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Toterhome Build Dreams/Reality Check

I've been really interested in the sundowner and logan open deck toy haulers

im curious how the weight balances out

1718039496506.png
 
Can't believe no one mentioned stacker trailer? :flipoff2: seriously though, stacker behind class a would be sweet.

Do you need a full on toy hauler for every trip? Or could you add some amenities to a semi sleeper and just pull a normal flat deck gooseneck or ramp trailer?

If it were my money, I'd just get away from the rv trailer completely and get a real semi trailer to go with your semi truck. Build the front into living quarters and have lots of room for your toys and gear.

Or, sell the sxs, grow some balls and buy dirt bikes :flipoff2:
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Can't believe no one mentioned stacker trailer? :flipoff2: seriously though, stacker behind class a would be sweet.

Do you need a full on toy hauler for every trip? Or could you add some amenities to a semi sleeper and just pull a normal flat deck gooseneck or ramp trailer?

If it were my money, I'd just get away from the rv trailer completely and get a real semi trailer to go with your semi truck. Build the front into living quarters and have lots of room for your toys and gear.

Or, sell the sxs, grow some balls and buy dirt bikes
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Pops runs a stacker behind his Class A and it is sweetttttt. But my resources arent quite there yet.

I don't need more than a tent and a dry sleeping bag, its the wife and 2 year old that have been accustomed to the glamping lifestyle.

Semi trailer is out, too long.

I prefer 2 wheels, the wife wants me to "live a long life" and "not push me around in a wheelchair" something about my riding style and personality she doesnt trust......

ridered3 said:
75RamRunner Ramcharger is a wide one! Definitely throws enclosed trailers or toy haulers out of the equation.
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Its a fucking problem. Starting to understand why all the buggies and jeep guys keep a certain width.....

Arickvan said:
I've been really interested in the sundowner and logan open deck toy haulers

im curious how the weight balances out

1718039496506.png
Click to expand...

I like these a lot but its a 40' trailer and i personally think id get a nicer TT with more living space on a gooseneck flatbed for the price.



The two rigs thing really fuckers the whole deal. One rig is a pretty straight forward solution in either direction.
 
75RamRunner said:
I don't need more than a tent and a dry sleeping bag, its the wife and 2 year old that have been accustomed to the glamping lifestyle.
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Why not just a slide in and BP both? Still have an adventure vehicle to camp too if not towing and just out for a fishing/hunting weekend?
 
HDT with a toterhome or camper on the bed and a 30 ft bumper pull or goose? Keep the toys on the trailer, would suck to have to unhook to load and unload. Enclose the front 12 ft of the trailer for the Sidexside ad you have closed storage/extra camping spade with fold down bunks and an AC unit.
 
75RamRunner said:
Semi trailer is out, too long.
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They come in different lengths :flipoff2:

Really though, ID look into this. The bumper pull toy hauler to fit a 4seater is going to wind up damn long over all also. Remember a 30' BP will be 30+ the tongue + being pulled off the bumper, so really it's probably longer than a 40' 5th wheel trailer

 
75RamRunner said:
The two rigs thing really fuckers the whole deal. One rig is a pretty straight forward solution in either direction.
Click to expand...

Yes it is. You're trying to have your cake and eat it too with your list of requirements...namely the length and wanting to be able to glamp. At the end of the day, you'll need 30' space to put both vehicles no matter what. Putting a rig on the back of a MDT/HDT and a tag toyhauler is probably your most nimble setup length wise at the expense of 4x4. Which comes with it's own set of do's and don'ts when you're talking campgrounds that length is a problem.
 
My guess is that you’ll use the Ramcharger less than you think, and will end up with a 4-seat SxS.

On the stacker trailer thing—the Ram charger is what, 6’-6”? And a SxS is usually around 6’. I don’t think they’d stack on a trailer, and still be under 13’-6”.

