my "new" t/c hauler project "Revisited"

[recycler]

well finally went up north and picked up the 99 f550 i have been talking about he is abit rough and will need to be shortened alot..

[Specularius]

What we do with the company trucks is put two sets of lights on each side. One set wired with the standard brake/turn wire and the other set wired with the high mount brake light to the brake/turn bulb. This flashes only one light for the turn signal and both lights for brake. We use the standard 4 inch round DOT lights with the rubber grommet.

[Jaxom]

Stefonius wrote:
I've been looking unsuccessfully for taillights with amber lenses. I don't know why they're not mandatory in the USA.

I am glad we don't have the amber/red combination. To this color-blind person, the amber lights look they are brake lights & ON all the time.

[Stefonius]

recycler wrote:

Stefonius wrote:

recycler wrote:
(snip) the truck is getting converted to have seperate brake/turn/running lights

I would really like to do that to Truckasaurus. I'm interested to see how you plan to run the wiring.

well my plan is to clip the wire for the brake signal to the multifuction switch and use the wire for the third brake that is in the rear harness..got to love cab chassis trucks..aparently ford offered the superduty trucks with amber turns signals in mexico..someone posted a pic on one of the forums i looked at of a set of the 250/350 lights with amber turns and ford lists different parts for the lighting on mexican trucks..when and if i get that far i will try to remember to post some pics..

I've been looking unsuccessfully for taillights with amber lenses. I don't know why they're not mandatory in the USA.

[recycler]

Stefonius wrote:

recycler wrote:
(snip) the truck is getting converted to have seperate brake/turn/running lights

I would really like to do that to Truckasaurus. I'm interested to see how you plan to run the wiring.

well my plan is to clip the wire for the brake signal to the multifuction switch and use the wire for the third brake that is in the rear harness..got to love cab chassis trucks..aparently ford offered the superduty trucks with amber turns signals in mexico..someone posted a pic on one of the forums i looked at of a set of the 250/350 lights with amber turns and ford lists different parts for the lighting on mexican trucks..when and if i get that far i will try to remember to post some pics..

[recycler]

bka0721 wrote:

recycler wrote:
did a rough sketch for a home built hauler body for the f550..

the body would be tapered in toward the front at the end of the opening for the forward doors..spare tire would go in the middle toward the front pass through behind it..the little rectangle under middle door is a turn signal as the truck is getting converted to have seperate brake/turn/running lights..would be built of steel tubing and sheet steel

Looking at you sketch and seeing you live in the Rust Belt, I just wonder if you can really build a Service Body cheaper than you can get one delivered from a catalog. With materials, hinges, seals, rust prevention cladding, powder coating, location to assemble and jigs all come with a price. I will look forward to watching your project move forward. I am also interested in how you work around the EPA regs in putting a non conforming engine into a Ford truck, living in a state with strict emissions. Personally it would be great to see a Cummins in your F550.

well if i build the hauler body it will be built with some reclaimed materials.. some of which would be from the last hauler body i started with that construction method for a d150 dually shortbed conversion i started..ended up being 4x4 mud truck instead..so hopefully cost would not be as high though things like handles and such will be big part of the cost..as for the engine swap my 550 is old enough it didn't really have any emission systems on it..no dpf or egr so far as i have been able to tell so i figure that should help that..best part is i will be using the dodge transmission which has a higher overdrive gear .69 instead of .71...

[Stefonius]

recycler wrote:
(snip) the truck is getting converted to have seperate brake/turn/running lights

I would really like to do that to Truckasaurus. I'm interested to see how you plan to run the wiring.

[bka0721]

recycler wrote:
did a rough sketch for a home built hauler body for the f550..

the body would be tapered in toward the front at the end of the opening for the forward doors..spare tire would go in the middle toward the front pass through behind it..the little rectangle under middle door is a turn signal as the truck is getting converted to have seperate brake/turn/running lights..would be built of steel tubing and sheet steel

Looking at you sketch and seeing you live in the Rust Belt, I just wonder if you can really build a Service Body cheaper than you can get one delivered from a catalog. With materials, hinges, seals, rust prevention cladding, powder coating, location to assemble and jigs all come with a price. I will look forward to watching your project move forward. I am also interested in how you work around the EPA regs in putting a non conforming engine into a Ford truck, living in a state with strict emissions. Personally it would be great to see a Cummins in your F550.

[Jaxom]

Raften wrote:
"thank you for giving me another reason to tell my wife why i want to stay out of that state"

WOW!!! That's a bit like the pot calling the paper plate black.

[recycler]

did a rough sketch for a home built hauler body for the f550..



the body would be tapered in toward the front at the end of the opening for the forward doors..spare tire would go in the middle toward the front pass through behind it..the little rectangle under middle door is a turn signal as the truck is getting converted to have seperate brake/turn/running lights..would be built of steel tubing and sheet steel

[mena661]

recycler wrote:
..the battery compartment on my camper was built for three Trojan J 185H-AC's...

