Attention Visitors and Lurkers - Please Read and Respond to this Request

[Herplaw]

Greetings;

 

Just introduced to this forum on the FB HDT page.   Still working, but planning for the future of living full-time in a DRV.  Took my first steps today when I agreed to purchase a 2012 Volvo VNL670, D13, IShift.   Will be picking it up this weekend, getting a short list of things done, then will eventually be sending it off to get singled, commercial hitch removed, 5th wheel hitch installed and hopefully a bed and box installed.

Jake

Glen Jacobsen

Bird Island, MN

[Chad Heiser]

On 4/21/2020 at 8:08 PM, Herplaw said:

Greetings;

 

Just introduced to this forum on the FB HDT page.   Still working, but planning for the future of living full-time in a DRV.  Took my first steps today when I agreed to purchase a 2012 Volvo VNL670, D13, IShift.   Will be picking it up this weekend, getting a short list of things done, then will eventually be sending it off to get singled, commercial hitch removed, 5th wheel hitch installed and hopefully a bed and box installed.

Jake

Glen Jacobsen

Bird Island, MN

Congratulations.  Welcome to the “Dark Side”!

[pdoug]

Retired pilot with limited RV experience.  We are interested in a full time RV with a suitable comfortable truck to haul with.  We will not selling our bricks and sticks but will be spending half the year on the road.  I like to bring my motorcycle along and am interested in hauling a small car as well.

 

Phil

[The Longs]

Hello All,

My wife and I are still employed. Maybe not for long with today’s climate. But we are looking to be full time travelers. Are last rv was a 30’ weekend warrior and a 2500 duramax. Then I started to learn we didn’t have enough truck. So we upgraded to f-450. Life was so much better.  Said to say my wife lost her job, so we had to step back and stop our rving. Now it’s almost time for retirement (2yrs). So we are doing our research before buying. I’m really concerned about safety issues (weight / stopping).  So far we are leaning towards a business class freightliner or HDTs. I’m sure glad we found this site.

 

Leonard

[Randyretired]

Having enough truck makes a big difference and certainly it is safer.  Business class freightliner are good trucks but are expensive when equipped with the bigger engines.  HDT's are generally available with larger engines and an automatic transmission if desired.  HDT's are also quieter and ride better than the older business class freightliners and are only a little bigger.  The climb to get in a HDT is a little taller and finding one setup for RVing is a little more difficult.  I recommend you test drive some to see what fits best for you.

[TucsonTom]

Greetings!  I’m new to the Escapees forum, although was a member when we had our class A. We sold it and will be getting *hopefully* a 44’ DRV in the next couple of years. I was thinking of a F450 tow vehicle but then got exposed to the HDT option. I’m here to learn!

[Chad Heiser]

22 minutes ago, TucsonTom said:

Greetings!  I’m new to the Escapees forum, although was a member when we had our class A. We sold it and will be getting *hopefully* a 44’ DRV in the next couple of years. I was thinking of a F450 tow vehicle but then got exposed to the HDT option. I’m here to learn!

Welcome.  We are happy to have you.  There are quite a few of us here who tow DRV’s with our rigs.  The West Coast Rally a couple of weeks ago was also a mini DRV rally.  If you can make one of the rallies, they are a great place to learn and see a lot of converted HDT’s in one place.  You don’t have to have a rig to attend.

[Sculptor]

3 hours ago, Chad Heiser said:

Welcome.  We are happy to have you.  There are quite a few of us here who tow DRV’s with our rigs.  The West Coast Rally a couple of weeks ago was also a mini DRV rally.  If you can make one of the rallies, they are a great place to learn and see a lot of converted HDT’s in one place.  You don’t have to have a rig to attend.

Welcome Tucson Tom!  The wisdom available here from Chad and folks like him is the best resource on the web in my opinion.  I have attended a few rallies, ( but have yet to drive our rig to one ) and heartily agree it’s a great way to kick off your HDT learning process.  
I also recommend following the links to the rallies for photos and documentation.

[smoothsmoke]

Hello just getting into HDT im wondering if I find my own truck how do I get the truck titled as rv

[Jaydrvr]

54 minutes ago, smoothsmoke said:

Hello just getting into HDT im wondering if I find my own truck how do I get the truck titled as rv

Start with https://hhrvresource.com/. There's lots of useful information there, including state laws about converting an HDT to a motor home. Jay

[smoothsmoke]

Thanks J

[Boris0119]

Not new to RVing, but getting ready for retirement. Currently have a 2019 Puma unleashed 381 5th wheel toy hauler and a 2014 F350 dually. We plan on doing some extended trips once we retire. I have been looking at HDTs. But not knowing what to look for. I have been looking at sites like Ryder and Penske. Found some units at what look like a reasonable price, but not sure if that is the place to look for a unit to have converted or not.

[Marty Main]

Hey all, I neglected to let you all know, how much I appreciate the comments/replies and to let you know, in April we purchased a 2015 Volvo VNL730 and it's in a Frame Shop in West Sacramento, CA being lengthened (in frame and wheelbase) to carry our 2013 2-Door Jeep Wrangler and to pull our newly renovated/decorate 2006 New Horizons 32RK2S 5th wheel with an RT air-ride hitch.

We are nearly ready to hit the road for fulltime adventures!

[Parrformance]

Congratulations!!

[DesertMiner]

How is the truck registered in California?

