Author Topic: How are medium/heavy duty trucks different than my 3500?  (Read 9513 times)

Offline bryanedp9

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Re: How are medium/heavy duty trucks different than my 3500?
« Reply #15 on: October 30, 2017, 11:21:58 AM »
That box is closer to my size, but I like the idea of the box being on a bed and capable of dismounting. Having a vehicle in during this isn't really necessary, and neither is flooring for that rear section. It could just be a roof with some walls kinda framed up and maybe a door of some sort, kinda taking elements from a carport or horse trailer, or the shipping container. The ability to leave the camper behind with the vehicle safely pulled inside at least is what I'm aiming for. If I could have a bed and make it useful as a flatbed or rollback, all the more handy. Forgoing all the crazy hydraulics, some pull out ramps would do for vehicle loading. The vehicles in question are my old M38A1 Jeep or the Chevette (try not to laugh). Each are right around 2000lbs. The 'vette may be under, the Jeep a bit over.

Offline roundhouse

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How are medium/heavy duty trucks different than my 3500?
« Reply #16 on: October 30, 2017, 11:48:33 AM »
That box is closer to my size, but I like the idea of the box being on a bed and capable of dismounting. Having a vehicle in during this isn't really necessary, and neither is flooring for that rear section. It could just be a roof with some walls kinda framed up and maybe a door of some sort, kinda taking elements from a carport or horse trailer, or the shipping container. The ability to leave the camper behind with the vehicle safely pulled inside at least is what I'm aiming for. If I could have a bed and make it useful as a flatbed or rollback, all the more handy. Forgoing all the crazy hydraulics, some pull out ramps would do for vehicle loading. The vehicles in question are my old M38A1 Jeep or the Chevette (try not to laugh). Each are right around 2000lbs. The 'vette may be under, the Jeep a bit over.
I actually owned a Chevette
At the same time I also owned a 71 TransAm

Sold the Chevette and kept the Trans am ...


Why the crew cab ?
You taking family on the road ?

And why leave the camper and car behind ?


Depends on if you're going to spend more time driving or parked

If I was spending more time driving id want a camper that was a walk thru from the cab

Did you see this one that was on bringatrailer a while back ?

Sounds like you need this
« Last Edit: October 30, 2017, 11:56:15 AM by roundhouse »

Offline roundhouse

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Re: How are medium/heavy duty trucks different than my 3500?
« Reply #17 on: October 30, 2017, 11:50:33 AM »

Offline bryanedp9

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Re: How are medium/heavy duty trucks different than my 3500?
« Reply #18 on: October 30, 2017, 01:35:44 PM »
That first one looks nuts, but pretty cool. The one on the F-650, I've seen some with that kinda foldout section over the cab, maybe that one. I like that idea for sure, as well as slideouts. The roll-off bed frame is also up my alley. Any of those truck/camper would sort of meet my requirements aside from the vehicle hauling bit, and maybe some more general purpose room in the box. I'm shooting for about 25' total, I think I mentioned.

Ideally I can use the rig to put the camper in places for long stretches and potentially make side money with the truck itself, or leave the camper at a vacation property at times. For a guy that really isn't bad at driving with a trailer, I still usually try to avoid it, so having a truck bed available is useful, especially as opposed to the Jeep, the car or bikes.

On the people end I'd like to have room to sleep 4-6 and even use the truck cab if I can rig it up right or steal some conversion van seats. A typical motorhome/RV with the ability to just walk through would be great, and one with a toyhauler bay in the back would be amazing, but I think starting a bit more from scratch would save me money and repair headaches. The idea of rainwater coming in while engine fluids are trickling out seems backwards, so I'll source an appropriate powertrain if I can't find a truck with one and get it right before installing (I'm kinda partial to Detroit Diesel in this application, but not dead set.) What I'm trying to say is I can probably save at least 25% $ vs a used RV of similar size/features if I take my time and do it myself. Perhaps closer to 50%.

Its ideal purposes would be as mentioned as well as moving me and a few other musicians around on small regional tours, but the prospect of 4WD is kinda awesome for actually enjoying the travelling. I know most trail rigs aren't duallies and they usually prefer small, low, light campers, but I'm leaning more towards the tank approach to offroading in this instance. The idea of the exo-cage going bumper-to-bumper is also pretty rad but I'm not sure if I'd try to take it that far. I think a strong enough box with some good  framing will support weight right on top of it, or on its walls (ladders, bicycles, solar panels, slide outs, awnings..)

Still, trying to shoot below shipping container weight, but maybe not much or at all in the end. a 5000lb box may be just what I need. Keeping it from sliding off the bed and figuring out a mounting/dismounting setup will be projects in their own right.

Offline roundhouse

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Re: How are medium/heavy duty trucks different than my 3500?
« Reply #19 on: October 30, 2017, 02:14:59 PM »
Using the truck commercially as a business opens a whole nother can of worms with the DOT

If you're gonna have several people traveling along I'd want the walk thru for sure
Maybe a motorhome kind of deal
And just tow your car on a trailer or flat tow it

Having a vehicle in the living space is going to stink it up



I think this is what you want right ?


Offline roundhouse

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Re: How are medium/heavy duty trucks different than my 3500?
« Reply #20 on: October 30, 2017, 02:22:13 PM »
You thought about one of these ?

