Planning on buying a MTVR

[HopperChopper77]

Hello Everyone!

I have been reading the forms for a while, first time posting.

Just wanted to introduce myself, my name is Hopper.

Also wanted to say that I really appreciate the amount of documentation there is on this website of builds, repairs, upgrades, advice, ETC. It makes it so much easier to get the information you need when you need it, also it gives needed inspiration!

Along those lines I just wanted to make a post asking some advice, I'm a younger guy and I am planning on buying a 2008 MK23 and putting a shipping container-style home on it. I live in CA and the prices of living here are insane, and I can't take my home with me if I wanna move or go somewhere else for an extended period of time. It would be my dream to be able to live in a mostly off-grid home, built on the back of a sturdy MTVR. It looks like a few on here have done the same thing which I find awesome. My concerns are not the home itself but the MTVR, I have been trying to learn as much as I can about them, but I figured I would ask the people who actually own them.

Whats the Pros and Cons of owning an MTVR? What are some things you wish you knew before buying one? Is this the right rig for what I'm planning to do? How reliable are MK23s? Any advice is very welcome.

Thank you!
Hopper

 

[JonM934]

Welcome HopperChopper77,

Well, I am happy with mine - mostly. I did not pay anything near what it is worth so I guess I got a good deal. BUT I have fixed a lot of things. It is still not perfect but I am having fun doing it. One disadvantage is the MPG, not so great. Also parts are hard to find.

As far as reliability, I think the 7 Tons are many times more reliable than the 5 Tons. They are designed to go about a million miles before a major overhaul.

I know you want to put a house on the back but an option I was considering is purchasing a travel trailer and pulling it with the 7 Ton. The advantage of that is then you have all the plumbing, electrical, sewer, HVAC, framing, etc. done already. Yes, it can be a pain to drag a trailer all over but it is something to consider.

One advantage, the truck is easy to drive. It seems to be like a normal pickup - just a little bit longer and taller.

 

[HopperChopper77]

Welcome HopperChopper77,

Well, I am happy with mine - mostly. I did not pay anything near what it is worth so I guess I got a good deal. BUT I have fixed a lot of things. It is still not perfect but I am having fun doing it. One disadvantage is the MPG, not so great. Also parts are hard to find.

As far as reliability, I think the 7 Tons are many times more reliable than the 5 Tons. They are designed to go about a million miles before a major overhaul.

I know you want to put a house on the back but an option I was considering is purchasing a travel trailer and pulling it with the 7 Ton. The advantage of that is then you have all the plumbing, electrical, sewer, HVAC, framing, etc. done already. Yes, it can be a pain to drag a trailer all over but it is something to consider.

One advantage, the truck is easy to drive. It seems to be like a normal pickup - just a little bit longer and taller.

Oh sweet! that's good to hear they are easy to drive. I grew up with a father who drove a truck so I'm pretty comfortable in bigger rigs. Yeah, i have heard the MPG is not great. What do you average?

And yeah I am still weighing out a trailer or building a house on it. Both would be decent options but I think I would have more options and more roads available if I built the house on it. But well see how it goes, I need to focus on getting the MTVR and getting it in Tip-Top shape.

Super glad to hear they are reliable, I'm willing to fork out a few extra grand for a stronger and more reliable vehicle.

I really enjoy working on vehicles and have all the tools need as I repair and work on all my family's rigs.

I have heard parts are hard to find as you said. Are there any good resources that I can keep on file for parts?

Thank you for your input I really appreciate it.

 

[Intel]

Welcome Hopper,
I myself am making mine into an off-road RV, tomorrow I pick up my container for it. Something to think about since I see your in CA , and so am I, is the new emissions laws. My MTVR is a 2002 and at the start of this year the new emissions take affect for it. That means if I were to register it in the state of CA as a commercial truck, the engine needs to either be converted to meet all the new emissions laws or a 2010 or newer engine needs to be dropped in it. That is why I will be registering it as a "house car" to be exempt from that law. Also I wont have to pay the weight fees. Keep in mind if you are thinking of a shipping container and not altering the height, it will put your vehicle at 14ft. and that's not counting if your going to put any solar on top which will raise it further a few inches. As Jon stated parts can be difficult to find but the group of guys on this forum have been extremely helpful. As for the MPG, I drive mine because its very enjoyable and not for the fuel economy. Hope this helped and didn't deter you.

 

[HopperChopper77]

Welcome Hopper,
I myself am making mine into an off-road RV, tomorrow I pick up my container for it. Something to think about since I see your in CA , and so am I, is the new emissions laws. My MTVR is a 2002 and at the start of this year the new emissions take affect for it. That means if I were to register it in the state of CA as a commercial truck, the engine needs to either be converted to meet all the new emissions laws or a 2010 or newer engine needs to be dropped in it. That is why I will be registering it as a "house car" to be exempt from that law. Also I wont have to pay the weight fees. Keep in mind if you are thinking of a shipping container and not altering the height, it will put your vehicle at 14ft. and that's not counting if your going to put any solar on top which will raise it further a few inches. As Jon stated parts can be difficult to find but the group of guys on this forum have been extremely helpful. As for the MPG, I drive mine because its very enjoyable and not for the fuel economy. Hope this helped and didn't deter you.

