By the way, you can avoid the DEF and the "regen" crap if you don't mind buying a rig thats 07 or older. If you're looking to retire in 3 or so years, get your 07-older truck now. You can buy most of the older trucks fairly cheap if you are willing to put some time (and some cash) into it to fix it up the way you want it. A single rear axle can legally have 32,000# on the rear axle and the odds you'll have that much weight on the rear axle are remote at best even with a giant 5th wheel RV trailer and a small car on the back of your rig. If you are like me and you can weld/fabricate and do the mechanical work too, you'll have the rig of your dreams on retirement day for less (usually a lot less) then the cost of a new Ford/GMC Dually. Get the rig you like. Personally, I like the Volvo VNL series (stay away from the Mercedes engines. I've heard they can be trouble. Try to get one with the Cummins ISX) because they are smooth as glass on the road. Anyway, whatever you buy, go have fun with it. Thats what it's all about after all!
Such a good idea. And the cost of an older truck is cheap. You'll go through multiple duallies when you could have had a less expense mode of transportation with an HDT. The Volvo VNL seems to be the most common choice for pulling fifth wheels.
Good morning, just found you guys a couple weeks ago. I’m looking into what my first RV is going to be and have made no decisions yet either a super C or a rig like yours love to chat with you about it.
Watts On Wheels I thought it would be a lot more .Thanks, I guess you really need to be a full time to go with a HDT to justify the insurance cost I’m on the fence
Not always and I actually do not pay much more with my commercial policy, but I have been in business with a clean DOT record for a long time. Insurance costs very a lot from state to state.
Glad we could help. We are glad we made that choice. You should check out an HDT rally. They have seminars and are very informative. th-cam.com/video/EGsZpAj-lac/w-d-xo.html
in my 40 years of driving, most out there just cut you off. they do not want to be behind a rig. or have to wait for me while i am turning or worst..backing up. and i always get told i am number one.... but i thought it was supposed to be the index finger for this?
I love your videos. I finally found and bought a 2014 780. My wife is not all onboard with it but the first trip we make I think she will love the comfort and safety. I’ve been pulling a 2018 Jayco seismic toy hauler with a 2004 F350 Dually so I think she will certainly enjoy the air ride seats. We will see. Thanks again for all the information.
Your video of the tiny house a women and her Harley was very interesting good space the high ceilings made it feel good but I wonder what the trailer total weight was . That is definitely where your truck would handle it much better especially when stopping they didn't say if the trailer had brakes
Hi Karen & Dave, i was behind on the videos. I have a neck surgery last Monday. Great info, my husband whant a hdt but i was afraid of the size because my back. But extra steps sounds good.👌 God bless
Great video for the average joe, But I believe due to the weight being over 10k gvwr, if your writing of your travel expenses because of for your TH-cam channel or using it in a video to promote your youtube channel and receiving compensation in any form it's now considered a commercial vehicle even if the state says otherwise your crossing state lines. It's now federal law. Check into it before you get hammered with fines, back road use taxes, log book violations and such.
It's up to you, but do you really need all that brakes and traction for what is considered a very light load for the truck? It also means four more tires and brakes to replace, not to mention drive shaft, gears, shocks, air bags to have to be replaced and a lot more weight. ($$$). Single axle is plenty enough for the load we pull and is more cost effective and better fuel economy.
DO YOU HAVE A POINT WHERE A, FOR INSTANCE, AN F 450 IS ENOUGH TRUCK OR A HDT IS TOO MUCH TRUCK. I TOW A JAYCO 5'ER (10K GVWR) ON A GMC 2500 HD. ANY THOUGHTS?
At only 10K GVWR, I would think that a GMC 2500 HD would be fine. It also depends on where you want to travel and how much gear you want to bring adding weight If you are going up and down mountains with, say 15K in weight, you may want something bigger.
As long as the windshield on your bike is at 13'6" you will make it under a 13'6" bridge. The 13'6" In the sign is not the bridge height, it is there saying if your vehicle is over this size do not attempt to go underneath it. I believe a Volvo vnl 780 with 22.5 tires is 13' tall.
