Powerstroke Posted May 10, 2015 Report Share Posted May 10, 2015 I've been looking to upgrade to an HDT, but I have a few nagging questions I can't get over. I see everyone loading Smart Cars on the back of the tractor.... I have a family of four and need something bigger. What is the next best solution with a back seat and how would it get loaded? Obviously it won't go on sideways, but what implications are there with loading from the rear and having a much longer truck? Are any tractors easily converted in the sleeper area to allow passengers back there? I'm kind of partial to the International Lonestar, but I see Volvo being the truck of choice on most forums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hone eagle Posted May 10, 2015 Report Share Posted May 10, 2015 My volvo had 3 buckets in the sleeper ,so that or a jack knife sofa is doable,as far as loading something different then a smart- sure mostly jeeps but I have seen a picture of a 1/2 ton on back. The truck gets longer and longer though. 2005 volvo 670 freedomline singledNewmar Torrey Pine 34rskswoot woot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerstroke Posted May 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2015 I was thinking a Jeep would be fun, but I also saw a Scion iQ which is only 18in longer than a Smart, but has a small back seat that I could probably get a couple car seats into. I guess I'm just concerned with overall length, and getting the tractor so long that some of the benefits of it's decreased turning radius would be negated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark and Dale Bruss Posted May 10, 2015 Report Share Posted May 10, 2015 If you check trough the bed photos in the HHRV Resource Guide and in the HDTRally site, you will see some options other than Smart4Twos. Please click for Emails instead of PM Mark & DaleJoey - 2016 Bounder 33C Tige - 2006 40' Travel SupremeSparky III - 2021 Mustang Mach-e, off the the Road since 2019 Useful HDT Truck, Trailer, and Full-timing Info atwww.dmbruss.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lappir Posted May 10, 2015 Report Share Posted May 10, 2015 I have a 1999 Isuzu Vehicross. It will carry 4 pretty easy but it's not fun getting in the back seat. Had a Mini Cooper before that and again getting in and out of the back seat wasn't the most pleasant. The Isuzu Amigo is possible along with the two door Geo/Chevrolet/GMC Trackers or the Suzuki Samari. I built my toyhauler with a 14' 6" garage and it works well with the VX. a vehicle with less ground clearance may be more difficult or require longer ramps. My truck was singled long and a 5' stinger was added before I got my latest trailer. I had a 14' box on the truck that carried the Mini and VX before the new trailer. You will find that something will look real good until you use it for a while and they you will discover some things you want to change. At least that's how it's working out for me. Rod White 2000/2010Volvo VNL 770 with 7' Drom box with opposing doors, JOST slider hitch. 600 HP Cummins Signature 18 Speed three pedal auto shift. 1999 Isuzu VehiCross retired to a sticks and bricks garage. Brought out of storage the summer of 2022 2022 Jeep Wrangler Sport S Two door hard top. 2007 Honda GL 1800 2013 Space Craft Mfg S420 Custom built Toyhauler The Gold Volvo is still running and being emptied in July. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Mayer Posted May 10, 2015 Report Share Posted May 10, 2015 I hate to say this, but if you have a family of 4 and want to carry something bigger then you should at least "consider" the virtues of a motorhome vs. a 5th wheel. It sure solves a lot of issues. Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member Living on the road since 2000PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail 2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it) 2022 New Horizons 43' 5er 2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units 2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck -------------------------------------------------------------------------See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar powerwww.jackdanmayer.com Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerstroke Posted May 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2015 We had considered a motor home with a toad, but dollar for dollar an HDT with a fiver seemed like the better idea. Now I'm just trying to figure out how to pull it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark and Dale Bruss Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 You can double tow a bigger vehicle behind the trailer. You have to be sure the trailer is capable frame-wise. That should stir up some comments. Please click for Emails instead of PM Mark & DaleJoey - 2016 Bounder 33C Tige - 2006 40' Travel SupremeSparky III - 2021 Mustang Mach-e, off the the Road since 2019 Useful HDT Truck, Trailer, and Full-timing Info atwww.dmbruss.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob86ZZ4 Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 I like Jack's idea. You could also just consider using the hdt for the errand running and sight seeing. There is a family around here that has 4 kids and full times in their hdt pulling a 5th wheel. They use the hdt for all their driving. '03 United Specialties truck conversion, Freightliner FL112, Cat C12, 10 sp Autoshift, 295" w/b, 26' living quarters. St. Paul, MN www.bobwinsor.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeromax Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 It can be done..... Just think outside of the box.....I did and I can carry my jeep cj5 on the big truck and the wife's smart car in the back of our 40 foot ALFA toyhouse the big truck bumper to bumper is 24 feet long which gives us a total length of 65 feet I would post a picture but PHOTOBUCKET is sucking right now. 89 peterbilt 372 (the helmet) COE 3406 b 450 hp eaton fuller roadranger 18 speed 150,000 orignal miles A.K.A. DARTH HELMET2006 40 foot alfa toyhouse2010 smart passion red with black tridion cell A.K.A. the GERBLE 1978 Jeep cj5 V8 Eugene the Jeep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeromax Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 89 peterbilt 372 (the helmet) COE 3406 b 450 hp eaton fuller roadranger 18 speed 150,000 orignal miles A.K.A. DARTH HELMET2006 40 foot alfa toyhouse2010 smart passion red with black tridion cell A.K.A. the GERBLE 1978 Jeep cj5 V8 Eugene the