New tow rig ideas, input wanted

[21willys]

So I've been wanting to build a tow rig that fits my needs a little better. I've kicked around the idea of Coe trucks, regular cab trucks with a sleeper,, and just about every other type of medium duty truck you can think of. I want a large sleeper on this one for sure and a heavier chassis then my one ton. Most likely I will use a modern chassis and drivetrain and put the old skool body over it.

Does any body have any pics of rides that fit my basic idea? I've searched google with every search description that I can think of but have only found a couple trucks that "flow" good IMO. I will post a few pics that are in my other phone when I get to some wifi.

 

[smallfoot]

how bout something like these?

 

[Willowbilly3]

How about a little Freightliner like an FL50. Lots of guys around here made that jump from a one ton dually. I know a few guys with the 5500 Dodges and they don't like them so much.

 

[Bamamav]

I think Freightliner calls that truck "Business Class". Peterbilt and KW also have a small version, not sure what they're called. I've also see Ford 550 and 650 in the 80's and 90's years that had V8 Catapillar diesel power, the baby Cat motors.

 

[Skip]

The Business Class Freightliners are great trucks. Especially the newer M2 series. That said, a real car hauler trailer would be the way to go it you're going that big. The toy hauler builders make some very nice rigs based on these babies.

This wasn't exactly a plug for the company that writes my paychecks. Most of the brands do it too.

Realistically, it is likely a bigger jump than you have in mind.

I think Freightliner calls that truck "Business Class". Peterbilt and KW also have a small version, not sure what they're called. I've also see Ford 550 and 650 in the 80's and 90's years that had V8 Catapillar diesel power, the baby Cat motors.

 

[21willys]

What I would really like to do is to use a old body on the modern chassis but I still haven't ruled out any of the "business class" trucks. I have found a couple decent priced freightliners that I like. The thing with them is that you can get them for half the price of a one ton and have more truck.

My plan for what ever truck that I end up with is to put a large sleeper on it and do a title transfer to a RV.

The old Coe trucks just don't look right IMO when made into crew cabs. I've saw a few that have had sleepers on them that didn't look to bad but they just aren't exactly what I would want.

 

[AZRodDave]

Not sure where I found this pic, but ...

Maybe like you have in mind? I remember going to a bike show once where a guy took an old 1920s Diamond T fire truck and put modern suspension and drive train in it, also painted it green and black. He had hydraulics on the rear so that it would lower down onto the pavement, whereby he could roll his vintage Indians off the back. Cool as heck !!!

 

[dyce51]

are you looking for 5th wheel, bumper pull or ramp style hauler??... I have quite a few different ideas

 

[CORPO]

AZ dave... That thing is cool but man wonder what the wheel base is....

 

[CORPO]

Found some info on it

http://www.rodauthority.com/news/function-and-form-come-together-for-a-38-diamond-t-and-a-model-a/

Here's a profile.... Looooooooong
http://www.speednik.com/files/2014/04/weaver011.jpg

 

[Skip]

AZ dave... That thing is cool but man wonder what the wheel base is....

Not long enough to haul 4 cars. But its cool.

 

[21willys]

Maybe like you have in mind? I remember going to a bike show once where a guy took an old 1920s Diamond T fire truck and put modern suspension and drive train in it, also painted it green and black. He had hydraulics on the rear so that it would lower down onto the pavement, whereby he could roll his vintage Indians off the back. Cool as heck !!!

As cool as that is I can't see it being practical to drive. But ya something along those lines with a huge sleeper and a short flat bed of some sort that's about 8'-10' long.

I pull a 53' wedge trailer that is a gooseneck. I will also use it to haul my camper and car trailer. There's no need to actually haul anything on the truck, just pull trailers and to make being over the road more comfortable.

 

[Willowbilly3]

I had a guy give me this a few years ago and being 100 miles away and my terminal case of putting stuff off, just found out they took it to the crusher, and it had a running hemi when it was parked.

 

[Willowbilly3]

Here's one I really want. Pull the cab and put a regular front on it over a one ton chassis. I just have to figure out how to haul it, one front hub is missing.

 

[Yankee Transplant]

I love old macks they sit low to the grown too. put a sleeper on it and you would have all the pulling power you need ..


They knew how to stack them in back in the old days ... and all this on a single axle trailer

 

[bruno]

I had a guy give me this a few years ago and being 100 miles away and my terminal case of putting stuff off, just found out they took it to the crusher, and it had a running hemi when it was parked.

You should be ashamed of yourself WB.

 

[21willys]

I had a guy give me this a few years ago and being 100 miles away and my terminal case of putting stuff off, just found out they took it to the crusher, and it had a running hemi when it was parked.

I'm sorry but we can NOT be friends now.


I can get pretty much anything loaded, with or without wheels. I've been known to rent skid loaders and mini excavators to get stuff loaded as well when I'm not near my loader. But.. Cities out west aren't always close enough to the good stuff to justify renting equipment.

 

[Willowbilly3]

The binder is only 15 miles out, he wants $450 for it. I'm not sure if a big wrecker could dolly it but it would probably be a several hundred dollar tow. I know a couple guys with Sky-Tracs, maybe I could get one of them out there to pull the cab.

 

[21willys]

The binder is only 15 miles out, he wants $450 for it. I'm not sure if a big wrecker could dolly it but it would probably be a several hundred dollar tow. I know a couple guys with Sky-Tracs, maybe I could get one of them out there to pull the cab.

Back up close enough so that trailer ramp will go under where the wheel would be. Jack the truck up, put the ramps down, and set the truck in a set of heavy dollies, Winch it up. I've done it several times. It takes a little bit of work but can be done with out any extra expense.

I have a doghouse off of a kb6, I think. It would make for a interesting hauler with the extra cab and a sleeper cab.

 

[21willys]

Here's one that I found on Google. It's somewhat what I'm thinking but the sleeper needs to be bigger and I'm still not a fan of the Coe. The bed needs to be a flat bed also.