home built toter

[Sprintracer7]

What are your thoughts on taking a box truck box, and putting it on the back of a semi? Pros, cons has anyone done it or seen it done?

[Bob86ZZ4]

What are you planning on putting in it? There are three guys I know of that have done it. All three haul cars in theirs. If you look around on the HDT Rally site and look at past rally truck pictures you might be able to find them. Their user names I believe are 1rod, J&V, and Rick and Alana. Might find them in the escapees forum hdt section too. All three of them have 5th wheel hitches behind the box. They pull 5vers. Actually I just remembered that I think 1Rod may have taken his box off I think because he had a new trailer built by Spacecraft with a garage in the back for his car.
If you're thinking of putting a box on and building living quarters in it I don't think that would be cost effective.

[Big Mike]

It works great ! Mine is 28ft

[Highway OPie]

Hello Sprintracer:

I built my motorhome on a Peterbilt 379 semi. Been working on the conversion the last four years and am about done.

Started with a 2003 Pete with 900,000 miles. Dropped the front drivers, added six feet to the rear framerails, and mounted a 16' Morgan dry van box on top.

It has worked really well and I am extremely pleased with the way it turned out.

Good luck to you!

Keep us posted.

[Highway OPie]

Hello Sprintracer: Tnx for your note!

My wife and I looked for abt 8 years before we found the "perfect" semi to convert to our motorhome. We had plenty of time to think abt the design and options we wanted before we started to build it. As it turned out, we followed the final design very closely, only adding a hanging locker in the camper section as the only item we hadn't originally included. Overall, absolutely no regrets looking back on everything.

Here are some suggestions:
1. Think your design and needs through thoroughly before starting out.
2. Purchase the highest quality semi tactor you can afford; a bit more monwy spent here will save you money in the long run.
3. Your project will cost twice as much as you plan, and take twice as long to complete. Unless you have heavy truck knowledge and an inside shop, having work done by commercial shops is very expensive.
4. Dropping the front driver, extending the driveshaft, and adding six feet to the rear of the frame cost me abt $4000. If you can do this yourself, then thats another matter, of course.
5. Unexpected repairs to bring my tractor, and all new virgin tires, was another $4000.

I have abt $60,000 into this project, and am really happy with the way things turned out. I couldn't buy a motorhome half as cool as mine for twice that! Plus, this is my "rest of my life" project; it will never be done. It keeps me active and busy.

Best of all is driving it, and of course, camping with my wife.

Specific questions, just let me know.

Speed Gray
Grand Rapids, MI

[Highway OPie]

Here are some more pictures of my semi truck conversion.