Am I being a Dumbass?

[BigSouth]

So I bought this chassis sitting out in California. Long story short, it’s gonna cost stupid money to have it shipped so I’m gonna go get it myself. Because I’m being cheap, I’ve come up with this plan to haul it in the bed of my pickup. That way I’ll have great RAM Cummins mpg’s. Here’s the chassis...

It’s 55” at its widest point hence the box to sit it on. 12.5 feet long and 55” tall.

That’s 4 pallets screwed together with a double layer of plastic on top for rain protection. Skinned all 4 sides with treated plywood. It’ll hold all the weight. The black rack plugs into the hitch and was built by me to haul a canoe. It’s there because it has bright LED lights on the end for obvious reasons. The other piece of plywood is just to add rigidity to the canoe rack. I’ll use all 4 tie down points in the bed to secure the chassis and the 2 on the canoe rack just for moral support. It’ll all fit inside the bed with the tailgate up for the trip out.

So with all that being said, Am I being a dumbass?

Looking for input from @mcutler @Paul @upnover @shawn @Ron @Jody Treadway @Stuntman Autoworks and anybody else that wants to poke fun while offering constructive criticism.

 

[CasterTroy]

Flip it over, front over cab. Buy 3-4 inflatable mattresses to protect the cab (2 for spares) and friggin ROLL for a hellva vacation (take the Colorado way out, Texas was back)

 

[upnover]

shipping cost vs lodging, fuel, lost wages(even if it's vacation time)
I don't count food, since you're gonna eat anyway.
Figure something in there for wear and tear on your truck

 

[Stuntman Autoworks]

I like roadtrips, make a vacation out of it, stop and see some sights along the way and enjoy the trip. Leave just right and go out and enjoy watching a KOH race. My only complaint is I can't make the ride with you, seriously I would do this just like you are if I had something to get.

Only thing I would say is why not set the chassis down lower in the bed? Maybe back part resting on the canoe carrier and the front angled up a little on some wood in the bed. Just to get the weight down lower and out of the wind.

 

[BigSouth]

shipping cost vs lodging, fuel, lost wages(even if it's vacation time)
I don't count food, since you're gonna eat anyway.
Figure something in there for wear and tear on your truck

7 day break from work, so no lost wages or vacation. Wear and tear on the truck. Who cares? It’s a truck and this is what I bought it for. I’m also considering it a road trip adventure and probably have my lil sis riding with me. Hotels and fast food are par for the course. I’ll also add that the cheapest shipping quote I got was $1850!

 

[obullfish]

So what’s the shipping weight on the chassis? Is your getto fab canoe hauler going to be able to handle the weight for 2500 miles?

 

[BigSouth]

I like roadtrips, make a vacation out of it, stop and see some sights along the way and enjoy the trip. Leave just right and go out and enjoy watching a KOH race. My only complaint is I can't make the ride with you, seriously I would do this just like you are if I had something to get.

Only thing I would say is why not set the chassis down lower in the bed? Maybe back part resting on the canoe carrier and the front angled up a little on some wood in the bed. Just to get the weight down lower and out of the wind.

I have the RamBox which is why the chassis can’t sit lower. My bed is only 50” wide. I’ll load the chassis backwards to get the subframe on the box as far forward as possible. Trip is planned for March 8th. You got time to work out your schedule if you really wanna ride. Gonna miss KOH though.

 

[BigSouth]

So what’s the shipping weight on the chassis? Is your getto fab canoe hauler going to be able to handle the weight for 2500 miles?

The chassis will have all of its weight on the box, in the bed of the truck. The canoe rack is only for lights at night.

 

[Stuntman Autoworks]

I have the RamBox which is why the chassis can’t sit lower. My bed is only 50” wide. I’ll load the chassis backwards to get the subframe on the box as far forward as possible. Trip is planned for March 8th. You got time to work out your schedule if you really wanna ride. Gonna miss KOH though.

I'm in the middle of my rotating schedule that week so I wont be able to ride.

 

[drkelly]

I would pay the $1,850.

 

[Ron]

All I've got to add is this.
Depending on what part of California that's a 5,000 mile round trip.
Let's assume you can average 20mpg. That's 250 gallons of diesel. At $3/gallon that's $750 in fuel cost.
If you stay 2 night in a roach coach of a hotel your up to 850.