[68Chevysspu]

Hi folks,

I’ve just start exploring the forum here on HDTs and I can see there’s a lot of good info here from a bunch of good people. I’ve been a truck driver for over 25 years and have recently started thinking about semi-retirement (no pun intended...ok I admit it I like the pun). I have my eye on a 98 Freightliner day cab with plans to put a hitch on the rear and pull my 24’ 2007 Salem travel trailer while leaving the heavy duty fifth wheel in place so I can still use it professionally at times. I live in the NW and Some of my kids live in the SW and I’m tired of not seeing my grandkids. Even though my wife went on the road with me for awhile she doesn’t seem to be on board with riding in a semi again now so I may be reconsidering the whole idea. 
 

One question has come up though that I would like some opinions on. Is the suspension on the truck too stiff so that it will damage the trailer when hooked up with a typical drawbar and receiver? I read that somewhere and had never considered it before. 
 

Thanks for being so welcoming to new people. I hope to see some of you out on the road one of these days. 
 

Rod

[Parrformance]

I pull a travel trailer with a Volvo VNL 780,

I had the same concern as you, over the stiff truck suspension.

I purchased a receiver hitch that has suspension built in.  

If I had to do it again I would purchase an air ride receiver hitch.

https://shockerhitch.com/product/shocker-air-receiver-hitch-combo/

[Sculptor]

4 hours ago, 68Chevysspu said:

One question has come up though that I would like some opinions on. Is the suspension on the truck too stiff so that it will damage the trailer when hooked up with a typical drawbar and receiver? I read that somewhere and had never considered it before. 

Hi Chevy,  we used a Gen Y hitch.  I can’t tell you if it was better for the trailer than a straight receiver on an HDT frame because we never pulled without it.  One thing is better than the shocker type, no air pressure.

[Parrformance]

3 hours ago, Sculptor said:

Hi Chevy,  we used a Gen Y hitch.  I can’t tell you if it was better for the trailer than a straight receiver on an HDT frame because we never pulled without it.  One thing is better than the shocker type, no air pressure.

Sculptor,  I am using the Gen Y Hitch as well.

Question I have is this, my Gen Y Hitch indicator on my 16 k unit maxes out as soon as I hitch my small 28 foot TT.

This was not the case when it was new, I just wonder if this hitch longevity is questionable?

Do you also use the 16k, and does your hitch weight indicator show appropriate tongue weight when you hitch up?

Thanks,

Michael

[Sculptor]

2 hours ago, Parrformance said:

Do you also use the 16k, and does your hitch weight indicator show appropriate tongue weight when you hitch up?

Hi Michael, I have the 10k since we had a 31 foot feather lite.  5k dry weight. I don’t know what the tongue weight was but I never noticed the indicator drop much at all. 
If I remember right the torsion design depends on rubber for its cushion effect. It makes sense that it would have a limited life span.  Wish I was more help. 

[Parrformance]

No worries, thanks for the reply.

I still use it as it still works, as I can see in the mirrors.

[2NavyBrats]

Hi All
I apologize in advance if this question has already been asked.  We're in the discovery phase regarding HDTs.  Does anyone have a HDT set up with a fifth wheel, where they load their Jeep JKU, not tow?  If so, how long is the HDT bed and what has your experience been with the set up?  Does it interfere with the turn radius of the fifth wheel?  Photos please.
Thanks a million! 

[68Chevysspu]

Hi. 2NavyBrats

I'm new here and I don’t own an HDT yet but I have been doing a lot of research since I’m a working truck driver and my plan has been to semi-retire pulling my travel trailer with a day-cab truck. Life is holding me back a bit right now. 
 

That being said, if you have the 2 door JK it is just under 13’ nose to tail stock. The 4 door is 14.5’. You can find trucks of various lengths but a common back-of-cab to tail-of-frame is 13’ on a 3-axle truck (that is steer axle plus 2 drive axles). If you have the 4 door you’ll have to do some measuring on different trucks to make it fit. I have been planning the same thing but with an older Wrangler and pulling a travel trailer instead of a 5th wheel so there’s no conflict. 
 

I'm not sure how much extra frame length you’re going to need between the rear of the Jeep and the front of the trailer for cornering but I assume it would be at least half the width of the front of the trailer. Just to be clear, the Jeep will have to load from the rear instead of the side because it’s too long. So just off the top of my head the cab-to-tail length would have to be at least 18’ for the 2 door and 19.5 for the 4 door (which I assume yours is because you said “JKU”). That’s if the Jeep rolls right up to the cab. Weight isn’t a problem because they only weigh around 4000 lbs. Total weight to the ground on a single dually rear axle on these trucks is 20,000 lbs. On tandem dually axles it’s 34,000 lbs. 

I'm just thinkin' here in the middle of the night so take my figures with a grain of salt. 

Hope it helps. 

Chevy 
 

[Bob Beringer]

Hi,

I own a 2010 International Prostar (Premium 4x6), Pre DEF, EGR Delete with a Condo, Cummins Engine, Eaton Transmission and am pulling a 44 foot Roadwarrior 427rw Toyhauler with two patios.  

Both units have been upgraded with Hybrid Solar Inverters, Generators, Minisplits, Atmospheric Water Generators, Satellite Internet, Satellite Phone, Satellite FAX, Satellite on the Move (SOTM), Gray Water Filtration and Recircilation systems, Dometic high efficency refrigerators, cellular signal boosters, Composting Toilets, Biohacking Equipment for increased energy, longevity, healthy living and more...

[Ghazlett]

Hello,

I'm a new lurker.  I currently have a Ram 3500 dually that I tow a 39' DRV.  I'm interested in a HDT to pull the 5th wheel and have a daily driver that I could load up for grocery shopping and errands.  I'm moving my domicile to Florida due to health insurance so I'm not sure how Florida handles HDT's.  I haven't looked that up yet.