New to all this - Class 8 Hauler

[TURNEROFFROAD]

Hello everyone, I am very new to all this. I've lurked on here for quite a long time and finally pulled the trigger and purchased a truck to start on. 1999 Sterling with a 3406e Cat, and a 10speed. I drove 1800 miles home and got 9.2 mpg, I'm very pleased about that. I want to have a 14-16 foot garage and the rest sleeping accommodations for my family (6 of us ). we enjoy the sport of offroading and have a 36' bumper-pull trailer that I plan to carry the other two vehicles we use on.

 

[Hobbyiest]

I am very interested to see your set up. I have an international 7500 expeditor truck single. I also go to the desert a lot so I want to see how you set yours up. Mine is 39' just rig so I am limited to a 26' trailer here in CA.

 

[asitool]

Sounds like a cool project! Do you plan to drop the garage below the frame or keep it above frame height? What will your overall length be?

 

[maveric-TC]

How long is the box on that? Are you planning on just sleeping quarters, or are you planning a kitchen/bathroom/etc as well? What are you planning to put in the garage?
What trans is in it? Super 10?

 

[TURNEROFFROAD]

How long is the box on that? Are you planning on just sleeping quarters, or are you planning a kitchen/bathroom/etc as well? What are you planning to put in the garage?
What trans is in it? Super 10?

22' box, super 10, we plan on a bathroom and a shower.... Sleeping over the garage is my plan... About 14-16' worth vehicle inside.

Will likely squeeze a fridge up in the sleeper and a microwave as well. We kinda 'rough it' when we go. We spend most of our time on the trail or outside around a campfire.

 

[maveric-TC]

May not be able to separate the lq from the garage very well. If you need 16' of garage space, that only leaves you 6' of lq space. Might be better to leave it an open layout, similar to the smaller toy hauler trailers, and pull the vehicle out of the garage when you sleep. If you build cabinets/shelving on the front wall (on one side), you could mount the microwave, fridge, and possibly a sink to it. On the other side (at the front) you could frame in a bathroom with a small shower. (The one we plan on putting in our trailer will be 4' x 4'). You may want to put fold down beds mounted to the walls for sleeping. Looking at the box, it appears that you have about 8-9' of height inside. You could put a loft bed in the front of the box as well, but you will want a couple feet of head room above the mattress.
If you decide to wall it off from the garage, you can put the loft bed over the garage area, but probably only about 4-6' back. We are planning this option in our trailer, and I believe 5' is about all I can do without contacting the windshield on my crawler. My measurements are based off a Toyota 4runner, so a Jeep may be different.

Just looked at the photo again, does that have a walk thru door between the sleeper and the box? Bunk beds?


On a side note, the super 10 works great with the load you will be carrying. Other than a funny shift pattern, it is pretty user friendly.

 

[TURNEROFFROAD]

I may have spoke too soon, the shift pattern is normal so it's evidently NOT a super 10. I do plan to do an open floor plan as you mentioned. I hope to put a pass-thru from the sleeper to the box and have the shower/bathroom at the front of the box. seldom will be need the 'living room' on the road, so when we hit the park and unload, we'll have a little room to feel like we have a camper


I appreciate the comments and feedback. Please keep em coming

 

[TURNEROFFROAD]

We are going to learn how to be smart with our use of space. We've been using this Class A and had TONS of living space, but little room for rigs ( could only carry two jeeps/buggies at a time).

 

[maveric-TC]

Super 10 shift pattern is 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10. Every shift is in the same hole, just pull it out, flip the switch on the shifter, and put it back in.

If it has the "top 2" option, when the cruise is turned on, the trans will shift automatically between 9-10.


What type of vehicles are you hauling with this setup?

 

[TURNEROFFROAD]

Super 10 shift pattern is 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10. Every shift is in the same hole, just pull it out, flip the switch on the shifter, and put it back in.

