rickeieio Posted December 1, 2017 Report Share Posted December 1, 2017 While installing my BluDot system, and looking at how to mount my bulkhead fittings, I recalled a conversion Bill Burton and I had a while back. We were BSing about who we would get to pull our trailers if our trucks would be disabled. We talked about mounting the Jackalopee on the trailer, rather than on the truck. That way, with BluDot, any road tractor could tote our 5ers, much safer. So, my question is, what's the downside? Sure, my son-in-law with his F-350 Platinum is now out of the game, but I don't care to have my trailer towed by a barely capable truck. Road tractors are everywhere, and it likely wouldn't be hard to find an OTR tractor looking for a back haul. 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'mdonewiththis forum Posted December 1, 2017 Report Share Posted December 1, 2017 It just may be a bit more difficult to find a driver looking for another load due to the driver needing to get his or her trailer back too. Yes, road tractors are everywhere, but you would need to find what is called a Drive Away operation. Also looking at it like it is a "back haul" is wrong in my opinion. It is no different from any other load. Besides, it would be pretty expensive to have a road tractor pull your trailer since they would be doing it for profit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spindrift Posted December 1, 2017 Report Share Posted December 1, 2017 F350...barely capable truck...HA!! 2012 F350 KR CC DRW w/ some stuff 2019 Arctic Fox 32-5MCindy and Tom, Kasey and Maggie (our Newfie and Berner) Oh...I forgot the five kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted December 1, 2017 Report Share Posted December 1, 2017 34 minutes ago, spindrift said: F350...barely capable truck...HA!! Try towing 30k. Some of them custom built are near that. Also with pin weights beyond ldt capicity. 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickeieio Posted December 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2017 I know it might be difficult to find a commercial truck to tow us, but it would likely be just as difficult to find a "normal" tow vehicle. Heck, if the Volvo took a dive, I could go buy another road tractor and convert it be on the road again. All I'd have to do is shuffle some paper to get MH registration in either Ohio or Indiana and point it towards home. And yes, the new F-350 is, according to S-I-L, capable as it's rated to tow 21k, which is what our trailer weighs. I don't like cutting it that close. 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shifted Posted December 1, 2017 Report Share Posted December 1, 2017 I think that mounting the Jackalopee on the trailer is a great idea, for the reasons that you stated. If I were doing it, I would want to make it plug and play so that the configuration can be changed quickly, or it can be removed easily if you sell the trailer. So, I would mount the Jackalopee in a way and a place that once removed doesn't leave obvious or unsightly marks or holes. Then, I would make the output side of the Jackalopee terminate in a socket, that the trailer plugs into. That way, you can leave it normally connected and plug the truck into the input side for your normal use. But, if you need another non-HDT truck to pull the trailer, you just unplug the trailer from the Jackalopee, and plug the trailer into the tow vehicle instead. Which means that removing it for use on another trailer is as easy as unplugging the trailer from it and dismounting the box. That even gives you the flexibility to pull any trailer with your HDT if you make dismounting the Jackalopee a matter of a couple of wing nuts or something. You could even put some magnets on the base of the Jackalopee box so it can be quickly attached to a truck's frame for temporary use when pulling a different trailer. Great idea, and I wish that I had thought of it and implemented it on my truck. Not worth changing it around at this point for me, but a really good idea for future conversions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spindrift Posted December 1, 2017 Report Share Posted December 1, 2017 10 hours ago, GlennWest said: Try towing 30k. Some of them custom built are near that. Also with pin weights beyond ldt capicity. Glenn...that was more of a joke as Rick knows how much I enjoy my little truck and how much more I'd enjoy an HDT. 2012 F350 KR CC DRW w/ some stuff 2019 Arctic Fox 32-5MCindy and Tom, Kasey and Maggie (our Newfie and Berner) Oh...I forgot the five kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spindrift Posted December 1, 2017 Report Share Posted December 1, 2017 10 hours ago, GlennWest said: 2012 F350 KR CC DRW w/ some stuff 2019 Arctic Fox 32-5MCindy and Tom, Kasey and Maggie (our Newfie and Berner) Oh...I forgot the five kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan0043 Posted December 1, 2017 Report Share Posted December 1, 2017 12 hours ago, rickeieio said: While installing my BluDot system, and looking at how to mount my bulkhead fittings, I recalled a conversion Bill Burton and I had a while back. We were BSing about who we would get to pull our trailers if our trucks would be disabled. We talked about mounting the Jackalopee on the trailer, rather than on the truck. That way, with BluDot, any road tractor could tote our 5ers, much safer. So, my question is, what's the downside? Sure, my son-in-law with his F-350 Platinum is now out of the game, but I don't care to have my trailer towed by a barely capable truck. Road tractors are everywhere, and it likely wouldn't be hard to find an OTR tractor looking for a back haul. Hi Rick, I hope HeavyMetal (Rich) will see this post. The reason that I am saying that, is because he has his Jackalopee installed in his trailer. 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 More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted December 1, 2017 Report Share Posted December 1, 2017 Well, where to install the Jackolee on the camper. Would have to run truck wires to it. The ideal spot would be in front storage. But fishing those wires to there would be quite a chore. Mine go up in pin box area, across, curve around and comes in around front Jack area. Whew! Try running truck wiring there. Pin box crowded now. Camera plug, gladhands. Don't believe I would want to tackle that. 