Tires and wheels

[Stealth Camper]

Not sure if this needs a new topic or not, but was just coasting through the tax commission web site here in Okie-land and found some interesting information for here. (Wonder who needs to "get a life", huh?)

We cannot register a travel trailer longer than 40 feet or wider than 8' 0". That pretty well takes care of my desire to use a box van or a big flat bed as starting place, since it is 8' 6" wide. Will have to find slightly narrower.

Just threw this out because most states probably address the question in various ways, so if gonna build, good to know for your state.

[Standaddy]

If you really want to build your own, I wouldn't leave that idea yet. There are plenty of 96" wide flats and vans still around. I can't remember what year the DOT started allowing 102" wide trailers, but it was something like 15 years ago, maybe less. Most truckers then had to go to the 102's to compete. That is the main reason the 96's are so cheap now. Any on-line trailer/truck sales site should have an easy search function which will show only the 96" wides.
Stan

[Stealth Camper]

That's probably a viable alternative and I think I will look around a little bit for one.

The next consideration is making a long one shorter. I have a cutting torch and I have a welder. What concerns me is the heat treating of the weld after the fact. I see labels on truck frames about welding the already treated frames and wonder if the trailers have the same situation. And then again, I see shortened/lengthened trucks all over the place, too...

[rlaggren]

http://www.hobartwelders.com/weldtalk/

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/co ... dex.php?s=

http://weldingweb.com

There are some other good ones, those are just what I've got available in my recent browser history. The general rule is don't touch the frames, but that's because of newer alloy steels. Trailer frames may not use the new stuff or only in the last 10 years or something. IOW, talk with some of these guys, somebody will likely know - at least half dozen make a living repairing big trucks and trailers.

Rufus

[graydawg]

The newer flatbed are 8'6" wide including the rub rail. the actual trailer is still 8' wide on a flatbed, and on the older trailers it was dificult hauling and securing a load with building materials built in 4' or 8' widths, especially if you also had to fight a tarp, which in most cases you do. so of coarse with that was a reason to build wider vans 4' wide pallets, there are plenty of old stuff out there, but you will be lucky to find it in good shape, with a flatbed cut off the rub rail is a possibility it will be 8' then or look at another state to register it in. La will let you permanently register a trailer (no renewel) for $30 more when you register it. all you need is a address which I know you could find one easily for that ordeal. Most DOT people you run across couldn't tell by looking at a trailer how wide it is standing beside it let alone at the speed limit. Now if you were to walk up to one with a tape measure in hand and show them how to measure it well thats on you. I just noticed a old, and I mean old mayflower trailer and it could have come over on the mayflower down the road, if you want me to take a look at it, it did not have wooden wagon wheels on it. but you probably will have to look around for a 8' van that is going to be out of circulation which is in your favor pricewise

[Mark R. Obtinario]

With many of the RV manufacturers now building their RV's 102" wide I would think the law will need to be changed in your state soon if it hasn't already.

It wasn't that long ago 102" wide vehicles were only allowed on interestate highways and the roads close to them.

Now they are allowed just about everywhere.

[Stealth Camper]

I suspect no one would say anything one way or the other and I could probably register it just fine - it is just what the document says.

Maybe will just register in Montana. Everyone else seems to do that, so why not me, too? Will talk with tax people again before I start using the torch.


Andecdote about wide trailers; I was driving a 102" x 53' big truck (van) a few years ago and was sent to a little cosmetic wholesaler to pick up a load. Of course, the tractor was a 70" Freightliner Columbia Condo (long tractor). It was in Brooklyn, New York City. Yuck! One of the reasons I left that joke of a company - besides the stealing they did - was because they had a terminal about 3 miles away and regular city drivers, but they sent me down under that elevated interstate (278 - Brooklyn Queens expressway) to thread through that mess around 8th or 9th street. What a bunch of clowns! But I digress...
And of course, the parking lot of the place was 60' wide by 120' long and required blind side backing in from the end where the street came in.

[graydawg]

You have to remember that a lot of the buildings in the big old towns were built way before a 70" sleeper was even thought of let along a 53' trailer behind one. A driver from the early days of trucking would have thought he died and went to heaven if a company gave him something like that to drive, most of the old timers would probably have worked for peanuts just to get to ride in the trucks built today.

Remember the old saying a trucker never dies, he just gets a new peterbuilt

[Stealth Camper]

I enjoyed driving the truck. Just didn't enjoy driving it in Brooklyn.

[Standaddy]

The narrowest streets I drove a truck on were probably going thru Manheim, PA to the auto auction there. From the turnpike south, thru town to the auction on the south side of town. Streets laid out in horse and buggy days. Ten-car stinger-hitch rig, 102" wide, 78' long with the decks pulled in. Good thing it was just straight thru town. First time there it seemed a bit odd to find the largest auto auction in the country in the heart of Amish country.
Also kinda odd, well maybe not so odd either. Driving a rig that averaged about 5.5 mpg, for as much as 160,000 miles/year got me to looking into the oil supply world, which along with the price spike of '08 and auto sales crash of '09 convinced me that I didn't need to own a truck the next time fuel hit $4/gallon. Sure do miss driving though.
Stan

[Stealth Camper]

Couple of items have come to mind. One related to tires again, and one to pictures. Will ask the tire question first. Went to my friendly neighborhood tire dude again and while talking about converting to tubeless wheels for the Dayton hubs, a comment was made that seems more odd the more I think about it. The guy told me that plain old cooking oil (Wesson party type) as a coating on the sidewalls would help preserve the rubber.