There is seating with seat belts on many HDTs. Ours will seat 4 with a dinette they can play at while traveling including a fridge and porta potty. (Depends on the model you choose).
Hi David. Thanks for watching. I have been tracking all our costs for several months now and will be posting a video this summer after I gather more information over time. I will show all the costs. Thanks for asking.
Per getting in and out of the truck, a truck can be setup for those in wheel chairs, The Ohio State University's Agri-bility program for farmers has a lot of ideas that can be used for a semi too. Per steps, have a fab shop make a swing out steps like the Freightliner Agrosy cabover has. Far easier to modify than a pickup for access.
It's great that those kinds of things can be made. I have a friend with MS and they have been looking into options for the wheelchair. Not needed yet for me...and this was a quick, much cheaper way for now. :)
I am a cdl holder..retired owner operator so I must inject to the pros an cons...it's a mistaken belief that those 400, 000 mile diesel particulate filter..def fluid aftertreatment systems aren't plagued with service issues...is why the carriers sell them prior to warranty expiration....Ive a 2011 international full height sleeper...has a transplanted pre dpf an def 1998 11.1 liter engine..is why the 06 an prior engines lack the reliability issues of later engines...are much more reliable an the only con is...doesnt have that diesel particulate filter creating unhealthy back pressure ...thus is loud. It's a manual 10 speed...much more reliable than the automatics you are referring to...and is a pitance to repair vs that automatic.. Purchasing an unknown history newer truck that fleets don't service at recommended intervals, their view is why the expense since we're selling it prior to the consequences of the neglect and this plus the low quality low pay drivers these fleets employ doesnt bode well for future reliability. You can get a 40 grand bill if that automatic tranny goes...even if under warranty ive seen Volvo weasel out of covering warranty repairs... One concern of using mine as an rv hauler for one is....some Walmarts and other businesses forbid larger ..class 8 rigs parking...dont know if theyd give a pass if its pulling an rv...Ive used google view to find loading dock side of businesses to park and walk to restaurants an such...an these arent always there.. As for better view of surroundings, open road forward yes but youve only your mirrors for rear view leaving significant blind spots, no rear windows view of approaching side traffic and in traffic being so high its easy to miss a pedestrian darting unexpectedly cross your front. There are plenty of advantages of the class 8 over duallies, air ride, braking, and possible longevity. As per mpg...my experience with similiar light loads I could achieve 9 mpg vs duallies 11...( 60 mph) That being said its all about aerodynamics, the far to the rear rv placement I question whether a class 8 with rv hitch 12 foot to rear could achieve better than 6 mpg. 6 bucks a gallon diesel currently and who knows how high it will go? Buyer beware.
Thanks for your comments. Buyers have to do their due diligence to make the right decision for themselves. We have eliminated our blind spots with side and rear cameras. We haven't had a problem with Walmart yet and we have stayed at a lot of them. Thanks again for your thoughts on this.
Thanks again for sharing 👍🏻 these were some of my concerns as well . As I’m really approaching getting a big rig I really think it’s neat how the two of you get along so well I just hope my wife will be the same way. And Not strangle me 😂 with these unforeseen costs. Happy trails thanks again.
@Watts On Wheels just watched pt1 & 2. You did mention your mpg at around 7 when you're loaded, but what about dry weight when you're just boob tailing?
As I see it, the best overall advantage for HDT (safety) outweighs ALL the disadvantages. I'm a Quality Assurance Mgr in Aerospace and the priority is Safety and Quality!
Robert Weber very true! I just think some people get intimidated by the size of an HDT, when in reality it’s kinda the same footprint as a 350/450 pickup. Just sitting up higher is all. My fiver is 14k lbs, so HDT would be way overkill, compared to my new f350.
My wife and i retired a few years ago we debated just selling just the trailer and keeping our tractor because we had a 120 sleeper with all the goodies shower,toilet kitchen and all 300 inch wheel base we decided instead to convert a bus instead as have said before if you want se a pic ofwhat ours looks likeit is a 1968 gm pd4107 the common nickname for them is buffalo Have a good day THE GRUMPY BUS
Yes it was originally converted by Gregg for the previous owners. Then we bought it on consignment through Gregg. We had RVH Lifestyles make theSpyder lift (of which Gregg was once affiliated).
