what size truck???

[Severed TIES toy]

I am wanting to build a conversion out of a box truck. I am looking at a 26' FL70. I am wanting to swap out the box with a 16' with the over the cab for a bunk. my question is, is that chassis large enough for that box and to have enouth room for the bed, Im planing on a rear entry with steps on the bed side. Ill be pulling a gooseneck inclosed or a wedge. Also any help on the conversion of the box would be helpful. Or would i be better off getting a shorter truck and streching the frame? Im in St. Louis, anyone know of any places for supplys in the area?

Thanks in advance

 

[Severed TIES toy]

come on guys.... someone has to have some input on this. any starter ideas will be great. i have a few months before im getting into this and would like any ideas.

 

[Radman-TC]

STT,I will take a swing at it. First off, I am a moto guy. I haul motorcycles with my truck but a lot of the same logic pertains to your mission.

What I learned early in my toy hauling adventures, the worst thing to do is to be "under trucked". You start off with wanting to save a few bucks and you don't begin with a strong enough foundation. Then later you really get into it and learn that on your base vehicle, it no longer makes sense to put the money or the added features on the minimalist foundation that you started with...your "under trucked".

I think that is why a lot of us are here with some pretty big rigs to haul or toys and our lives around. We seldom have to worry much about weight we add to the design or how much we haul...within reason of course.

Now looking at your current set-up, I am sure you're well aware of that problem.

How are you going to use it and how much weight is in the trailer are the first variables to pin down.

I am in STL and would be happy to talk with you and share whatever I have learned that may help you out.

Send me a PM and I will help where I can.

Rad

 

[Bob86ZZ4]

I'd second Rad. Although I'm brand new to the truck conversion group. Another idea is to look hard at all the rigs available out there to jump into and use. I know you want to save some money and build yourself. But, with the economy where it is there are lots or rigs available and dealing going on. I'm somewhat handy and had momentarily considered having a box built onto a used truck and finishing it myself. I fould what I think is the perfect rig for me sitting on a dealer's lot. I made them an offer that I thought was very fair to me and they sold it to me. It's hard to believe you could build it yourself for cheaper than you can find somebody that needs to sell one. I think maybe even the cheapest way to go would be a good used tractor hauling a trailer with living quarters up front and toys in back. That's if you don't need free flow between the cab and living quarters while driving down the road. You can pick up a great used trailer split up that way now pretty cheap. Good luck. I wish there were more people posting on here but the truck conversion segment is a very elite small group, hahahaha, not like a regular motorhome. Keep the thread alive too.

 

[Severed TIES toy]

I thought about doing the trailer with liveing quarters also, but the thing that keeps me away from that is i plan to get a good size boat in the next few years and will want to have the truck to tow it also and be able to stay in that at the lake.

 

[Bob86ZZ4]

Yep, nice thing about a t/c is you can pull whatever you want. That's why I bought one, one of the reasons anyway. Love my FL112 after the first drive yesterday in it, 275 miles.

 

[Severed TIES toy]

I would love to have somthing with that much liveing space but i still need to be able to pull a 5th wheel or gooseneck trailer. Im thinking of a 48- 53 foot wedge, Ill need to haul the dually when I have a biger truck and cant put it in an inclosed. So im thinking 16 or 18 feet is all im going to be able to have.

 

[geofkaye]

....flat deck the last 20 feet of your car hauler and use the first section as living quarters....or get a Volvo toterhome....all kinda ways you can go from here....sky's the limit along with the check book............geofkaye