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickeieio Posted December 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2017 Gave it some more thought, and it's getting simpler......... First, I've already made our trailer non-tow able by light/mid duty trucks, because I've installed the BluDot. So, I might as well put the Jackalopee on the trailer. Most logical place is on the rear of the hitch. I have open bolt holes, where I can fabricate a mount for my air lines and something like an ammo box, in which to install the Jackalopee and a female RV plug. Run the commercial wire and plug to the back of the bed, short pigtail from there to the Jackalopee, and there you have it. Easily removable, and any commercial truck, or converted truck w/air brakes can safely tow us. An Spindrift, I got your humor. But the rest of this crowd doesn't know how sick we really are.... Looking forward to tomorrow and a cigar. 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adept99 Posted December 1, 2017 Report Share Posted December 1, 2017 Just a thought here,,,don't put the Jackalopee where you can manage to drop the 5'er on it. Every once in a great while you'll see some doofuss manage to drop the trailer off the hitch. Ask me for a demonstration, er, explanation. Paul & Paula + Daisy the amazing wiggle worm dog... 2001 Volvo 770 Autoshift, Singled, w/ Aluminum Bed - Toy Draggin 2013 395AMP XLR Thunderbolt Toy Hauler 2013 Smart Passion 2012 CanAm Spyder RT 2013 Harley Davidson Street Glide Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beyerjf Posted December 1, 2017 Report Share Posted December 1, 2017 That is precisely what our company does. You call Trailer Transit and we have tractors that can handle 5th wheels, ball hitches, pintle hooks, whatever. You specify to the salesperson the characteristics of the trailer, length, weight, electric or air brakes and any special requests( very high dollar unit, special care etc. specific delivery times and locations etc) and they will tell you what they can do and the rate. We have handled the 5th wheel RV's for Ringling Bros and amusement companies, it isn't that unusual. Like we say " One Way, Your Way" More often than not the non semi trailers we handle frequently don't match electrically the standard pigtail on a tractor. Our drivers who handle those units can spend a little time with you hooking things up so everything will work, they have electric brake controllers if you specify that need on the order. https://www.trailertransit.com/ Here is their website. PM me for more info Jeff Beyer temporarily retired from Trailer Transit 2000 Freightliner Argosy Cabover 2008 Work and Play 34FK Homebase NW Indiana, no longer full time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noteven Posted December 2, 2017 Report Share Posted December 2, 2017 rickeieio - your friendly local heavy duty truck place should have double ended trailer electrical cords in curly or straight. Plug right in to your Volvo. "Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Rod Posted December 2, 2017 Report Share Posted December 2, 2017 A couple of years ago the torque convertor went south in my Topkick in southern GA, and I was under a time constraint to have the trailer in Daytona for the Turkey Run. Let me tell you it is not easy to get a "normal" truck that can tow a fifth wheel camper. I am of the opinion that is it straight impossible to rent a ldt/mdt/hdt setup to pull an rv fifth wheel. Same with hiring somebody to do it commercially, the only guys setup to do that are in the drive away business coming/going from Elkhart. Or expensive specialty haulers that are likely not even sitting in the same state you need them to be at the time. Every RV dealer has a truck that can move a fifth, but none of them seem to be willing to be hired to move somebody else's. So the SECOND day spent all day on the phone was calling every campground in a fifty mile radius to find some bored old coot (no offense to us bored old coots out there) willing to make a few bucks cash for a day on the road moving my camper. Even that is not so easy as you may think. I finally did find one bored old coot to do it, but the experience to get it done was not fun. On the other hand, you CAN rent a tractor at your nearest Penske rental dealer just about anywhere and anytime. And there are literally millions of "for hire" truckers out there capable of hooking up to a trailer setup the same as a semi trailer. And virtually none available to pull a trailer setup as an RV trailer. At least that was my experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noteven Posted December 2, 2017 Report Share Posted December 2, 2017 You know, if big living trailers had normal air brakes and upper fifth wheel plate to ground dimensions... It's a wonder the industry uses 2" king pins... "Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exile Posted December 2, 2017 Report Share Posted December 2, 2017 23 hours ago, rickeieio said: Gave it some more thought, and it's getting simpler......... First, I've already made our trailer non-tow able by light/mid duty trucks, because I've installed the BluDot. So, I might as well put the Jackalopee on the trailer. Most logical place is on the rear of the hitch. I have open bolt holes, where I can fabricate a mount for my air lines and something like an ammo box, in which to install the Jackalopee and a female RV plug. Run the commercial wire and plug to the back of the bed, short pigtail from there to the Jackalopee, and there you have it. Easily removable, and any commercial truck, or converted truck w/air brakes can safely tow us. An Spindrift, I got your humor. But the rest of this crowd doesn't know how sick we really are.... Looking forward to tomorrow and a cigar. I think that is an excellent idea. tell me how it works out. 98 379 with 12.7 DD LG Dodge w/5.9 CTD Chrome habit I’m trying to kick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.