For a few years now I've been planning, on paper and in my head mostly. Converting a truck to be used as an RV hauler. With a growing family and larger RV's now available, I've been looking at using one of the big boy's. Freightliner, Kenworth, Peterbilt or a Volvo as a replacement for the F350. My intent is for the longer summer vacation trips a few years down the road when the boys get a tad older. Local trips taking two vehicles isn't an issue so much but driving around for a few weeks will get kinda silly.
I'm hooked on trailer's although with a purpose built rig, a motor coach isn't much different. None the less I'm moving forward with a truck trailer combo.
Today the wife said in a passing sentence, after the house is done and I have a new car I don't care so long as it's 4 wheel drive. Well that was the fork that set me down this path. Considering the truck I was aimed to build was from a standard over the road truck. Front wheel drive isn't an option, at least not without modification. I already planned to stretch or blend the cab's to hold three rows of seats, 4 buckets and a bench. However adding a front drive train is significant.
Now I realize there are commercial outfits that do this at a price, there are also commercial outfit that will stretch a F550 as well. In the end I'm a DIY guy and the cost those outfits charge put's my project budget way out of range.
This inevitably brought me back to the military trucks.
For me there are two default trucks that fit the starting bill, M916A2 and M931A2. That is going with the intent not to replace the motor and trans, keep the stock drive line and modify the truck. If I come to the decision that those drive lines won't meet my needs and replacement is necessary. Than I might just default back to my dream of using a M920 or M916. I'd like to hang with interstate traffic, however RV's really shouldn't be towed above 65 mph, at least that's my opinion.
Most will require frame stretch which I will outsource. I will also bob the truck and build a tail-end hauler box. However with the front driveline and the use of larger tires, the hauler box will cover just the sides of the frame as the 5th wheel won't be lifted.
The M931A2's have been going pretty cheap and the truck is something I'm familiar with, however the M916A2 are something that will look better without wearing green. They are extremely hard to find though.
Not really any intent for this post other than to get opinions. Not dead set on a Military truck, I'm watch truck trader and local sources, however there is something comfortable about former military equipment. Then again I'm nuts as it is.
Cheers and Happy New Year!
I'm hooked on trailer's although with a purpose built rig, a motor coach isn't much different. None the less I'm moving forward with a truck trailer combo.
Today the wife said in a passing sentence, after the house is done and I have a new car I don't care so long as it's 4 wheel drive. Well that was the fork that set me down this path. Considering the truck I was aimed to build was from a standard over the road truck. Front wheel drive isn't an option, at least not without modification. I already planned to stretch or blend the cab's to hold three rows of seats, 4 buckets and a bench. However adding a front drive train is significant.
Now I realize there are commercial outfits that do this at a price, there are also commercial outfit that will stretch a F550 as well. In the end I'm a DIY guy and the cost those outfits charge put's my project budget way out of range.
This inevitably brought me back to the military trucks.
For me there are two default trucks that fit the starting bill, M916A2 and M931A2. That is going with the intent not to replace the motor and trans, keep the stock drive line and modify the truck. If I come to the decision that those drive lines won't meet my needs and replacement is necessary. Than I might just default back to my dream of using a M920 or M916. I'd like to hang with interstate traffic, however RV's really shouldn't be towed above 65 mph, at least that's my opinion.
Most will require frame stretch which I will outsource. I will also bob the truck and build a tail-end hauler box. However with the front driveline and the use of larger tires, the hauler box will cover just the sides of the frame as the 5th wheel won't be lifted.
The M931A2's have been going pretty cheap and the truck is something I'm familiar with, however the M916A2 are something that will look better without wearing green. They are extremely hard to find though.
Not really any intent for this post other than to get opinions. Not dead set on a Military truck, I'm watch truck trader and local sources, however there is something comfortable about former military equipment. Then again I'm nuts as it is.
Cheers and Happy New Year!
