Expandabile Van Drivability

[bob599]

Just curious about how the weight of the more than 9,000lb box effects diving a 5 ton. I am looking at either a normal tractor with a 109 box or doing a crew cab with a expando van box. I have driven 5 tons before and thought they were fine but I was concerned with all that extra weight up so high in off road scenarios. Nothing to extreeme but some slight off camber fire roads. Also does acceleration and highway speed become a problem?

To save weight on the expando I was thinking of ditching the expanding part. Eliminating quite a bit of weight. It would be much better for me to just pull into the camp site and not have to expand the box, and I don't need the space anyway.

 

[98G]

It makes a big difference. The 934s are noticeably different from the cargo trucks.

The tractor ' s short wheelbase also makes a huge improvement in driveability compared to the cargo trucks.

 

[smurph]

My 934 drives like a dream. The extra weight actually makes it a comfortable ride as compared to a cargo or tractor. I have put my 934 in some extreme positions off road. I came out of a place the other day that had people scratching their head wondering how I did it! I'm sure there is a point at which the van box becomes a disadvantage, but I will never reach it! HOWEVER... a crew cab with an expando box will have the turning radius of the Exxon Valdez!!!

As to the acceleration, yes, you notice that there is a box back there. The truck weighs 28,000 lbs. And my NHC-250 can smell a hill coming 2 miles away, it seems. But on flat ground, it will do 60 MPH all day long. But... the longer I have had the truck, the better I can drive it. I have learned how to make the most of the power. Meaning the floorboard is not always the best place for the fuel pedal with the NHC-250.

If you gut the expanding sides, the weight saved will only be the side floors and ceilings. Probably 1000 lbs savings?

 

[Floridianson]

If some kind of military truck camper is what you want I would stay away from the EXP. I also would also stay away from the 109 boxes as by the time you deal with all the rust that is behind the fiberglass insulation in the walls and roof you will still have small little box. Yes I have driven the M820 and glad I striped the box off and made a ground shop. I would think looking at a cargo truck and remove the bed or build or replace with something already made as a camper or a box that will be bigger and water tight plus lighter than any EXP. To me having something that could slide out of a cargo bed would then make the truck even more use full as if you had to live in the wild you could drop the camper on the ground and still have a cargo truck.
I have 4 EXP. Two are on the semi trailers and one has a lift gate I use for tire storage. Now stop to think about one for a camper. The center of the box is the only place you can build something like stove or bathroom attached to the floor and when you do move the box you have to put stuff outside so you can move around inside to close the sides. Stay away from EXP as a camper or a sail boat that eats fuel.

 

[prholley]

My 934 drives like a dream. The extra weight actually makes it a comfortable ride as compared to a cargo or tractor. I have put my 934 in some extreme positions off road. I came out of a place the other day that had people scratching their head wondering how I did it! I'm sure there is a point at which the van box becomes a disadvantage, but I will never reach it! HOWEVER... a crew cab with an expando box will have the turning radius of the Exxon Valdez!!!

As to the acceleration, yes, you notice that there is a box back there. The truck weighs 28,000 lbs. And my NHC-250 can smell a hill coming 2 miles away, it seems. But on flat ground, it will do 60 MPH all day long. But... the longer I have had the truck, the better I can drive it. I have learned how to make the most of the power. Meaning the floorboard is not always the best place for the fuel pedal with the NHC-250.

If you gut the expanding sides, the weight saved will only be the side floors and ceilings. Probably 1000 lbs savings?

Being that this crew cab is based off a 934 chassis, how do you think it drives with a cargo bed? I've been looking at this truck for a while, just concerned with turning/handling of the long chassis. Any advice is appreciated from someone with 934 experience.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/26196664533...%2cext=ext&srcrot=e11010.m1951.l3160&rvr_id=0

 

[98G]

Wheelbase makes more of a difference than you'd think. If you set the cargo truck as baseline, the M934 is quite a bit less nimble, and the M931 quite a bit more nimble.

As an example I frequently squeeze my cargo trucks into a regular parking place without too much difficulty, just a little hanging out the front. The M931A2 in the pic next to the minivan fits with ease, and an M934 wouldn't work....

