Garbage truck or fire truck for expedition camper platform?

[juha_teuvonnen]

Tatras and MANs are all cool rigs, but not exactly cheap and spares are probably not easy to get. How about our very own fire trucks and garbage trucks? Just to name a few:

Volvo WXLL64
KME fire truck chassis
HME fire truck chassis
Pierce
Seagrave
Mack

I have seen some of the above sold on various surplus auctions for the price of a new family sedan. Throw a nice camper (for example a used 18-22ft 5th wheel) on top of one of these rigs, and you got yourself an expedition vehicle for way less than 100 grand.

[kerry]

Are you chassis you mention 4wd? For an expedition vehicle a major issue is parts availability. Are parts for those chassis available worldwide?

[juha_teuvonnen]

Most of the above vehicles are available in 6x6 or 4x4 form. As for parts - most of the above use the engines, axles, transmissions from the same bin (International, CAT, Detroit diesel, ZF, Allison, etc.). So long as parts for commercial trucks are available, you can repair the vehicle. Besides, my travel plans include North America, Europe and Russia for now. I am pretty sure that I can get commercial truck parts in any of these countries.

[Overland Hadley]

There was a fire truck for sale here in town, I took one look at it and thought it would make a good platform for an expedition vehicle. Not sure how old it was but it sold for about $2,500. Thats less than a lot of mountain bikes!

[kerry]

There was a pretty well known fire truck conversion (airport rescue vehicle?) that was sold at auction for a very good price in the recent past. I think I saw a thread here on it. It was set up for wheelchair use as I recall. Quite an impressive vehicle. I'm sure someone here will remember it's name so you can google it.

[Lynn]

Draco. (http://www.rvwest.com/journeys/isitatankoranrv.php)

[haven]

The Oskkosh HEMTT 8x8 with two sets of steerable front wheels is used as a crash truck at some big airports. Production these days is mostly painted desert tan and sent to Iraq.

http://www.oshkoshdefense.com/defense/products~a3~home.cfm

[Lynn]

Aren't the HEMTT and 8x8 fire trucks based on the 12'-wide MAN KAT, that requires special permits and escorts in a lot of places? Check this thread. (http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11614&highlight=desert+challenger)

[juha_teuvonnen]

Aren't the HEMTT and 8x8 fire trucks based on the 12'-wide MAN KAT, that requires special permits and escorts in a lot of places? Check this thread. (http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11614&highlight=desert+challenger)

May be airport fire trucks are, but regular fire trucks are under 109 inches wide, at least in the lovely state of California.

Per this http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/hmett.htm

HEMTT is 94" wide. I don't know how trustworthy is fas.org

If not for width, Russian Maz-543A would make for a really sweet expedition camper chassis (it is my personal favorite), but the sucker is 120" wide. I have seen it in action (9k58 300mm MRLS), and it was scary.

[charlieaarons]

Aren't the HEMTT and 8x8 fire trucks based on the 12'-wide MAN KAT, that requires special permits and escorts in a lot of places? Check this thread. (http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11614&highlight=desert+challenger)

The wide KAT is 2.9m wide = 114" = 9'6". Not 12'.

Charlie

[Mobryan]

Having driven a Mack garbage chassis 800 miles nonstop (long story :yikes: ) I'd avoid the cab forward GT chassis like the plague. I had to count my fillings at the end of the day, and I basically grew up in a COE International :ohmy: One stretch of I-80, the ride was so rough, my glasses were bouncing up and down on my nose...


Matt

[juha_teuvonnen]

Having driven a Mack garbage chassis 800 miles nonstop (long story :yikes: ) I'd avoid the cab forward GT chassis like the plague. I had to count my fillings at the end of the day, and I basically grew up in a COE International :ohmy: One stretch of I-80, the ride was so rough, my glasses were bouncing up and down on my nose...

Matt

Not all GT chassis are created equal. For example some Volvos (WX64 IIRC) are well insulated and air ride equipped.

[truck mechanic]

If I was me, and most of the time I am. I would stay away from used garbage trucks . most are ridden hard and put away wet. You would put tons of cash into the truck just to make them safe, imho. Now fire truck your talkin. Stays warm and dry till needed. and cleaned and polished offten.
Paul

[Saline]

Check out www.spartanchassis.com they make chassis and cabs for the fire service. Our heavy rescue is a raised roof Gladiator and it is sweet! Solid and roomy for six people. They also make custom "motor home" chassis. $$$$$

[CLynn85]

I'm not a huge fan of cab-forward trucks, dad used to drive them for a living hauling equipment and I've never heard a positive remark.

I've been more interested in older internationals. 2wd Cab/Chassis around here can be picked up on the cheap from older utility trucks, and I know the parts exist for 4wd conversions, just not sure how cheap it'd be to scare up a t-case and driven front axle to complete the conversion.

[Firetacoma]

I know I'm a little late to this discussion but a neighboring fire district just got one of these (http://www.ssfire.com/Apparatus/photos.cfm?aid=7) and I thought it would make a GREAT platform for an expo vehicle. For someone with more money than I.

[77blazerchalet]

I'm educated and ignorant. Expo-smart, yet still blissfully naive about what goes viral over the internet.

I thought since the US is infamous for the most unexpected of custom vehicles, I might find a silly custom (http://www.showrods.com/showrod_pages/garbage_truck.html) where a guy actually made a camper out of a garbage truck body, and it might be worth a chuckle here. Naw! Pages of ignorance instead, where at least this version (http://www.snopes.com/photos/automobiles/garbagecamper.asp) made it to the top of the Google list.

[GlobalMonkey]

I know I'm a little late to this discussion but a neighboring fire district just got one of these (http://www.ssfire.com/Apparatus/photos.cfm?aid=7) and I thought it would make a GREAT platform for an expo vehicle. For someone with more money than I.

Hi there, the truck is a Czech built Tatra 815 6x6 with a Caterpillar C-13 engine. Our company can import used one from the Czech Republic for a lot less money. We could have the truck completely rebuild with the original air cooled Tatra diesel engine. We also sell spare parts for Tatra (and MAN, Mercedes...) so no problem there. If interested, just e-mail me through the forum or go to www.tatratrucksusa.com and drop us an e-mail there.
Thanx, Tomas

[aztraveler]

IMHO - you cant beat a US military M35A2 Deuce. I snagged one & have enjoyed it for years! You can shorten it up or leave it stock in length. It is a bit of a beast in terms of ride so you may want to go with Kodiac springs up front and air bags on the rear and add air assist steering. From there you have a clean slate. Parts are readily available and CHEAP! You can beat the crap out of these things and they just don't give up - after all, it is built to mil. spec.!

[rusty_tlc]

Having driven a Mack garbage chassis 800 miles nonstop (long story :yikes: ) I'd avoid the cab forward GT chassis like the plague. I had to count my fillings at the end of the day, and I basically grew up in a COE International :ohmy: One stretch of I-80, the ride was so rough, my glasses were bouncing up and down on my nose...


Matt
I love the look of the COE trucks, I was image surfing for them yesterday. I'd love to do a COE bookmobile Van conversion.

[Jnich77]

The Oskkosh HEMTT 8x8 with two sets of steerable front wheels is used as a crash truck at some big airports. Production these days is mostly painted desert tan and sent to Iraq.

http://www.oshkoshdefense.com/defense/products~a3~home.cfm

they are neat trucks..but slow fuel hogs.