Per turning, you can still turn better with most HDT's than the pickup pulling the same trailer. If a pickup can put the trailer in the campground, the HDT can do it better, unless you have an old and long HDT truck. Per HDT turning, a few trucks do not turn short, IH conventional trucks do not turn short. Some older ones did not turn short. Volvo and then Pete and Frieghtliner seem to do the best. Per air ride hitch, it can be used in a pickup too, so not a big HDT con.
@@WattsOnWheels Left Florida City (Homestead) on 3-23 and home to Ohio this past Tuesday the 31st. We took a slow and scenic drive home most of the way. Almost 4 days in GA, ran US441 from South of Lake City, FL into NC. Highly recommend that over the interstates. Bad is neighbors in small town are afraid of us, yet this is the bad area. Good is our health Dept granted us "essential" business, now hopefully our clients see us that way. Hope you are well, too many states are not being RV friendly and have the false idea of full-timers as a homeless problem.
Sorry for a late question, just watched both part 1 and 2. Quick question, do you get any bugs splatter on the front cap or does the truck blocks all of it?
Per height, most trailers are higher than the HDT is unless your HDT has the high sleeper with double bunks. So not a con as the pickup still has to deal with the height of the trailer.
Bobtailing should be kept to a minimum. The tractors braking and suspension is engineered around weight over the drive axle/axles. Many trucking companies do not allow bobtailing, because the insurance companies charge more. The regular fifth wheel hitch can be used on a fifth wheel camper, but it tends to raise the nose of the camper too high. Those hitches are expensive, as are replacements like you have on yours, but you can sell them. There are owner operators out there looking for a used Class 8 hitch all the time. It could help offset the cost of a new RV style. I used to manage a park in Lewistown, Montana, and a couple from Canada was converting one of his older tractors to pull his trailer. You do not need the second drive axle, it saves money on tires, brakes, weight etcetera. He was experimenting with the right combination for towing at speeds above 60mph. The trailer would wag, because he could not get enough weight over the single axle. He was trying different tires, and was thinking of moving the fuel tanks rearward. As a former OTR driver, I am contemplating a T800 or T2000 pre regen. Both are amazing in tight spots. I will also go with a Detroit Series 60 12.7 liter and 13 speed. They are pretty simple, less bad sensors issues than Cummings, and gets far better fuel milage than Cummings or Cat. Have fun, and watch out for those four wheelers.
I noticed that you are from Georgia,did you have to get a CDL license for your HDT, I’m in Ellenwood Georgia,I can’t get Dds to give me an straight answer about licensing.
sorry, but it should be were you would need a non commercial class A permit, with the air brakes endorsement to drive these rigs. just letting any fool get behind the wheel of a rig when all they had know how to drive was a little cheap sub compact car. is just wrong. but then i also believe it is way too easy to get even a class C permit to begin with.
You may be right about that. Luckily Dave backed in trucks at GM years ago when the truckers went off to the break room or where ever and left their trucks to the dock hands.
More great info. Dave, I saw the work you did on your trailer and Zippys Freedom Hauler,, but do you also perform your own maintenance on the HDT? Talked to my son who is a diesel mechanic and he said VOLVO requires their own special tools. Seems like most RVers are going with VOLVO, with a few exceptions.
I do perform some maintenance...oil change, air and fuel filters, greasing & lube. However, you do need a lot of tools just for the Volvo, so for major items or general diagnostic checkup, I take it in (about yearly).
@@WattsOnWheels, thanks Dave. I'll be in Kansas City in the summer and already had plans to take my wife to Pittsburg, KS (Jims Steakhouse) for dinner, so I'll check out HRV Lifestyle while there and make a day of it. Thanks!!
Thank you for sharing.
My pleasure! Thanks for watching.
Good info. Thanks
Thanks for watching Tired of All This...like that name.
Good info!,thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
There are times I just wanna run over and give y'all a big hug!!