Damn! You guys use real batteries in this section!!

recycler wrote:
oh and i have been watching youtube videos of the eagle capp 1165 drooling wish i could afford one..thing is nearly as big as an ecomony apartment

If I hadn't already bought a MH...

[recycler]

Stefonius... the pick up bed won't be hard to mount and there are several members on this forum with pick up converted chassis cab 450/550 trucks the biggest problem i am going to have is the rear over hang is nearly four ft long requiring removing the rear panel in the middle of the box under the tailgate to clear the frame and fuel tank i just have to build mounts off of the sides of the frame..a custom hauler body would be nice if i could spare several grand at once..SNAPON66.. the clearance lights seem to be an issue on the fords thank you for the warning, with my truck's 200.8in wheelbase the camper should be back behind them.. the aero fuel tank is replacement for a stock midship tank..http://www.aerotanks.com/inventory/1017.html

the flat bed idea would be nice, but would have to raise camper nearly a foot i have a non-basement t/c with the black tank hangng down.. truck has aftermarket steel fuel tank under the back

[Stefonius]

A pickup bed won't fit on an F450/F550. The frame rails are narrower, taller and flatter than on the smaller trucks.
Michigan isn't too far from Indiana, and there's a shop called Utility Body Werks in Elkhart that does incredible work with these trucks. They did the bed on my 450 and I can't stop grinning when I look at it in the driveway. They might be worth checking out.

http://www.utilitybodywerks.com/index.html

[SNAPON66]

If you are truly going to put a TC be aware of the clearence lights on the cab
Why not a flatbed and storage boxes on both sides to create a pick-up style bed
More storage I think a 50gal fuel tank and propane tank will make your undercarriage a pretty busy place Measure back from cab 62" and I think you might want to go with 48" cabinets. The L tank might work but I had one built to keep the camper CG at the CG of the truck. Kelderman system took 3 hours for me to install in my driveway by myself. little expensive but top of the line Figure materials and your labor as I did you might be surprised.When I made my battery boxes they were for 8D and worked well until Interstate got pissy about the waranty so I installed the 6 batteries . They lasted 8 days before recharge was needed on a trip to AK.
Good luck, use the KISS system, measure twice, think 3 times, do good work
AND HAVE FUN
Ray

[recycler]

SNAPON66 wrote:
I used my F550 in my biz and in 2009 I retired and turned the 12' flat bed into a hauler for one of my 11' Bigfoots.
had a 120 gal diesel tank 78x18x30 Installed behind cab Great when we went to AK in 2010.built 2 battery boxes one each side holds total 6 deep cycle bats
2 36"x14" on each side under camper on bed 2 48x24 boxes under flat bed in front of drw Dr side contains 29 gal propane tank and pass side used for stuff
I built a bed for the camper 2x6 4x8x1/2 marine grade ply put 5/8 stall pad tractor supply self draining 3M water filter cleans everythin beforte it goes into camper. Built a nice porch with 4 step. Best thing I did was installed a Kelderman air ride system. If your truck does not have the latest fuel tank get one. RDS in Florida built all my tanks and cabinets. The camper set on the bed and my weights came right where Ford speced Total 15000lb about 8300lb to go
We average about 7 mo a year on the road and no problems yet. Think hard about the air ride. Momma will love you for it.
Enjoy
Ray

sounds like a nice rig..my plan is to put a pick up bed on mine with a midship 62"x76" storage deck with 18"x18"x60" under mount tool boxes..looking into mounting a propane tank on the frame for injecting the engine with a hook up for back up for the camper..i have acess to a 110 gallon L shaped transfer tank for extra fuel if i need it till i can afford to get the 50 gallon Aero mid ship tank..i also looked into air ride, but between cost and none of the systems kneeling feature going low enough to suit me i will build my own using arms similiar to the old link air ride until then i am planning to remove several leaves and use the ride rite bags off of the dodge for load support.. i hope to have enough battery with three group 31 deep cycle's if not the battery compartment on my camper was built for three Trojan J 185H-AC's...

[SNAPON66]

I used my F550 in my biz and in 2009 I retired and turned the 12' flat bed into a hauler for one of my 11' Bigfoots.
had a 120 gal diesel tank 78x18x30 Installed behind cab Great when we went to AK in 2010.built 2 battery boxes one each side holds total 6 deep cycle bats
2 36"x14" on each side under camper on bed 2 48x24 boxes under flat bed in front of drw Dr side contains 29 gal propane tank and pass side used for stuff
I built a bed for the camper 2x6 4x8x1/2 marine grade ply put 5/8 stall pad tractor supply self draining 3M water filter cleans everythin beforte it goes into camper. Built a nice porch with 4 step. Best thing I did was installed a Kelderman air ride system. If your truck does not have the latest fuel tank get one. RDS in Florida built all my tanks and cabinets. The camper set on the bed and my weights came right where Ford speced Total 15000lb about 8300lb to go
We average about 7 mo a year on the road and no problems yet. Think hard about the air ride. Momma will love you for it.
Enjoy
Ray