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MT4Runner's Toterhome (UHaul) Project

358K views 1K replies 113 participants last post by  Bustin Loose 
#1 · (Edited)
After seeing a link to Yager's U-Haul Toter Home Project and then the rig that inspired him--Snookwheel's Po Man's Toy Hauler Project, I got inspired to build my own.

I have a company pickup--an '06 Tundra, and while it does a pretty good job of towing 6-7,000 lbs, it's still a company rig, and I'd prefer to haul my junk with my own towrig.

Last summer, we tried an older Class C motorhome--1977 Chevy with a 400cid motor and a T350 tranny. It was gutless, and topped out at about 45mph. It couldn't get out of its own way, so I never even tried to tow a rig with it.

I watched for 12V CTD's for awhile, and then saw the above mentioned build threads this winter, and got inspired. I started looking for local retired UHauls, and they were going for $5,400 to $5,800.

Checked Craigslist, and there was a guy in Spokane who ran a fleet of '89 Internationals for his furniture delivery business. His only problem was that his company was doing well, and the old UHauls were already depreciated out, and he was paying a lot in taxes. He had started liquidating his fleet to buy new Peterbilts he could write off. He was selling his trucks for $3,000-4,500.



I asked him why the $3,000 truck was so low....it had an exhaust leak and bald rear tires. I took it for a test drive, and it ran strong, so I bought it. :D



I put some traction retreads on it (factory siped Bandag treads on Michelin carcasses) and had the local diesel shop fix the exhaust leak. I probably could have, but I already had plenty of stuff to do with the Toterhome conversion, and 2 trail rigs needing my attention. So far, I'm only into it:

$3,000 Truck
$600 Tires
$500 Exhaust, p-brake and speedo work
$400 doors and windows
$200 misc. framing and plumbing materials @ home depot
 

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#3 · (Edited)
I liked Yager's layout, but it didn't quite give me enough flexibility. I liked Snookwheels' layout, but it was too "industrial" for me to "sell" the idea to Mrs. MT4Runner.

So, the plan was hatched for the rig to get a full kitchen with sink, stove, water heater, water tank, electrical, and refrigerator. I sketched about a dozen layouts before coming up with one that would fit all the appliances across the front wall.


After I knew they'd fit, I cut a hole in the wall for the door for access.




I got about one window per evening installed. They were designed for a 1.5" thick wall. These walls are 3/4" plywood with fiberglass skins inside and out. I had to flip the window's "trim ring" around to take up the gap (it's designed to sit inside the opening...it now had to span between the inside flange of the window which protruded into the box, and cover between the flange and inside face of the wall.

More windows:




A friend of mine got an older 5th wheel 1975 Coleman camper that donated the appliances fo free! :grinpimp:

Here they are mocked into the incomplete plywood front cabinet:


A friend of my wife's had a rolled Holiday Rambler Alumi-lite trailer that gave up its windows, plumbing, and power convertor for $400. :smokin: I had quotes from the local trailer manufacturer, and fewer windows would have cost me over $1,100.
 

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#4 ·
We took it out for its inaugural trip over the Memorial Day weekend. It rained and rained and rained and rained some more!!
Fortunately, no leaks.

I didn't have the water system plumbed yet, but I did have the propane connected for the furnace and stove. If Mrs. MT4Runner has heat and coffee, she's literally a happy camper! :D

With a ~5,000lb Runner in the back, I could hardly feel it! :grinpimp:

 
#5 · (Edited)
Note in the earliest pictures the PO's 'Dependable Deliveries' decals. He peeled the dachsund image, and put a 4th! layer of vinyl over the DD words.

Vinyl:
Original ancient UHaul vinyl--thin and brittle
2nd layer: white vinyl sheets overlaid to cover UHaul graphics
3rd layer: DEPENDABLE DELIVERIES
4th layer: more white vinyl sheets to overlay and cover DD graphics. :shaking:


First attempt to peel off vinyl was with a friend's hot-shit (literally) kerosene-heated industrial pressure washer. I succeeded in getting very wet.



Subsequent attempts have been with a small 110V paint stripper-type heat gun. It's not terribly fast, but a little faster than the hot water and a lot drier for me!!!



I have a product from my local graphics place called "vinyl off" or somesuch that is supposed to penetrate the vinyl and loosen the adhesive. We'll see how it works.

The bottom colored layers of UHaul graphics are coming off OK....they just got brittle and cracked in the sun, so don't peel off well in sheets or strips. The UHAUL word somehow got permanently bonded to the fiberglass, and peeling that shit off resulted in peeling off the gelcoat layer of the fiberglass shell.

When it's all peeled, I'm going to Bondo some small screw holes and chips in the fiberglass, and paint the entire exterior with enamel tractor paint. I've already filled and painted the interior 8', and the tractor paint looks really nice. It's just extremely slow drying.

I'm thinking of some graphics schemes that tie in with the black/white cab.
I'm also looking for a '90-up front clip to make the rig look a little cleaner. :smokin:
 
#15 ·
Check out the pics below
cool! what kind of gas mileage does that beast get?
About 10 mpg. I'm hoping I can get at least 8mpg with one rig inside and 2 behind.
Looks like a solid foundation!

