Jump to content

Finally pulled the trigger on an HDT!


RoadWarrior420

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 76
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Pat we are in Richmond, south of "The River". I am not on the dark side yet, but an HDT will be my next truck so I am constantly lurking around the forum to pickup all the information I can find. Right now I have Dodge Ram 3500 DRW which handles my 12k trailer just fine, but a larger trailer is on list so I want the horse ready when I upgrade the cart.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Road Warrior-

Nice. My wife and I are heading out to Nacarato in April (after the ECR) to look at white 730's. How was your experience with them.

MrStretch,

 

I looked for a truck at Nacarato several years ago when I was first looking. To be honest was not very impressed with their inventory. Believe Mark Bruss's truck may have come from there but can't be sure and Red Rover has been a pretty good truck. Look at Central Carolina's truck inventory. They often have some pretty good trucks. Bought mine there but if you are interested, talk to me at the ECR about best way to deal with them.

2006 Volvo 780 "Hoss" Volvo D12, 465hp, 1650 ft/lbs tq., ultrashift

Bed Build by "JW Morgan's Custom Welding"

2017 DRV 39DBRS3

2013 Smart Passion Coupe "Itty Bitty"

 

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first!"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Red Rover (Bruss) came from Central Carolina.

Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member
Living on the road since 2000

PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail
2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it)
2022 New Horizons 43' 5er
2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 
2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU
No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units
2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar power
www.jackdanmayer.com
Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Central Carolina has closed and is now Advantage Truck Center. They also have moved from the old location. Don't know if all the original sales/employees are still there.

I used an Advantage Center in Adairsville, GA for some work and found them fair and efficient.

 

Press release:

On October 2nd, 2015, we officially moved our Kernersville operation to a new 48,000 sq. foot state of the art facility in Greensboro! It’s a terrific location with easy access off of I-40 at Hwy. 68 on the east side, and Sandy Ridge Rd. on the west. The new facility allows us to better serve our customers, accommodate our growth, and provides a pleasant, efficient working environment for our employees.

Ray & Deb - Shelbi the Aussie & Lexington the cat
2004 Volvo 630 500HP ISX "Bertha D" - 10 Speed-MaxBrake -ET hitch.SOLD
2009 Designer 35RLSA SOLD
Fulltiming since '07 - stopped 2016

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

RoadWarrior, Steve in Huntington here. Congratulations! Can't wait to see your new Rig. Couple of questions. How will you register your truck here in NY or will you register elsewhere? Also, do you have a CDL? Those two items are the only thing holding me up from pulling the trigger here in the land of NO.

 

Steve, so I think I pulled off a major coup d'etat with DMV. I had the dealer remove the commercial hitch when I picked up the truck. So I go to DMV and think I have all of the proper paperwork and Jabba the Hut at the counter starts off with you have this and that wrong. Turns out I needed to only sign one thing and fill out one section on another form. I then get my number called and get the only man in the all estrogen DMV team. I proceed to tell the young man behind the counter what it is I am registering and that too bad NYS doesn't allow us to register an HDT as a motorhome even though it has sleeping quarters, sink (it doesn't), self power (no gen), potty (it doesn't), stove (I could put a microwave in but it has nothing) etc. I showed him pics of the hitch removed and he says let me make a quick phone call. He goes to a desk about 15' away and I hear him say yes it has that, and that etc. He comes back and says "ok this is how we are going to do this". Now mind you it has a GVWR of 53,200lbs on the door. He says "your truck is showing it weighs 18,250lbs but you removed the hitch but I am going to leave that weight and keep it there. He says "How much does your 5th wheel weigh?" I say 17,000lbs dry and about 20,000lbs loaded up with golf cart, batteries and other crap. So he then says to me "Ok, how much do you want to put down for the combined weight of the two? So I say, ok the 2 fully loaded even with fuel, passengers etc are going to be about 40k and that was giving me an extra 1000lbs on top of the golf cart if I ever wanted to add a smart car bed. So I say 45k? He says No, lets do 44,800lbs because you then get into another level of problems and other stuff. I say Ok great. Bottom line, I got my truck registered as a UTILITY, NOT A TRACTOR. Which means I need no CDL and really I only need the R endorsement once I hook up the trailer and he said he has never even done an R endorsement and the lady who was next to him who has worked there since before cars said she has seen maybe 5 in her whole life. But based on my registration, I really won't be bothered. It would be like pulling with my F350 and my 5th wheel now which puts me overweight LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. Nobody will bother me. The second I show the registration, I am cleared. Its the same as if I rented a big UHaul. I have to say, I was stressed about registering this thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kyle,

You need to be nominated for Sainthood having just performed a miracle! Which office did you use? It's absolutly such a crap shoot here depending on who you get at the counter, what day it is... etc. Congratulations! And BTW, that's one sharp look'in piece of machinery.

"There are No Experts, Do the Math!"

2014 Freightliner Cascadia DD16 600hp  1850ft-lb  18spd  3.31  260"wb
SpaceCraft S-470
SKP #131740

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kyle,

You need to be nominated for Sainthood having just performed a miracle! Which office did you use? It's absolutly such a crap shoot here depending on who you get at the counter, what day it is... etc. Congratulations! And BTW, that's one sharp look'in piece of machinery.

 

Thank you Steve. I just decided to walk in like I belonged and not get pushed around. Act confident (even though I wasn't lol) and all should go well. I went to the Port Jefferson office. It is the best DMV around. Never really crowded.