Awwww! You are so sweet. Hugs back at ya. 🤗
Blue beacon, and three sisters truck wash in sw us
One trip to Blue Beacon ripped off our door handle that goes across the door when traveling.
Thank you for these informative videos - greatly appreciated.
Glad you like them! Thanks for watching Patrick.
That dude looks just like my buddy ( old school) he's a biker but if he turned to a camper dud he would definitely have a big rig as his ride
Brother from another mother LOL
By the way, you can avoid the DEF and the "regen" crap if you don't mind buying a rig thats 07 or older. If you're looking to retire in 3 or so years, get your 07-older truck now. You can buy most of the older trucks fairly cheap if you are willing to put some time (and some cash) into it to fix it up the way you want it. A single rear axle can legally have 32,000# on the rear axle and the odds you'll have that much weight on the rear axle are remote at best even with a giant 5th wheel RV trailer and a small car on the back of your rig. If you are like me and you can weld/fabricate and do the mechanical work too, you'll have the rig of your dreams on retirement day for less (usually a lot less) then the cost of a new Ford/GMC Dually. Get the rig you like. Personally, I like the Volvo VNL series (stay away from the Mercedes engines. I've heard they can be trouble. Try to get one with the Cummins ISX) because they are smooth as glass on the road. Anyway, whatever you buy, go have fun with it. Thats what it's all about after all!
Such a good idea. And the cost of an older truck is cheap. You'll go through multiple duallies when you could have had a less expense mode of transportation with an HDT. The Volvo VNL seems to be the most common choice for pulling fifth wheels.
Good morning, just found you guys a couple weeks ago. I’m looking into what my first RV is going to be and have made no decisions yet either a super C or a rig like yours love to chat with you about it.
Hi Richard. Thanks for finding us. You can always email us with any questions at 2wattsonwheels@gmail.com
What is the model of the air ride fifth wheel hitch and manufactur
It's an Szmyt ET hitch. We think it is the best one out there. ethitch.com/
Thanks Guys great job safe travels enjoy all your videos great setup 👍🙏🏼🙏🏼
Thanks for watching Ronnie.
Great information is insurance a lot more vs Pickup
I'm sure a lot more $2545 a year (Safeco Insurance).
Watts On Wheels I thought it would be a lot more .Thanks, I guess you really need to be a full time to go with a HDT to justify the insurance cost I’m on the fence
Not always and I actually do not pay much more with my commercial policy, but I have been in business with a clean DOT record for a long time. Insurance costs very a lot from state to state.
Very informative, thanks for sharing your experiences, its helping me make my choice to an HDT.
Glad we could help. We are glad we made that choice. You should check out an HDT rally. They have seminars and are very informative. th-cam.com/video/EGsZpAj-lac/w-d-xo.html
in my 40 years of driving, most out there just cut you off. they do not want to be behind a rig. or have to wait for me while i am turning or worst..backing up.
and i always get told i am number one.... but i thought it was supposed to be the index finger for this?
You may see another video about people merging. It's crazy how they try to speed up to get in front. Ridiculous.
I love your videos. I finally found and bought a 2014 780. My wife is not all onboard with it but the first trip we make I think she will love the comfort and safety. I’ve been pulling a 2018 Jayco seismic toy hauler with a 2004 F350 Dually so I think she will certainly enjoy the air ride seats. We will see. Thanks again for all the information.
That's awesome. Hope you enjoy your truck as much as we do. Hope to cross paths one day.
Your video of the tiny house a women and her Harley was very interesting good space the high ceilings made it feel good but I wonder what the trailer total weight was . That is definitely where your truck would handle it much better especially when stopping they didn't say if the trailer had brakes
That would have been a very good question. Now I'm wondering too.
Well done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much Vivian
It makes sense👍🏼
Just a note: Hope you are well and staying safe in these extraordinary times.