Seems like race teams tend to use stackers to get more equipment stored under their rigs, not really to stack rigs. Heck, even their full-on golf carts typically have the canopy taken off.

I say all this as someone with zero time around stackers, btw.
 
75RamRunner Truth on width. I swapped wheels to go from 87” wide overall with limited steering angle thanks to backspacing to 84” wide overall with more steering angle and love it being so narrow.

Dang ole 2 toys and a kiddo or two really throws planning off (sometime in a good way). :lmao: We’ve been in this current setup dilemma for the last 18 months with our 3 year old. How to fit everything while having nicer camping setup.
 
Swayzeexpress said:
Why not just a slide in and BP both? Still have an adventure vehicle to camp too if not towing and just out for a fishing/hunting weekend?
Click to expand...

I've been looking at this a lot more too, but two fold problem. Mega cab so short bed slide in. not a lot of "spacious" options. And from what i can tell the extendo hitcho deal isnt exactly load rated for a lot and the ramcharger is a fat pig at 6k+. We're talking 9k before adding the 4 seat SxS of your flavor at 22-2500lbs

YotaAtieToo said:
They come in different lengths :flipoff2:

Really though, ID look into this. The bumper pull toy hauler to fit a 4seater is going to wind up damn long over all also. Remember a 30' BP will be 30+ the tongue + being pulled off the bumper, so really it's probably longer than a 40' 5th wheel trailer
Click to expand...

I'm all for converting, id prefer it actually. But time is one of commodities i cant seem to reproduce. And between running 3 companies, a mini farm, and the family i barely have enought time to maintain the rigs let alone a full out build. I could slot time if it was an accelerate project but a full living space build out doesnt feel like one of those lol.

Snowy said:
Yes it is. You're trying to have your cake and eat it too with your list of requirements...namely the length and wanting to be able to glamp. At the end of the day, you'll need 30' space to put both vehicles no matter what. Putting a rig on the back of a MDT/HDT and a tag toyhauler is probably your most nimble setup length wise at the expense of 4x4. Which comes with it's own set of do's and don'ts when you're talking campgrounds that length is a problem.
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Yes, im trying to be a spoiled bitch :flipoff2: The point of downsizing the TH to a BP is to make recreational camping without the toys easier. Right now im 55' of truck and trailer wether im going to a state park or sand mountain.

ridered3 said:
75RamRunner Truth on width. I swapped wheels to go from 87” wide overall with limited steering angle thanks to backspacing to 84” wide overall with more steering angle and love it being so narrow.

Dang ole 2 toys and a kiddo or two really throws planning off (sometime in a good way). :lmao: We’ve been in this current setup dilemma for the last 18 months with our 3 year old. How to fit everything while having nicer camping setup.
Click to expand...

I'm trying to convince the wife to go back to quads, get a 2 seater for one parent and child and a faster one for the other parent. Going from the 2 seat x3 to a 4 seat just fuckers everything up as far as transportation goes.

YotaAtieToo said:
Just curious where you are wheeling that you want both rigs there every trip?
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I did a bad job explaining this, its not every trip. but we take 2-3x yearly ones to Moab/Sand Mountain/Hammers that id like to have both. Most trips are one rig trips or flat out recreational camping like Fort Bragg. I usually dont bring the truck to SM or Stonyford and i usally dont bring the SxS to Moab/Hammers. But im not a "boys trip/need time away from family" type of guy, id like them with us on the rides. Wife just enjoys a different pace ride than i do but wants to be present. I guess rocking bouncing style driving up backdoor isnt her thing :lmao: I slow down a lot with her and the kid in the truck, but im also not pulling rigs 12 hours to take a bypass ya know?



Too add to the clusterfuck, i just found out Genisis makes a fifth wheel toy haulers with pull through toy access like the Weekend Warriors of old. And a 34' 5er has 16'8 of cargo. That bitch will fit a 4 seat SxS all day, shorten my overall trailer length by 5' and check the living space/SxS box. Something like that really would sway me into the HDT/Flatbed for truck route as its enough glamping the boss will sign off, enough cargo for a second toy for a future kid (or a duner for me)
 
OHV Wildcat said:
My guess is that you’ll use the Ramcharger less than you think, and will end up with a 4-seat SxS.