 

On a side note, I got super lucky with this rig. I did months of research and found mine in Nashville. I took it to my guy that works on all of my trucks and I asked him to go over it with a fine tooth comb when I was having him put on the fenders. He was blown away, he thought it was brand new at first and couldn't believe it had 450k on it. The only thing he found was a rear wheel seal that needed to be replaced. Everything else he said was absolutely perfect. I am psyched to get it on the road with the 5th wheel. Just waiting for my ET Hitch to be delivered so I can get it installed. First trip is to Augusta Georgia for The Masters with 2 of my buddies, can't wait!! I will post pics as I make progress.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is good news. I'm going to do a test run at the RMV in MA this week.

 

I found this post on a school bus conversion site that said to bring a notarized statement that the truck had been converted to an RV. Seems like a reasonable path:

 

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f18/ma-registration-as-an-auto-home-5015.html

2007 Volvo 780 Volvo D12D, 465hp, 1650 ft/lbs tq., ultrashift

Link to comment
Share on other sites

RoadWarrior/Jmorris Glad you got it titled and tagged!! Now hit the road. Are you going to be at the ECR? Hope to see you there.

 

 

Jmorris, I went by the dealer today. The man is suppose to be in the office tomorrow so I hope to be able to get the info to you tomorrow. Sorry it's taking so long but I haven't forgotten. The grand was 2nd in the Pinewood Derby. Pat

 

 

The Old Sailor

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jmorris, I stopped by the Volvo dealer today and he changed his tune. I told him what he told me the last time I talked to him but he said he couldn't do it. He gave me some ideas but most of them I've already tried with no luck. We just finished changing the set of tandems (springs, shocks, air bags and rear ends) on a 1990 Pete to a set from a 2000 Pete. It took 7 days. 2 real long ones and 5 short ones. It was a commercial truck. I have a short picture history that I'm going to try and post but don't know how. I feel like I could single one. We did all of the work in my shop behind the house. Even thought it isn't used for hauling a 5er I hope it will be OK to post here. Any ideas IRT posting pictures? I need help. "J" touch base here or maybe we can Email or phone. Are you going to be at the ECR? I know its hard to get off if you are still working. I'm now retirrred! Pat

 

 

the Old Sailor

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

J, Best of luck with getting off. I know how that working for a living gets in the way of having fun! Still hope to see you there or maybe in Richmond. There is another Escapees gentleman who lives up there. I'm working on the truck doing things I should have done before now. But a deadline always help you get things done. And this nice weather today really helped. Take care, Pat

 

 

 

The Old Sailor

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Pat, send you a PM earlier.

 

I have my 98 truck for a while. It has been sitting and need overall check and repair. Where is a good place in Virginia area to do that? I am up at DC area / North Virginia. I checked the HDT resource guild. There wasn't much shop up here. Any advise. Thanks.

Volvo VNL610 M11+ 98 10 speed
Mountain Aire 40' 5th 2002
Outback Power, 1200 watts Sanyo panels
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Padraic, The last time I had work done was by Cummins Atlantic here in Chesapeake. They did a upper on the engine. They adjusted the valves. I would recommend them. I've had the truck 5 years this May and I change the oil, do all filters, grease,and just did the rear brakes(with canisters) and will do the front before we leave for the ECR. Pats Pride is on rear jack stands with the wheels off. I'm doing some body and frame restoration that I should have done long ago. While the wheels are off I'm going to get new recaps. Bob had caps on it when He had it and if one comes apart I feel like the box will contain the flying tires. Hope I never have to find out. At this time I don't have a Cummins book for the engine N14 435/370 so I don't do any real engine work. I have a guy down the street who keeps 10 Volvo's on the road hauling Containers out of the ports to warehouses locally. They never run a overnighter. Whenever I need help he has always been there to help.Here at the house we just pulled a pair of tandems off of his 90 Pete and replaced them with a complete set 2000 low ride tamdems. Springs and all. 7 tough days.

I don't anyone up your way but i'll ask around tomorrow. What all do you need to have done? How long sitting? is it running OK or does it need some real help? RandyA is in the Richmond area maybe we can ask him about some place in his neck of the woods. Pat

 

 

The Old Sailor

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

Hi Road Warrior 420,

 

I am looking for Kyle. Kyle are you still out there reading the different post ? I have a few questions for you. I have sent you a p/m a few weeks ago. Don't know if you have seen it or not.

 

Al

2012 Volvo VNL 630 w/ I-Shift; D13 engine; " Veeger "
  Redwood, model 3401R ; 5th Wheel Trailer, " Dead Wood "
    2006 Smart Car " Killer Frog "
 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kyle,

Before you go and put an extension on the frame be sure to check if anything is really in the way. Now granted I have a singled 630 and a Trailer Saver hitch but my frame length had plenty of room for the hitch. I stayed the original length and just built everything to that. The Smart has lots of room and I would have to jack knife the rig in reverse before the trailer would ever touch the Smart.

What I'm saying is just don't be to quick and add something if you really don't have to.

 

Brad

Brad and Jacolyn
Tucker the Wonder dog and Brynn the Norfolk Terrier
2009 Smart "Joy"
2004 VNL630 "Vonda the Volvo"
2008 Hitch Hiker 35 CK Champagne Edition
VED12 465 HP, Freedomline, 3.73 ratio, WB 218"
Fulltiming and loving it.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


RVers Online University

campgroundviews.com

RV Destinations

Find out more or sign up for Escapees RV'ers Bootcamp.

Advertise your product or service here.

The Rvers- Now Streaming

RVTravel.com Logo



×
×
  • Create New...