Hi Karen & Dave, i was behind on the videos. I have a neck surgery last Monday. Great info, my husband whant a hdt but i was afraid of the size because my back. But extra steps sounds good.👌 God bless
Hope you have a speedy recovery
@@WattsOnWheels thanks
Great video for the average joe, But I believe due to the weight being over 10k gvwr, if your writing of your travel expenses because of for your TH-cam channel or using it in a video to promote your youtube channel and receiving compensation in any form it's now considered a commercial vehicle even if the state says otherwise your crossing state lines. It's now federal law. Check into it before you get hammered with fines, back road use taxes, log book violations and such.
Thanks for the info! We do pay taxes on any compensation we receive and we do not write off any travel expenses. So, I think we are OK.
Which is better a single axle or a tandem setup. Another axle gives you more brakes and more traction.
It's up to you, but do you really need all that brakes and traction for what is considered a very light load for the truck? It also means four more tires and brakes to replace, not to mention drive shaft, gears, shocks, air bags to have to be replaced and a lot more weight. ($$$). Single axle is plenty enough for the load we pull and is more cost effective and better fuel economy.
DO YOU HAVE A POINT WHERE A, FOR INSTANCE, AN F 450 IS ENOUGH TRUCK OR A HDT IS TOO MUCH TRUCK. I TOW A JAYCO 5'ER (10K GVWR) ON A GMC 2500 HD. ANY THOUGHTS?
At only 10K GVWR, I would think that a GMC 2500 HD would be fine. It also depends on where you want to travel and how much gear you want to bring adding weight If you are going up and down mountains with, say 15K in weight, you may want something bigger.
Great little video..and some really great information!
Thanks for watching ItzAn
As long as the windshield on your bike is at 13'6" you will make it under a 13'6" bridge. The 13'6" In the sign is not the bridge height, it is there saying if your vehicle is over this size do not attempt to go underneath it. I believe a Volvo vnl 780 with 22.5 tires is 13' tall.
Yeh, the top Spyder sticks up a few inches higher than the truck. So far so good.
what about children? traveling with grandkids?
There is seating with seat belts on many HDTs. Ours will seat 4 with a dinette they can play at while traveling including a fridge and porta potty. (Depends on the model you choose).
Thanks for the great combo of videos. Very helpful! WOuld love to see a post of your maintenance and repair budget
Hi David. Thanks for watching. I have been tracking all our costs for several months now and will be posting a video this summer after I gather more information over time. I will show all the costs. Thanks for asking.
Per getting in and out of the truck, a truck can be setup for those in wheel chairs, The Ohio State University's Agri-bility program for farmers has a lot of ideas that can be used for a semi too. Per steps, have a fab shop make a swing out steps like the Freightliner Agrosy cabover has. Far easier to modify than a pickup for access.
It's great that those kinds of things can be made. I have a friend with MS and they have been looking into options for the wheelchair. Not needed yet for me...and this was a quick, much cheaper way for now. :)
You folks are Great! Have you thought of coming to the WCHDT rally? Love to see you there and share stories
We thought about it, but unfortunately, we had other obligations at the same time. Maybe next year. Thanks for watching David.
wow a women can drive it dam
😁👍
I am a cdl holder..retired owner operator so I must inject to the pros an cons...it's a mistaken belief that those 400, 000 mile diesel particulate filter..def fluid aftertreatment systems aren't plagued with service issues...is why the carriers sell them prior to warranty expiration....Ive a 2011 international full height sleeper...has a transplanted pre dpf an def 1998 11.1 liter engine..is why the 06 an prior engines lack the reliability issues of later engines...are much more reliable an the only con is...doesnt have that diesel particulate filter creating unhealthy back pressure ...thus is loud. It's a manual 10 speed...much more reliable than the automatics you are referring to...and is a pitance to repair vs that automatic..
Purchasing an unknown history newer truck that fleets don't service at recommended intervals, their view is why the expense since we're selling it prior to the consequences of the neglect and this plus the low quality low pay drivers these fleets employ doesnt bode well for future reliability. You can get a 40 grand bill if that automatic tranny goes...even if under warranty ive seen Volvo weasel out of covering warranty repairs...