Have been afraid of Armorall for a while, 'cause I have been under the impression that petroleum based stuff would hurt rubber (??). But how about cooking oil??? (I use RV type tire covers, too to keep sun off the tire). Any insights???


And second...
Ok, at last, I finally figured out how to log on to tinypic consistently. I don't. I go to Photobucket and it works. Now, see if I can put a picture here. If it works, this will be my poor little old International. If not, then am not sure what it will be....

[Mark R. Obtinario]

An early '70's vintage Loadstar with a Superior body. That is a nice combination.

The best way to preserve tire life is to take the bus out every once in a while and exercise it--100-150 miles would be great. Even if the interior isn't completed you can use it as tin tent. Go camping in it. Use masking tape on the floor to let you figure out what the floor plan will be eventually (moving tape around is a lot easier than walls or cabinets). Not only will it circulate all of the vital fluids and reduce rust in important places like gears and cylinder walls but it will cause the juices to squish around inside the rubber of the tires and belts.

Weather checking is a bad thing but isn't necessarily the worst thing that can happen with older tires.

With the modern radial tires with steel belting inside the belting can actually get bent into a flat spot. When you then take it out onto the road the bend can break in a rather spectacular fashion.

The bottom line is if your bus has sat for more than five years without moving you are going to have problems with your tires. Don't worry about it. It is why I tell people not to worry about the condition of the tires on the bus they are purchasing. By the time you get through the conversion process it will most likely be time to purchase a new set of tires anyway.

When you do go to purchase tires, purchase a tire size that is common. Somthinig like a 11X22.5 tire. That size is used by more trucks and trailers than just about any other one size of tire. By using that size of tire you can purchase used tires with some life left in them for a fraction of the cost of new offshore tires. Or a whole set for the cost of one brand new Goodyear or Michelin tire. Plus you have the ability to find a tire out on the road if you should ever get a flat. A friend of mine had to pay almost $1000.00 for a tire when he had to have a 315 replaced when he was out of the area.

[ezrablu]

Stealth...I like your bus! Looks much like mine When will you be working on it? Do you plan on living it full time?

[Stealth Camper]

1976 Loadstar
345 cu in gas v8
NP435 tranny (4speed)
Two speed rear axle - electric motor shift.

The day I bought it, I stopped at gas station to put some go-juice in. (Holds 60 gallons). Ran around for that afternoon, and based on the mileage I drove and the gallons I had put in, it was getting about 1.1 mpg. Not great.

Since it WAS running a little rough, next step that weekend was the tuneup. That took it up to about 6 mpg. About all I expect. Can almost get to 55mph, with the engine sounding like 4,000 rpm! Rear axle is about a 6.3 something and an 8.4 something according to the maintenance manual.

I was able to get copy of the loadstar manual through International (Navistar). Came in a large book box, weighed about 35 lbs and is in 5 large 3" ring binders. Pretty cool. Covers everything about the truck except the Superior body.

About the only thing I have done toward conversion is pull out most of the seats. Left 4 on one side and 3 on the other for now.

When I was using it more (bad fuel pump now - plus money) would go on road trips around the area with family/friends. Load up a group and go to pizza place. Or go look at Christmas lights. Or whatever sounded interesting.

Fuel pump went out and made mistake of trying a auto store 345 cu/in pump. It ain't the same and I haven't gone to Intl to get the real thing. Actuator bar is apparently a little longer on the truck version engine versus the Travelall or Scout engine.

Tires are a concern. They are bias ply - nylon! How long has it been since anyone saw a bias ply tire? Anyway, they are real bad. But interestingly, still hold air. Go figure.

That's what lead to "20 questions" here. I found wheels and tires, just gotta get the money. Good to know about 11 x 22.5. I think they were talking 285 x 22.5, which is probably fairly close, but definitely be Michelin or Bridgestone. Have had good luck with Michelin on pickup and the Bridgestones on the Freightliner were pretty good. Will likely end up going with the price - Bridgestone.

The plan is to be a 'hippie bus'. Inspiration by 'Furthur'. Part time, several months a year, short daily trips, longer duration time. Also, working on a travel trailer plan for longer trips, shorter duration.

Whew! Talk about verbal diarrhea! Ok, I will stop now.

[Stealth Camper]

Oh, yeah... head pretty much touches the ceiling, or my hair, anyway. It is only 6' tall, so am probably gonna have to raise the roof a few inches. Plan is to cut at the top of the windows, jack it up, weld in spacers and then fill the gaps around the lid.

I want to keep the skoolie "look", so won't change shape too much. At least not for now.

I do love the bus, in spite of it's quirks. We have a lot of good memories with friends/family, some of whom are already gone to the next life. And that kind of thinking is what gets me into trouble - keep everything that anyone has ever experienced, no matter how much clutter I hoard!