Wouldn't be too hard to make a inflatable seal for a walk thru and build a nice camper box on the tractor
And still have plenty of capacity for a trailer

I thought about doing that when I semi retire
Travel the country and sightsee and haul enough freight on the trailer to pay for it


Offline bryanedp9

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Re: How are medium/heavy duty trucks different than my 3500?
« Reply #21 on: October 30, 2017, 02:45:22 PM »
You thought about one of these ?

Wouldn't be too hard to make a inflatable seal for a walk thru and build a nice camper box on the tractor
And still have plenty of capacity for a trailer

I thought about doing that when I semi retire
Travel the country and sightsee and haul enough freight on the trailer to pay for it

That is rather nifty. If I involve a trailer I'll probably just try to overdo that as well. The trailer actually looks like it's hiding music gear. The big sliding curtain thing or beer truck rollup doors on the side like that would be handy for performances. Mind you I've gotta think about a drum set, PA, instruments and respective amplifiers. I can slimline that a lot for traveling but quality does suffer after a certain point.

And to be realistic, if I'm to do this I'm aiming to keep it under $10-12k and that involves a decent amount of recycled building materials, the truck I already have, a hypothetical cheap medium duty truck, and if the truck, a good powertrain to go with it. I know my 6.5 won't cut it, however the 454 would probably do. It still needs some valvetrain work but should be as good as the MDT big blocks if I recall. I'd really like better fuel economy though, so I prefer the diesel option.

I think this is what you want right ?



That's close, but it needs a lift, pontoons, propeller, rotors and artillery mounted on there. Oh and a winch. Maybe a wench as well.

Offline roundhouse

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How are medium/heavy duty trucks different than my 3500?
« Reply #22 on: October 30, 2017, 03:52:42 PM »
Sounds like you just need a bus with a basement to store all the luggage and band equipment and build some bunks and a nice bath and shower in the back


Www.skoolie.net

Is a good site for building motor homes
« Last Edit: October 30, 2017, 05:11:43 PM by roundhouse »

Offline Stewart G Griffin

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Re: How are medium/heavy duty trucks different than my 3500?
« Reply #23 on: October 30, 2017, 11:33:22 PM »
i didn't have time to read thru the whole thread, but i would think the medium duty frames are larger, completely straight from front to back, and possibly spread wider apart.  All of that is probably better for what you need.

A container, while very durable, is very heavy.  Why not use a regular cargo box, such as from a u-haul truck?

i am actually very confused as to what you are trying to do and may or may not comment further next weekend depending on how much time i got.   How are you going to put a 20' container on the back of a CC truck?


Offline bryanedp9

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Re: How are medium/heavy duty trucks different than my 3500?
« Reply #24 on: November 01, 2017, 05:00:01 AM »
i am actually very confused as to what you are trying to do and may or may not comment further next weekend depending on how much time i got.   How are you going to put a 20' container on the back of a CC truck?

Well part of the 20' would be hacked to hang over the cab. Even so, the frame would need stretched maybe 6'. The horse trailer was a nice alternative, but most are only 6' wide whereas I'm shooting for 8'. I'd agree the bigger truck is probably better suited, but I still may need to stretch one if I can't find one long enough. The cargo boxes may be usable if stretched over the cab, but most I've seen are just a hair underbuilt for my purposes, and it would need totally reworked on the floor to be a unit easily fitted on and off a real bed, rather than fixed directly to the frame.

Offline Stewart G Griffin

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Re: How are medium/heavy duty trucks different than my 3500?
« Reply #25 on: November 01, 2017, 10:14:42 PM »
Again, don't have time to discuss deeply until the weekend, if that.

But, until then,  i want to put something down so i don't forget:

Consider Isuzu cabover truck.

Offline bryanedp9

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Re: How are medium/heavy duty trucks different than my 3500?
« Reply #26 on: November 02, 2017, 03:18:10 AM »
Again, don't have time to discuss deeply until the weekend, if that.

But, until then,  i want to put something down so i don't forget:

Consider Isuzu cabover truck.

Actually found a crew cab one this morning with a kinda nifty box on the back. $20k though. Maybe it wouldn't be too willy nilly to use a 73-87 squarebody based truck? Got that in the driveway.

Offline bryanedp9

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Re: How are medium/heavy duty trucks different than my 3500?
« Reply #27 on: November 02, 2017, 11:37:19 PM »
Kinda off topic, I know there's some work to fit a MDT front clip, but did the clip itself on the bigger trucks evolve about the same as ours? I've seen some variations but dunno the details.

Offline bryanedp9

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Re: How are medium/heavy duty trucks different than my 3500?
« Reply #28 on: November 15, 2017, 05:52:42 AM »
I think I've figured out the styling changes, but now I'm curious about medium duty vs heavy duty frames and other differences. I'd like the Brigadier/Bruin front clip if possible but would like to avoid CDL necessity.

Offline roundhouse

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Re: How are medium/heavy duty trucks different than my 3500?
« Reply #29 on: December 27, 2017, 07:35:56 PM »


This would make a nice motorhome/tow rig

The cargo box is very sturdy
Probably not a lot of miles on a moving van either

Cheaper than a nice pickup
And easily registered as a motorhome so you're exempt from most or all of the CDL regs except maybe the air brake test