Nate Tate Posted August 1, 2018 Report Share Posted August 1, 2018 I travel and work construction and I pull my travel trailer with my ram 1500. Which pulls it fine, but I am looking to upsize my camper since I'm in it 8-9 months a year. I am wanting to upgrade to an hdt I just don't know where to start. After reading a bit I would like a big sleeper so I can register it as a motor home. What my question is is what is a good one to get. Dependability, fuel mileage, etc. I seen one guy who says he get 14 mpg. That I would love! Also if I register it as a motorhome can my passenger sit in the back while I'm driving? Kids as well? Thank you for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickeieio Posted August 1, 2018 Report Share Posted August 1, 2018 Go to the Heavy Haulers Resourse Guide and do some digging. The answers to your questions vary by state and your needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgiaHybrid Posted August 1, 2018 Report Share Posted August 1, 2018 (edited) Nate, don't count on 14 mpg unless you are bobtailing and going downhill with a 59 mph tailwind. Any brand of truck will work as long as the engine and transmission are good brands and the truck is in good shape. Volvo's are popular here but quite a few of us run Kenworths, Peterbilts, Freightliners, Western Stars and Mack's. Not so many late model Internationals due to engine issues but they are out there. Do a lot reading, researching and watch the ads on this site as well others like racingjunk.com. when you find a good truck, ask a few questions on here about it. Don't get in a rush, find a truck that FITS your needs and then get as good a deal as you can on it. Edited August 1, 2018 by GeorgiaHybrid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan0043 Posted August 1, 2018 Report Share Posted August 1, 2018 11 hours ago, Nate Tate said: I travel and work construction and I pull my travel trailer with my ram 1500. Which pulls it fine, but I am looking to upsize my camper since I'm in it 8-9 months a year. I am wanting to upgrade to an hdt I just don't know where to start. After reading a bit I would like a big sleeper so I can register it as a motor home. What my question is is what is a good one to get. Dependability, fuel mileage, etc. I seen one guy who says he get 14 mpg. That I would love! Also if I register it as a motorhome can my passenger sit in the back while I'm driving? Kids as well? Thank you for your help. Hello Nate, Welcome to the forum. There is a nice rally coming up in October. Depending if you have time, come to Kansas for the National Rally. You don't need a truck to come. You just need a long list of questions. The seminars are a great place to start asking questions. You will meet a great bunch of people. Keep asking questions, Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Mayer Posted August 1, 2018 Report Share Posted August 1, 2018 10 hours ago, GeorgiaHybrid said: Nate, don't count on 14 mpg unless you are bobtailing and going downhill with a 59 mph tailwind. Any brand of truck will work as long as the engine and transmission are good brands and the truck is in good shape. Volvo's are popular here but quite a few of us run Kenworths, Peterbilts, Freightliners, Western Stars and Mack's. Not so many late model Internationals due to engine issues but they are out there. 1 Ad David said, don't put 14 mpg in your head. You won't get it unless you have a newer truck and are bobtailing. I do get it on my truck if there is no headwind but only bobtailing, and not every run. But doing the back and forth from CO to KS I do see in the 14's (measured, not the computer) about half the time. The rest of the time I see in the 13's and the 12's if any wind. I do see in the 9's towing my 28K trailer. On the flats, not in the mountains. I personally like Volvo's and the IShift, but my second choice would be a KW T680 with a Cummins and Ultrashift. But that is a newer truck and will require a larger budget. The condo in the Volvo is hard to beat if it meets your requirements. The key to any used truck is to find a good one, and have enough time and funds to get it reliable. Anything with higher miles on it and age is subject to component failure and you will have to deal with fixing things. So have a repair budget of at LEAST $8K set aside for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrap Posted August 1, 2018 Report Share Posted August 1, 2018 680 w/ Cummins and Endurant trans...... Night & day over the Ultrashift! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noteven Posted August 1, 2018 Report Share Posted August 1, 2018 8 hours ago, Scrap said: 680 w/ Cummins and Endurant trans...... Night & day over the Ultrashift! Just did a little reading about the Endurant trans... attention has been given to a deep reverse ratio for better backing performance... you mean trucks with 2.21 rear ratios back up too fast? 