One concern of using mine as an rv hauler for one is....some Walmarts and other businesses forbid larger ..class 8 rigs parking...dont know if theyd give a pass if its pulling an rv...Ive used google view to find loading dock side of businesses to park and walk to restaurants an such...an these arent always there..
As for better view of surroundings, open road forward yes but youve only your mirrors for rear view leaving significant blind spots, no rear windows view of approaching side traffic and in traffic being so high its easy to miss a pedestrian darting unexpectedly cross your front.
There are plenty of advantages of the class 8 over duallies, air ride, braking, and possible longevity. As per mpg...my experience with similiar light loads I could achieve 9 mpg vs duallies 11...( 60 mph) That being said its all about aerodynamics, the far to the rear rv placement I question whether a class 8 with rv hitch 12 foot to rear could achieve better than 6 mpg. 6 bucks a gallon diesel currently and who knows how high it will go?
Buyer beware.
Thanks for your comments. Buyers have to do their due diligence to make the right decision for themselves. We have eliminated our blind spots with side and rear cameras. We haven't had a problem with Walmart yet and we have stayed at a lot of them. Thanks again for your thoughts on this.
I did not see where you talk about the over all length of your rig total combination is 65 feet have been hassle for this
No hassle to date.
Watts On Wheels wow that was quick thank you Me and my wife are you retired and I’m thinking about getting an HDt
Great information Dave and Karen. Thanks for putting this together!
Your video on 10 Questions you get about converting an HDT to an RV Hauler was great.
Thanks again for sharing 👍🏻 these were some of my concerns as well . As I’m really approaching getting a big rig I really think it’s neat how the two of you get along so well I just hope my wife will be the same way. And Not strangle me 😂 with these unforeseen costs. Happy trails thanks again.
Dave can be impatient but Karen has patience a mile long, so it works out.
Geterrrr Done!!!BigToys🤣👍Good Stuffff WWG1WGA....
Yeh man!
Oh I see Q people .... wwg1wga
Anchored in Muscle Yessir 😎🇺🇸💪
Another pro, furl capacity. You can certainly drive longer with your big fuel tanks.
That is one thing good about the HDT, we don't have to fill up very often, but when we do...YIKES!
@Watts On Wheels just watched pt1 & 2. You did mention your mpg at around 7 when you're loaded, but what about dry weight when you're just boob tailing?
I think the biggest misconception for people is that the HDT is not really bigger then a standard 350/450 pickup. HDT is taller, not wider.
And MUCH heavier. :)
As I see it, the best overall advantage for HDT (safety) outweighs ALL the disadvantages. I'm a Quality Assurance Mgr in Aerospace and the priority is Safety and Quality!
@@robertweber3140 No way dude...Karen was a Quality Specialist in Aerospace.
Boeing for 30 years, now Collins Aerospace for the last 6.5 years
Robert Weber very true! I just think some people get intimidated by the size of an HDT, when in reality it’s kinda the same footprint as a 350/450 pickup. Just sitting up higher is all. My fiver is 14k lbs, so HDT would be way overkill, compared to my new f350.
My wife and i retired a few years ago we debated just selling just the trailer and keeping our tractor because we had a 120 sleeper with all the goodies shower,toilet kitchen and all 300 inch wheel base we decided instead to convert a bus instead as have said before if you want se a pic ofwhat ours looks likeit is a 1968 gm pd4107 the common nickname for them is buffalo
Have a good day
THE GRUMPY BUS
Looks like it has extra head room...very cool.
One Qwick Question who or were was your rig built ? Was it Gregg ?
Yes it was originally converted by Gregg for the previous owners. Then we bought it on consignment through Gregg. We had RVH Lifestyles make theSpyder lift (of which Gregg was once affiliated).
Watts On Wheels thank you again 👍🏻
Per turning, you can still turn better with most HDT's than the pickup pulling the same trailer. If a pickup can put the trailer in the campground, the HDT can do it better, unless you have an old and long HDT truck. Per HDT turning, a few trucks do not turn short, IH conventional trucks do not turn short. Some older ones did not turn short. Volvo and then Pete and Frieghtliner seem to do the best. Per air ride hitch, it can be used in a pickup too, so not a big HDT con.