If it has the "top 2" option, when the cruise is turned on, the trans will shift automatically between 9-10.


What type of vehicles are you hauling with this setup?

Yep that is the shift pattern I have and the lever on the shifter. Fully manual Trans.

Thanks for clearing up what I have lol.



We use Jeeps, Razrs and full on buggies.

 

[TURNEROFFROAD]

Super 10 shift pattern is 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10. Every shift is in the same hole, just pull it out, flip the switch on the shifter, and put it back in.

If it has the "top 2" option, when the cruise is turned on, the trans will shift automatically between 9-10.


What type of vehicles are you hauling with this setup?

Some of our toys...well it seems I can only add one pic at a time from my phone.

 

[TURNEROFFROAD]

More of em... ( and I'm clueless as to why my kids are standing on their heads! )

 

[TURNEROFFROAD]

My buggy in the works... I'm still up in the air as to what I want to do on the truck itself

 

[MnTom-FRF]

Super 10 shift pattern is 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10. Every shift is in the same hole, just pull it out, flip the switch on the shifter, and put it back in.

If it has the "top 2" option, when the cruise is turned on, the trans will shift automatically between 9-10.


What type of vehicles are you hauling with this setup?

That would take a bit for me to get used to. It has been over 30 years since I shifted a ten speed and it was run the bottom five, pull up the button and run the five again.

 

[TURNEROFFROAD]

That would take a bit for me to get used to. It has been over 30 years since I shifted a ten speed and it was run the bottom five, pull up the button and run the five again.

Funny thing is, I hadn't drive a semi in over 20 years. My first test drive in this truck was 1800 miles... Talk about figure it out and roll with it. After a few hours of driving I was able to only use the clutch taking off and then just slide it in the gear on the fly.

 

[MnTom-FRF]

I learned to shift without the clutch too. I used to drive for a guy that kept making little comments about me not using the clutch until one day another truck broke down and we took my tractor in case I had to pull the trailer. It happen to be one of those good days for me and I didn't pay attention to the tach just the sound and hit every gear just perfect. He never said anything about the clutch to ma after that.
On another note, do you know when it is time to get off the road with a manual transmission? When you miss a gear. You may feel fine, but there is fatigue building......

 

[TURNEROFFROAD]

I
On another note, do you know when it is time to get off the road with a manual transmission? When you miss a gear. You may feel fine, but there is fatigue building......

I did not know that... I'll remember it though!!!!



Ol rig sounds good rowing through the gears...

 

[MnTom-FRF]

Yea, they do sound good. In a way I kind of miss that old 1975 Freightliner conventional. It was the first conventional I drove but it fit me like a glove. I can still remember it had a 350 Cummins, 13 speed, 212 wheel base, 30" bunk,..... Ah the memories!!

 

[orangepeel91]

There is an error in how you were told to shift your Super 10. When making a button shift there is no need to move the lever in and out of the hole. Just lift your foot off the pedal. You can preselect the shift too. In other words shift into 9th for example and then as soon as you are accelerating in 9th you can flip the button for tenth and it won't shift until you lift your foot off the throttle. I used to do it all the time. I much prefer the super 10 to a range change. super 10 design is a splitter. range change has the lever on the front of the shift knob that you flip up and down. Button on the side is a splitter. 13 speeds and above have both.

 

[TURNEROFFROAD]

There is an error in how you were told to shift your Super 10. When making a button shift there is no need to move the lever in and out of the hole. Just lift your foot off the pedal. You can preselect the shift too. In other words shift into 9th for example and then as soon as you are accelerating in 9th you can flip the button for tenth and it won't shift until you lift your foot off the throttle. I used to do it all the time. I much prefer the super 10 to a range change. super 10 design is a splitter. range change has the lever on the front of the shift knob that you flip up and down. Button on the side is a splitter. 13 speeds and above have both.

Yep, that's how I shift mine... And I have the lil lever on the side. It all worlds like a champ once you get used to it.