Box trucks

1tonyj · Jun 4, 2017

Anyone here haul their crawler inside a box truck to parks? I kinda been kicking this around. If you do what's the pros/cons?...Thxs.

Rokcrler · Jun 4, 2017

Blue302ranger used to
seemed like a pretty sweet setup

ridered3 · Jun 4, 2017

Here's a thread from last summer with info, thoughts, and ideas.

http://www.hardlinecrawlers.com/forums/index.php?topic=52594.0

After seeing Derek West's setup when he was cone dodging (living quarters up front and fully stocked garage/shop in the back), I have always liked this idea.

1tonyj · Jun 4, 2017

ridered3 said:
Here's a thread from last summer with info, thoughts, and ideas.

http://www.hardlinecrawlers.com/forums/index.php?topic=52594.0

After seeing Derek West's setup when he was cone dodging (living quarters up front and fully stocked garage/shop in the back), I have always liked this idea.

Cool Thxs!

Welderd · Jun 5, 2017

I have one for sale on here

I've owned 3 so far and it's the best way to go in my mind

box truck loose alot of value after about 10 years of age, regardless of mileages and condition just because they can't get shipping contracts from big name companies.
you can pick them up for 15-30k depending on how fancy you want to get. I prefer to stay at the lower end of the price range because really they have no resale market. Just buy it and use it and enjoy it.

I can't understand people paying 40-50k for a diesel truck, buying a trailer and still having a tent or hotel. Unless you are making money with that pickup truck it's a big waste.

Cons - it's going to be an old loud work truck. it's been used to make money and used it's not a brand new pickup with leather heated seats
the deck height is 48" for dock high trucks - discountramps.com
CDL or register as RV
it's big
you think people wanted help moving when you had a pickup, now guess what - you have a moving truck. Deck height and ramps usually can convince them it's not worth it.

Pros -
cheap
air brakes
air ride
sleeper/camper
enclosed hauling
pull multiple vehicles with ease and have pre-pitched tent for buddies
leave rig loaded
leave tools and spares loaded
jump in and go for a weekend

another reason for the older trucks is that it doesn't look like you have a bunch of money, theives don't want to knock off a moving truck but a rig on open trailer with truck bed full of stuff is more enticing in a walmart parking lot

mac5005 · Jun 5, 2017

What are the better ones to look for?

My dream would be f550 etc, Cummins backed with Allison, two door with pass thru,
26' box, 102" wide, 96" wide door.

Does that even exist?

Front half rv, rear half hauler with ability to pull small trailer as well.

Fold out canopy on side, genset and air compressor underneath. Camp inside or out.

I hear to stay away from dt466e?

TBItoy · Jun 5, 2017

I envisioned getting something like this, Uhaul strips the graphics off the side when they sell them... So I'd get a "crawling themed" graphic for the side, that LOOKS like a Uhaul truck graphic. Incognito. :dblthumb:

KPatterson · Jun 5, 2017

TBItoy said:
I envisioned getting something like this, Uhaul strips the graphics off the side when they sell them... So I'd get a "crawling themed" graphic for the side, that LOOKS like a Uhaul truck graphic. Incognito.

Uhaul has a **** ton of the 26` trucks for sale. 7.4 160k-190k miles for around 6300.

TBItoy · Jun 5, 2017

KPatterson said:
Uhaul has a **** ton of the 26` trucks for sale. 7.4 160k-190k miles for around 6300.

I was reading some recent threads about the trucks they currently have for sale (00-01 GM C5500/6500s)

Apparently they will take cash offers of significantly less than asking price also.

BustedKnucklefilms · Jun 5, 2017

I have a 95 International Box Truck that has been converted into an RV. DT466, 6 speed with L just have the fuel plate slid forward and it hauls our 28' enclosed trailer loaded down all over the country including to King of the Hammers and back. It has air bags in the rear, but the front does not ride very well and inside the cab is loud as hell. I've got to get some dynomat or something and put it under the rubber flooring to quiet down the cab. Other than that I have no complaints.

