F750 4x4

[Christian P.]

have-you seen any of this on the road?

http://www.xplorermotorhome.com/fordF750.html

looks awesome on picture...

[kcowyo]

That thing is a monster. :Wow1:

Love the slide-outs and on-board home theater, but only a 50 gallon fuel tank?? That's only 6 gallons more than a stock Suburban. Pretty nice floor plan and lots of room though.

[Wanderlusty]

That is a nice floor plan. By ditching the separate bedroom setup and just going to the couches and I am guessing the over the cab section....the whole thing looks like it would be a lot roomier. That bathroom looks like one big enough for a house!

[mountainpete]

I haven't seen one of the conversions on the road, but I do regularly see the F750 chassis with a custom cargo area around here. There is one in particular that I see almost every day - it's massive!

[The BN Guy]

Wow that's a pretty big rig! Digging the extra viewing dome on top!

[asteffes]

The dome looks like a Trabant tucked in under the raft.

[haven]

That photo is a digital composite. The Xplorer web site has a bunch of concept photos that show the sorts of chassis they are willing to build on.

I think it's too bad that USA manufacturers continue to produce medium duty trucks conceived in the 1930's. The Japanese (Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Hino) and Europeans (Volvo, MAN, IVECO, Kamaz) have cool cab-forward 4x4 SRW medium-duty designs that provide a much better platform (shorter length, better turning radius) for a large expedition camper.

Chip Haven

[Bob_Sheaves]

That photo is a digital composite. The Xplorer web site has a bunch of concept photos that show the sorts of chassis they are willing to build on.

I think it's too bad that USA manufacturers continue to produce medium duty trucks conceived in the 1930's. The Japanese (Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Hino) and Europeans (Volvo, MAN, IVECO, Kamaz) have cool cab-forward 4x4 SRW medium-duty designs that provide a much better platform (shorter length, better turning radius) for a large expedition camper.

Chip Haven
Out of curiosity, have you ever driven a COE for any distance? The reason they are not nearly as popular in OTR service is that they pound you to death due to suspension load inputs from the front axle. COE's are generally only used when there are length restrictions to get the maximum cargo load.

Sidebar- One of the expedition homebuilts I keep as a background on my computer:
http://www.robgray.com/index_files/index_wot.php

Best regards,

Bob Sheaves
CEO
catNET Incorporated
http://www.catnetsolutions.com

[Bob_Sheaves]

hehehe....

All that pedigree means is I have designed, built and most importantly, broken more vehicles than most.... LOL

you DO realize a seat of CATIA v4 costs about $28,000? :)

BTW- nice F700-I like the Studebaker on top. Great panoramic views I'll bet.

Best regards,

Bob Sheaves
CEO
catNET Incorporated
http://www.catnetsolutions.com

[FusoFG]

Out of curiosity, have you ever driven a COE for any distance? The reason they are not nearly as popular in OTR service is that they pound you to death due to suspension load inputs from the front axle. COE's are generally only used when there are length restrictions to get the maximum cargo load.


I've driven a custom camper on a 1993 Mitsubishi Fuso FG 4x4 120,000 miles and a custom camper on a 2004 Fuso FG 4x4 12,000 so far.

I thought the 1993 was perfectly comfortable. A little choppy on I 10 if I had too much air in the rear tires for the load (don't let the dealer set your air pressure) and a little choppy on 4x4 roads if I was too lazy to air down and drive at an appropriate speeds for the conditions.

Compared to the 1993, the 2004 is several times more quiet and several times more comfortable. I can only imagine the 2005 -2007 models are only more so.

And priced in the low $30's, (my 93 was $25k new and the 04 was $29k) I don't think they can be beat for payload, off road capability and reliability. A custom 4x4 expedition camper is exactly the case where minimum length and maximum payload are needed.

I still drive the 93 with a stake body and expect to get 250k - 300k out of both vehicles.

I don't think it's a reasonable comparison to an OTR COE because of the hours in the cab, the speeds driven and miserable condition of interstates.

Don't place too much emphasis on highway operation, because as Rob Gray says on his web site you might be missing the point of a vehicle that can go almost anywhere and carry enough to allow comfortable living in remote places for weeks at a time.

[Bob_Sheaves]

Wow! Well in that case...Throw is a seat of Alias and we'll call it even.:sombrero:

Truth be told...After using Solidworks for the past 11 years (yes, i was one of the first!) I'm just fine with it for 99.8% percent of my design work and I've the "tools" to do the other .2 . Being a "one man show" I don't have near the file management issues that your typical clients do. Rumor around the campfire sayz...That is one of CATIA's strong points.



Thanks for the compliment! And yes, the view from the "stabbin cabin" is inspiring. Casa Azul is a great truck, however this is my next project...

http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3898

That is when my aerospace clients stop pinning me down with their BIG design projects.

Yeah, I know...Don't cry for me Argentina!

So what's your MO? Are you building an expedition truck?
http://www.overlandhardware.com/images/ca_images/Baja%20sunset%20800.jpg

http://www.overlandhardware.com/
ROFLMAO!!!!

DAMN AINT THAT A TRUCK FROM THE PAST!!!!

That LMTV was my design-I was the lead senior design engineer for Tacky Truck (actually GM/MVO) back then (I also worked on the CUCV's) and know evey inch of that thing and it's MTV stablemates. How in the HELL did you latch onto it????

Best as always,

Bob Sheaves
CEO
catNET Incorporated
http://www.catnetsolutions.com

ADDENDUM: Sorry-I got so excited about seeing one of the LMTV's I got a woody....LOL. You can ask Airbus about the "file management" issues between v4 and v5 of CATIA (they don't play well together...to say the least). Currently I am in Portland , OR at an unnamed truck manufacturer (yeah right, "un named") designing all the RHD conversion subsystems to their COE's for Australia right now-should be done with that in a couple of months because we just went through a 7 vehicle prototype release and have trucks on test right now for 2008 certifications.

