Bumper pull camper mounted on cab & chassis ideas

[aaronb03]

Hello, thanks in advance for advice! 
What I'm trying to accomplish:
I currently have a Class C RV, its great but I also purchased a RZR and a 25' car hauler. (Too much weight to tow) I started looking a diesel pushers and super C Rv's but they're too much $$$! 
So, I had an idea. I've seen cab & chassis trucks going pretty cheap, so I'm wondering has anyone bought one and just mounted a regular camper trailer on the frame? Seems like it'd be a pretty cheap way to get a nice RV that you can actually tow with. I get that of course there will need to be frame modifications, but any other problems anyone can think of? 
I'm attaching my (poorly made) concept picture.

 

[wayne49]

Try a pickup camper instead.
Storage room under the cab over.
No under carriage to remove.

"bumper pull" is an antiquated expression, "frame pull"?

 

[aaronb03]

I was thinking about that, but they aren't very long. I'm not worried about removing from the camper trailer. Seems like it'd be pretty short work with a plasma cutter to remove the axles and front tongue. After that you'd just need to figure out how to weld / bolt the 2 frames together.

 

[Qxxx]

If you search the forum, matala did that, except he mounted a regular cabover pickup camper on the flatbed 4x4 truck.

 

[bullfrog]

There are a few out there. One couple that Jamie interviewed in Mexico had done just that, they have their own channel that describes what they did. It was fairly simple and is bolted to the chassis. I would want something better than most of today’s RVs have to offer as far as build quality. I believe you could just jack up the trailer remove the spring and axle assembly and lower it onto the truck frame rails. You might be able to adapt to the spring perches so that you could keep the trailer intact if you decide to change out the RV portion at a later time by just mounting it backwards and use the tongue for storage.

 

[aaronb03]

There are a few out there. One couple that Jamie interviewed in Mexico had done just that, they have their own channel that describes what they did. It was fairly simple and is bolted to the chassis. I would want something better than most of today’s RVs have to offer as far as build quality. I believe you could just jack up the trailer remove the spring and axle assembly and lower it onto the truck frame rails. You might be able to adapt to the spring perches so that you could keep the trailer intact if you decide to change out the RV portion at a later time by just mounting it backwards and use the tongue for storage.

You don't happen to have a link to any of the builds by any chance?

 

[eDJ_]

In my pre internet years I was visiting the Public Library regularly.  Still do as a matter of fact.

There in those years I found a couple of books dealing with mounting home built quarters on Logging Trucks etc.

1979 & 1974

Rolling Homes
https://www.amazon.com/Rolling-Homes-Handmade-Houses-Wheels/dp/089104129X
https://www.amazon.com/Rolling-Homes-Handmade-Houses-Wheels/dp/089104129X
https://www.amazon.com/Rolling-Homes-Handmade-Houses-Wheels/dp/089104129XRoll Your Own: The Complete Guide to Living in a Truck, Bus, Van, or Camper
https://www.amazon.com/Rolling-Homes-Handmade-Houses-Wheels/dp/089104129Xhttps://www.amazon.com/Roll-Your-Own-Complete-Living/dp/0020810504
https://www.amazon.com/Rolling-Homes-Handmade-Houses-Wheels/dp/089104129Xhttps://www.amazon.com/Roll-Your-Own-Complete-Living/dp/0020810504
https://www.amazon.com/Rolling-Homes-Handmade-Houses-Wheels/dp/089104129X[img=600x497]https://www.cultjones.com/wp-content/uploads/jumbo_2718_001.jpg[/img]

 

[bullfrog]

Jamie is on YouTube search at “enigmatic nomadic” I believe. It was last year or the year before.

 

[Sofisintown]

All good, but you'll have to also tow a TOAD with that.
That's extra gas, insurance and maintenance.
It will be too costly if every time you have to go to the store, you have to haul the whole contraption back and forth.
It is cheaper to tow a trailer and disengage at your camp site, and then use the tow vehicle to move around.
Just sayin' ...

 

[B and C]

^^^ Not necessarily true. Most camping is limited to 14 days. Carry enough supplies and you don't have to go to town to restock because you generally have to move 25 miles.

 

[bagabum]

All good, but you'll have to also tow a TOAD with that. 
That's extra gas, insurance and maintenance.
It will be too costly if every time you have to go to the store, you have to haul the whole contraption back and forth.
It is cheaper to tow a trailer and disengage at your camp site, and then use the tow vehicle to move around.
Just sayin' ...

I agree with you Sofisintown   I struggled with one rig all self contained nice and simple or a split rig. To me, if I was going to tour the country like a tourist and pull into a spot and sight see and stay a night and move on and repeat. Yes with the slide in truck camper or a B or C no toad.  But for living in your rig and having to pull up camp every time[size=medium]  you want to go do something .....old real quick!  [/size]

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

All good, but you'll have to also tow a TOAD with that . . .

Depending on your physical condition and needs your alternate transportation could be a motor bike, mobility scooter, e-bike, or bicycle on a receiver carrier.

 

[bullfrog]

In Arizona and some other states a RZR (off road vehicle) can be made street legal to drive on most of the public roads in most of those states. One of the reasons I like my Suzuki Samurai is because as a registered street legal vehicle it is legal on all public roads with no restrictions.

 

[bagabum]

Hello, thanks in advance for advice! 
 but any other problems anyone can think of? 
I'm attaching my (poorly made) concept picture.

That would be so simple to do, some cross pieces to hold the longitude-als ,  bumper pulls are relatively inexpensive and plentifull to pick from. I would cut off all of the axle components. (look better) Those trucks can have pretty stiff axles, it may be a little harder on the shell than what i feel comes from the original suspension of the trailer. How about a cargo trailer shell and do a build. My experience with cargo trailers is that the seams tend to hold up better. But to answer your question, I don't see any issues if the truck suspension is not to overly stiff.

 

[aaronb03]

That would be so simple to do, some cross pieces to hold the longitude-als ,  bumper pulls are relatively inexpensive and plentifull to pick from. I would cut off all of the axle components. (look better) Those trucks can have pretty stiff axles, it may be a little harder on the shell than what i feel comes from the original suspension of the trailer. How about a cargo trailer shell and do a build. My experience with cargo trailers is that the seams tend to hold up better. But to answer your question, I don't see any issues if the truck suspension is not to overly stiff.

Yeah, I figured if I wanted to get really fancy I could mount the trailer on airbags and figure out how to do some type self leveling system. In response to the other stuff: I want to do this so I can tow a 25' car hauler with a 4 door rzr, dirtbikes, bicycles, possibly a jeep, etc. I will have transportation so I don't have to be driving around the rig while camping. Soooooo anyone have any pictures / threads of this being done before?

 

[bullfrog]

First step is to make sure you can get the commercial vehicle licensed and insured in your state of residence. Also check to see what it takes to convert from commercial to Recreational Vehicle.

 

[tx2sturgis]

It's been done many times....you may have issues converting it to 'motorhome' legal status, or not, depending on where you live, and you will of course have to rearrange or remove some or all of the plumbing and holding tanks and their fittings and connections under the trailer, depending on the design.

 

[B and C]

You will also need to figure in height. I don't know what the legal limit is.

 

[aaronb03]

Bump. Still looking for build threads / pictures of anyone that has done this. Thanks!

 

[tx2sturgis]

That's what search engines are for...I use DuckDuckGo but I hear there's a new kid on the block....google maybe?

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=rv+mounted+on+cab+and+chassis&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images