Texas Style Sleeper

[bentleytech1]

I keep reading about Tx. Style Sleepers, and understand the concept. This would certainly lower the "cost of entry" into expediting, but I still have questions:
1. If done correctly (DOT Specs) are these accepted by most major expediting carriers?

2. Why don't more people do this??

3. Does anyone know who or where I could get the "connection", or collar that would go between the cab and the box?

4. Does anyone know who or where I could get the holes cut and the collar installed?

thanks for all of the help!!!

 

[greg334]

1. If done correctly (DOT Specs) are these accepted by most major expediting carriers?

Not to sound cruel but what do you think a "texas style sleeper" actually is?

2. Why don't more people do this??

See #1 answer

3. Does anyone know who or where I could get the "connection", or collar that would go between the cab and the box?

It is called a gasket, and any Pete dealer will have them in stock. They make them with a steel finger stock to hold the gasket to the surface of the flange that goes on the cab which rust out and cause most of the leaks. The flange is 1/4 steel cut (some are cheap and welded together) which go onto the cab.

4. Does anyone know who or where I could get the holes cut and the collar installed?

Any good body shop can do the work.

 

[bentleytech1]

I thought it was a sleeper that is built in the front of a "box" a new bulkhead installed to separate it from the freight. Say take a 26' box, and 6' from the front wall, put in a bulkhead, then add bed, cabinets, fridge, and cut the hole through front of the box and through the back wall of the cab, and install the Collar.

A little insulation, son RV windows, and perhaps a door, maybe some cabinets, and poof....an inexpensive sleeper.

 

[tbcabs]

I had texas sleeper built into our old straight truck. If that is what you are looking for All American sleepers in Tampa, Florida can do it the right way. If i remember the cost was about 10 grand. We had it hooked into our financing. The bulkhead had to be put in by a DOT approved sleeper company for it to be legal. The walk through also has to be done by a DOT approved company. You will not be able to haul hazmat either.

 

[bentleytech1]

Good Info....thank you! I am however a little confused about the Haz-Mat issue. YOu said that with a sleper set up that way, you can't haul Haz-Mat. How do Vans haul Haz-Mat without a bulkhead at all ??

 

[tbcabs]

I take back the hazmat rule...There are only certian types of hazmat that you can haul... like paint, gas shocks. You cant haul explosives or medical waste... that kinda stuff

 

[Kip life]

Good info

 

[BigStickJr]

The previous post is a few days shy of being 7 years old.

And still good info.

A lot can be learned by reading old threads.

 

[terryandrene]

This topic piques my interest because, as a former safety related inspector, I observed many unsafe issues external, but proximate, to a sleeper compartment. First of all, regarding the 7 year old comments above, There is no mention of sleepers or sleeper compartments in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) discusses specific issues related to the construction or make-up of sleeper compartments in section 393.76. Neither of these pertinent publications requires a sleeper compartment to be constructed by a DOT approved manufacturer.

The most common defect I noted was faulty air bags on an air-ride compartment and exhaust leaks under the sleeper compartment. An owner who is going to construct a sleeper in the cargo box, may have to extended it so that it terminates aft of the compartment. Also, you may not use a portable heater in that compartment when occupied.

I never entered a driver's sleeper compartment but, based on comments in the EO forums, many drivers are using prohibited heaters in their trucks and sleepers. See 393.77

 

[BigStickJr]

The gasket is more commonly called a boot.
The regs you’d need to are safety restraints and such.
Don’t forget a carbon monoxide detector.
And make the wall between you and the freight strong enough to keep the freight out of the bedroom. And make it air tight.

 

[RoadTime]

This topic piques my interest because, as a former safety related inspector, I observed many unsafe issues external, but proximate, to a sleeper compartment. First of all, regarding the 7 year old comments above, There is no mention of sleepers or sleeper compartments in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) discusses specific issues related to the construction or make-up of sleeper compartments in section 393.76. Neither of these pertinent publications requires a sleeper compartment to be constructed by a DOT approved manufacturer.

The most common defect I noted was faulty air bags on an air-ride compartment and exhaust leaks under the sleeper compartment. An owner who is going to construct a sleeper in the cargo box, may have to extended it so that it terminates aft of the compartment. Also, you may not use a portable heater in that compartment when occupied.

I never entered a driver's sleeper compartment but, based on comments in the EO forums, many drivers are using prohibited heaters in their trucks and sleepers. See 393.77

After reading over the regs, I have a question about the Occupant restraint.

A motor vehicle manufactured on or after July 1, 1971, and equipped with a sleeper berth must be equipped with a means of preventing ejection of the occupant of the sleeper berth during deceleration of the vehicle. The restraint system must be designed, installed, and maintained to withstand a minimum total force of 6,000 pounds applied toward the front of the vehicle and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

Does this rule apply regardless if truck is solely being used in a solo operation?

 

[terryandrene]

Roadtime. The rule does not apply to a solo driven vehicle because it would not be in motion while the driver occupies the sleeper. It would apply if the vehicle had a guest who used the sleeper while underway.

 

[BigStickJr]

Following that logic, would a passenger seat require a seat belt in a solo operation ?

 

[terryandrene]

BigStick, We'd have to check the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) to answer that question; however, one of the items that is, or should be, checked during a Level I inspection is the condition and operation of each of the seat belts in the power unit. So, my off-the-cuff answer is yes, if you have two seats, you need two functioning seat belts.

 

[BigStickJr]

Terry, I didn’t want to question your reply to the bunk restraint issue, but unless the regs differentiated between a solo and team operation, I would think the restraint would be required in all the affected trucks.
Common sense? No.
Chance of a solo being cited ? Very low.
I always carried mine. Kept it good condition and accessible. Knew an idiot could write me up. If he was an idiot.

On the upside, after a tint violation, and a warning for tint, I used your advice and got clear tint on my last truck. Every trip across a dessert I thought I should thank Terry for turning me on to clear tint.
So, thanks.

 

[terryandrene]

Your Welcome. For anyone lurking here. 393 of the FMCSA says, in effect, that a CMV windows to the left and right of the driver must allow 75% of the ambient light under normal conditions, to pass through. Every truck that I checked with a tint meter showed a daylight pass-through of about 75%. Therefore, any tint applied would cause a non-compliant condition. BigStick is referring to a clear tint that blocks the harmful UV rays from entering the windows.

 

[BigStickJr]

The heat reduction was astronomical. I had never heard of it prior to Terry talking about it.
And wouldn’t believe how well it worked w/o experiencing it.
To have tint and loose no visibility was important to an old geezer.

 

[RoadTime]

The heat reduction was astronomical. I had never heard of it prior to Terry talking about it.
And wouldn’t believe how well it worked w/o experiencing it.
To have tint and loose no visibility was important to an old geezer.

Sounds interesting.
Is this clear tint something you can get and do your self, or need to take it somewhere to be done?

 

[Moot]

My Transit has tall side windows. I would be interested in hearing more about this product from Terry and Stick. A quick Google search came up with these two products.

3M™ Automotive Window Film Crystalline Series | 3M United States

Clear Window Tint| LLumar

 

[BigStickJr]

We used the 3M product.
Had it professionally installed.
You didn’t even notice it was there.
We spent a lot of time in Az and Southern Ca.
We used to put a cloth on our left arm and leg because the sun was so hot.
That was a thing of the past.
When Terry first spoke of clear tint I thought he was pulling my leg.
It’s the real deal.