On the stacker trailer thing—the Ram charger is what, 6’-6”? And a SxS is usually around 6’. I don’t think they’d stack on a trailer, and still be under 13’-6”.

Seems like race teams tend to use stackers to get more equipment stored under their rigs, not really to stack rigs. Heck, even their full-on golf carts typically have the canopy taken off.

I say all this as someone with zero time around stackers, btw.
Click to expand...

You know i had a weak moment, i tried to sell the ramcharger. for that exact reason. But its a ton of fun when i do use it, makes me smile everytime i start it, and frankly im a little attached to it. Its like big titty tatted feral women. I know its bad for me, and I know its going to try and kill me at some point, but i cant get enough of it.

And this whole fucking ordeal is because my kid is growing at the rate of gorilla and the bump seat deal that fits kids "2-4 years old" is going to last him another 2-3 months maybe. Fucker aint even 2. So im already being pushed into a rig i'm sure as fuck not going to drive.

Also see previous post about ramcharger being thicccer than a white girl at a 50 cent concert. She don't fit through doors, stacker is out.
 
75RamRunner said:
I've been looking at this a lot more too, but two fold problem. Mega cab so short bed slide in. not a lot of "spacious" options. And from what i can tell the extendo hitcho deal isnt exactly load rated for a lot and the ramcharger is a fat pig at 6k+. We're talking 9k before adding the 4 seat SxS of your flavor at 22-2500lbs



I'm all for converting, id prefer it actually. But time is one of commodities i cant seem to reproduce. And between running 3 companies, a mini farm, and the family i barely have enought time to maintain the rigs let alone a full out build. I could slot time if it was an accelerate project but a full living space build out doesnt feel like one of those lol.
Click to expand...

I get it, there is trailers done up out there, but not often for sale.

75RamRunner said:
Yes, im trying to be a spoiled bitch :flipoff2: The point of downsizing the TH to a BP is to make recreational camping without the toys easier. Right now im 55' of truck and trailer wether im going to a state park or sand mountain.



I'm trying to convince the wife to go back to quads, get a 2 seater for one parent and child and a faster one for the other parent. Going from the 2 seat x3 to a 4 seat just fuckers everything up as far as transportation goes.
Click to expand...

Kid on the back of a quad in a public area like the dunes sounds like a terrible idea.

75RamRunner said:
I did a bad job explaining this, its not every trip. but we take 2-3x yearly ones to Moab/Sand Mountain/Hammers that id like to have both. Most trips are one rig trips or flat out recreational camping like Fort Bragg. I usually dont bring the truck to SM or Stonyford and i usally dont bring the SxS to Moab/Hammers. But im not a "boys trip/need time away from family" type of guy, id like them with us on the rides. Wife just enjoys a different pace ride than i do but wants to be present. I guess rocking bouncing style driving up backdoor isnt her thing :lmao: I slow down a lot with her and the kid in the truck, but im also not pulling rigs 12 hours to take a bypass ya know?
Click to expand...

If it was me, I'd get a camper for the ram, pull a regular trailer on all you're normal runs.

For the rare trip that you want to take both, put them on the 40' gooseneck and rent an air bnb or travel trailer when you get there.

Or maybe squeeze the camper on the front of the trailer also?
 
Not that this helps your situation, but how is your Ramcharger that wide? Dually hubs? I'm pretty sure my K5 is only ~89" with a Chevy D60 and 15" wide TSLs.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Those mickeys are wide as fuck, which requires wide, offset wheels.
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I remeasured Sunday because the previous comment got me thinking how the fuck did it get that wide.

