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Ambulance as TV


TheCooks

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I am wondering if there are any people who have modified a Medium Duty Ambulance (in particular a Freightliner or an International) to be used as a TV. I am following people buying and modifying such vehicles on the Expedition Portals and have learned a lot. But none so far seem to have added the necessary tow bar to pull a reasonable large TT.

This forum would seem to be the right place for such discussion as it is for MDTs.

Ron Cook.

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Adding a sub-frame and travel trailer hitch to an MDT is not a big deal, any competent welding shop should be up to the job. I think they make air-ride hitches for TTs too, you might want to look into that to make the trailer happier.

First rule of computer consulting:

Sell a customer a Linux computer and you'll eat for a day.

Sell a customer a Windows computer and you'll eat for a lifetime.

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I really thought about that 'way back when', and then I found the HDT forum and decided against it quite quickly. I worked as a Paramedic for many years, but that was also many years ago, and before the MDT as an ambulance. (We had modified vans at first and then the "Horton" box on the 1 ton van body).

 

There is lots of idle time on an ambulance, also there is often no warm up for the first call of the day. The motor and drive line have been taken care of but abused at the same time. Purchasing would often be at an auction so test driving and having the opportunity to really look it over isn't all that possible.

 

You might get a nice inverter and some great flood lights with the purchase, but in the end I didn't think I would be happy.

 

Rod

White 2000/2010Volvo VNL 770 with 7' Drom box with opposing doors,  JOST slider hitch. 600 HP Cummins Signature 18 Speed three pedal auto shift.

1999 Isuzu VehiCross retired to a sticks and bricks garage. Brought out of storage the summer of 2022

2022 Jeep Wrangler Sport S Two door hard top.

2007 Honda GL 1800

2013 Space Craft Mfg S420 Custom built Toyhauler

The Gold Volvo is still running and being emptied in July. 

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Thanks for the replies so far. I know ambulances have hours on the motor at fast idle - 5000 plus total hours being common. And some have turbo problems and a few with gearbox issues, but there are a few companies that deal in them which are recommended by the guys on the Expedition forum.

The ambulance comes with a strong box, up to 18 cupboards (for tools & other stuff best not kept in a TT), room for the bike inside, a fairly low chassis height esp if it has air rear suspension, and can easily be made into an RV also (in my case for short trips leaving the TT in situ).

AND they are not all that expensive for a reasonable one when compared to a pickup.

I started looking at Volvo tractors but my budget won't go there and so I found this idea.

If there are any ambulance towing TT rigs out there I'd be keen to see them and talk to the creators.

Thanks again for the advice & replies so far. I have a year or so to work on this (or some alternative).

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Thanks for the replies so far. I know ambulances have hours on the motor at fast idle - 5000 plus total hours being common. And some have turbo problems and a few with gearbox issues, but there are a few companies that deal in them which are recommended by the guys on the Expedition forum.

The ambulance comes with a strong box, up to 18 cupboards (for tools & other stuff best not kept in a TT), room for the bike inside, a fairly low chassis height esp if it has air rear suspension, and can easily be made into an RV also (in my case for short trips leaving the TT in situ).

AND they are not all that expensive for a reasonable one when compared to a pickup.

I started looking at Volvo tractors but my budget won't go there and so I found this idea.

If there are any ambulance towing TT rigs out there I'd be keen to see them and talk to the creators.

Thanks again for the advice & replies so far. I have a year or so to work on this (or some alternative).

I was planning to remove the box and pull a 5th wheel with it. Not sure what the towing capacity would be or who would provide that information. There is a lot of potential storage, but odd sized I would imagine. Hope you can make it work and looking forward to photos some day.

 

 

Rod

White 2000/2010Volvo VNL 770 with 7' Drom box with opposing doors,  JOST slider hitch. 600 HP Cummins Signature 18 Speed three pedal auto shift.

1999 Isuzu VehiCross retired to a sticks and bricks garage. Brought out of storage the summer of 2022

2022 Jeep Wrangler Sport S Two door hard top.

2007 Honda GL 1800

2013 Space Craft Mfg S420 Custom built Toyhauler

The Gold Volvo is still running and being emptied in July. 

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You can take the VIN to a dealer for the brand and they should be able to pull op a build-sheet that shows all the components. You may not get towing and carrying numbers as such but each component has a rating and you use the weakest to set your limits for that function.

 

Had to fish around a bit for our IH 4700 but what the ratings came down to were the 15k rear axle and 12k air bags for towing and rear capacity, the 8k springs in the front.

First rule of computer consulting:

Sell a customer a Linux computer and you'll eat for a day.

Sell a customer a Windows computer and you'll eat for a lifetime.

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