 

[98G]

The M934A1 is enormous in comparison to my M925 in tow behind it...

 

[VPed]

Being that this crew cab is based off a 934 chassis, how do you think it drives with a cargo bed? I've been looking at this truck for a while, just concerned with turning/handling of the long chassis. Any advice is appreciated from someone with 934 experience.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/26196664533...%2cext=ext&srcrot=e11010.m1951.l3160&rvr_id=0

My truck was originally a 934 and retrofitted with a cargo bed. It takes acres to turn around. Off-roading, I find myself often driving over stuff than around. Of course, this is in the desert where not much of any size exists that cannot be driven over. Trees and such, not so much. Another problem is the long overhang off the back. I drag the pintle regularly. The pintle can take quite a bit, the glad hands cannot.

I have wanted a camper box for the back and would probably lop a few feet off of the overhang if I cobble something together.

 

[JohnnyBM931A2]

The M934A1 is enormous in comparison to my M925 in tow behind it...

WOW.. Thank you for posting that picture. I'm going to sound like an idiot here, but I always thought that all of these trucks had the same wheelbase.. I just figured they changed around the stuff that was mounted on the back to configure them into specific models.

 

[wreckerman893]

Not only does it have a longer wheelbase the frame is reinforced in the center which adds a lot of weight but gives it a lot more strength.
The M927, M928, M934 and the M936 wrecker all have the double frame.
I put a shorter bed on my M927A2 and put a 5th wheel behind the bed so I could pull my van trailer........this requires a lot of forethought about where you are going drive.
It takes a big area to turn around in.

 

[61sleepercab]

The wheel base of a M925 and a longer M934 is only about a foot longer. Sure the tractor trucks will turn tighter but you have a chopper ride with a short truck. I have a crew cab Chevy truck and it rides better but takes a country mile to turn as the wheel base is 4 feet longer.
If you want a different camper/ truck combo, what about a Deuce or 5 ton pulling a Mkt trailer? You could set up a pop up camper in the center section. Mark

 

[VPed]

I think it is 3 ft. longer, if memory serves. The tractors and dump truck are 1 ft. shorter than the cargo and turn significantly tighter due to that.

 

[JohnnyBM931A2]

Thanks for the info guys.. You learn something new everyday

 

[VPed]

M923AX turning radius = 40.8 feet. M934AX TR = 47.2 feet. (15.7 % more). M931AX TR = 39.2 (4.3% less). Times two for turning diameter. I can tell you I have trouble in large perking lots with my long truck. You cannot just pull in to a spot by making a single 90 degree turn if other spaces nearby are occupied. It sometimes feels like the scene from the first Austin Powers movie where he is driving the little electric cart in the corridor.

 

[Suprman]

With a rear view cam installed and some better convex mirrors they are easier to maneuver. Its not made to go fast you can feel side wind on the highway. The M931 tractor is by far easier to drive and park. With my M1078 I can do a u-turn in a wide road.

 

[Floridianson]

I still think a cargo truck with something built in the bed that could be removed and then you have ground house plus a cargo truck. Know it would be heavy but something like the camper that goes in the bed of a pickup that you jacked up and drove away from the camper.
Agreed on the side wind just hope it is not a real strong one.

 

[Suprman]

Im greedy I need one of each

 

[98G]

I'm with James on this one... the be -all and end-all of 5ton trucks: an M931 or m932 with a 10' cut down cargo bed and a removable camper based on a 10' conex container or something similar....

 

[Floridianson]

Im greedy I need one of each

Yea me too and that is why my yard looks like a military base. The only problem is so much to maintain.
Don't get me wrong the EXP is a cool truck /box and it can be taken off the truck, placed on the ground and towed around. I just think it would be a little harder to make it into a real cool camper. With the front overhang you could not put the bathroom to the front of the box. The galley would have to be in the middle of the box and sleeping would have to be fold downs.
Someone else said just tow a trailer behind that would also work. M939A2 series cargo and a trailer/home on wheels.

 

[DocPA]

like this