Its 96 1/2" O.D. The fucking lugs on those tires add an 1 3/8" from the casing, crazy The truck is 16'10 from bumper to bumper, 6'7" to top of cage 121" WB.


That dune chaser would be the ticket if

1. was a true 102" wide and had 98" I.D
2. Could fit a 4 seat sxs too, it looks close to be honest.

I'm listing my toy hauler this week or next. There's a few Genesis 32-34x models that are all 36' nose to tail local around me with some low hour gens so i think that solves my toyhauler/sxs problem, theyre all pull through models with the smallest floor plan having 76" between the slide and wall and 18'9" from back to counter. Shortens my overall trailer by 4' give or take, which ill need every bit of on the deck of a HDT


Lets talk HDTs.

right now its just me the wife and the man child (toddler). With at least one more little one in the plans, would a 32-36" sleeper be adequate as the "Back seat"? I really love the looks of the Pete's with the short top sleeper. Like the w900s a lot too. but they seem to all be day cabs or with a 6' box.
From what I've read COE ride like 70 square body, not a huge fan of the looks although it would be a big factory into staying length legal....

Any engines to steer way away from? I'm thinking a big cam Cummins 350-400 or a 3406b are my ideal powerplants. Want to stay out of electronics for now, the selling point for the wife is its also the bug-out apocalypse rig. Heard there's a low flow version of the BC cummins in the late 80s that wasn't a trainwreck but the previous version were better. I know fuck all about Mack's but they look cool. I'm thinking a 70s-90s is the truck ill land on with my budget.

Keep in mind were talking about pulling a combined 25k at best so its not like im going to be stressing the HDT package.


For the flatbed:

Height is a concern, ill likely be building a "bumper pull" mount the for the toy hauler 5th wheel and convert the box to a gooseneck. most toy haulers are around 13'9-10"

The shortest height combo would be a recessed wheel ramps where the belly of the truck sits center over the rear axle. should get 12"-14" before the pumpkins hit the frame rail.

The shortest length combo would be to throw a 25-45 degree ramp on and pull the tires to the back of the sleeper. I have concerns about the nose being 14'+ in the air. 11rs are 42" tall, assuming that level with frame or lower, 4" for structual steel, truck would be 11' to top sitting flat, so i have some veritcal to play with but 3' tall platforms so i stay around 14' that every bit of a 16' deck still. Might as well leave it flat.
 
For the hdt u may want to consider a n14 motor in a 379. The chassis is leaps and bounds better then the 359 chassis and parts r available. There r only a few old timers supplying parts and small items.

On a 359, none the sleepers r air ride, the pass through and cab r real small, wheels r all buds, steering box is behind the axle and the dashes r a small fortune to restore. On the flip side they r sexy af. Most of these issues can be worked through as we did with our truck but it takes a lot of work. If u want a bigcam 3/400 know that u cant really do anything but a 20lb fuel button and a fuel line to the front of the head. Maybe adds 50hp. All in all plenty of power for 40k lbs (80k not so much). The motor is super stupid simple and is a good choice for bug out truck but f the low flow cooling. We converted ours with a new rad, tstat housing and lower pipe. Its not that hard, found my parts of an n14 in the yard. Its also a aftercooler (uses coolant) motor as opposed to a air to air intercooler on a n14.

Also pay attension to the suspension. Ours is an air-ride 2, it has a control arm which is real good for the rough terain. The low leaf is nice on the road but since it uses the spring as the control arm its not as durable on the rough roads.


U got some research to do... ill try to answer what i can but im limited to my truck and what we have done
 
One note on having people ride in the sleeper is they still require seat belts or some form of safety restraint.
 
Dejeeper said:
For the hdt u may want to consider a n14 motor in a 379. The chassis is leaps and bounds better then the 359 chassis and parts r available. There r only a few old timers supplying parts and small items.

