Star Dreamer

I will get you a picture of the handle that we use with our ET hitch head and you might be able to use something like it. It allows me to use a 1/2" breaker bar if I need additional leverage.

Varies based on your state. In South Carolina it is located on the rear. In Minnesota we had two plates so one on front and one on rear. I believe there is at least one state that requires it located on the front if you are commercial and on the rear of your are not. Dave

I carry chains but have never even tried to put them on the HDT (I used a set once on my 1 ton dually). Right now just avoid the snow but I might consider doing the tire socks for easier installation.

If you want your own custom layout in a toy hauler, check out Dune Sport Toy haulers. We are having them build us one that is expected to be completed around first of September. Dave

You will need dimensions of your truck wheel base and pin location plus individual axle weights and the locations on the bed for each of the items. You will have to calculate the weight of the bed behind the centerline of the rear axle and in front of the rear axle. Anything located behind the trucks rear axle centerline will add weight to rear axle and off load front axle. Weights in front of the rear axle centerline will add weights to both front and rear axle proportionately to both depending on location. If you plan on storage boxes under the bed, you will have to include these and any items in them in your calculations. When I built our bed 7years ago, there was a spread sheet on the HDT Escappees forum forum that I used but there was some errors that I had to adjust for. Dave

Henry, I am heading to Wisconsin in a couple of weeks and will need to stop by a Menards just because I hate not having one in South Carolina. Let me know if you want me to pick some up and ship them to you or bring them back to South Carolina with us. Dave

Glen Our ET seems like it takes a minute or too for the hitch head to start lowering after I have raised the trailer up to unhook. I will be hooking up tomorrow and then unhooking on Saturday once we get to our campground. I will see if I can time it. Dave

I have used the Freightliner dealer in Florence SC but not sure where the nearest Volvo dealer is if you need one of them. I should be back in SC on Tuesday after the Memorial Day weekend if you need any assistance. Dave

Yes, need more info and I assume you mean Aeolus Tires, I have never heard of them before so did a search and found they are made in China and have mixed reviews on the trucker forums. That price sounds high for an unknown brand. We bought new Dayton drive tires last year for around $350 each at TA and their Yokohama and Firestone tires look to be around $450 with Kelly Springfield's around $375 each.

Usually the whole panel is sprayed or at least up to a body line as it will leave a hard line. The entire surface to be sprayed needs to be scuffed. So the clear coat adheres correctly. You will want to have someone check to see why yours is peeling as you do not want to spray over it and it still peels.

We have Freightliner with a series 60 engine so it may or may not be the same. We have a separate cruise on/off switch and a set/resume switch. Each time we start the truck I have to turn off the on/off switch and then turn it back on before the set speed switch will lock in the cruise, even if the light is on for the cruise by the on/off switch. Dave

We built our own but we do not have a side access door or crane because we did not need one. Accessing fuel is not an issue as a Freightliner has the fuel tanks farther forward with access door in fairing. On a Volvo you have to leave an access hole like in the picture you posted. Cab suspension parts are accessed from underneath. We just had a cab bag replaced on our last trip at a dealer and the mechanic said it was not much harder doing it. You may want to just go ahead and replace you cab bags and shocks before you build your bed, then you know they will all be good and should last your lifetime. Dave

Interesting project. How many miles are on the chassis? Do you have a budget you are hoping to stay under? Dave

Congrats! If it is coming with those 15" tires that are on the spec info, we wish you luck that you have no issues with them. I would at least get tire monitors and maybe a 2nd spare. Check them regularly for any unusual tire wear and replace them if you do, don't wait till they blow. Dave

In Madison WI, getting ready to start heading back south Saturday morning. I think I will head south through Illinois (I39 & I57), Kentucky (I24), Tennessee (I24 & I65), Alabama (I65) through Birmingham then head East on I-20 through Atlanta and into South Carolina. It will be a little longer but a change of pace from my typical route. Dave

Sitting in Murfreesboro TN. Left SC this morning and one my way up to MN. For some reason I cannot get my snowbird seasons right. In July we went to Florida, now I am heading to MN at the end of November which some parts got over 24" of snow. Luckily the area I am going to didnt get any and I will only be there till Thanksgiving and then I head back south. Dave

Been in Florence SC for a little more than a week. Going to pack up and move NW later today to avoid the storm. Hopefully I will be back on Monday. Should have gone to the Rally! Luckily though a fellow HDT'r is coming to our rescue and is letting me park at his place this weekend. I will update later after I arrive. Dave

I am headed south. Left Indiana this morning. Stopped just south of Nashville for the evening and will be near Atlanta tomorrow night and in SC on Sunday. Dave

Sorry to hear about the deer Larry. Those suicidal deer seem to be in many states. I left MN today and am sitting in a campground near Bloomington Indiana for about 2 weeks before I continue my trip to South Carolina our new home state. Just need a place down there, hopefully soon. Dave

We are leaving MN for Lakeland, Florida sometime this evening and should get there Tuesday or Wednesday. Somehow we have our snowbird timing wrong. Stopping in Indiana, Alabama and Northern Florida on our way south. Dave

Road warrior, This is our opinion for what it is worth. We would need more info on each of them if it was available. On the Volvo, try to find out of the EGR valve or Turbo had been replaced previously. Most likely the truck was still under warranty if do and the records would be available with Volvo. This would give you an idea if it eats EGR valves and if it would need one in your lifetime of ownership. If so you would be best to budget a replacement just in case. If it went nearly 500k on the first set hopefully you will get that much out of the replacement. Be sure they replace both EGRs if is has two and see if they will warranty the work. On the Peterbuilt, you need to find out why it needs to be rebuilt with that low of miles. Same as above, see if they are willing to provide a warranty. You do realize the 670 is a smaller cab than a 770 on the Volvo. Make sure that works for you. Also, it will be hard to find an automatic in an HDT. The I shifts, Freedomlines and Ultrashifjts (& a new Detroit transmission) are pretty close with only 2 pedals but are considered auto shifting transmissions as the computer is doing the shifting for you. An autoshift is similar but has a clutch to start out with. Dave

Glad it worked out. We have had good luck with Etrailer and have been using them now for probably over 8 years. Dave

Welcome Ran n Jo, Have a fun trip to the Rally. It will be information overload but lots of fun too. We can't make it this year but hope to be at the East Coast Rally in the spring. Dave

Welcome Snickdriver and Merrkin (Sklyer). Hope you can make it one of the rallies. They are very helpful. Dave

You may end up doing a combination of items: Can you raise the hitch up effectively raising the front of the trailer and still get over the hitch with the jeep? The top rear of the jeep actually looks lower than the front from your pictures, can you drive on forward? Could you easily remove front which mount to move vehicle closer to cab if you drove it on? Wrknvr drives his up a pretty steep ramp to gain more clearance and then uses the space under the ramps for additional storage. Be careful about just strapping it down by the frame. We strap the rear of our van down in our toy hauler to both the frame and the axle. The frames straps us to break all the time and now they just loosen up on occasion many because the even though we compress the suspension some the van can still bounce downward and then when it comes back up it hits hard on the straps. We are actually seeing our D-rings that hold those straps are starting to pull up though the floor. We have to add some more reinforcement to the underside. Dave You may need to do some good measurements and then have someone put it in CAD and try different approaches so you are not wasting abound od money or time on items that would not work.