I have my bed and hitch for my Volvo. Got the bed fabricated at Herrin's Wleding in Kilgore Texas. Larry Herrin is a first rate guy who builds a first rate bed.https://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL301/.../129869719.jpg
https://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL301/.../129869699.jpg
More pics on my Picture Trail site.

.....HOT DAMN!.....perfect!.....class style and uitility!....geofkaye

What Geof said- IN SPADES!!!!!
Truly a CLASS RIG!
May you enjoy it to its fullest!
Gary

That is way to pretty. What are the specs on that deck (length and width)? I am starting my deck next week, hope you don't mind but I am going to steal your desin, it may be a little longer though.
Cheers
Bear

How does FET play into a bed like this? How long did it take to get built and painted? What are some of the measurements for your truck (WB, overall length, hieght, height of bed, turn radius, etc)??? I love your truck! I am now going to try to get the wife to agree to do a 780 like this. My other option is to do a F650 crew with a bed by Herrin. I would need to find out about FET on that configuration also. One major difference is the 780 would be registered as a MH whereas the F650 would still be a truck and restricted to 26,000# (or more if I go get my CDL). We are looking at having a custom built toy hauler 5er built. I don't know all the specs yet so it makes it hard to decide which TV. I know the 780 would not even know it's there but it may be an easier sell to the wife for the F650.

Tell her the truth- The Volvo will ride waaaayyyyy better, due to air ride rear suspension AND air ride bucket seats. Plus the Volvo will be a far classier, and roomier, rig than a lowly F-650.
If you are gonna spring for a full-boat custom toy hauler, at least put a GOOD truck ahead of it. The F-650 will leave you wanting more, I can promise you
The ball is in your court.....
Gary

My bed is 10' long X 8' wide. The sides are 36" high with a deck height of 49". The WB is 197" The turning circle is much less then my F350 4X4. I haven't measured the overall length but it's about 2.5' longer then my F350 4X4 CC 8'bed, height is 10'8". FET, I paid cash for the truck and bed and bought the truck in another state. I agree with Gary, there is no comparison between a Volvo and a F650. I wouldn't get a 780 because of the height, but I heard Volvo is coming out with a 730 the length of a 780 sleeper with the height of a 630. Even that will add 16" of WB to the truck and I was focused on min. WB with the features I wanted. Build time at Herrin's was 5 weeks.

Thanks for the quick reply. The reason I need to go with the 780 is that I have 4 kids that we'll keep seated in the dinette area while driving. I would prefer the lower height of the 630 so if Volvo does come out with a 730, I would be all over it. Unless I can figure out how to fit a jack-knife sofa across the back of a 630 that can seat 4 across in seatbelts.

As for the F650, I would be sending it over to Alton Truck Manufacturing to get another set of doors added. This way we could seat 8-9. Then send it to get a bed from Herrin.

Overall the costs would be within $10K or so unless FET comes into play with the 780 or the bed for it. Then the difference grows quickly.

I also need to check into registering the 780 in IN as a motorhome.

Thanks so much for your input. Pictures and dimensions have been sent to my fabricater and he is now putting together some numbers for me. This is going to be expensive but well worth it. I hope my truck comes out looking half as good as yours.
Cheers
Bear

I have 3 kids as well. You can get a dinette installed in a 630 by Fontaine warranteed thru Volvo. "Nuftruck" over on the escapees forum did that. I looked at the dinette and was not happy with the seating comfort for long trips so I am going with a 76" Flexsteel jack knife sofa with 4 seat belts from Bradd and Hall in Elkhart (your neck of the woods). I am going to install nest month and will be posting photo's on that as well. Also "Pete and Carla" over on Escapees just bought home a 770 to IN and has the lowdown on registering as a MH. If you order new, i have a lot of helpful info and a salesman that understands our use, I would be happpy to share. Good hunting.

Bill Elburn...don't you own a company that does these truck conversions?...geofkaye

Where in teh world did you come up with that? I was offered at one point a consultant job from Kingsley Coach but I did not take it due to prior commitments. I currently own a 2005 Kingsley Coach that is built on a brand new 2004 780. It is for sale since we have decided that a custom built 5er/toy hauler and a HDT would work better for us. Can't do anything until it is sold though.

The sport chassis conversion wit hthe M2 is nice, you can fit 4 kids in the back seat, you have to add the belt, but there is rooom

....I remember some discussion of you and Kingsly some time ago.....I guess I remembered just parts of if.......so sorry...geofkaye

Here is my combo hooked up.
https://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL301/.../130957644.jpg

SHARP

Now THAT is the way to pull a 5'er!
NICE!
Gary

.....very very NICE!....geofkaye

My plans have changed, outside forces, on getting a toter or a moterhome. I think it's going to be a fiver now. can you advise on the fuel mileage ...doc...

Themisfitking

First off beautiful conversion. Your Volvo is stunning and a fabulous example of HDT RV hauler should be.

I have been pondering one of these conversions for some time as I haul horses and these larger living quarters horse trailers are now getting too large to be safely towed by an F350.

I have looked at most all the HDT platforms and have decided on the Volvo being the best suited for my type application. I am hoping you or the other forum members can assist with a few questions.

