Freightliner HD questions and comments

[wedooit]

Hi all,

Glad I stumbled into this website, have been reading posts and such. Been considering an HD truck vs my older FL50 Freightliner toter. I pull a 30ft gooseneck stock trailer every day for my work as it is converted to a full mobile work shop. Have been researching and researching and analyzing to death the conversion.....and trucks and what to do. Found an exceptional buy on a 2006 Columbia Freightliner double bunk. Like many of the other posts am looking for more room etc. Anyways have removed the front drive axle and extended drive line and such had that done by the Freightliner shop. We estimate the fuel mileage to be from 10 to 12 mpg (the FL50 only got 9.5), mileage is a factor as put on 50,000 to 60,000 miles per year. Found several HD toters on some horse people sites that pull large horse trailers, and got some ideas....even found the Red Rover Volvo site. I have a CDL etc and at this point am not too concerned about DOT and Idaho laws and DOT and such as I can handle that.

My question....

1. Hope I removed the correct axle as want to keep the frame length same as when pull my toy hauler I can haul 1-2 quads on deck as well as my Miller Welder/Air Pac. I removed the front drive axle and kept the rear in the same position. Should I consider a locker axle for the winter?
2. Going to pull bottom bunk for more room for family....what have others considered air ride seats? OR custom couches? Tables? I kept the upper bunk as is for napping etc.
3. Any comments about APU units? I have a Webasco (sp?) heater now installed.
4. Found several air hitches and am converting my gooseneck to king pin. Any comments on air hitches....have looked at mountain master out of Phoenix??? I can mount the air hitch directly on rails of truck frame and meet pin height on toy hauler.
5. Any other suggestions others might have?
6. After reading some posts I might want to pull toy hauler in California and now hope am under 65 ft???? Oregon??? Idaho am ok.

I am also open to questions from other members as well, as I have researched and over analyzed the decision to convert from class 7 to class 8.
Many thanks from the wedooit crew in Idaho!!!!!!

[Bob86ZZ4]

Welcome to truckconversion.net!! A rather small goup of the toughest campers around. Sounds like you've got a great truck there. I don't know anything about hitches and stuff. Nor APU's. One truck salesman I was talking to said they are a maintenance headache. I wouldn't think you'd need one on the tractor tho would you? You're not going to do a lot of sleeping there it sounds like. More of the truck stops seem to be putting in idle-air too. Wow, you drive a lot of miles. Keep up with the maintenance on the truck. My son drives over the road. His company truck is a '05 Columbia with the Mercedes 450. Engine rotted through a cylinder sleeve at about 550k. The mechanic said the coolant was not changed enough. Pictures of your setup would be great. Son in the Army? Mine is Army Reserve, did one year in Iraq. He's 88M, truck driver of course. He drove HETS over there. Google them if you've never seen one. Pretty cool truck.

[wedooit]

Hey Bob....
Many thanks for the welcome!!!!! I wish I would have found this site months ago!!!! A huge info base!!!!

....yes MBE4000 had cylinder liner probs that have been finally been figured out....my engine was just overhauled with new style liners....yes quite a problem.....

Our son in also Army Reserves, engineer, and he is now gone active and will be headed for Afghanistan soon....he also drives some of the units....not sure....he uses diff names than I am familiar with.....

Many thanks again sir for the comments!!!!!