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Tate Posted August 2, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2018 I appreciate all the information guys. Why does most choose Volvo I've noticed it every where I have went. Peterbuilts are nice but they are expensive. Maybe more of a show truck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moresmoke Posted August 2, 2018 Report Share Posted August 2, 2018 2 hours ago, Nate Tate said: I appreciate all the information guys. Why does most choose Volvo I've noticed it every where I have went. Peterbuilts are nice but they are expensive. Maybe more of a show truck? Volvos are comfortable, handle well, and most importantly are cheap on the used market. At least that's why I have one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Tate Posted August 2, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2018 Are they reliable, expensive to work on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenandjon Posted August 2, 2018 Report Share Posted August 2, 2018 It boils down to personal preference. I don't like Volvos. I went freightliner. Pre emissions. Old school manual shift. Its no better or worse than a vlovo. Its still plastic. I talked with several mechanics they all said if you want trouble free then stay with manual. Now there are cheap newer trucks out there. You can go to a Taylor and Martin auction and buy a early teens freightliner with Detroit and 2 peddle auto shift for the lower teens with around 500,000 miles. I seen one go for as low as $9,000. They are cheap for a reason. No body else wants them. https://www.taylorandmartin.com/ My opinion if you want an automatic find one with an Allison. Good luck tho they are hard to find and don't last long on the market. They are in high demand and bring a premium price. I had my eyes on one and let it slip through my fingers. I was a couple days late going to look at it. Your budget will dictate what kind of truck you ultimately will be able to get. I had no budget. I just winged it. Financed everything through my boss so I tried to keep costs low. Re-purposed a old flat bed and used storage boxes. etc. I average 9 mpg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenandjon Posted August 2, 2018 Report Share Posted August 2, 2018 (edited) Oh and to answer your other question you can rip the bed out and put seats back there. I found that 2000-2006 Chevy pickup and SUV seats have built in seat belts. I used them. worked out pretty well. Kids all said they were comfortable on our last trip. Found them on Facebook and craigs list for $50 apiece. They are manual. still slide back and forth. You can stuff a lot of stuff behind them if you have to. I blocked them up with 5x5 square tube steel so they are comfortable for adults. Edited August 2, 2018 by jenandjon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgiaHybrid Posted August 2, 2018 Report Share Posted August 2, 2018 Drive several different trucks and find one that suits you. I don't like the Volvo's handling and ride, too much of dad's Lincoln Continental is them (floaty and disconnected) and preferred the steering feel and handling of a Pete or a Kenworth. Neither of us liked the cab on the Pete's we looked at so we wound up with a Kenworth T680 with a spring front that handles like a sports car. It rides nicely, handles great and the cab doesn't float around. Some of the Volvo owners have added Donvel valves to their Volvos to cure that issue. Either way, figure out the budget you have for a truck, find a truck type and style that you like, get a truck that you are serious about checked over by YOUR mechanic and be realistic about the costs involved to keep it on the road. That will depend on the age and mileage of the truck. Make sure you have enough of a reserve to take care of small issues as they crop up before they turn into HUGE items. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil D Posted August 2, 2018 Report Share Posted August 2, 2018 On 8/1/2018 at 9:49 AM, Scrap said: 680 w/ Cummins and Endurant trans...... Night & day over the Ultrashift! Fourteen years after Eaton ran the Freedomline out of the North American OTR truck market, they've finally developed their own Freedomline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmup68 Posted August 3, 2018 Report Share Posted August 3, 2018 On 8/2/2018 at 11:13 AM, Phil D said: Fourteen years after Eaton ran the Freedomline out of the North American OTR truck market, they've finally developed their own Freedomline. with an extra $500m charge to boot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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