If you've been following me for very long you've heard about the problems with the Dodge pulling the big heavy trailer... well I am darn tired of it breaking, and Randy is darn tired of fixing it...
So he has been searching the internet, and researching on the internet, and long story short, he found me a truck... and we brought it home with us today!
California has apparently tightened their emissions regulations yet again and hauler-type trucks are being dumped for a song because if they are older than 2000 it is too expensive to do the modifications to allow them to pass emissions... not that they are really bad polluting, don't get me wrong, they will pass the nationwide standards just fine, but Cali is being "too picky"... and the best part was, the truck was in a storage yard just a few miles from Sweetwater Campground where we had plans to spend a week!
I didn't bother taking new pictures, these are some of what the broker e-mailed to Randy... so they will do as my "before" pictures!
A view from the driver's seat...
Just for grins a view from the rear, this is the box and lift gate that we are removing and they will be sold to help finance the modifications...
So, modifications... I will post updates with pictures as things progress, but what needs to happen is:
1) remove 27' box and lift gate
2) shorten drive train by 1 section which will bring the rear wheels forward
3) cut frame behind new location of rear wheels
4) if possible, remove dual rear wheels so we have singles and then 2 spare tires (currently NO SPARE so thank God we made it home from Cali without a flat!)
5) mount sleeper cab and connect to existing cab (Randy had bought a sleeper a while back and planned to make it a camper that he could load on his flatbed for hunting etc. but decided to use it for this truck as it only seats 2.5 people)
6) mount flat bed behind sleeper
7) install hitch etc. needed to pull gooseneck trailer
8) paint!
Not sure how far we will get how fast, but I am PROMISED that at a minumum, the truck will at least be ready to haul the trailer by my annual birthday weekend trip to Mormon Lake with the AZ Desert Riders... a tradition for well over 10 years now so that promise better be written in stone!!! So steps 1-2-3 and 7 will probably be done first...
I've always looked with envy at the haulers who have to state "not for hire" on their door... it's silly but I am pretty excited about doing that lol.
So he has been searching the internet, and researching on the internet, and long story short, he found me a truck... and we brought it home with us today!
California has apparently tightened their emissions regulations yet again and hauler-type trucks are being dumped for a song because if they are older than 2000 it is too expensive to do the modifications to allow them to pass emissions... not that they are really bad polluting, don't get me wrong, they will pass the nationwide standards just fine, but Cali is being "too picky"... and the best part was, the truck was in a storage yard just a few miles from Sweetwater Campground where we had plans to spend a week!
I didn't bother taking new pictures, these are some of what the broker e-mailed to Randy... so they will do as my "before" pictures!
A view from the driver's seat...
Just for grins a view from the rear, this is the box and lift gate that we are removing and they will be sold to help finance the modifications...
So, modifications... I will post updates with pictures as things progress, but what needs to happen is:
1) remove 27' box and lift gate
2) shorten drive train by 1 section which will bring the rear wheels forward
3) cut frame behind new location of rear wheels
4) if possible, remove dual rear wheels so we have singles and then 2 spare tires (currently NO SPARE so thank God we made it home from Cali without a flat!)
5) mount sleeper cab and connect to existing cab (Randy had bought a sleeper a while back and planned to make it a camper that he could load on his flatbed for hunting etc. but decided to use it for this truck as it only seats 2.5 people)
6) mount flat bed behind sleeper
7) install hitch etc. needed to pull gooseneck trailer
8) paint!
Not sure how far we will get how fast, but I am PROMISED that at a minumum, the truck will at least be ready to haul the trailer by my annual birthday weekend trip to Mormon Lake with the AZ Desert Riders... a tradition for well over 10 years now so that promise better be written in stone!!! So steps 1-2-3 and 7 will probably be done first...
I've always looked with envy at the haulers who have to state "not for hire" on their door... it's silly but I am pretty excited about doing that lol.
1 comment:
Whoa, looks like your trailer's a biggie! The fact that it was pulled by a Dodge before caused me to have second thoughts, though. Anyway, you made a great buy!
- Duncan Moredock
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