On a 359, none the sleepers r air ride, the pass through and cab r real small, wheels r all buds, steering box is behind the axle and the dashes r a small fortune to restore. On the flip side they r sexy af. Most of these issues can be worked through as we did with our truck but it takes a lot of work. If u want a bigcam 3/400 know that u cant really do anything but a 20lb fuel button and a fuel line to the front of the head. Maybe adds 50hp. All in all plenty of power for 40k lbs (80k not so much). The motor is super stupid simple and is a good choice for bug out truck but f the low flow cooling. We converted ours with a new rad, tstat housing and lower pipe. Its not that hard, found my parts of an n14 in the yard. Its also a aftercooler (uses coolant) motor as opposed to a air to air intercooler on a n14.

Also pay attension to the suspension. Ours is an air-ride 2, it has a control arm which is real good for the rough terain. The low leaf is nice on the road but since it uses the spring as the control arm its not as durable on the rough roads.


U got some research to do... ill try to answer what i can but im limited to my truck and what we have done
Click to expand...

I really am not opposed to the 6nz/n14 era engines but it does lose the apocalypses vibe. And like you said for 40k lbs, id imagine a 250 cummins would be fine lol.

I have really been trying to read up on the suspension styles, i do want air ride style as pretty much everywhere ill be pulling it'll be getting off the road.

didnt know the differences in the 359 and 379 thats great info, ill keep digging

KB6Chris said:
One note on having people ride in the sleeper is they still require seat belts or some form of safety restraint.
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I would ensure i have adequate safety provisions for the occupants regardless. It might be a 2" rachet strap through a car seat but itll be damn tight i swear officer.

The wife and the kid have just stayed in the camper a few times now (spare me the legality i know) on the longer pulls/early mornings so maybe a day cab wouldn't hurt me, give me some quiet on the drive at least :lmao:
 
I would say the air ride is absolutely crucial for stuff like this. It still beats the hell out of you on rough road (even roads you wouldn’t really consider that rough). It’s a necessity because you’ll be so under-loaded, and under-loaded springs are the debbil.
 
CarterKraft said:
Click to expand...


That is fucking sweet. Ive always thought it was such a waste of space to build a crawler hauler on a gooseneck and not use a fifth wheel camper platform. More living area with the same deck space usage. I dig all the boxes for storage and such too.

I'm pretty settled on the trailer swap im doing now. 36' overall so 3'10" shorter, 5-6' more of parking since its an open design, and allows me to get into the rec camp area's easier.

I'm seeing lots of dump trucks without their beds for sale right now, I know those things live hard lives but they have the frame length, air ride, bare frame, and usually the larger powerplants.

I also dont think i need a 15-18 speed for the weight associated. I think a 10 will do me just fine. Not opposed to more gears but low low will probably barely ever get touched.
 
75RamRunner said:
I remeasured Sunday because the previous comment got me thinking how the fuck did it get that wide.

Its 96 1/2" O.D. The fucking lugs on those tires add an 1 3/8" from the casing, crazy The truck is 16'10 from bumper to bumper, 6'7" to top of cage 121" WB.

-----------


Lets talk HDTs.

right now its just me the wife and the man child (toddler). With at least one more little one in the plans, would a 32-36" sleeper be adequate as the "Back seat"? I really love the looks of the Pete's with the short top sleeper. Like the w900s a lot too. but they seem to all be day cabs or with a 6' box.
From what I've read COE ride like 70 square body, not a huge fan of the looks although it would be a big factory into staying length legal....


For the flatbed:

Height is a concern, ill likely be building a "bumper pull" mount the for the toy hauler 5th wheel and convert the box to a gooseneck. most toy haulers are around 13'9-10"

The shortest height combo would be a recessed wheel ramps where the belly of the truck sits center over the rear axle. should get 12"-14" before the pumpkins hit the frame rail.

The shortest length combo would be to throw a 25-45 degree ramp on and pull the tires to the back of the sleeper. I have concerns about the nose being 14'+ in the air. 11rs are 42" tall, assuming that level with frame or lower, 4" for structual steel, truck would be 11' to top sitting flat, so i have some veritcal to play with but 3' tall platforms so i stay around 14' that every bit of a 16' deck still. Might as well leave it flat.
Click to expand...

