F-650 RV build

Tacoma747

Tacoma747

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Winston-Salem
Well, was offered a nice box that would make a great start to an RV, just had to buy a truck to put it on.... Of course I can't turn down an opportunity to waste money on another project, so here we go.

Bought a crew cab 2006 F-650 in Tampa (who wants to ride to Tampa?). 5.9 Cummins/Allison 2500, so I am sure it'll be a turd. I plan to sell my 2005 Cummins F-350 as I don't really need two tow rigs...

The box has an engine driven (as in the compressor would be attached to the truck engine) reefer unit I will likely remove and run a regular RV style unit instead (already have a rooftop A/C unit as well).
 

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GLTHFJ60 said:
What are the details on that box? Looks well built.
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Superior I think was on the mudflaps. The back doors are pretty flimsy, but otherwise it seems really nice. I may close the back off permanently. Angled up and then vertical to add an extra 3-4' of space possibly.

I brought a military truck frame home from my land and removed the bed, I will be using the spacers on top of the frame to space the box up enough to clear the cab. Not ideal, to have 8" of spacer, but this should be a very strong way of accomplishing it.
 

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Have to cut the skirts off in front of the tires, will use that space for storage boxes and such. The biggest issue is figuring out a hitch, the frame stops a few feet from the back of the box.

I definitely have my work cut out for me, but it's a really good start.
 

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Since everyone is bound to have an opinion. Looking for opinions on a hitch. I have thought about cutting the skirts and rear step off completely if the tongue of my trailer would go underneath the back of the truck, then bolt a hitch to the frame. This might look funny, and may be impossible due to clearance issues when turning. Other option is stretching the frame, and adding a hitch further back. I intend to remove the rear step regardless as it won't be needed.
 

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Tacoma747 said:
Since everyone is bound to have an opinion. Looking for opinions on a hitch. I have thought about cutting the skirts and rear step off completely if the tongue of my trailer would go underneath the back of the truck, then bolt a hitch to the frame. This might look funny, and may be impossible due to clearance issues when turning. Other option is stretching the frame, and adding a hitch further back. I intend to remove the rear step regardless as it won't be needed.
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I’d definitely stretch the frame out, I recently had a guy come buy a truck and was hauling with a flat bed that extended out way past the frame. Let’s just say he needed 2 fenders before getting out of my driveway due to the bed going over the trailer. Seems like the safer way so it would be more universal
 
Noel said:
I’d definitely stretch the frame out, I recently had a guy come buy a truck and was hauling with a flat bed that extended out way past the frame. Let’s just say he needed 2 fenders before getting out of my driveway due to the bed going over the trailer. Seems like the safer way so it would be more universal
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I am just afraid of putting so much weight so far back behind the axle. The most weight I imagine hauling would be around 16-20k lbs.
 
While you might clear the trailer on flat ground when turning, I imagine it would be hard to clearance the box to clear the trailer if turned and off angle, unless you trailer has a super long tongue. At that point, is the leverage really any different?
 
I've gotta imagine that the rig once complete will weigh probably 15k right. Extend the frame so that the hitch load is on the truck chassis and towing some weight probably won't be an issue.

Class A RVs do it, so do Class Bs. What about earthromers?
 
So I have been fighting with figuring out why the electric 'backup' portion of the brakes didn't work. While the engine is running it doesn't matter aside from the fact there is a constant chime to notify there is a power loss to the electric backup. I also have an ABS light, but the two issues were unrelated.

So the electric brake fuse (60 amp) in the fuse box would get power, but it seemed to be low voltage/bad connection, and would never energize the brakes although everything was connected. Turns out, the internally buss bar in the fuse box has a section of slid inside it feeding that and one other fuse (other fuse not used). There was movement and corrosion in that joint which was causing the issue. I tried soldering it together, but couldn't get it hot enough for solder to stick, simple enough fix though, I am adding an external 60 amp circuit breaker that I removed from a HMMWV, problem solved!

The ABS circuit is on the same circuit as the fuel heater, and I found a short somewhere in the fuel heater circuit, so I just disconnected that and the ABS light has gone out. Hopefully that will bring my speedometer back to life as well, and hopefully the ABS light STAYS out.

Once I have the mechanical stuff sorted I will work on a hitch and the box.
 

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Replaced the coolant degas bottle with one from Dorman. The whole bottle with sensor was $120 shipped. Just a sensor was $60.... Turns out it NEEDED the bottle, as it has so much crud inside the old one that the sensor wouldn't function. I like the new bottle better as it is clear instead of black. Flushed the cooling system about 7 times today and put fresh coolant in it. Also figured out why the heat doesn't work, the heater core lines were completely gone. Guess that wasn't needed in Florida 🤣.

Took it for a short test ride, have no warning lights, no codes. I don't have a functioning coolant gauge (although the reading when hooked to scan tool functions) or speedometer yet.

If anyone knows of a hood/grille for a 650/750 please put me in touch with whoever has them.
 
Tacoma747 said:
Replaced the coolant degas bottle with one from Dorman. The whole bottle with sensor was $120 shipped. Just a sensor was $60.... Turns out it NEEDED the bottle, as it has so much crud inside the old one that the sensor wouldn't function. I like the new bottle better as it is clear instead of black. Flushed the cooling system about 7 times today and put fresh coolant in it. Also figured out why the heat doesn't work, the heater core lines were completely gone. Guess that wasn't needed in Florida 🤣.

Took it for a short test ride, have no warning lights, no codes. I don't have a functioning coolant gauge (although the reading when hooked to scan tool functions) or speedometer yet.

If anyone knows of a hood/grille for a 650/750 please put me in touch with whoever has them.
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I think 21 motors in Hamptonville has some u haul trucks that may have front ends
 
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