been using fairgrounds/campgrounds facilities for shower. The trailer only has 20 gallon fresh water, and each black/gray tank is about the same. We get by for long weekends, but really have to be careful with the water use. The toter will have a full bathroom with shower so I really need more capacity than before, just not sure how much. Obviously I could put in a huge tank, but there is only so much room to work with and I really only want to put in just what is needed. I am sure there is a formula or rule of thumb somewhere based on persons and number of days, but I have had no luck finding anything like that.

I was surprised by your comment about the cab seal vs. slideout. I just automatically dismissed the idea of a slideout as being over-complicated for a first time build. I really don't know what goes into the mechanism, but just assumed it would be difficult to do right. I looked through Blizzard's RumRunner build and saw how it looked like he basically just welded the back of the cab to a piece of sheet steel to form the front of the box. Looks simple, but I was worried about the box wanting to flex vs. the cab. Plus I really want the bunk over the cab not just for stand up room, but it looks a whole lot more like a real RV and less like a box truck when coasting past the scales. Any place I might look for info on building that slideout you mentioned?

Again, thanks for the welcome, and hopefully somebody else will chime in and help us both on that tank size question.

Hot Rod

01-20-2011, 04:38 PM	#3
hot rod Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 527	Hi MMM- Thanks for your reply, and for the welcome. I have been reading through the various threads for a few months now, and gotten a lot of good ideas. We currently have a 40' gooseneck trailer (around 20,000#) with "living quarters" we are pulling with our dually, and just beating the truck to death and need something bigger to pull it. Going the toterhome route for comfort and to hopefully get around scales, etc.. I know that is a stretch these days though. We have been using the current trailer "living quarters" (really more of a racers lounge) but it only has a toilet and sink, but no shower, been using fairgrounds/campgrounds facilities for shower. The trailer only has 20 gallon fresh water, and each black/gray tank is about the same. We get by for long weekends, but really have to be careful with the water use. The toter will have a full bathroom with shower so I really need more capacity than before, just not sure how much. Obviously I could put in a huge tank, but there is only so much room to work with and I really only want to put in just what is needed. I am sure there is a formula or rule of thumb somewhere based on persons and number of days, but I have had no luck finding anything like that. I was surprised by your comment about the cab seal vs. slideout. I just automatically dismissed the idea of a slideout as being over-complicated for a first time build. I really don't know what goes into the mechanism, but just assumed it would be difficult to do right. I looked through Blizzard's RumRunner build and saw how it looked like he basically just welded the back of the cab to a piece of sheet steel to form the front of the box. Looks simple, but I was worried about the box wanting to flex vs. the cab. Plus I really want the bunk over the cab not just for stand up room, but it looks a whole lot more like a real RV and less like a box truck when coasting past the scales. Any place I might look for info on building that slideout you mentioned? Again, thanks for the welcome, and hopefully somebody else will chime in and help us both on that tank size question. Hot Rod