96 1/2" makes more sense. I think my Fuzion is ~98" wide inside (not that it could haul the weight or length), but I think it'd be tough loading rig that wide in a trailer regardless. Plus if you have a tire that goes flat inside, you're hosed. That Ramcharger is freaking huge, the picture in the first post threw me off because it all looks proportional.

The flat tops look cool, but I'd guess you're aero would be better with some sort of a nose cone on the sleeper. Not sure though. I think I'd go for the flat deck on the semi just for versatility. Or build wheel pockets that can be covered if you end up hauling something else on the deck. If your deck is 52" off the ground (6" higher than an 11R22.5"), you'll still only be 10' 9". The ramp deck seems like too big of a compromise for too little gain.
 
75RamRunner said:
That is fucking sweet. Ive always thought it was such a waste of space to build a crawler hauler on a gooseneck and not use a fifth wheel camper platform. More living area with the same deck space usage. I dig all the boxes for storage and such too.

I'm pretty settled on the trailer swap im doing now. 36' overall so 3'10" shorter, 5-6' more of parking since its an open design, and allows me to get into the rec camp area's easier.

I'm seeing lots of dump trucks without their beds for sale right now, I know those things live hard lives but they have the frame length, air ride, bare frame, and usually the larger powerplants.

I also dont think i need a 15-18 speed for the weight associated. I think a 10 will do me just fine. Not opposed to more gears but low low will probably barely ever get touched.
Click to expand...
If you went with a dump truck as the base vehicle, what it your thinking for additional cab/seating?
 
ridered3 said:
If you went with a dump truck as the base vehicle, what it your thinking for additional cab/seating?
Click to expand...

I like to imagine I'm capable of mounting a sleeper on bags and cutting the pass through. :lmao: but yeah that is a big spoiler in the plan

YotaAtieToo said:
I'd absolutely avoid a dump truck, they live a real hard life and 400k miles may as well be 4m :laughing:
Click to expand...

That's pretty much the consensus I got from my HDT buddies so I figured that was the norm.



How about toy hauler door reinforcement to pull a full size rig up on it, what has the group done? Im revisiting the triple axle monster toy hauler idea that i could pull the truck in the back and SxS in the llving/ kitchen area. If i put rollers on the truck i can drop it 7.5" give or take and narrow it to the tube exo which is closer to 92-93" so it would be tight but posssible. The bigger toy haulers have payloads in the 5500-6400 range. So thats something ill need to look into as well. Tossing some 7ks under it instead of the 6ks is not a big deal but i worry about the crossmember strength on the tail of those with a heavier toy in it
 
75RamRunner said:
I like to imagine I'm capable of mounting a sleeper on bags and cutting the pass through. :lmao: but yeah that is a big spoiler in the plan



That's pretty much the consensus I got from my HDT buddies so I figured that was the norm.



How about toy hauler door reinforcement to pull a full size rig up on it, what has the group done? Im revisiting the triple axle monster toy hauler idea that i could pull the truck in the back and SxS in the llving/ kitchen area. If i put rollers on the truck i can drop it 7.5" give or take and narrow it to the tube exo which is closer to 92-93" so it would be tight but posssible. The bigger toy haulers have payloads in the 5500-6400 range. So thats something I’ll need to look into as well. Tossing some 7ks under it instead of the 6ks is not a big deal but i worry about the crossmember strength on the tail of those with a heavier toy in it
Click to expand...
Speaking for myself—the advantage of an RV is more weekend trips. What you’re describing sounds like a major PITA to me, and something that I would only willingly do on big week-long trips. Those don’t happen often enough for me to keep all this stuff.

I say all this to say I think you’re trying to optimize for the exceptional trip, not the regular (hopefully frequent) one.
 
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