Guys, I bought a dually 2007 Duramax/allison 2x last year. Sold the steel contractor's bed, boxes, and overhead racks. The truck sat on the dealership lot for 4 years before I picked it up for 26k. Sold the contractors stuff for 4k and drove to Florida and paid 6k for an all aluminum bed.
Now I am really thinking of getting ready for retirement and what to do to make this truck my living quarters while I travel as far and wide (personal safety important-not going to Saudi...) as I wish. There is only me and the Misses. I have been lurking on here for quite awhile. This is a great forum full of so much expensive and hard learned knowledge. I am seeking advice from forum members about my idea...
1. Should I convert my 2x into a 4x and elevate the rig? I think somebody said that you should put a dodge rearend on it. I have a fantastic diesel and the best tranny on the market. How much mpg will I be losing? I am currently getting 18-20 mpg and I haven't chipped it yet. 2 very good mechanics who I respect told me not to chip it for the mpg...any thoughts on that. They said wait till after warranty is up if I want to do that.
2. How much money is involved in really getting a factory supplied truck up to specs for shocks, extra sway bars, elevation, conversion to 4x....GULP????
3. I would love to do a project of building from scratch...but my goodness who has the huevos to spend 2-4 years and oodles of cash to do it? I really am currently leaning towards the throw something on the back of the truck like a BigFoot or something. My aluminum bed is almost 8 ft wide and about 11 ft long. I am more of a pragmatist than anything else. So, not too worried about what my fellow human thinks about the "look". How people come up with hundreds of thousands of dollars for Unimog and Expedition stuff is beyond me. Do you think my 1 ton dually can handle a BigFoot turtled on my platform? What kind of gas mileage are guys getting with this type of setup on a 1 ton? Will I have nice control of my rig with dually and additional shocks and sway equipment..or will I be all over the road in the wind?
4. If I am going overseas with my rig like Europe should I spend the extra troubles getting set up with as much diesel appliances or just stick to propane? I have read many articles on the forum addressing this issue. If you were building your own box versus buying a used turtle to put on your platform which way would you go?
Sorry about so many questions...I am digging this website...
Now I am really thinking of getting ready for retirement and what to do to make this truck my living quarters while I travel as far and wide (personal safety important-not going to Saudi...) as I wish. There is only me and the Misses. I have been lurking on here for quite awhile. This is a great forum full of so much expensive and hard learned knowledge. I am seeking advice from forum members about my idea...
1. Should I convert my 2x into a 4x and elevate the rig? I think somebody said that you should put a dodge rearend on it. I have a fantastic diesel and the best tranny on the market. How much mpg will I be losing? I am currently getting 18-20 mpg and I haven't chipped it yet. 2 very good mechanics who I respect told me not to chip it for the mpg...any thoughts on that. They said wait till after warranty is up if I want to do that.
2. How much money is involved in really getting a factory supplied truck up to specs for shocks, extra sway bars, elevation, conversion to 4x....GULP????
3. I would love to do a project of building from scratch...but my goodness who has the huevos to spend 2-4 years and oodles of cash to do it? I really am currently leaning towards the throw something on the back of the truck like a BigFoot or something. My aluminum bed is almost 8 ft wide and about 11 ft long. I am more of a pragmatist than anything else. So, not too worried about what my fellow human thinks about the "look". How people come up with hundreds of thousands of dollars for Unimog and Expedition stuff is beyond me. Do you think my 1 ton dually can handle a BigFoot turtled on my platform? What kind of gas mileage are guys getting with this type of setup on a 1 ton? Will I have nice control of my rig with dually and additional shocks and sway equipment..or will I be all over the road in the wind?
4. If I am going overseas with my rig like Europe should I spend the extra troubles getting set up with as much diesel appliances or just stick to propane? I have read many articles on the forum addressing this issue. If you were building your own box versus buying a used turtle to put on your platform which way would you go?
Sorry about so many questions...I am digging this website...