Truck Ideas

[Djcoak]

Hello. I did some posting in the newbies forum but I think the comvo has changed more that it would fit better here. Let me introduce myself:

My name is Dave and I am currently in the USAF and have been for the last 18 years. With my retirement time from uncle sam is approaching in two years I have looked into what I plan to do when I get out. I'll only be 37 and have a whole other life in front of me. I decided out of smarts or insanity to get into trucking. I got my CDL last year and in march bought a 2001 Volvo 770 and leased it out and hired a driver. Unfortunatly, I deviated from my business plan and went belly up, but I learned a ton in the process. I plan to get into the Expedite freight side of things after riding with my Uncle and seeing how things operate. I am very free thinking I guess you could say and don't like the mind set many OTR truckers seem to have. Expedite seems to have alot more free thinkers in it and thats where I want to be. I plan to drive for awhile but eventually own my own trucks and hire them out.

So that leaves me to my question. I was thinking why not get a nice unit like a International 4300 with a sleeper and fifth wheel a 24' pup? Seems like this would get around alot of regulations and give someone the best of both worlds. I am a sponge...... all I want is info so let me have it!!!!!

Dave

 

[Doggie Daddy]

>
>So that leaves me to my question. I was thinking why not
>get a nice unit like a International 4300 with a sleeper and
>fifth wheel a 24' pup? Seems like this would get around
>alot of regulations and give someone the best of both
>worlds. I am a sponge...... all I want is info so let me
>have it!!!!!
>
>Dave


this subject has been discussed before on this forum,the creating of what could be a super D unit.i am just curious though, what kind of regulations do you think you will be getting around? DD.

 

[Djcoak]

Well I am guessing you would not be limited to the 40' rule for a straight truck.

 

[Doggie Daddy]

>Well I am guessing you would not be limited to the 40' rule
>for a straight truck.


well you are correct on that, the downside is that you are now driving a combination vehicle and need a class A cdl. DD.

 

[Djcoak]

No problem as I have a class A CDL =)

 

[Tennesseahawk]

Dj... I am looking at the same option. The way I look at it, there aren't enough bargain straight trucks. I wouldn't mind driving a tractor, but I hate 53'ers. I'm thinking of something 20' less. It's tougher to dock, but way better for street driving. And cances are, you'll make quite a few E loads.

 

[Glen Rice]

Great question and thinking outside the box is my specialty! My perfect truck would be a Class 8 truck with oh, lets say 20 foot of sleeper and then put that 27 foot pup out back of course it should be a reefer unit and you can team with your wife and net well over 100,000.00 dollars a year and live like a king! The down side besides the cost would be you don't avoid any regulations, and as far as the 40 foot rule, you missed that because you are now a combination vehicle. You would depending on state restrictions be in the 60 foot plus category! Yahoo! Now where talking a really cool expeditor! Let me know when you're ready to start this project and the group will help you build the "Ultimate Super "D".

 

[Djcoak]

Yeah that is what I would love, a nice truck maybe a international 8600 with a 120" or so custom sleeper and a nice pup on the back. Going to be a little while before I actually buy it as I am in rebuild mode but I think it would be really neat and will be fun to research. Now, would you build a custom rig or get a used class 8, say maybe a Volvo or KW? Also would companies be interested in using a truck like this?

 

[RichM]

There is a couple out of Alabama that operate a single axle Sterling tractor and pull a reefer pup but they are considered a D unit with FDXCC.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

DJ, I brought up the idea with the ppl at Express-1, and they have no probs. I doubt anyone would as anyway you look at it, it would be a money maker.
If you're looking for a truck, check out www.truckpaper.com
There are tons of trucks there, and you could find something dirt cheap in any name. Good luck, and let me know what you decide.

T-Hawk

 

[Djcoak]

Thanx. I have looked at truck paper alot of time and they have some decent deals there. I still have to decide what kind of truck I want to get...but I'll keep ya all up to date!

 

[gambler]

hell if there was away to get around w/b to allow say 120 or bigger sleepers plus a 22/24 ft box or? think of the amount of h/w teams who would enjoy trucking. ##### i would buy nothing but those type units. hell id love to run a class 8 str8 with a 24 ft box and say a 168 inch sleeper. full bath full bedroom kitchen and like a "lounge" hell then i would just need a post office box. lol seriously think of how many more "families" would be willing to get into this business. would make turning radius a though. ...unless you went with a "pup" type setup

 

[Djcoak]

Isn't a pup set up what we are talking about????

