streching frame.

had removed air farrings, 5th wheel and tail lights this summer. building white truck as a 45 footer with 20 foot garage. white truck has a 60 series detroit with allison automatic. blue truck had a 60 series detroit with manual transmission. one has unimount rims and other was budds. removed hubs and differentials and switched over to housings on frame rails being added from other truck. putting new brakes, shocks and torque rods on. owner of white truck had wheel chair lift installed on passenger side. he was in a wheel chair. drivers seat is electric forward, backward and swivels towards inside of truck. will post more in next couple days. we have cut frame rails but havent taken pictures yet. i bought a 33ft motorhome to use interier and generator. still planning platform for hauling pickup. it will slide out and tilt down for loading and unloading.

I can not wait to see the next set of pics. This so makes me want to post my truck frame mod pics from when I was home on leave. Good luck with the project!

got 1st frame streach done. have to add on frame behind tandems yet. rear brakes and suspension are done. have another air bag leaking and need to change yet. sleeper has been partly gutted. bought rear frame rails and steel to frame motorhome body. picked up 2 used driveshafts. traded differentials from blue truck for driveshafts and rear frame rails. will post pictures in a few days.

Cool, this is a big project. I'm liking the pictures so far.

Wow, I though my project was a biggie, you are starting way back in the field on this project. good luck, stay with it, and keep posting pictures, and we'll sheer ya on!
-blizz

got rear section of frame stripped down and cut to fit today. will be welding on by weekend. will post more pictures then. ordered steel for coach and they delivered yesterday. 3) 4x4x20ft and 50) 2x2x24ft pieces. cost just under $3,000.00 shopped around and had to work salesman alittle.

started working on floor. went to the rv show in chicago and got alot of ideas. bought a trailer that has a set of hydraulic legs on rear. will post pictures. hope these work for levelers and supports for rear when loading pickup.

went to elkhart indiana over the weekend. picked up 3 large windows $50 each, 1 escape window $75 and 1 small window $25. holding tank $100. 2 roof vents with fans, lights and wall mounted switchs $79.95 each. 45 amp convertor $ 149.95. 30x78.5 door with screen $150.00. shower pan $60.00 and bathroom sink $16.95. water tank $85.80. plus a few small odds and ends. about $85.00 in gas and $66.00 for hotel. didn't check on tolls yet. about 1/2 hour at casino in michigan city for $110.00. figure about $1200.00 weekend.

Sounds like a good trip. I hope it all works for you. Blizz bought some windows cheap there but later found out that some of them wouldn't work for the way he needed them to. Keep the pictures coming.

Enjoy every minute of the process, This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to build this for yourself. keep the photos coming, G

Make sure that the windows you bought are for both the right AND left side, putting them on the wrong side may get a bit breezy and soggy. Thats how I wound up giving my 4 25 dollar a peice windows to some ice fishermen for their Ice houses.

Sounds like a great trip, we spent over 3 grand, then bought a trailer to haul it all home, sold the trailer here in Fargo for a $250 profit, paid for the gas!
-blizz

how do you tell which side they are? the way i think they go is screen to rear. but i dont know which way lock lever goes up or down in locked position.

just thought i would update you all. took air farring off top of cab. thinking i will extend motorhome over cab with a bed area. mounted 2nd battery box on frame for aux. batteries. just bought another truck that has a air tag axle on it. thinking i might put it behind cab about 1/2 way back to front tandems. would take weight off front axle if needed. also help ride on rough roads. steel tubing for floor frame is almost done. bought cab to motorhome rubber seal last week. found my next problem then. rear of cab goes up straight about 2 feet and then starts sloping forward about 6-7 ".

Wow, that's an interesting idea about sticking a axle mid point there. Similar to lots of dump trucks I see. Just gotta lift it up for turning and such.

well we took lift axle off truck and sold truck on ebay. disassembled hubs,air bags and shocks. replacing wheel bearings, seals, shocks and air bags. hope to start putting on next week.

Neat, you going to put it about mid point then? Does it have a way to lift it all the way up off the road for turning like I've seen on dump trucks?

putting it 10 feet in front of center of front tandem axle. it's air pressure down with a pressure control valve that is adjustable. should be able to adjust steer axle weight pretty good. has big coiled springs to pull it up when you dump air pressure. has brakes on tag axle also. tires are smaller size so when axle is up i dont think you will see tires.

Hay, I just thought of something. Don't toll roads charge by how many axles they see? So, if you can hide that center axle up behind the skirting, you raise up the wheels before coming into the toll booth. Pay your toll for two axles. Then after you get down the road a bit drop them down.

well we got axle installed. used sliding 5th wheel control air switch for turning air on. drilled dash for pressure regulator valve. removed dash and disassembled. installed air application gauge for monitoring air pressure. remarked switch and gauge with silver marker. tested and works great. need to splice in brake line and replace tires. will try to post pictures this weekend. almost done framing floor steel. roof should go alot quicker. then going to do up rights for walls.
its just like Bob says tag axle will never pay a toll.

heading back to elkhart again this weekend. have to tow a wrecked semi tractor to mattawan michigan. spend the night there or in elkhart depending on delivery time. still waiting for my son to post pictures on tag axle. he just got back from florida.

