Larry Gude
Strung Out
...I'm doing it one way or another but, am having trouble settling on a rig.
Dirt bikes and street bikes and tools and gear are going.
The overall plan is 3-6 months at a place at a time. Set up shop, find a fund job for beer and gas money, work camp, whatever, and explore the crap out of an area then move on as the weather or mood warrants.
I want a vehicle, preferably a jeep, to use as grocery getter, exploring, off roading, bad weather transportation.
1. The BIG option is an HDT (heavy duty truck) converted to carry a smart car cross ways on the chassis between the cab and trailer (but carry the bikes in the smart car space) and tow a big ass 5th wheel toy hauler with a heavy enough frame and capacity to garage the jeep for travel thereby avoiding double towing. Several vendors will do this so, the jeep in the 'toy' space is no big deal. There is no real downside to this because the truck is big enough for the extra 5,000#'s of the jeep weight plus whatever extra weight for the trailer frame to handle it.
2. BIG option 2 is the jeep goes where the smart would have been. I've seen it done 2 ways; 1, the jeep is angled up the back of the cab (too long to fit crosswise like the smart car) and 2, a 16-18' truck body is mounted to the truck, jeep stored inside (the one I have seen, you hire a roll back to get it in and out) and tow the trailer off the back of the truck.
I like 1 better because I don't want to be dependent on outside help to get jeep in and out. The toy hauler, drop ramp and there you go.
Either one gives me a jeep, dirt bikes, a big trailer for space BUT, this enormous freaking truck that will sit, alot, 3-6 months at a time.
3. Is the new Ram 3500 or F450 dually that both can tow 30,000 and carry 7,000 so, a BIG ASS 5th wheeler/toy hauler is doable. Experienced full timers are concerned with the stopping power of this option with the HDT being the choice with the most margin for "Oh, ####!". The plus here is using the dually as the daily driver/explore vehicle; losing the jeep. Obviously, not going off road much BUT, have the choice of taking dirt bikes in the back of it for day trips and, assuming 4wd, being able to get out in the bush a ways. Also, do not need as mongo a trailer if it is holding 2,000 pounds of motorcycles and tools rather than 5,000 plus for a jeep and tools. However, 3,000#'s, maybe the heavy duty toy hauler is still the smarter choice if I get out of control and start carrying around 100 cases of beer at a time? Sucks to lose the jeep. Great to lose the HDT which would otherwise be sitting so much.
4. I ain't got no freaking 4 at this point....Talked to several people who use their HDT as their daily driver/grocery getter, and some are even rigged with bed, potty and small kitchen, they use it for weekend trips away from the trailer. But, again, not having a pick up truck would probably give me hives.
5. Is inspired by 4; the HDT is the daily driver AND short trip motor AND carry some dirt bikes for day/weekend trips.
5 is starting to smell best...
Open to suggestions...
Dirt bikes and street bikes and tools and gear are going.
The overall plan is 3-6 months at a place at a time. Set up shop, find a fund job for beer and gas money, work camp, whatever, and explore the crap out of an area then move on as the weather or mood warrants.
I want a vehicle, preferably a jeep, to use as grocery getter, exploring, off roading, bad weather transportation.
1. The BIG option is an HDT (heavy duty truck) converted to carry a smart car cross ways on the chassis between the cab and trailer (but carry the bikes in the smart car space) and tow a big ass 5th wheel toy hauler with a heavy enough frame and capacity to garage the jeep for travel thereby avoiding double towing. Several vendors will do this so, the jeep in the 'toy' space is no big deal. There is no real downside to this because the truck is big enough for the extra 5,000#'s of the jeep weight plus whatever extra weight for the trailer frame to handle it.
2. BIG option 2 is the jeep goes where the smart would have been. I've seen it done 2 ways; 1, the jeep is angled up the back of the cab (too long to fit crosswise like the smart car) and 2, a 16-18' truck body is mounted to the truck, jeep stored inside (the one I have seen, you hire a roll back to get it in and out) and tow the trailer off the back of the truck.
I like 1 better because I don't want to be dependent on outside help to get jeep in and out. The toy hauler, drop ramp and there you go.
Either one gives me a jeep, dirt bikes, a big trailer for space BUT, this enormous freaking truck that will sit, alot, 3-6 months at a time.
3. Is the new Ram 3500 or F450 dually that both can tow 30,000 and carry 7,000 so, a BIG ASS 5th wheeler/toy hauler is doable. Experienced full timers are concerned with the stopping power of this option with the HDT being the choice with the most margin for "Oh, ####!". The plus here is using the dually as the daily driver/explore vehicle; losing the jeep. Obviously, not going off road much BUT, have the choice of taking dirt bikes in the back of it for day trips and, assuming 4wd, being able to get out in the bush a ways. Also, do not need as mongo a trailer if it is holding 2,000 pounds of motorcycles and tools rather than 5,000 plus for a jeep and tools. However, 3,000#'s, maybe the heavy duty toy hauler is still the smarter choice if I get out of control and start carrying around 100 cases of beer at a time? Sucks to lose the jeep. Great to lose the HDT which would otherwise be sitting so much.
4. I ain't got no freaking 4 at this point....Talked to several people who use their HDT as their daily driver/grocery getter, and some are even rigged with bed, potty and small kitchen, they use it for weekend trips away from the trailer. But, again, not having a pick up truck would probably give me hives.
5. Is inspired by 4; the HDT is the daily driver AND short trip motor AND carry some dirt bikes for day/weekend trips.
5 is starting to smell best...
Open to suggestions...