Ahh I was wondering if that would come up with registering it. That's good to know that I could register it that way. Have you done it yet? was it easy or kind of a challenge?

and yeah, I'm going to buy a 40ft container and use my plasma cutter and my welder and make a abomination Haha! My father and I have done quite a bit of fabrication so we got the tools and the means to chop it up until it fits. I am going to try and keep it to 13-13.5 with solar and anything else on the roof.

Also I heard that for every 3,700 pounds it drops the suspension 1 inch. It isn't much but can be considered. but I don't want to use that and then go under a overpass and hit a bump and smack the roof lol.

And yeah I'm not worried about MPG, I'm going to focus on the SPG! (Smiles Per Gallon) Just was wanting to see the range I can get with bigger tanks.

Thank you for replying! I appreciate it!

 

[Mullaney]

Ahh I was wondering if that would come up with registering it. That's good to know that I could register it that way. Have you done it yet? was it easy or kind of a challenge?

and yeah, I'm going to buy a 40ft container and use my plasma cutter and my welder and make a abomination Haha! My father and I have done quite a bit of fabrication so we got the tools and the means to chop it up until it fits. I am going to try and keep it to 13-13.5 with solar and anything else on the roof.

Also I heard that for every 3,700 pounds it drops the suspension 1 inch. It isn't much but can be considered. but I don't want to use that and then go under a overpass and hit a bump and smack the roof lol.

And yeah I'm not worried about MPG, I'm going to focus on the SPG! (Smiles Per Gallon) Just was wanting to see the range I can get with bigger tanks.

Thank you for replying! I appreciate it!

You mentioned cutting and welding a container... One of the guys (chucky) has a pretty good looking container. Has a cut / clip on the back so you don't drag on a railroad track etc. Pictures with the original container up to the painted piece. His "Build" thread is starting to show the interior installation now. Always nice to see what somebody else did.

CHUCKY'S TREE HOUSE !

Just put 5 gallons of 383 on my 1083 camper ! Mixed 4 part 383 1 part laquer thinner and it came out great .There was some concern with the Rapco being to glossy so i used 4 to 1 paint and laquer thinner shot it outside in 80 degree sunshine i shot 5 gallons and not 1 run and thats not because...

www.steelsoldiers.com

You could start your own build thread. From start to finish... That way the rest of us could admire your handiwork.

Tim
.

 

[MTVR]

A normal container on an MTVR is going to make it over 14 feet tall- that's one of the reasons why we ended up building our own box.

 

[HopperChopper77]

You mentioned cutting and welding a container... One of the guys (chucky) has a pretty good looking container. Has a cut / clip on the back so you don't drag on a railroad track etc. Pictures with the original container up to the painted piece. His "Build" thread is starting to show the interior installation now. Always nice to see what somebody else did...

CHUCKY'S TREE HOUSE !

Just put 5 gallons of 383 on my 1083 camper ! Mixed 4 part 383 1 part laquer thinner and it came out great .There was some concern with the Rapco being to glossy so i used 4 to 1 paint and laquer thinner shot it outside in 80 degree sunshine i shot 5 gallons and not 1 run and thats not because...

www.steelsoldiers.com

You could start your own build thread. From start to finish... That way the rest of us could admire your handiwork.

Tim
.

Thanks for replying and sending that thread, that build is awesome! Gets me excited.

If I can always remember to, I want to record my progress I make on the MTVR and put it on youtube. I see there are a few channels on youtube that are awesome!

 

[HopperChopper77]

A normal container on an MTVR is going to make it over 14 feet tall- that's one of the reasons why we ended up building our own box.

Yeah, I plan on chopping up the container with my plasma cutter and welding it all back together to what dimensions I want. I realize I will have to cut down the height to make it legal.

How did it go building it from the ground up? I want it to be relatively strong. I ain't going to be missing any trees with this sucker

 

[Mullaney]

Thanks for replying and sending that thread, that build is awesome! Gets me excited.

If I can always remember to, I want to record my progress I make on the MTVR and put it on youtube. I see there are a few channels on youtube that are awesome!

Thanks for the kind words. My stuff is wreckers and just plain big trucks.


I was really impressed with all that glossy wood on the interior on chucky's truck.
I keep thinking about a ride over the mountain one day - just to scope it out in person
.
Outside, Green.
Inside, sharp as a tack with all the comforts of home.
.

 

[MTVR]

Yeah, I plan on chopping up the container with my plasma cutter and welding it all back together to what dimensions I want. I realize I will have to cut down the height to make it legal.

How did it go building it from the ground up? I want it to be relatively strong. I ain't going to be missing any trees with this sucker

That was the point at which we decided the container wouldn't work for us, if we had to cut it all apart and weld it all back together to make it the right length and the right height.

Our design is 3/4" plywood sheathing inside and out, screwed and glued to 2x4 framing with a fantastically strong urethane construction adhesive everywhere that wood meets wood, and then encapsulated inside and out with multiple coats of marine-grade epoxy. We filled the stud bays with 3.5" thick R-24 rigid polyiso foam board, urethane foamed in place to make it airtight. It is airtight, waterproof, well-insulated, and very strong.