What kind of motor? 7.3 n/a International diesel
Estimated MPG? 10 mpg
How wide is the box? I need about 90" min to get mine in something.... It's 92" or 94" inside the box; about 88" or 90" inside the rear coilng door rails; I'll check the exact door openign for you tomorrow

I figure if I ever upgrade from the 12V and gooseneck I will go with a full simi.
Full semi would be cool, but I think a medium truck is a bit more flexible for our uses. Hauling 4-5 rigs would be sweet!!

FANTASTIC!!!! I love seeing another one in the making. I will be following your build. I have made a transition from the off roading to on roading vehical hauling because my son has gone off to college. I will be needing to shift from 'industrial' (your term and very correct) to something that my wife will be able to handle.

Not that ours is entirely "residential". I had to make this nice enough for Mrs. MT4Runner to approve from the get-go.

Are you planning a cab-through entry? I was, but never got it done. I have been debating getting rid of our work bench and doing something much like you are across part of the front and finally putting a crawl through. The trucks are not fast... but they are dependable.. by our experience.

No cab-through for now, but there's room under the sink. Not a lot of room with the appliances we've stuffed inside. Definitely not fast, but not as much as a turd as our previous motorhome!!!

You will draw a crowd where ever you go with that hauler. BTW, as soon as we put in power, water and a sleeping arrangement, we were able to register it as an RV and had much lower tax and ins. costs.

We're already drawing small crowds. :grinpimp;

We'll register it as an RV in March '09 when the current registration lapses. For a 15+ year-old vehicle, we can do a permanent registration for $250, and no RV GVW limit up to 25,999 lbs! :grinpimp:
 
#20 · (Edited)
Cool project......I think you should leave the dog

View attachment 375254
Yeah, not so much. I love dogs, but I have two close friends who would kick my ass if it were anything but a Lab on the side of our family truck.

Shasta, the chocolate turned 9 a month ago. She is literally one of the dumber dogs we have ever known, but is also the most loyal dog I have ever known. We've never been able to teach her to shake in 9 years, and all she knows is 'sit', 'out', 'up', 'eat', and 'lie down'. She smiles all the time and never leaves our sides.

Shadow, the black is 11.5, and slowing down a little. :( She was an evil genius when she was younger. She could walk and dance on her hind legs, speak on command, and retrieve the newspaper from the box at the curb. Now she lies around and sleeps alot, but she's earned it.
 

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#13 · (Edited)
FANTASTIC!!!! I love seeing another one in the making. I will be following your build. I have made a transition from the off roading to on roading vehical hauling because my son has gone off to college. I will be needing to shift from 'industrial' (your term and very correct) to something that my wife will be able to handle.

Are you planning a cab-through entry? I was, but never got it done. I have been debating getting rid of our work bench and doing something much like you are across part of the front and finally putting a crawl through. The trucks are not fast... but they are dependable.. by our experience.

We just got back from two days at Sebring and are heading to Gainesville for some GO FAST fun later this month. You will draw a crowd where ever you go with that hauler. BTW, as soon as we put in power, water and a sleeping arrangement, we were able to register it as an RV and had much lower tax and ins. costs.

Good luck!

link to original Uhaul Build and transition to go-fast hauler:http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=480067
 
#19 ·
Cleats for loading ramps....for some reason, when the front tires climb the internal wheel wells, the back tires grip and spit the ramps out. :shaking: I finally learned after 3 failed tries.

Loading Ramps

5,000 lb D-rings

D-rings are bolted through 4x4x1/4" continuous plate that is bolted to the framerails---the angle also holds the box to the frame.
 

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#22 ·
There are actually two of them...and no, I don't make my girls sleep on a hard plywood bunk!! I have thermarests for their bunks; just threw it up there for a photo. With two bunks and rails at 2', 4' and 6', I can put them end-to-end, stacked as bunks, on either side, or up high for bedding storage.
 
#27 ·
looking
does the truck have air suspension? Yes.
gonna have its tongue hanging out hauling 2 behind it though......
I'll have to find out. It's got a lot of low end, but not a lot of legs.

Isn't that motor the same as the IDI motor in early Fords? If so what would prevent you from those turbo upgrades?

As far as I know, yes.

Also how would you accomplish a pass through? Where does the family ride?
The front seat is like 7' wide, we just all sit across. I'd put a pass through under the sink, instead of the cabinet opening. A pass-through is unlikely at this time, but might be considered in the future. We might put a minivan seat in the back with integrated seat belts, and maybe just an intercom to the cab.
 
#26 ·
Isn't that motor the same as the IDI motor in early Fords? If so what would prevent you from those turbo upgrades?

Also how would you accomplish a pass through? Where does the family ride?
 