Jeep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyretired Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 We carry a Subaru Forester loaded length wise on our Volvo with the small 42" sleeper. The ramps continue at about the same incline all the way up. This loads the car on an incline with the front foot or so of the car over the flat top sleeper. There might be room in this sleeper for seats but the addional stuff to make it a MH would be difficult at best. Colorado lets us register as a recreational vehicle without additional modifications. We also carry a RZR, generator and 2 100 gallon water tanks in 30' overall length. The height with the car is 13'. We have used this setup for 9 years and it has met our needs. Randy 2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickW Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 This is the original Jeep we had. We now have a newer Jeep. My truck is its original wheelbase. I just added 6' of frame and put the 5th wheel hitch at the end. 2017 Entegra Anthem 44A SOLD - 2004 Volvo 780. 465hp and 10sp Auto Shift (from 2010~2017) SOLD - 2009 Montana 3400RL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noteven Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Consider a Kenworth with the sofabed in the Aerodyne sleeper? The sofa has 3 pt seatbelts for outboard passengers and windows for gawking at the countryside. I am not sure if other truck makes have passenger seat belts in the sleeper for seated passengers? "Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtr Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 We haul my off-road rig that has a 118" wheelbase or our Jeep Wrangler with a 94 inch wheelbase. The Freightliner is singled long with a 12 foot flatbed + 3 foot dove tail. We've also modified the sleeper to accommodate two car seats. This setup works very well for our family. Things we would change or seek in our next truck air ride cab shorter wheelbase or single mid 1993 Freightliner 3406C Cat, 400 HP, 9 speed, singled long, 3.91 ratio, 264" wheel base, 12' flat deck with dove tail 1997 F350 dually, 4wd conversion, intercooler, 3 inch intakes, WW2 compressor wheel, bellowed up-pipes, 2007 Ragen Toyhauler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevekk Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Look at Chevy Spark. We have one. Been a good little car w/ 34k miles. Seats 4 people. My Oregon Dealer in Medford has them brand new 2015 for $9999, manual trans. This car gets redesigned for 2016. Steve LIFETIME MEMBER 2011 Born Free Class C OR/ CA border NEWBIE, so I have everything to learn ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerstroke Posted May 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Thanks for all the help. The pictures have inspired me!! I guess my last question is with extending the frame 6' or so to accommodate these larger vehicles how do they handle in tighter situations like at a campground? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtr Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 I would like a better turning radius in the future but I would have a difficult time justifying the cost (especially to my wife) for driveline work and having the frame drilled. We managed to get our rig into Bullards Beach Campground in Oregon without too much trouble. A longer spot would have been nicer, although my in-laws had the same challenges with their 40' Diesel Pusher. Just remember this setup pivots in the middle! 1993 Freightliner 3406C Cat, 400 HP, 9 speed, singled long, 3.91 ratio, 264" wheel base, 12' flat deck with dove tail 1997 F350 dually, 4wd conversion, intercooler, 3 inch intakes, WW2 compressor wheel, bellowed up-pipes, 2007 Ragen Toyhauler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyretired Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 We just added about 5' of frame and left the tandem axles alone. It handles great and turns much tighter than our F250. In fact it will turn circles inside the tightest circles the F250 can make. With the hitch behind the rear axle backing is also much more responsive. The HDT is longer than the F250 and that is the only draw back. Randy 2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickW Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 The hitch behind the axle makes the trailer very responsive. It does not take much wheel movement. My truck is not singled and is still 228" wheel base. Honestly I find getting in to a tight spot easier with the HDT than I ever did with the p/u due to how responsive the trailer is due to hitch position. The biggest thing I have to watch for when backing in is the swing of the front end of the truck. The difference of the response of the HDT vs P/U does not seem to make since due to vehicle size but once you start using the HDT it becomes very noticiable. 2017 Entegra Anthem 44A SOLD - 2004 Volvo 780. 465hp and 10sp Auto Shift (from 2010~2017) SOLD - 2009 Montana 3400RL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exile Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 In Korea, they had a little 4 door called a Matiz. Would handle 4 Koreans with no issue. Have also seen them in Europe, but they might not pass US crash tests. I see it is the chevy spark. Scion also makes some small bread truck looking things. 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...
Dollytrolley Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 Scion.......my kids call the boxee little cars, not bread trucks.......they call them "Toasters"..... 97 Freightshaker Century Cummins M11-370 / 1350 /10 spd / 3:08 /tandem/ 20ft Garage/ 30 ft Curtis Dune toybox with a removable horse-haul-module to transport Dolly-The-Painthorse to horse camps and trail heads all over the Western U S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolan Posted May 14, 2015 Report Share Posted May 14, 2015 Or you could just have someone drive the car. We have a 4 door hatchback. Wife drives the car. She figured it out one day on cost of driving it, Total. $2,300. in 6 years and 5 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerstroke Posted May 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2015 Or you could just have someone drive the car. We have a 4 door hatchback. Wife drives the car. She figured it out one day on cost of driving it, Total. $2,300. in 6 years and 5 months. You don't know my wife very well!!! She likes to be driven..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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