I went from a dedicated F350 with a 39' enclosed gooseneck, to this. Previously I was way overweight and didn't have the capacity to haul a second rig. Riding in a F350 for a long distance isn't uncomfortable, but they certainly aren't the best for over the road applications. The good part of the F350 was power was never an issue (it is now with a pig of a CAT motor). I have wanted a dedicated toter for a while, and this is the cheap way to do it. This is what I picked;
1998 Freightliner FL70 Expediter Truck
CAT 3126 motor, 230hp, 660 ft lbs.
7 speed Spicer OD manual trans.
160K miles, but it has a 1999 motor in it, so that was swapped in at some point.
Air ride rear suspension
Air brakes.
72" sleeper cab.
32K GVWR
4.33 rear axle, puts me at about 1700 RPM at 68 ish
Dual 75G diesel tanks
After some research, I founds it is very easy to convert these to an RV. You have to schedule an officer to come to your house and do an on-road inspection form (TR-54). Basically just checking lights, horn, wipers, simple things like that. You also have to fill out a certification form (TR-34). The TR-34 is where you classify that you have a permanent mounted cooking facility (as easy as a microwave) and a permanent sleeping quarters (as easy as a futon bed screwed to the floor). You also have to write where you got the parts and how much you paid. Warning, they will tax you on those items.
With the TR 54 and TR 34, you go to the SOS and ty to find the person there that knows the most. You need to re-classify your vehicle title to an RV. Registration on the Toter is only a couple hundred bucks a year. Not bad for a 32K gross truck.
RV insurance is cheap. GMAC via Good Sam wrote a poilicy for me. A lot of other companies didn't want to insure the truck since it was a conversion and not a manufactured RV. GMAC didn't care. The Good Sam Roadside Assistance is awesome. $100 a year and they come change your tires roadside for free, free towing, etc.
Here are a few pics of the outside. We'll get to the inside later. In these pictures you can see the RV door I added to the side, and the large ramp in the back, which is operated via an electric winch.
1998 Freightliner FL70 Expediter Truck
CAT 3126 motor, 230hp, 660 ft lbs.
7 speed Spicer OD manual trans.
160K miles, but it has a 1999 motor in it, so that was swapped in at some point.
Air ride rear suspension
Air brakes.
72" sleeper cab.
32K GVWR
4.33 rear axle, puts me at about 1700 RPM at 68 ish
Dual 75G diesel tanks
After some research, I founds it is very easy to convert these to an RV. You have to schedule an officer to come to your house and do an on-road inspection form (TR-54). Basically just checking lights, horn, wipers, simple things like that. You also have to fill out a certification form (TR-34). The TR-34 is where you classify that you have a permanent mounted cooking facility (as easy as a microwave) and a permanent sleeping quarters (as easy as a futon bed screwed to the floor). You also have to write where you got the parts and how much you paid. Warning, they will tax you on those items.
With the TR 54 and TR 34, you go to the SOS and ty to find the person there that knows the most. You need to re-classify your vehicle title to an RV. Registration on the Toter is only a couple hundred bucks a year. Not bad for a 32K gross truck.
RV insurance is cheap. GMAC via Good Sam wrote a poilicy for me. A lot of other companies didn't want to insure the truck since it was a conversion and not a manufactured RV. GMAC didn't care. The Good Sam Roadside Assistance is awesome. $100 a year and they come change your tires roadside for free, free towing, etc.
Here are a few pics of the outside. We'll get to the inside later. In these pictures you can see the RV door I added to the side, and the large ramp in the back, which is operated via an electric winch.