#28 ·
I may have missed it. What GVWR are you registering it at? Are you going to register it as an RV? I have no idea what Montana's requirements are for changing the registration, but I would imagine they're pretty lax like a lot of other laws in MT. Having RV plates makes a lot of bad things go away...like DOT inspectors...in Minnesota which is why I registered my bus that way. I'm not sure what would happen if I had two rigs behind me too though. That might push the 10,000 lbs GVWR trailer rule.
 
#29 ·
It's currently registered as a truck with 18,000 GVW. It was clearly a truck when I first bought it, so I just did what was quick and easy. I needed tags so I could drive around and get work done on it, haul materials, get tires, etc.

It's registered through March 2009.

One of my local wheelin' friend's wife works at DMV, and she gave me the skinny on an RV conversion:

Must have 4 of 5 of:
  1. Cooking - fridge and stove
  2. Water - tank and some sort of sink/faucet
  3. Toilet - built-in or chemical
  4. Heating
  5. Electrical - permanent 12V or 120V lighting system
    [/LIST

    Cooking is done
    Water is close
    Toilet--we'll use a portable toilet for the girls to go potty at night. I don't want a black water tank, etc.
    Heating is done
    Electrical--needs work

    I'll have plenty of time to have 4 of 5 (or 5 of 5) by March '09 when my current registration expires and I'll get an inspection, file a change of use, and register it as an RV.


    The best news is that there's no GVW limit on RV's. I can run up to 26,000 with my Class D non-commercial MT driver's license!!

    Oh, and once it's registered as an RV, I can pay a one-time $250 registration fee!!!!

    Interestingly, insurance will be slightly more as an RV. We paid ~$150/6 months as a truck.
 
#31 ·
Nah...it's based on the federal regs. That's why I was curious how much you were registering the rig at. If your combined GVWR is over 26,000 lbs and the trailer is more than 10,000 you're supposed to have a Class A CDL (combinations) blah blah blah. I've talked to several different people in the DMV and Troopers and I can't get a straight answer on it. Afterall, commercial regulations are for commercial vehicles. I can legally drive a 50,000 lbs tank of a 40 foot long RV with air brakes with just my regular Class D license because it is not commercial. So why can't I tow anything big if it's not commercial? Like I said...I can't get a straight answer from anyone and therefore I am not going to chance it. All it takes is one bored 24 year old rookie with extra swollen testicles to really wreck your day.
 
#40 ·
you need a CDL when the trailer weight excedes 10,000 lbs AND the GCWR is > 26000. you can town a 10,000 ;b trailer with a vehicle whose GVWR is <26000.

example: rigs GVWR= 24,000 lbs. you can legally tow a trailer weighing <10,000 (GCVWR=34,000 lbs) without a CDL.

GCVWR only has to be under 26000,if the trailer weighs >10,000 lb.

example: trailer GVWR=14,000 lbs. your tow rig can only have a GVWR of 12,000 lbs or less.

this is federal law. if your state as additional regulations,thats a whole new can of worms ;)

im not sure at all how being an RV fits into the equation. if there is no GVWR,they may let you tow up to a 26000 lb trailer, or they may take the actual weight of the RV to factor in the 26,000 lb limit if the trailer GVWR(or actual weight) is > than 10,000.

at any rate,youre right,its a pretty grey area.

i agree the MH conversion is definately the way to go. registering,plating,and insureing a vehicle with bigger than a 1 ton GVWR is super expensive. MH plates and insurance are super cheap :smokin:

also,you may not really have to have all the mods done to go ahead and switch the plates and insurance. here in ohio all you do is fill out the form,there is no actual inspection. all you have to do is answer the questions correctly on the body change form at the DMV :laughing:

just make sure you are using it only for recreational purposes. i imagine youd be in pretty big trouble if you got pulled over with a bunch og freight in your RV!
 
#32 · (Edited)
The RV registration is the way to go, it makes it easier to insure and pass weigh stations. I know for a fact WA makes every truck over 10K stop at the border weigh stations. I passed over the WA scales in the same type of 26' U-Haul and they just waved me past( I know I was over the 18k listed on the side of the C60 truck :eek:). As long as your under 26k and it's not commercial you should be fine.

I'll bet a wet shower and toilet from a camper would work great. I would check with S&S campers and see if they get any damaged units they might sell cheap. Having a inside potty with kids is a must, and having a hot shower after a grimey day on the trail is not hard to get used to either :D.
 
#33 ·
The toilet is the gray bucket hanging under the green coat:


Mrs. MT4Runner picked it out, prior to the Toterhome project, so I know it's approved! It's actually quite odor-tight with the lid closed. IMHO, it's easier to clean than a full toilet with black water tank.

:eek: My MIL has had our girls for the past 5 days.....just looking at that pic reminds me of how fast they're growing up...my 6yo is getting so tall!!!!

We've got the outside shower for now. It would be cool to put in some sort of a through-floor drain and a janitor's sink/shower pan to set into that drain...or pull up and drive the rig over that spot. I don't want to commit interior space to a permanent shower, but I'm open for ideas for a flexible shower system.




SolidAxleDurango, those could be my labs!! They always roll in the grass or dirt after swimming. Happy wet labs with big smiles, rolling on their backs with their tummies in the sun!!!
 
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