I have a very long list of items I bought in Elkhart that I either didn't use or I have already replaced.

formentioned windows, 2 black tanks, complete shower unit, lots of plumbing fittings, a Wal*Mart sack full of rv outlets and light switches. and a few other items like some table leg tubes outside shower kit, propane extension hose, some latches and a few cargo doors.

oh and did I mention that my 450 dollar surplus Xantrex Inverter craped out and needed a $1100.00 circuit board? Have a new (rebuilt) unit for $1200 just arrived UPS.

My plan was, I had an idea of what I was going to build, then I bought the parts to design around. Then the build happens, and unforseen things come up like the widows were all for the right side, and other things don't fit. The builders bought new parts 'cuz they didn't look in the box for the surplus ones etc. now I'm north of 70 grand into a 50K project and after 1 trip I have my interior all ripped out of the bathroom to replace the surplus inverter, which required the ripping out of the shower and closet so 400 dollars later I bought a new shower assembly at Menards. When you are already underwater on a project like this, what's another 400 bucks for a shower that you can get in and out of easily and a bigger closet?

The problem with the Elkhart stuff is, because you get a good deal on it, you design around it the part, rather than good design in the first place.

Good luck with your project! If you see anything on my above list of extras let me know! I'd like to rid myself of the memories!
-blizz

thanks for the advice. main thing i'm looking for is a basement heat pump unit. already got right side windows on first trip. didn't know about left & right windows till i got back home. luckly didn't get all windows needed first trip. may be interested in electric and plumbing parts when i get that far. we have been busy at shop and guys taking vacations. haven't been able to work on it at all. when i get back i'm going to hit it hard again. don't know much about heat pumps but want to keep roof as clean as possible. a friend has one and says its great.

well only bought twin fold down wall bed ($499.00) , water pump ($165.00) and tank sensors & monitor ($35.00) lp gas detector ($75.00). plus tax on all items. was a nice trip. a light rain only when sleeping in truck stop.

Wow, big project! Post up progress pics when you can. Looks like a neat truck.

just started working on truck again. almost done with lower frame for floor. had it almost all done. some one seems to keep moving lines on me. had to grind back apart and do about 5 feet again. still dont know how i can measure several times and still come up wrong. maybe i need new tape measure or glasses. probley both. only thing i know is i will grind it apart till i'm happy with it. sent my son out to elk hart for basement a/c & furnace uint. also picked up toy hauler rear door. exchanged right side windows for new windows for both sides. didn't have left windows to match old right ones.

Oh my, that's the story of my life. One of the reasons I don't do wood, can't grind that apart and re-work like metal. Keep at it.

finished floor on Saturday. going to do roof next and then raise up to weld sides on. anyone do it this way? or did you do sides first? anyone know where to buy outside paneling around northern Il.? did anyone put any thing between framing and outer panels to keep from getting waving down sides?

got roof done this weekend. taking coach off frame to do sides next. will post pictures this week. anyone know how far vents for bathroom need to be above roof? also how high are most tv antennas? do they make them to mount on side or rear?

My vents due to the low clearance on the garage door; only extend above the roof by a 1/2-3/4 of an inch. Just enough to get a good seal of silicone or roof sealant. If rain gets in there it just goes to the black or gray tank anyway.
-blizz

Going from memory here... I think my Weingard TV antenna sticks up about 6 to 8 inches when the antenna is layed down flat. (It cranks up for use). The high point is the loop of co-ax cable at the antenna base. It would probably bend out of the way if something touched it. The next high point is part of the lazy-susan type casting at the antenna base. It stick up about 6 inches as I recall. You can see pictures of the antenna in question in the picture gallery under keyword "Stealth".

got roof up in place and tack welded. toy hauler door is in place and working on hinges. getting to where i can work on it with out help for awhile. will post pictures this week. found a sticker on door that says 3000 lb cap. but no cars. not sure if i should try to load a pickup or not. thinking about now using ramps.

NEW PICTURES ARE UP!

Looks good. Interesting build. I didn't realize you are building the box on the ground. Are you going to build the whole thing there and then hoist it up on the truck frame? I didn't see pictures showing that mid axle. Did I miss them?

Bob i built floor and roof frame on truck frame. then i set both on the floor. framed for rear ramp door and then raised roof over door and installed 6 up rite post to temporally hold in place. next step is to square up and weld posts in place. than i think i will put plywood on roof and then set back up onto truck. pictures 19 through 23 are tag axle. i am thinking about doing outer walls, floor and roof before doing inside.

put back end back on truck. leveled everything again. got uprights for side walls on about 1/2 way on each side. another guy and me are working on it every saturday for about 8 hrs each.

You want to line the inner walls first, then wire outlets, and plumb everything, then have it spay insulated and shave the foam level, then put the outer skin on it. Much easier that way.
-blizz

I plan on linning the interior first as Blizz stated.My question to everyone is what is the best to use for linning? Luan,3/8 plywood,1/2 plywood or something else?
MMM

when you guys say you went to elkhart indiana, I am just wondering what store you go to. I may check it out I caould ues some nice windows for my build.

there are 2 places i have been to. they are almost across the street from each other. i think they are 2 blocks apart.
1st one is rv surplus & salvage 1400 w Bristol st Elkhart id 46514 ph # 547-264-5575. they have a large warehouse kind of set up like a flee market. vary busy or short handed. need to know what your looking for and everything about it. www.rvsurplus.net
2nd one is factory rv surplus 1611 west Bristol st ph # 800-325-1461.
they have surplus and new items, mainly. seen to have more time to work with you. www.factoryrvsurplus.com email factoryrvsurplus@verizion.net