So you are making the trip to save at best 1,000.
If your tires last 50k miles that's 10% of their life. Thats another 80.
Add in 100 for an oil change.

You might, maybe save 700.
If everything goes right. Add in a blow out or part failure that requires any kind of road repair and you are losing money.

But I'd do it....it'll be fun.

 

[LT1JEEP]

If the motor and don't come in it why don't you turn it upside down in the bed and let the nose of the buggy stick over the cab put a head ache rack on your truck so the chassis will have something to rest on and tie down and haul ass.
The way you want to haul it will have to much overhang on the rear it will ride and drive bad.

 

[kaiser715]

I think that's kinda sketchy for a 3000 mile ride. Odds are you'll run into a DMV occifer that will call that an unsafe load.

Drive there, rent a uhaul trailer, or better, hit up CL in CA for a used boat trailer. Throw new bearings and grease in it, have a spare or two, and hit the road. Sell when you get home.

 

[BigSouth]

Depending on what part of California

Santa Ana = 4100 miles round trip

If the motor and don't come in it

No motor. Just chassis, with skins, and 2 seats. Should be relatively light.

put a head ache rack on

No headache racks for RamBox trucks. Flipping it upside down is on the list if it’ll fit between my bedrails. Then I’ll just trash the pallet box contraption in CA.

rent a uhaul trailer

Ran the numbers on that already. Costs even more than shipping and it’ll suck down my mpg’s on the return trip.

 

[ManglerYJ]

What about flipping the chassis over on it's top up on the box and putting the engine section over the cab? Would eliminate the need for the sketchy canoe holder.

 

[Stuntman Autoworks]

This isn't about saving money, its about seeing the country and making a "trip" out of it.

 

[XJsavage]

I'd take the trip in a heartbeat!

 

[BigSouth]

What about flipping the chassis over on it's top up on the box and putting the engine section over the cab? Would eliminate the need for the sketchy canoe holder.

I’m keeping all options open. I just wanna say that “sketchy” canoe holder is more like overkill. I’m 235 pounds and can stand on the end. I know for a fact it’ll hold up 2 lights and a piece of plywood.

 

[77GreenMachine]

It'd be pretty hard to pass up adding a day in Moab if it were me. I'd make the most out of the whole trip if possible. Add some vacation days, rent a jeep in Moab even if only for one day. Come back home thru Colorado, check out the Rockies and stuff.

 

[UTfball68]

Personally...because of Murphy’s law...I’d pay the $2k to have it shipped. Without fail, a last minute ‘f*ck it’ trip with a janky set up always ends catastrophically for me.

An excuse for a road trip, no brainer, go for it.

But I also have to say, what’s $1850 in the grand scheme of things when considering the cost of a build to warrant that chassis?

 

[shawn]

I rebuilt one of those hitch hauler things a month or two ago. It was store bought, made of tin foil. I rebuilt it with .250 wall and put a kink in it so it wouldn't drag the ground.

7 days straight with you the only one behind the wheel? Gonna suuuck. I did 1400 miles solo a few months ago. Took 48 hours with naps and such. CA is a solid 4 days away if you don't have a helper.

Also, should have bought a full size truck.

IRS mileage is .58/mi, btw...

 

[mommucked]

I'm sure you'll get many honks, smiles and thumbs up on the way home

 

[BigSouth]

last minute ‘f*ck it’ trip with a janky set up

Been scheming this since before Christmas. Far from last minute. Which part is “janky”? How could you make my setup better?

what’s $1850 in the grand scheme of things when considering the cost of a build to warrant that chassis?

If I save the extra $850, that’ll buy chromoly axle shafts for my Dana 60.

 

[BigSouth]

Come back home thru Colorado

Got an old college buddy that lives in Colorado. I’ve been there every year for the last 5 years. Elk hunting, seen/rode utv’s in Moab twice. Already checked those boxes.

 

[77GreenMachine]

Got an old college buddy that lives in Colorado. I’ve been there every year for the last 5 years. Elk hunting, seen/rode utv’s in Moab twice. Already checked those boxes.

I hear they have great brownies there.