ARI's New High-Rise Package With Walk-Through Sleeper Opening

ATeam · Aug 23, 2012

While at ARI today (ARI Legacy Sleepers, Shipshewana, Ind.), Diane and I saw one of their new high-rise sleepers under construction. They debuted their new design at the Mid-America Trucking Show (Louisville) this year. It has been a long time coming but ARI is now building walk-through sleepers like other custom sleeper manufacturers have been doing for a while. Traditional designs remain available.

The selling point of high-rise cabs with walk-through sleepers is that you can fully stand up in the cab and walk straight into the sleeper without having to duck to get through the sleeper entrance.

ARI is quick to point out that unlike the old Bentz Transport Products integrated sleeper design and the current Bolt design, ARI's walk-through sleeper is not attached directly to the cab. They said they stuck with a booted sleeper so old sleepers can be transferred to new trucks and to preserve the sleeper customization flexibility that gets lost when the sleeper is attached directly to the cab.

At present, only Volvo day cabs are being converted. Engineering is underway to build ARI walk-through sleepers on Freightliner and Kenworth cabs in the near future.

These Volvo's have been a hot item. Eight have been built and sold so far. The Volvo dealer that stocks them (McKenna, Des Moines) moves them quickly off the lot and now has some on back order. The one we saw being built is already sold.

In the words of ARI sales manager John Miller, "We have a winner."

ChanceMaster · Aug 23, 2012

Thanks for the pictures, I now have "sleeper envy " ! Would you happen to know if you can get a Volvo cab with a Detroit Diesel engine ? Thanks again for the informative post.

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zorry · Aug 23, 2012

No Detroit option available.
That walkthru is a $5200 option but just add it ti the price of the package.

ChanceMaster · Aug 23, 2012

Thanks Zorry. Great looking truck. Could host a dinner party in there.

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davekc · Aug 23, 2012

At the price I am paying for new trucks I really like the concept.

ohiomike08 · Aug 23, 2012

Put a 14ft box on that and your all set!

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zorry · Aug 23, 2012

I'd suggest anyone shopping in the near future stop by and see Jim at ARI.
Love my new Volvo. If I were building a truck today I think I could build a Volvo that could match,if not beat,a Detroit's fuel economy.
I love Detroits. Had them in two new Volvo's and tried to put one in a new Pete but was 30 days too late.
This roof option should open up the Volvo entry into expediting. At least in the C segment.

Slacktide · Aug 23, 2012

Looks like a leak waiting to happen to me. The small boot is one thing, but now they are making right angles and transitions. IMHO that makes it more prone to leaks. Having seen the flex on many a truck while driving down the road I will stand behind a fully integrated cab/sleeper over any boot design (especially one that large and complex).

The truck pictured looks pieced together in that the walk through was an after thought. I can only imagine what a wind tunnel test would show compared to the new Bolt design.

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zorry · Aug 23, 2012

The problem with the ARI is that it is such high quality people tend to move them to a new Chassis after five or six years.

Phil,would your ARI be cabable of going another five years if put on a new chassis ?
Thanks for the pics.
Haven't had to go back to ARI. No issues. Nothing to "tweak."

Slacktide · Aug 23, 2012

zorry said:
The problem with the ARI is that it is such high quality people tend to move them to a new Chassis after five or six years.

Phil,would your ARI be cabable of going another five years if put on a new chassis ?
Thanks for the pics.
Haven't had to go back to ARI. No issues. Nothing to "tweak."

Havn't been back to Bolt nor Bentz for anything but additions we wanted, not for issues or "tweaks" with the product (8 years and counting).

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purgoose10 · Aug 23, 2012

ohiomike08 said:
Put a 14ft box on that and your all set!

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That's a good idea but the 14' box has a C/Van rate and that won't support that rig. I still like that.
anyway to see the inside???

jimby82 · Aug 23, 2012

purgoose10 said:
That's a good idea but the 14' box has a C/Van rate and that won't support that rig. I still like that.
anyway to see the inside???

You might be surprised about that. We've seen several fully decked out WG/TVAL"C" trucks with sleepers that appeared larger than the box.

Phil's truck is a "C". Probably 85-90% of the TVAL freight we haul would fit in a 14' box.

zorry · Aug 23, 2012

Slacktide said:
Havn't been back to Bolt nor Bentz for anything but additions we wanted, not for issues or "tweaks" with the product (8 years and counting).

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Great to hear you've had such great luck with your Bentz.
We drove an 05 or 07 Bentz for a few months last year and were impressed.
Do you believe you would have the same luck with a new Bolt ?

ATeam · Aug 23, 2012

zorry said:
The problem with the ARI is that it is such high quality people tend to move them to a new Chassis after five or six years.

Phil,would your ARI be cabable of going another five years if put on a new chassis ?
Thanks for the pics.
Haven't had to go back to ARI. No issues. Nothing to "tweak."

Our sleeper could easily go another ten years if not more, on another truck if not our present one. The very first sleeper ARI ever built is still on the road. Normal wear and tear items would have to be replaced, just as they would on any sleeper that got up in years.

In many ways, a sleeper is a sleeper. Not long ago, Diane and I met a Landstar big-rig (Ranger) team who was older than dirt in the trucking industry. They had a Star sleeper on their truck. That brand came and went long ago and they bought one of the first. The truck we saw was the third truck that sleeper had been on. This team was on their third truck but their first custom-built sleeper was still going strong.