Commercial / RV use with same tractor

[chiefneon]

Howdy!

If you need to keep the commercial hitch why not add a goose neck ball to the HDT. It shouldn’t interfere with the operation of the fifth wheel. Then get a Reece Goose Box to replace the pin box on the 5er. I saw someone on this forum use a Goose Box on their HDT. I’m using a 20,000 GB now and it works great and I like the way it tows.

” Happy Trails “

Chiefneon 

Edited July 5, 2020 by chiefneon

[wheelman666]

i suppose distance wise, i am base in NY and I could find myself in TX, MO, SD, AZ, NM,. FL, TN, MI, MT, ID, UT, NV VA, GA, NC, SC, PA, on any given "Break"

for me to drive 1600 miles in 2 or 3 days is nothing, that what i do for a living. So when we go on vacation we go........

But we are talking 3-4 times a year at this point. Probably more as we move along.  Part of the reason we are traveling around is to see where we want to "Retire", where to pick as home base.  I don't see myself, at least right now, living full time in an RV. there are a few to many things i want out of a home. but i do see planning a good deal of time in my 5th as time goes on. I have driven the lower 48 of the 50 states, ( no HI or AK) but honestly, i haven't "SEEN" squat.  you see the same trees, burger kings, and gas stations in almost every state from the highway. I want to take the back roads and "SEE" the USA. o as time goes and i get closer to retirement )not to far off) I will be spending more time RVing and Cruising . the 2 things i love besides being home and playing with Model trains and RC stuff.

So maybe my stock hitch will work for a few times out and then upgrade to a good hitch, but i still wold like to plan ahead as to which and how.

[Moresmoke]

The Goose Box might be a good compromise. It’s not hard to mount a gooseneck ball at the back where it’s out of the way. The ball flush with the top of the frame rails is just about right.

[wheelman666]

Ok, this is may seem like a dumb question, but if i have gooseneck ball for a hook up, then how do connect a 5th wheel trail to it? I've never seen a gooseneck RV Camper. 

[Moresmoke]

1 hour ago, wheelman666 said:

Ok, this is may seem like a dumb question, but if i have gooseneck ball for a hook up, then how do connect a 5th wheel trail to it? I've never seen a gooseneck RV Camper. 

The Reese Goose Box mentioned above replaces the fifth wheel pin on a camper with a gooseneck hitch. It also has an air ride cushion built in. There are also other similar options on the market.

https://www.reeseprod.com/products/pin-boxes/goose-box/uW9rVuV4JAj75t!ZHQnotJoVbxIFMqvl

[dennisvr]

You can mount a RV 5th wheel hitch with rails behind your commercial 5th wheel.  When not pulling RV just pull the pins and remove the RV hitch, just leaving the rails.  I don't have or need a commercial hitch, but that is what I did and it works for me.  
I don't have a air ride  hitch, but I think Trailer Saver sells one that can be mounted on the rails.

 

[rickeieio]

And then there's the question of fenders.  Few road tractors have them, and I'd consider them a "must have" for pulling an rv.

[wheelman666]

29 minutes ago, rickeieio said:

And then there's the question of fenders.  Few road tractors have them, and I'd consider them a "must have" for pulling an rv.

Fenders are the least of my problems. there are about 5 different makes of fenders for a semi, my hardest problem will be deciding if i want chrome or black  .....  LOL  

 

 

[wheelman666]

37 minutes ago, dennisvr said:

You can mount a RV 5th wheel hitch with rails behind your commercial 5th wheel.  When not pulling RV just pull the pins and remove the RV hitch, just leaving the rails.  I don't have or need a commercial hitch, but that is what I did and it works for me.  
I don't have a air ride  hitch, but I think Trailer Saver sells one that can be mounted on the rails.

 

Its funny you said this. i had just thought about this earlier this morning and was running the idea past someone. 

the thing is, with out the air ride on the hitch, it would pretty be the same as using my commercial hitch.

BUT

i think i may have come up with a solution. 

I have been chatting with Jack Mayer and he came up  with the idea of using a Gooseneck setup and swap out the hitch on the RV side with something like the Gen Y pin box, but them i also noticed they have the same idea in a 5th wheel air ride box.  this way i get the air ride , but its on the other end and I can hopefully use my regular Hitch and don't have to worry about anything on the semi, just use the existing hitch. I'm waiting for Jack to get back to me on what he thinks. 

 

 

[dennisvr]

3 minutes ago, wheelman666 said:

Its funny you said this. i had just thought about this earlier this morning and was running the idea past someone. 

the thing is, with out the air ride on the hitch, it would pretty be the same as using my commercial hitch.

BUT

i think i may have come up with a solution. 

I have been chatting with Jack Mayer and he came up  with the idea of using a Gooseneck setup and swap out the hitch on the RV side with something like the Gen Y pin box, but them i also noticed they have the same idea in a 5th wheel air ride box.  this way i get the air ride , but its on the other end and I can hopefully use my regular Hitch and don't have to worry about anything on the semi, just use the existing hitch. I'm waiting for Jack to get back to me on what he thinks. 

 

 

I would like to have air ride but to cheap to buy another hitch.  The good thing about the RV hitch over the commercial hitch is it has side to side movement.  I figured mine would do OK seeing we don't fulltime and may put about 5000 miles a year on the rig.

[dennisvr]

After saying all of this.  I'm assuming you have enough truck frame rail behind your commercial 5th wheel.  I would guess about 30" before the taper.  If you need to know how much let me know and I will measure mine.

[wheelman666]

i haven't measured that part yet, but i would say i have at least 26 inches of flat rail before it angles down. 

actually i have been given a few idea this morning, from swapping out the RV side with like a GEN Y box and use my commercial hitch, to yours, to a Comfort ride. now i went from no clue, to several options and have to figure out the best choice.

I do think i want to go with an air ride setup, if nothing else, because the roads in the North east SUCK, and jut getting in and out of the area (first 300 miles) beat me up in the seat. i can imagine what it will do the my RV.

 

[beyerjf]

You are right, I haven't posted for a while. I am the guy with the red Argosy Freightliner cabover. Still have the units, have stopped commercial trucking for the moment because of all the hullabaloo. Might even make it to Hutchinson in October, hard to plan stuff like that these days. 

Sunflower is doing fine by the way. 

May change the title of the tractor to an RV, I am now domiciled in Indiana, if anyone has pulled that stunt I would appreciate hearing from them. The HDT resource guide information is like 8 years old on the topic for Indiana. Also need guidance on insurance for the HDT RV route, no commercial use involved. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 14, 2020 by beyerjf

[GlennWest]

I really like your truck. Doesn't it have a flat floor also? Know the older ones have that big hump to cover motor

[steiny93]

 

On 7/5/2020 at 2:00 PM, Moresmoke said:

I think the first question to ask is how far are you going to travel with the RV? The full timers here that move frequently, there is no doubt they need the suspended hitch. Once or twice a year to a not to distant spot over decent roads, you may get by with the commercial hitch just fine. There are folks out there that do it.

When our HDT arrived ahead of the air hitch (it came with a non air reese); we took it out on 1 trip with the old 5th wheel before the new one arrived and the new hitch installed. 

So HDT pulling a mid sized montana with no hitch cushion.  In a 100 mile trip down a pretty decent interstate highway it broke 3/4 of the beer bottles in a cooler (loaded with the beer and ice, like a normal cooler) sitting inside the montana.  It also knocked a crazy amount of sawdust out of the ceiling of the montana (like around the fan vents).

After that trip the trailer and the hitch both got some cushion; all goodness.