KPatterson · Jun 5, 2017

BustedKnucklefilms said:
I have a 95 International Box Truck that has been converted into an RV. DT466, 6 speed with L just have the fuel plate slid forward and it hauls our 28' enclosed trailer loaded down all over the country including to King of the Hammers and back. It has air bags in the rear, but the front does not ride very well and inside the cab is loud as hell. I've got to get some dynomat or something and put it under the rubber flooring to quiet down the cab. Other than that I have no complaints.

Pics of inside?

Welderd · Jun 5, 2017

mac5005 said:
What are the better ones to look for?

My dream would be f550 etc, Cummins backed with Allison, two door with pass thru,
26' box, 102" wide, 96" wide door.

Does that even exist?

Front half rv, rear half hauler with ability to pull small trailer as well.

Fold out canopy on side, genset and air compressor underneath. Camp inside or out.

I hear to stay away from dt466e?

All three of mine have been FL70's with 3126 CAT engines

Your dream is great but it's just a dream. to find a good decent one you need to be open minded
Uhauls suck - they are gas and not wide enough but you can get them super cheap
a good site is www.trucksforsale.com to get an idea of what kind of trucks are out there for expedite trucks but I'd say all those trucks are at least 10k overpriced

I have to talk my wife out of dreamland and back to reality - how often are you gonna use it? how many times are you going to 'camp' in it per year? What's it worth to you?
The one I have for sale is a work horse with double bunks and 22' bed and works great for me or me and a kid but not a family of 5. So we found another one and it's nicer and will be better for us but at what cost? I've been converting it for two months now and it's not even done. All 5 of us will go maybe 2 times a year so is the additional cost and work worth it? you decide

Welderd · Jun 5, 2017

I wanted to stay away from the 3126 as it's not a sleeved motor that can be easily rebuilt but it seems like the best thing available for reasonable on the market.

I've seen a few 8.3L Cummins but haven't heard good things and they are a rare find

jeeptj99 · Jun 5, 2017

A guy I rode with a few times had one. His was sloooooow going places though. It would barely get out of it's own way half the time, especially loaded. I was very jealous of him when it started raining and him and his gf were in the back sitting on chairs dry as a bone. They would set their tent up in there during the summer to keep the bugs off them. It was a sweet set up, just a little slow. I cant remember what his was, I want to say it was an old cummins I cant swear to that though.

Welderd · Jun 5, 2017

speed and loading really comes down to gearing

box trucks = in town moving trucks, not cross country. These will be geared for town driving and be very slow
expedite truck = highway truck

rpm at speed will tell you alot

My current one with 6spd allison pulls away from wife's minivan even loaded down. I can set the cruise at 80 and be comfortable
the one I have for sale is 2200 rpm at 70? I think that's right but it cruises at 70 great, can go 80 but it would be loud and too close to redline for my comfort for extended periods.

jeeptj99 · Jun 5, 2017

My personal thing about it is I don't go enough to justify buying something like that and investing the time and effort into it. If I go I just try to not leave the truck/trailer/jeep sitting in a Walmart parking lot if I can help it, or I have someone stay with the truck. Same reason I don't have an enclosed trailer (besides money). I tell myself i'd sleep in it and it would be nice to have ac and all that, but a tent is cheaper.

grcthird · Jun 5, 2017

I like the idea of having one, but can't justify having another tag, insurance, upkeep, vehicle. For me, an enclosed trailer would be the way to go.... of course I would have to get a bigger pickup but I need a 4 door anyways instead of a rcsb.

ridered3 · Jun 5, 2017

Always like the thought of one of these setup for camping and hauling. Spend more time than I should on Craigslist etc looking just for fun.

I know some of the terms for these trucks are Medium Duty Trucks (MDT), straight trucks, box trucks, etc. what are speak other terms for these to aid in my online "research"???