1) With 465/1650 and 3.42s what is your typical cruise speed. Aka where does she like to run? 65, 70, 75.
2) Obviously speed plays heavily in mileage. What fuel mileage do you get at 65, 70, 75 assuming flat ground.
3) How much weight are you pulling? 20K, 25K?
4) Would changing the axle ratio to 3.00 help with mileage.
5) Have any of you begun using Hydrogen Injection such as HyDrive?
6) Are any of you running Michelin X One super singles?
7) If so did they help with mileage.
8) Have any of you had the chance to drive a tractor with the new Detroit DD15 yet?
9) Have you had any issues with the Volvo Engines?
10) What if any issues have you had with the Cummins Engines?
11) What would you recommend engine trans wise?
12) Anyone driven the new Volvo iShift yet? Thoughts?
13) Has anyone made and used their own biodiesel and had any issue with checkpoints?
14) Can anyone confirm the 25% improvement for Biodiesel / Hydrogen powered HDT's I keep hearing about in Hydrogen forums?

And now for some of the important questions.

1) Have you had any legal battles with Insurance, Registration or Operating this vehicle?
2) If so what states and why?

I will search some of the forums for these answers but would appreciate any thoughts from you folks.

Obviously those of you who have already done this have a world of knowledge from the experience. I would like to try to keep my mistakes to a minimum.

Thank you!

Dwayne

.....your questions seem somewhat opposing in consideration of what you are trying to buy/build/own....1.0-depends on what the dealers sets the computer at 2.0-any where from 6 to 10.5mpg 3.0-10,000# trailer and 22,000 # tractor loaded. 4.0-might. 5.0-been thinking about playing with the idea some-but haven't got a lot of time lately. 6.0-NO. 7.0 have no way of knowing. 8.0-yes. 9.0-never owned one.10.0-nonejust service it and let it do what it is made to do. 11.0- 500 ISX Cummins with a super 10. 12.0 -nope. 13.0 can't waste the time and the insurance company would cancel me with a system like that in my garage. 14.0-bullsh* If true the carriers would be on it like stink on a stick.....1.1- only with the town folks about my truck and the mayor took care of that-another town tried-we will be going to court asap the attorneys are ready to file in my behalf. 2.1-

I just wonder if you could get a reclining loveseat in the bottom bunk area.... Probably have to take the backs off( they should slide right off anyway, ) and remove the passenger's seat of the truck. Just thinking out loud here...

Wellllll.... After looking at least 1.25 million trucks......We finally purchased our truck . A 2006 Volvo780 with the D-12 and I shift. I had absolutely no trouble converting the title to a MH. ( No inspections were required ) We have partnered with Harrison Truck and Body in Wayne Ohio 419-288-2897 So far we are extremely pleased with the communication , the facilities, and the overall attitude of the team that is working on the conversion. As I get pictures I'll post as I can. Summer is my busy time, but I'll do what I can. So Hereeeee wee goooooo.....

Great news. I like the pictures of builds. That's a great truck you got there. Lots of people using them to haul their 5th wheels over on Escapees HDT forums.

Stopped today and talked to the build team. I like Gary Harrisons quote " I want to build it right the first time, not the secondhttps://C:\Users\Denver\Pictures\Volvo build

Dwayne,

As you can surmise, I own Straight Time Stirrups there are a lot of legal issues to contend with if you are roping with any of these trucks and even an F350. The best thing I can tell you is not to have ANY stickers or decals on the truck or trailer that dont have to do with the MFG of the truck and/or Trailer. I have a Peterbilt that I am building that has been put on hold because of all of the legal crap. Mine is registered as an RV but my trailer is loaded with decals so until I get them all off of there, I wont be pulling my 4Star with the Peterbilt.

Now, is it way better to tow with one of these? Hands Down its the way to go!

Geez,

I didnt realize this thread was started 8 years ago, lol

Joe

Haha, things move along pretty slow around here. I bet most of those old members aren't even on here anymore. This is about one of the quietest forums there is. I think it's because our rv's never break. And we're out enjoying them too much to be typing on the computer.

Wish I could say that.... My last trip to NE Ohio cost me $2000+ in transmission repairs. It would have been less but the repairs in NE Ohio were shoddy and I had to have it repaired again when I got home.

But that was your Dodge little truck that broke, wasn't it? Once you get the HDT you're problems are over.

That's certainly what I am hoping for!

Consider that tranny fix cheap. I just had to have a convertor put in the Allison in my C6500 in GA for $3800. Can't really say it "broke", just bad luck of a small crack developed in the convertor leaking fluid. I wish I was had been home in NE Ohio so my regular allison dealer could have fixed it. Who did your work up there? I can't think of any tranny shops in our area with a poor reputation. "Big" trucks do hold up way better, but reach for your wallet when they do break.

The guy that did the repairs was Mike Blood. He used a "lower quality" pump bushing and it cost me a pump. Once we pulled the tranny apart I found out he took a grinder to the steels.
Yep, when they do break it gets expensive quick. I was lucky, other than a heater hose, minor wiring, etc. the only troubles I had while driving big trucks was an injector pump on an NTC350 Cummins and a nose cone on a power divider in a SQHD front rear end. Both times I was able to get the parts and fix it myself. Oh! I forgot about having a pinion nut fall off the front rear end on the same rear end. The advantage for me was I was driving for someone so I didn't foot the bill!