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Bed length


runaway parents

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So I am planning to haul a vehicle that is 14ft or a little less possibly a jeep  fiat our a mini cooper.  How long does the bed need to be to do this and haul my fifth wheel? And when the car is unloaded and fifth wheel is hooked up does the truck bounce more because of the hitch being so far back behind the back axle?

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You are going to need close to 20' of bed as stated.  I had 18' of bed.  While it worked and worked well the extra two feet would have been really nice to have.

Started with a 228" wb truck.  Added 6' of frame with out moving the axles.  6' is about the limit you want behind the axle.  With the '87 Jeep (photograph) I only had about 44' from center of hitch to the back of the Jeep.  The Jeep was pulled all the way behind the cab (3" between bumper & cab).  I could not put the trailer 90* to the truck with the Jeep loaded.  With hitch placement this never was an issue for me but I was also very aware of what I was getting into before I committed myself.

When we replaced the Jeep with a '14 Jeep, the lack of space got a little trickier.  The newer Jeep was 4~6" longer then the '87.  On a very tight corner, the spare tire on the back of the Jeep would touch the cap on the trailer if I was not careful.  Removing the spare would have solved the problem for the most part.

As for bouncing, 6' is the around the limit for placement of hitch behind the axles.  I used 1/2" plate and 4" C-channel to build the bed.  I want to try and put some weight on the suspension since we were staying tandem.  The bed added 7k# to the truck.  This shifted plenty of weight from the front axle and I never had to worry about my front axle load.  Between the ET hitch and Moryde I/S, the trailer just floated down the road.  Everything stayed were it was put/left except on the harshest of roads.  70k miles and the trailer cabinets still fit and closed like they did when new.

If I had it to do all over again, I would get a little bit longer w/b truck (about 18" more).  Add a garage (cargo box).  Then put the hitch on a slider like J&V for when/if I ever needed just a little bit more clearance for a tight turn.  I have no regrets of the way we had our 780 setup.

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2017 Entegra Anthem 44A

SOLD - 2004 Volvo 780. 465hp and 10sp Auto Shift (from 2010~2017)

SOLD - 2009 Montana 3400RL

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On ‎7‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 7:03 PM, phoenix2013 said:

Fiats are 12' to 13' mini coopers about the same, Smart sideways is about 5 feet and requires about 12 foot bed, hence the length that tyates007 talks about.

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Also figure out the breakover angle, ramps and how you will clear the hitch.

Lw3LMSKl.jpg

Well we finally got our telephone line fixed and back on line we made up our mind and are going with a 20 ft bed speaking of witch I found a twenty footer in a orchard about 2 hours from home wood deck is shot but steel frame has a lot of potential phoenix I sure like your bed . supposed to pic up bed on fifth and haul it home. Once it is here the work begins. Demo and redesign .For $350.00 I figure it would be cheaper than building one from scratch 

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25 minutes ago, runaway parents said:

phoenix I sure like your bed

Every time I see pictures of that truck it brings back memories. That truck belonged to Dandy2 (old forum name, if I remember correct.) Dan was the first HDT RV'er I ever met. I saw him leaving the local Volvo dealership and stopped him. We sat in a parking lot for an hour or more chatting. Went to his campsite in Conroe for dinner with him and his lovely wife. I know Dan sold it but I don't remember to who. I was thinking that Dan sold his trailer to Mike Craven but I don't know where the truck went.  I could be wrong but I'm sure Phoenix would know.

MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.
~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~

2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission
singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin
2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 

2014 smart Fortwo

 

 
 
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2 hours ago, Demax990 said:

Just what I was looking for. New member here hello everyone not looking to hi jack but how long of a bed for a yukon xl aprox 18 feet long 

Way too long...and didn't you ask this exact same question in another thread? 

2 hours ago, HERO Maker said:

So Big5er, did you stop Dan with lights!!!

Well...there mighta been some lights involved. :ph34r:

MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.
~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~

2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission
singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin
2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 

2014 smart Fortwo

 

 
 
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14 hours ago, Big5er said:

Every time I see pictures of that truck it brings back memories. That truck belonged to Dandy2 (old forum name, if I remember correct.) Dan was the first HDT RV'er I ever met. I saw him leaving the local Volvo dealership and stopped him. We sat in a parking lot for an hour or more chatting. Went to his campsite in Conroe for dinner with him and his lovely wife. I know Dan sold it but I don't remember to who. I was thinking that Dan sold his trailer to Mike Craven but I don't know where the truck went.  I could be wrong but I'm sure Phoenix would know.