Just a note: Hope you are well and staying safe in these extraordinary times.
@@WattsOnWheels Left Florida City (Homestead) on 3-23 and home to Ohio this past Tuesday the 31st. We took a slow and scenic drive home most of the way. Almost 4 days in GA, ran US441 from South of Lake City, FL into NC. Highly recommend that over the interstates. Bad is neighbors in small town are afraid of us, yet this is the bad area. Good is our health Dept granted us "essential" business, now hopefully our clients see us that way. Hope you are well, too many states are not being RV friendly and have the false idea of full-timers as a homeless problem.
@@forry100 Glad you made it back to Ohio. Living in an RV will definitely be a challenge for many full timers during the changes going on.
Sorry for a late question, just watched both part 1 and 2. Quick question, do you get any bugs splatter on the front cap or does the truck blocks all of it?
Not like you might think. Just a little as the truck takes most of it. However, it will get crap on it under the cap from the tires of the truck.
You must have about $200 grand invested between your rig, trailer , car n bikes I'm guessing
Sold our home and business equipment to do this.
Watts On Wheels so if I wanted to do what u r doing would I need $200-300 grand
Per height, most trailers are higher than the HDT is unless your HDT has the high sleeper with double bunks. So not a con as the pickup still has to deal with the height of the trailer.
Just a note: Hope you are well and staying safe in these extraordinary times.
Bobtailing should be kept to a minimum. The tractors braking and suspension is engineered around weight over the drive axle/axles. Many trucking companies do not allow bobtailing, because the insurance companies charge more. The regular fifth wheel hitch can be used on a fifth wheel camper, but it tends to raise the nose of the camper too high. Those hitches are expensive, as are replacements like you have on yours, but you can sell them. There are owner operators out there looking for a used Class 8 hitch all the time. It could help offset the cost of a new RV style.
I used to manage a park in Lewistown, Montana, and a couple from Canada was converting one of his older tractors to pull his trailer. You do not need the second drive axle, it saves money on tires, brakes, weight etcetera. He was experimenting with the right combination for towing at speeds above 60mph. The trailer would wag, because he could not get enough weight over the single axle. He was trying different tires, and was thinking of moving the fuel tanks rearward. As a former OTR driver, I am contemplating a T800 or T2000 pre regen. Both are amazing in tight spots. I will also go with a Detroit Series 60 12.7 liter and 13 speed. They are pretty simple, less bad sensors issues than Cummings, and gets far better fuel milage than Cummings or Cat. Have fun, and watch out for those four wheelers.
Thanks for your input and good luck on your future travels with your new truck.
I noticed that you are from Georgia,did you have to get a CDL license for your HDT, I’m in Ellenwood Georgia,I can’t get Dds to give me an straight answer about licensing.
No, we did not.
lets see the blonde drive
It's in one of the videos way back.
sorry, but it should be were you would need a non commercial class A permit, with the air brakes endorsement to drive these rigs.
just letting any fool get behind the wheel of a rig when all they had know how to drive was a little cheap sub compact car. is just wrong.
but then i also believe it is way too easy to get even a class C permit to begin with.
You may be right about that. Luckily Dave backed in trucks at GM years ago when the truckers went off to the break room or where ever and left their trucks to the dock hands.
More great info. Dave, I saw the work you did on your trailer and Zippys Freedom Hauler,, but do you also perform your own maintenance on the HDT?
Talked to my son who is a diesel mechanic and he said VOLVO requires their own special tools. Seems like most RVers are going with VOLVO, with a few exceptions.
I do perform some maintenance...oil change, air and fuel filters, greasing & lube. However, you do need a lot of tools just for the Volvo, so for major items or general diagnostic checkup, I take it in (about yearly).
@@WattsOnWheels, thanks Dave. I'll be in Kansas City in the summer and already had plans to take my wife to Pittsburg, KS (Jims Steakhouse) for dinner, so I'll check out HRV Lifestyle while there and make a day of it. Thanks!!
i want to see your women back it up ,lol
That won't happen. Down the road, OK, in a campground or backing up...nope. :)