Peterbilt RV hauler (SOLD)

Don & Camilla Heasty · July 16, 2020

PETERBILT 2001 MID-ROOF MODEL 387

(VIN: 1XP7D09XX1D559051)
This truck was originally an over-the-road hauler on lease from Doonan Peterbilt, Wichita, Kansas. It was equipped as follows:
Cummins ISM, 350/400 horsepower engine
Three-stage Jacobs engine-brake
“Davco Fuel Pro 382” fuel filter/water separator
“Meritor” Wabco Air Dryer with heater
“Puradyn” bypass oil filter (filters down to 1 micron).
Eaton-Fuller FR14210B 10-speed manual transmission
Dana tandem rear axles
“Lincoln Quicklub” automatic lubrication system with progressive metering valves.
Air Ride cab and adjustable Air Ride seats.
Right and Left 100-gallon aluminum fuel tanks under cab (with Peterbilt locking caps).
Alcoa 22.5X8.25 aluminum wheels.

After 606,000 miles in 5 years, it was returned to Doonan and, in 2006 at our request, was converted to an RV hauler as follows: Singled, Doonan manufactured bed with “Rhino Liner” top surface, Custom iridescent paint on finders and trim, side storage compartments, thirteen-hundred-pound solid steel tail-plate for ride stability, 2-inch hitch receiver welded through tail-plate. “TrailerSaver” 32k Air-Suspension Hitch (model TSLB2H) (height adjusted with truck-air from cab with dash mounted raise/lower valve and pressure gauge). Sliding window in rear of cab. “Brakesmart Electric Brake Control” (12v trailer-braking current is proportional to truck air-braking pressure). Bargman 7-pin trailer receptacle. “Gear Master II” (gear availability and synchronization indicator).

When Doonan’s conversion was completed, we registered this truck in Texas as a motor home (passenger vehicle under 6000 lbs.) – no DOT inspection required. To meet (and exceed) the Texas motorhome registration requirements, we added the following items: Two 20-amp 120-volt electrical circuits with multiple receptacles, 30-amp Marinco shore-power receptacle, General Electric 950-watt microwave oven, 3-gallon fresh and grey water tanks. Small sink with faucet and automatic pump. Koolatron (model P20) 12-volt refrigerator, Thetford (735 MSD) Porta-Potii with floor attachment brackets under the single-wide bed (toilet never used), Kyocera 150-watt solar-panel with Specialty Concepts 15-amp solar controller. “Pressure Pro” 16-position tire-pressure monitor with external antenna. In 2014, we installed six new “General” tires which presently have less than 12,400 miles on them.

Reason for selling: After twenty-some years of full-time RV traveling, physical limitations are catching up with us and, regretfully, we find it necessary to give up our Peterbilt hauler. It is located at the Escapees North Ranch RV Park near Congress, Arizona. Presently 649,977 miles on odometer. Clear Texas Title. Don & Camilla Heasty. 936-328-2711.

Note: presently on consignment with Jones Ford, Wickenburg, Arizona. Call 602-258-1611.

Edited March 1, 2021 by Don & Camilla Heasty
Sold

RowHDY · August 1, 2020

Hi

can you confirm the cab size and share some pictures of the inside

thank you

rollinbrian · September 1, 2020

Hi Don, is the bed long enough to hold a smart car on the back?

Don & Camilla Heasty · September 3, 2020

On 9/1/2020 at 2:56 PM, rollinbrian said:

Hi Don, is the bed long enough to hold a smart car on the back?

Greetings
About room for a smart car on the Peterbilt bed, I measured some lengths that might help you decide. Assuming you removed both wooden boxes and the Weather Guard tool-box, shown in the ad-photos, the distance from the center of the hitch-pin to the “Puradyn” bypass oil filter is 91-3/4 inches. As I remember, the usual allowed clearance is 60 inches (5 feet) to jackknife the trailer 90 degrees. That allows about six inches on the usual 8-ft wide fifth wheel trailer. Our 36 ft Teton fifth wheel is 8-ft wide and easily clears the Weather Guard tool-box. It will usually ride-over the shorter wooden box on level ground but not recommended on tight turns.
Since the total clearance is 91-3/4 inches and 60 inches is the recommended clearance, that only leaves 31.75 inches width for a smart car. I’ve never had a smart car but they seem to be about 66 inches wide so I don’t think it will fit.

We’ve known several people who did put smart cars on the truck, but have noticed some disadvantages. Examples are in time required to load and unload (with winches), need for free space on the sides for loading-unloading, and loss of considerable storage space on the truck.
In the other hand, we pulled the setup shown below for several years and it's worked well. The Honda CRV tows 4-wheels down with no problems. The 10K Blue Ox tow-bar on the trailer has collapsible arms which makes it easy to connect/disconnect so you can park and drive off in just a few minutes. The car has a Brakemaster brake cylinder that uses the truck-braking pressure proportionally. A standard 7-pin Bargman electrical cable runs the lights, etc. The only disadvantages are that backing won't work and some states have length restrictions. We’ve never had a problem with either issue.

Don, 9-2-2020

rollinbrian · September 8, 2020

Thank you for the info!

Could I ask about a couple more measurements? Distance from the rear of the cab fairing or the bypass filter to the end of the deck? Wheelbase?

Interior sleeper pictures would be nice too, or a link to a gallery of such pics.

Thanks again

Don & Camilla Heasty · September 10, 2020

Greetings

In answer to questions about wheel base and bed length, the wheelbase is 16ft-3in (195 inches). Overall truck length is 26 feet. About bed length, I’m not exactly sure what you want. The clearance distance from the bypass-filter to the far end of the truck-bed is 122 inches. The clearance distance from the bypass filter the front of the 5-th wheel cutout is 66 inches. The 5-th wheel cutout is 35 inches wide. The truck-bed is 99 inches wide. Note that the top part of the bed has 1.5 inch radiused corners, so the flat surface of the Rhino-Liner coating is 96 inches wide. Also note that the flat surface of the bed extends a few inches forward of the fairings and bypass filter, which is irrelevant if you’re only considering clearance issues. I hope this answers your questions.

I added some annotated pictures of the interior. Some things are hard to show in a single picture, for instance, the sleeper-bed size is 35 inches wide and 81 inches long. Cozy for two. The single sleeper bed has the original mattress with the addition of new bed-covers. The sleeper area can be closed off with the original sliding curtains pointed out in the pictures. The truck has two air conditioner compressors with separate controls as shown. We run them both sometimes on warmup drives to circulate refrigerant or in very hot weather. The view with bed lifted shows the sleeper air conditioner, detachable Porta-potti, and the small fresh and grey water tanks for the sink. It also shows the solar controller which regulates the 150-watt solar panel on the roof, and an illuminated LED voltmeter which is always visible. The Xantrex 175-watt inverter has a 115-volt plug-in and a USB port good for charging phones, etc. We mainly used it for running a laptop in a cradle on the back wall (not shown) which connected via a Wi-Fi router to an internet camera mounted in a rear window of the Teton 5-th wheel. The big mirror on the truck dash could be adjusted to see the video on the laptop (Before cheap Wi-Fi backup cameras). It can also be adjusted to see the trailer through the back window. The microwave and other big AC loads require shore power or generator power connected through the 30-amp Marinco receptacle on the left-rear corner of the cab.

Edited October 9, 2020 by Don & Camilla Heasty