Question on converting semi title to RV (toterhome conversion)

[saeldrid]

New to site. Great posts.
Exploring idea of buying KW T-2000 or Volvo 760 and converting to a toterhome. Anyone had experience changing registration to RV in TX? Thx.

[medent]

A whole lot depends on the mindset/attitude of the person in charge of vehicle things at the tax assesor's office you go into. The forums have had some Texas guys who could convert their HDT from commercial to private, like a big pick up pretty easily. For me, at my local tax assessor's (El Paso) it was impossible. To be able to drive it around while the T2000 was getting worked on I resorted to a Montana LLC which did the job but sort of puts you on borrowed time; I was able to get that to work out quite nicely but it sure took some hoop jumping. My conversion was to an RV-garage and when I got the rig to that point, even with pictures etc. I still couldn't get my local assessor to work with me. So I got my pictures and papers all in order, went to a different tax assessor who turned out to be a fairy godmother, and i got Motor Home registration with car plates. Details, details, details, and I think it would have been harder if my conversion was just to a to a toter with minimal RV appliances on the truck itself.
Some raw guidelines:
1. From the start avoid commercial registration, unless you're OK with that for other reasons. They tried to send me to the TX DOT here but that would have hooked me into commercial and that get harder to get out of.
2. Visit your local tax assessor's office (might as well be convenient at this point), find the responsible person, tell them what you would like to do and ask them how to do it. Let them tell you, don't try to put words in their mouth. A picture of a rig like you might start with would help get them oriented; many can't hardly imagine what would be going on. Try to make a friend here, or if you can't try somewhere else.

The devil was sure in the details for me. PM me and I can go into that, unless more on this forum want to see all that, then I could go into that here.

[Ed Buster]

I would love to get all the information you have on this. I am overseas right now and need to be able to walk my grandfather through the process and any and all info would be greatly appreciated. If you can just post up here with the info, it might help others when they come across this thread in searches.

Thanks,

Ed

[geofkaye]

.....ED Buster:.....also see www.Escapees.com under the HDT Forum.....it has a search able archive so you can read all the past experiences of quite a few -when It comes to Re-registration stuff.....geofkaye

[Ed Buster]

Thanks geofkaye, I am already listed as dragoonranch on there and have been looking for the same information for a while. I have a hard time getting internet access at times so I don't get to search like I really want to. I am pretty sure you have replied to a post or two of mine before. Thanks again. I am sure that link will help lead others to plenty of good info.

[medent]

Ed Buster,

geofkaye has said it good, however, many states will be in the discussions and a lot of what you need to know is state specific and I don't think Texas is at all the worst,(just El Paso). If you're a Texas guy the applicable details will be a plenty enough big job to work thru. Having someone to work with you (grandfather) can be a big help; my son, a Californian, and I were doing ours together, although I was the front man. There is a Texas way to possibly work that into significant tax saving. To get the right focus on the details I can spill out, do you already have the truck and if so, what is it's status? Where in Texas will you be wanting to do this?

Let us hear and Best luck overseas there.

[geofkaye]

....ED....anytime you got a quewstio or need something ...give a shout and we will do what we can for you -as you are doing something for us that we are too fat and old to do anymore.....geofkaye

[Army Man]

Hello Fellow RV Makers. I am converting a two axel KW T-300 into an RV. I have a 24' box with a 5' overhang over the cab. I bought the truck in TX and drove it where I live in So Calif. It was registered commercial in TX so when I went to Calif DMV they wouldn't register it as an RV but they said to find a registration specialist on the internet to help with the registration. Can anyone help?

[geofkaye]

....Army Man go over to Escapees.com and go to the HDT forum and the archives and you will find all the info you need to do it in Kalifornia....there are a lot of guys that are now doing it....geofkaye

[DieselJake]

Hey Guys,

Another suggestion, gleaned from my experience delivering trucks and equipment, is to have the dealer you buy your truck from do one small favor for you:

Remove the 5th wheel.

This changes your truck from a tractor to a "truck, incomplete". You can then register it as an RV chassis when you get it home, which will automaticaly become an RV once you have the basics on it. A friend of mine does this when building special equipment; he call it a crane chassis or pump chassis or off-road equipment, etc.

Just my $.02

[geofkaye]

...I thought it may have to be delivered without the hitch and the vehicle delivered with out a MSO notification of the hitch....maybe I'm wrong but I thought the MSO can't be altered or amended....but times change and so do the laws eventually....geofkaye