In my past life I did a group of 4 HEMTT based "expandible shelter" classified programs (yeah, you can guess what for) that were more like Rob Gray's truck....and weighed in at 122,000 GVW and still had to meet the 60% fore/aft and 30% side to side slope at gross. A few years ago I converted a city bus to a motorhome and recently sold it. I am getting the itch again....thinking of building another expandible shelter on a Tatra T813 C&C.

[Grim Reaper]

Out of curiosity, have you ever driven a COE for any distance? The reason they are not nearly as popular in OTR service is that they pound you to death due to suspension load inputs from the front axle. COE's are generally only used when there are length restrictions to get the maximum cargo load.

Sidebar- One of the expedition homebuilts I keep as a background on my computer:
http://www.robgray.com/index_files/index_wot.php

Best regards,

Bob Sheaves
CEO
catNET Incorporated
http://www.catnetsolutions.com

I have driven, UD, Hino, Volvo White, Isuzu and Iveco (run away...their brakes bring the suck! made by Fiat) COE's. Never found the ride to be objectionable on any of them when properly loaded. Load too heavy in the front of the box and they would get a little bit of a lumbering feel. The Volvo White was the roughest rider but even it wasn't so bad.

Loved the great visibility when in tight traffic or maneuvering in tight quarters.

I loved the Hino's and UD's. They were so easy to drive! Does take a little getting use to with being on the front axle as far as maneuvering goes so you are not jumping curbs with the back wheels but not so bad.

[truck mechanic]

wow who would have thought I see my little home town of Natick named here, when where you here ?
Paul

[jayshapiro]

have-you seen any of this on the road?

http://www.xplorermotorhome.com/fordF750.html

looks awesome on picture...

Hi Guys,

Sorry to interupt the conversation of where this thread seems to have gone, but thought I'd jump in for a minute to offer a

WARNING!

The link & pic Christian provided is for Startracks Motorhomes, operating under the brand "Xplorer Motorhomes" - This is the same jerk in Elkhart, IN that I have referred to in my Eco-Roamer thread here (http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8936&page=15).

That picture (http://www.xplorermotorhome.com/fordf750/F750_standard_th.jpg) (and the many more like it on his website) are vapourware and unfortunately are a part of what attracted me to them in the first place for my F650 4x4 camper. It turns out he has never done any of it, and the only real skills/resources they have in house is for retouching digital images.

I showed him a youtube promotional video for Unicat (this one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g90kgPhvA4)) as an example of the sub-frame articulation. The next week he had it posted up on his website with the Unicat logo strategically blurred out. When I told him that Avi had noticed and was going to sue him, it was suddenly a misunderstanding and the video dissapeared.

The jerk dragged me out for 3 months, and then finally bounced his cheque paying for my generator last week. He owes me over 5 grand. :Wow1:

I would recommend that you DO NOT USE STARTRACKS, or BOB HELVIE for any camper project, ever.

...and now back to your CAD discussions!

Cheers,
Jay.

[boblynch]

Jay sorry to hear about your experience. Have you located a replacement builder for your project?

[jayshapiro]

Yes,
Working with Austin Engineering in Sturgis, MI. So far they've been great... but then they haven't actually done one weld yet, so it's early days.

Stay Tuned. I'll update news about it on the EcoRoamer thread.

Cheers,
Jay.

[boblynch]

Glad to hear you're moving forward. Best of luck with the new builders. Just don't let them paint it fire engine red.

Bob

[dragogt]

I haven't seen one of the conversions on the road, but I do regularly see the F750 chassis with a custom cargo area around here. There is one in particular that I see almost every day - it's massive!

First yes I know this Old but...


Is this it??

http://www.fordtruckfanatics.com/gallery/data/500/medium/from_Val_661.JPG


If so the dude that owns it uses it for his work truck.. He's a badass electrician that I'm trying to get to sign up...

[Jeep]

And it's real! Not as big or cool as Jay's or with the nostalgic classic flair of Casa Azul, but it's finally happening.

[Terrainist]

Congrats on getting things started and quite a chunk of work done. Quite the accomplishment.

Doesn't matter what it is, slide in truck camper or custom camper, but the camper overhang in front - the part that extends over the top of the truck cab - those sometimes begin to sag after some miles, time, and use. It's one aspect that needs to be "over engineered" if there ever was one. Nobody likes a saggy, droopy front of their custom built cabin, especially after all the work that goes into one.

Start a build thread if you have the time and are inclined, just a few pics every now and then? You are doing something I would love to do one day, sure I'm not the only one. Congratulations again regardless!

[Jeep]

Congrats on getting things started and quite a chunk of work done. Quite the accomplishment.

Doesn't matter what it is, slide in truck camper or custom camper, but the camper overhang in front - the part that extends over the top of the truck cab - those sometimes begin to sag after some miles, time, and use. It's one aspect that needs to be "over engineered" if there ever was one. Nobody likes a saggy, droopy front of their custom built cabin, especially after all the work that goes into one.

Start a build thread if you have the time and are inclined, just a few pics every now and then? You are doing something I would love to do one day, sure I'm not the only one. Congratulations again regardless!

Thanks! There won't be any sag, it is a little overbuilt there. I have a build thread on 4wdtrips.net, there are a bunch of guys with the big 4x4 Fords over there so it's a nice spot. Updates are far and few between just because we are very busy.
Thanks again.

[Terrainist]

Thanks! I'll check it out.

[Terrainist]

Alright, I checked out your build. You guys aren't messing around over there. It's inspirational, keep it up.