Tow and Haul RV transporter build

[Russ]

Mike, just curious? Can you wright this truck build off on your taxes?

 

[tonkadoctor]

Mike, just curious? Can you write this truck build off on your taxes?

Yes sir. Can write off any business related expense. Parts can be written off, trucks have to be depreciated unless it's a lease then the lease payment can be written off.

 

[h2odrx]

Found ya. Nice build!! BTW the other site has been shut down.

Welcome to OB!

Welcome, I saw Bud killed it.

Killed what?

 

[tonkadoctor]

Killed what?

Another forum we were on went ****.

 

[tonkadoctor]

Was 60F today so I painted the doors for the sleeper, did a lot of planning for the bed and beavertail cuts and took care of a few odds and ends like replacing the 7/16" grade 8 spring pin bolt I broke with my impact the other day while George was supervising...... Hey, it's the supervisors fault when somebody else breaks something so I'll blame him fer that too.

I'm changing the plans slightly to build the bed out to nearly 28' for the maximum allowed length of 40' for the truck. This will allow up to a 32' trailer on the bed with the 4' max overhang and be able to tow up to 31' when using the 4' stinger for a maximum overall combination length of 75'

Forcast looks good this week so hopefully I'll get much done.

Doors painted

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Inside of vents sprayed flat black

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New spring pin retaining bolt..... Yep the frame needs a good cleaning before paint.

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[tonkadoctor]

Moving forward.

Put the weather stripping and doors on the sleeper and lubed all of the locks and latches with white lithium grease while I was at it.

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Marked and cut the frame for the drop frame section of the beavertail. I still have to align the frame sections exactly where I want them but it's pretty close right now.

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Today's casualty. I smoked my freebie 4-1/2" grinder . Boy did the smoke roll, thought it was on fire, I never smoked an electric motor this bad before. oh well, it came free with something I bought a year or 2 ago and I have abused it pretty badly so no big loss. Here's her "retirement" pic.

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And her replacement. A 10 amp Dewalt that set the budget back a Benjamin.

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[69dieselfreak]

front and rear axle alinment is nessary

 

[tonkadoctor]

Cut the end of the frame off at 39'9". This leaves me just enough room for a 2"x4" reqtangular steel tube bumper I'm going to install oval LED tail lights in and 1" for a tail light guard and brackets for the pin on ramps to take it to the full 40'0"..... Might have to grind off a hair to leave room for paint

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Cut one side of the actual 8 degree beavertail portion of the drop frame. Loading height to the top of the rear bumper is only 19.25"

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[sle2115]

Wish I was closer!!! After stretching my truck frame, I've been kind of bored for the last year or so! Coming along nicely, gonna be a cool truck! I can get paint thickness specs from dad if you want to know how much room you need to leave!

I moved my axle back 14" and built the dump portions of my bed. Once it was all done, I took it in and had my buddy check it out on the alignment rack. It's was less than 1/16" off, he said "hell, the spring-eye bushings could be out that far!" It tracks nice and everystuff, so I'm pretty happy with it! I gotta work on getting the bed angle higher in the dump stage. I had to swap out the cylinder and I lost about an inch of lift, which equates to a substantial amount on dump angle. May just move the hoist back, would be easy to do. Sounds like another summer project!

 

[Russ]

Mike you may be asking for trouble cutting it that close. Might want to get a "certified" tape measure for when the D.O.T. wants to check your OAL. Looks purty though.

 

[tonkadoctor]

Get on down here SLE, 67F and sunny today. I can put cha to woik but it don't pay well


Gary, Trouble is my middle name I have a an inch to play when the 2" x 4" rear bumper goes on.

The tail lights can extend beyond 40'..... they will actually be about 39' 9-1/4", tail light guards will make from 1/4" x 1" flat bar so I don't damage them accidently putting on the ramps and will build them into the ramp brackets and the brackets for the ramps are an excluded device as is the stinger hitch which I will be able to tuck into the bumper when empty. The stinger I am allowed to run out up to 4' as overhang when I have a load that has up to 4' of overhang

Bed width will be 102" at the edge of the rails. Again lights and reflectors are excluded as are the straps and hooks used to secure the load.




Highlited in Red Bold are exclusions that apply to my build. Straight from the FMCSA

§658.16 Exclusions from length and width determinations.

(a) Vehicle components not excluded by law or regulation shall be included in the measurement of the length and width of commercial motor vehicles.

(b) The following shall be excluded from either the measured length or width of commercial motor vehicles, as applicable:

(b)(1) Rear view mirrors, turn signal lamps, handholds for cab entry/ egress, splash and spray suppressant devices, load induced tire bulge;

(b)(2) All non-property-carrying devices, or components thereof-

(b)(2)(i) At the front of a semitrailer or trailer, or

(b)(2)(ii) That do not extend more than 3 inches beyond each side or the rear of the vehicle, or

(b)(2)(iii) That do not extend more than 24 inches beyond the rear of the vehicle and are needed for loading or unloading, or

(b)(2)(vi) Listed in appendix D to this part;

 

[h2odrx]

It always helps to know the rules! sweet looking rig!

 

[tonkadoctor]

It always helps to know the rules! sweet looking rig!

Thank you. When building something like this you have to And when building something that is pushing the limits because you need every fraction of an inch you need to keep your head buried in the rules and plan out everything.

 

[apextrans]

All I can say is ......holy ****.

 

[Freightrain]

Ya, this is quite a project. Really impressed with all the legwork you've done and the craftsmanship so far.