maveric

As has been stated earlier, there are many options. Here is my experience...

I started with a 99 Dodge 2500 diesel. Used it for years pulling my 30' goose triple axle with 2 vehicles on it. Also used it to haul hay and wood pellets to heat my house. I found that I was almost always over loading it. The truck was always hooked to the trailer, and in the 10 years I owned it, I put 3 transmissions in it. Average mpg with the trailer was 7, and with 3 people, it was crowded.

I picked up a 99 Fld120 condo, single screw for 10k. The guy I bought it from had built a welding bed for it (flatbed with tool boxes and misc attachments). 12.7 Detroit with 1.1M miles on the clock. No paperwork, but since it was a retired Fed-Ex truck, I assume it had an overhaul sometime before I bought it. I have owned it almost 10 years and have replaced a turbo, transmission, ac compressor (2), lower coolant pipe, and tires. I had to reinstall the 5th hitch, and have used it to haul multiple trailers. Goose ball is mounted below and behind the 5th, since weight on the goose is more limited. 5th is a slide, so I can adjust it for different trailers. Still use it to haul my goose with 2 rigs. Built a removable dovetail so I can haul a single rig on the deck (without trailer). Have since purchased a 48' drop deck for the bigger things I haul (can fit 3 crawlers on it), and built a toy hauler out of a 53' dry van. Average MPG over the 10 years... 8.5. 

I am in Colorado. When I bought the truck, the scale weight ticket showed it weighed under 16k, so I was able to register it as a Recreation Truck. I put a 12v fridge in it, as well as ran shore power inside the sleeper, but other than that, it is stock. My toyhauler is registered the same as any other factory built toyhauler, so I fall under recreational vehicle all around. No scales, not ports, no commercial roadside inspections). I do have private stickers on it, but really don't know if they make a difference. All of the trailers and truck have normal license plates that renew annually. IF I get stopped, that should be the first clue that they are not commercial (if they run the plate). 

In my opinion, purchasing the HDT was one of the better decisions I have made for hauling things. Working on a HDT is similar to, if not easier than working on a new pickup. Everything is just bigger. 

Another option. Have used a set similar to get ours out of the sand. Rear tires buried almost to the bottom of the wheel, with the trailer attached. Threw them under the tires and drove right out. These are $90 on amazon.

The red line should be to supply air to the trailer. Are your trailer brakes air/hydraulic, or straight air? If they are electric, you shouldn't need to do anything with the red. Same as if bobtailing. 

Are your truck brakes adjusted? You don't want the fronts to lock up so you can steer in a skid, but they should still be adjusted periodically. 

1 hour ago, noteven said:

cholla can jump eleventeen feet to stick you.  I read that on the internet = true.

The look on the FF faces... "How the heck are we going to get those off of him???"  A prime example of rank having its benefits.

We use crushed limestone in our area. Put it down when its wet, pack it in, and no worries. It is angular, so it locks together. (unlike river rock)

We are headed to the Black Hills in a couple hours. A week of sight seeing and some 4 wheeling are in order. Get to put the new toy hauler to use. Will be staying outside of Custer, SD and making day trips from there.

On ‎6‎/‎25‎/‎2017 at 2:21 PM, wtgeodog said:

Sitting at Enchanted Trails RV Park in Alburquerque, NM. On our way to Chama, NM via Cortez, CO. We will spend 3 night here then 3 nights in Cortez. We will be in Chama  at Rio Chama RV Park (in Site R-3)  until Sept 5. 

If any of you want to spend quiet time at 8,000ft. come to Chama. The train runs from Memorial day week-end until mid Oct. 

Rio Chama has sites large enough for our kind and they are used to me.

 

 

ShortyO

We made that run last summer. It was a lot of fun. Chama is a quiet little town.

Good Sams.

Never used them, but seems cheap insurance

I might even weld on d rings to the axles to make it even easier! I'm getting lazy and our goal has been no more than a 20 min setup/teardown.... This is vacation.

Another option for the front axle is short sections of chain. Wrap a loop around the housing on each side (small loop, just big enough to hook the strap) and then cross the strap to the other side of the deck. Similar to the pic you had earlier, but to the housing instead.

I also like the idea of creating a well on the deck for the front tires to drop into. Only problems would be them collecting water, and if you changed tires size/wheel offsets/vehicles.

Would it be appropriate to put part numbers for common parts found on our trucks? ie, airbag interchange numbers, or special switch numbers?