Truck Turned Recreation Vehicle

From: Sonny Heath (sonny@defuniak.com)
Date: Sat Dec 24 2005 - 18:41:06 PST

I'm sending this for any and all comments but primarily to get the opinion
of TJ Smith. I wrote to TJ privately but he somehow has not been able to get
an email through to me.

Three years ago I turned my 1996 Freightliner Condo in to a recreational
vehicle by stretching the frame slightly to accept an eight foot by fourteen
foot aluminum box that I had on an old GMC cube van. My state, Florida, did
a new title and etched a new vin number on the windshield and door glasses
plus they put a data plate on the driver door post and gave me a title for a
2003 ASPT, which means, they say, that its assembled from parts.

I somehow got lucky enough to turn out an RV Toter which makes the ones
manufactured up around Elkhart, In. and some other places including Texas
look less than finished, IMHO.

I have a two and five sixteenth inch ball for my gooseneck trailer under a
closed plate when not in use. I also have a class three hitch mounted under
the rear of it.

I'm strictly a collector of motorscooters, motorcycles, old farm tractors,
and military vehicles among other things too numerous to go in to. I do not
sell anything at the shows I attend, I only exibit for free. I do not ask
for nor would I accept donations just to make myself clear on that.

My RV is thirty eight foot long from bumper to bumper and my longest trailer
is a thirty two foot gooseneck. Sometimes I drag a sixteen foot closed in
trailer if I go to a scooter meet for example, but usually I have either no
trailer or I have the gooseneck with maybe a deuce and a half or a HMMWV and
a tractor.

My trailer is rated at 25000 pound with two axles and eight tires, four on
each axle. I have never hauled, to my knowledge, more than 25000 pound
including the trailer weight. The trailer has electric, 12 volt DC, brakes
activated by a Techonsha (sp) brake controller operated through the cold
side of the brake light switch on the RV. Both trailers are 2003 as well as
the truck.

Now TJ, am I mandated to stop at weigh stations in your state of Texas and
if not, would you if this was your set up? I have nothing to hide, consider
myself to be totally safe and hold a class A CDL. I do not get an annual
DOT medical check, and my health is good, so far anyway. I have stenciled on
the side of the original sleeper "Recreational Vehicle, Not for Hire" on
both sides. I do keep my truck in "ready for the road" condition since I've
been in that field basically all my life. I retired from the Army in 1982
as a Chief Warrant Officer, Automotive Maintenance Technician so I just
don't trust my maintenance to anyone and will not as long as I'm physically
able to do it myself, although I'll admit that some things are cheaper to
have hired as I did last week getting an inner wheel seal put in but I was
right there helping the mechanic as he is a good friend. I also let him do
my brakes simply because it makes me feel better but some things I do the
second time after I get my OJT from him. I never had full air brakes when I
was in the "machine". They were always air over hydralic so I don't have
much experience with full air. My truck has the newer, so I'm told, brake
chambers that adjust automatically but when I replaced the shoes and springs
last week he adjusted them initially or else it would take the automatic
adjusters too long to get them adjusted. Is this normal?

Sorry for rambling on fellers,

TJ, tell me if I need to change anything I'm doing please.

Sonny

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