Big5er, Dan sold it to a couple who did not need anything that long, so they brought it to Wayland Long to shorten it. His solution was not to modify this superbly built bed but to replace it with "his creation". They brought the truck to Florida so that I could do an upgrade on the ET like I did on yours. My language got bad from the minute I tried to remove the hitch and throughout this project. I was not impressed with the bed, its construction, access to the hitch, nor the fact that when he re-installed the ET, it wasn't at the right height. It was too low, apparently his "specialty" looking at the lockmup68 bed. But I "succeeded", eventually.

Dan, I believe moved to Colorado, no longer RVs and last I heard was running for Mayor where he lives. He is a delightful old chap, it was a real pleasure to build this bed for him and his wife Dorcas. 

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I never was impressed by the junk Wayland put out. He did a pretty paint job but that's all the good I can say. There are many people that have more knowledge about our trucks that do much better work. His dislike of Herrin was almost childish too. He has no "style" in his work. His beds are square, no shape,  or flair's. Nothing flows, it's just a box with doors, in my opinion....but his paint job is pretty. I saw one other bed he did that the owner took elsewhere to get "fixed" and they wound up trashing the whole thing and starting over. That says a lot about his work right there.

I still email with Dan every so often, more the passing of a good joke than anything meaningful :(.  You are right about Colorado, and his Honor the Mayor. Federal Heights if I remember correctly. 

MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.
~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~

2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission
singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin
2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 

2014 smart Fortwo

 

 
 
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mine is 20 feet and works good for a jeep ....i have hauled about everything in 17 years   even a hot tub to Sturgis???

i did a frame stretch when i built it for 4k ..i heard you can still get frame stretch for 4k...??....

97 9200 cornbinder super 10 M11E cummins 1350 ftlbs
81 CJ7 jeep
2000 36ft nuwa king dome onan 6500LP gen/remote start
94 sport Nautique
2007 dyna wide glide 6 speed
N7UVW
2007 30ft work&play-LK-- toy hauler by forest river

2006 Alfa toyhouse 40 ft

2010 42kz Escalade toyhauler

 

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3 hours ago, Pete Kildow said:

Could you not pull the front of the jeep up on a wedge behind the cab. And get a shorter bed that way? I know there's a few that haul there's that way. But for the life of me, can't find one now.

Pete

wrknrvr (Vern)

http://www.hhrvresource.com/node/646

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Softail

http://www.hhrvresource.com/node/596

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  Through the years several people have contacted me about my bed and hauling the jeep .

 There is some one now that is asking about it.

 The rear of the bed is 170" from the back of the cab.

 The bed itself is 153" long. 

With the bed shorter than the frame on this truck , that space gives room for an 8d battery to sit there and have room for a spare tire to sit on top of the battery box. The battery box is made of wood covered with fiberglass. 

 The reason the bed is shorter than the frame is because this is the second truck the bed has been on.

 The sliding hitch makes it possible to put the center of the king pin about 26" behind the rear of the bed.

 The bed is 16" longer than the frame. So that gives 16" of storage room across the rear of the bed.

 

 The truck should be tandem axle for the gross weight on the rear tires.

 

 There is a way to build a sliding assembly to accommodate on of Henry's hitches.

 

 Now  I cannot turn 90 degrees with the jeep on the bed. And I do not want to turn that sharp.

 That is why I started the thread on not beading to turn 90 degrees.

 

 If some wants to post some pictures email me. As I cannot post pictures with my IPad mini. vapskp@ yahoo.com

 

 Don't smoke your tires,.   Vern

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44 minutes ago, Wrknrvr said:

With the bed shorter than the frame on this truck ,

 

44 minutes ago, Wrknrvr said:

 The bed is 16" longer than the frame.

I must have missed something.  Which is it?

I've been pondering using the slider for a commercial hitch to mount to support an ET Jr.  Maybe.......

KW T-680, POPEMOBILE
Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN
Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row
Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer.
contact me at rickeieio1@comcast.net

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  Sorry for not thinking. Jeep at an angle.

 The bed on this truck is about 17" behind the cab. Second truck made the difference.

the bed itself is 16" longer than the rear of the frame.

 

 Dam.   That is confusing.

 Maybe someone will post pictures for me. I am going to work today to make a few  prevost  owners happy. I hope.

will check in later today, and sorry for confusing you ,.   Vern

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Vern,

No need to feel bad.  I had only had a few sips of coffee and was easily corn-fused.

If you send me the pics, I'll try to post them for you.  See below for my email.....

EDIT:  Vern sent me a test photo, and I'm unable to load it.

KW T-680, POPEMOBILE
Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN
Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row
Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer.
contact me at rickeieio1@comcast.net

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Gettin out of seat = easy, once optional genuine synthetic leather u-shaped theater set E chase lounge recliner cushions are drug out and place in Landing Zone Alpha. 

Gettin back in = bit more difficult

"Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. 

 

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