Toter Advice

[Aaron52]

Hello
It is great to find a fourm with so many informitive post on a conversion trucks. I am looking into Buying a toter to pull my 44foot gooseneck motorcycle trailer. I am looking at the trensetter conversions because the price seems to be affordable. I would like to keep my purchase below 100k. The question I have is The tredsetter is built on an older chassis and the all semm to have over 500,000 miles. Is this a big concern with the frieghtliners with the autoshit trannys. I would hat to spend 90k on a truck an have the motor explode 1 week later. We usally tow around 20.000 miles a year to the races.
below is a link to the truck i am looking at any advice would be greatly appreacieted
thanks
aaron

http://www.racingjunk.com/post/594527/2006-16-Trendsett...es-w-Slide-Outs.html

[Camping Dutchman]

United builds on new chassis as well. But those start around $135K for a toter. What you have is someone who took a chassis and sent it to them and had it done. Which they do do. 500k is a well broken in engine, that SHOULD have a lot of life left. If your serious get it dynoed. What engine is it? He doesn't say. We like our Trendsetter, fit and finish are good and they are very helpful with questions.

[Wick]

Aaron,
I like the name!! Same as my son...
First of all the used chassis is nothing to be afraid of. You will have some things that need to be replaced as you hit the road. The truck probably has a series 60 Detroit. These engines and the trucks are design for 1 million miles of hard duty. There are alot of things you can do to eliminate the headaches of owning a used truck. You need to find a truck repair facility that has a good reputation and then you have them go over the truck and replace/adjust those things that need doing. Typically the engine needs to have the overhead run and that sometimes depending on when it has been done in the past can cost over $1000.00 if they have to update the valve adusters. This should be done ever 100,000 miles. If the adjusters do not need replacing then the cost is alot cheaper. Have the shop fix all the little pesky oil leaks. Have them replace any cracked or dry rotted brake air hoses. Also have them check the transmission and rear end oil levels and change that out in needed. With Synthetic oils the drive train manufactures have a 750,000 mile warranty.
In the long run you will spend some money up front but you should have no problems after that. Good luck!

Wick

[EdMike]

Like anything sometimes you get a lemon. My mum and dad bought a rover two months ago (two year old) and its spent nearly a month in the garage. Had major fuel pump issues. (and I've noticed tonight I can hear the throw-out bearing whining out of gear)

Test it as much as they will let you, send away an oil sample, dyno it if its a an investment you don't want to run the risk on. Other than that cross your fingers and pray to someone if you feel the need! But at the end of the day its only money!!

[Gary Atsma]

Fuel pump, huh? Lemme guess, a Lucas unit? If so, the Prince of Darkness strikes again.......

[KAYE RIVERCITY]

......finding the unite is the easy part.....get a warranty for the rig as part of the deal and let the waranty people do the evaluation....knock the price off the final price and see if they whine.....play the game- just like buying a used car.....afterall it is a game.......there are companies that evaluate the vehicle for you for a fee....you might start there as part of the purchase contract.....while E-bay has big loud and serious sounding claims for people dropping out of a deal/contract.....unless they are stipid they'd never enforce them....it would cost them too much to go to court and then play the appeals process.....they are a old toothless lion with postate problems.....geofkaye

[Aaron52]

Thanks for all the great advice everyone. I have pretty much narrowed it down to 2 choices at this point. One is a 2000 Steriling Trendsetter with a cat 330hp-auto shift 16 foot conversion with only 36000 miles on the clock. It has been well taken care of with all service records. It is 65k. The Other one is A 465hp Autoshift Volvo Cowboy Cadaliac conversion with some really nice features,2005 Cowboy Cadillac Conversion built on a new 2001 Volvo chassis. The unit has only 40,200 miles. Equipped with 14' living quarters and powered by a 7.5 KW diesel generator, propane and electric. Interior has real knotty alder walls, totally custom knotty alder cabinets; Flexsteel "ultra leather" furniture, granite tops with handmade porcelain sinks in kitchen & bath, Armstrong cushion wood flooring, 20" LCD flat screen TV with Boise surround sound stereo system. The tractor has a 465 HP Volvo diesel motor and an Eaton 10 speed automatic transmission. This is a totally custom rig in "new" condition and has been rarely used. 95k

Decisions,decsions

Aaron