 

[LDB]

I have thought a lot about doing such a truck. One of my thoughts was to partition off about 5' at the nose to make a 'garage' to store a motorcycle as well as tool box etc. for when I'm stopped somewhere and want to see the sights. That would still leave a 23' box out of the 28' pup.

I've also wondered about doing it using an Argosy with the swing out stairs to the cab. That would give an overall length not too much over 40' but not the most gigantic of sleeper areas. I think it's 110" total length including the driver area but still a pretty decent sleeper of about 80" or so. I think that would be an interesting rig.

Leo
truck 767

Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[Djcoak]

Yes it would and the nice thing is you can pick up an Argosy for next to nothing. But you're right the sleeper is pretty small.

Heck 5' you could put a small car in there!

 

[LTM]

Hi everyone,

My wife and I were in the business from late 99 to late 2000.
We did the "share cropper thing "for a truck owner, driving one of his big D units. Poor economy, illness in family and my military reserve obligations caused us to leave the business.

Recently I have been catching up on expediter issues here on the EO site. Back when I was driving I was thinking about the posssibility of having a tractor with a really nice sleeper and pulling a pup . But, for some reason I thought that the "Big 5 " as some one called them a few weeks back ,would only let you pull a 48 or a 53 footer preferably company owned.

Another idea I have come across and others may have also is a "super B unit" using a fun mover type motor home with the cargo space on the rear. Most folks use them for 4 wheeler and motorcycle hauling. ttp://www.crestwoodrv.com/funmover.htm

PS what ever happen to Joe Roman? Did both his websites die out?

 

[Djcoak]

Thats a neat idea but I doubt it would haul the heavier weights nor is it dock height which would hurt ya.

(Edited: I stand corrected I didn't see the 39C unit. THat is sort of a concept I would love to have. I wonder if the 16' gets any less loads than the 24? Did you see the prices on these things WOW)

 

[Djcoak]

>Hi everyone,
>
>My wife and I were in the business from late 99 to late
>2000.
>We did the "share cropper thing "for a truck owner, driving
>one of his big D units. Poor economy, illness in family and
>my military reserve obligations caused us to leave the
>business.
>
>Recently I have been catching up on expediter issues here on
>the EO site. Back when I was driving I was thinking about
>the posssibility of having a tractor with a really nice
>sleeper and pulling a pup . But, for some reason I thought
>that the "Big 5 " as some one called them a few weeks back
>,would only let you pull a 48 or a 53 footer preferably
>company owned.
>
>Another idea I have come across and others may have also is
>a "super B unit" using a fun mover type motor home with the
>cargo space on the rear. Most folks use them for 4 wheeler
>and motorcycle hauling.
>ttp://www.crestwoodrv.com/funmover.htm
>
>PS what ever happen to Joe Roman? Did both his websites die
>out?

I have actually been doing some research on this unit and it's a pretty good option. It's almost exactly what I had in mind if I went without the pup option. It does offer almost 10,000 lbs in freight capacity although only 13.5 ft of space. Not sure how much difference that would make but I guess it comes down to what you want more. Capacity or comfort. NOW I wonder if you could add a trailer to the unit to make up for the lack of space. Not a pup but a nice trailer unit. If I went this option I would however get rid of some options such as the awning and top observation deck and anything else to reduce weight.

One thing I wonder is since it looks like an RV if you could use it at camp grounds and have a quieter stay than at truck stops.

 

[rode2rouen]

A customer that frequents the Ford truck dealership where I used to work has an F650 Funmover that hauls around his son's racing go karts and related stuff. The set up is very similar to the unit in the photos from the website, with the fold down lift gate,etc. This particular unit has a Cummins ISB with an Allison automatic behind it.
For recreational use, it seemed to be fit for the job. For expediting use I think it would lack the long-term durability needed for day to day freight hauling.

Just my $.02

Rex

 

[Djcoak]

I might agree if it was doing delivery work but with that engine.tranny combo I think it could easily handle being driven on the open road, after all thats what RV's are built to do. I know a guy who have a minnie winnie and he puts on almost as many miles a years as most truck drivers and seems to have a good unit.