That switch he showed you is called a power divider switch, it's for you to rotate all 8 rear tires at the same time, "once" your out of your situation from being stuck, return that switch to the off position. Never ever run with that on. Or you will destroy your diffenchill
Never go low on your DEF fuelled,, always and I mean always keep that full or you will have problems with that. If they ever tell you that you need a whole new DEF, don't Don't , all it is some times are just lines and hoses you just have to replace!
I know your excitement!! I got my Volvo HDT about 3-4 weeks ago. I’ll be speaking with Alicia to get my DRV underway next week. Because of Suite Travels I became aware of HDT’s and found out that I was spending only a bit more than a Duelly. I’m a single, 59 year old woman and will be on my own, so I can’t wait to run into the both of you once I get my DRV, hook it to the HDT and get on the road!!! I can barely sleep, I’m so excited to get things going. Enjoy!!
It will be an exciting day for sure. I still get that feeling when its time to hook up and hit the road. Congrats and keep us posted on your progress :) Safe Travels
Just in case you didn’t know, the Volvo sleeper cab trucks use a steel frame including the sleeper. Most other trucks use fiberglass for the structural support of the sleeper. Your better off with the Volvo safety wise.
That's great to know James. Thanks for that. we definitely feel safe in the Volvo and well, Volvo's safety reputation is pretty darn good. :) Safe Travels
Just a note when thumping drive tires just listen for an echo and there good. This however does not work on steer tires just visually check those. And when its cold weather echo not there unless you just got done driving. But every so often check with tire Guage
You purchased a very great looking truck. Very clean it looks like brand new, inside and outside. Your salesman, Tim, seemed like he really made sure you where knowledgeable about the Volvo. Shame all salesman aren't like that. He wanted to make you both feel comfortable on the road, since it is your first truck. Have a blast with your new truck, and DRV Fullhouse. Hope to see you on the road. Stay Safe.
Thanks David. You are right, we had a great salesman and he was happy to take the time to walk us through everything. Big truck, big decision and slight learning curve LOL. Hope to see you out there as well. Keep in touch and thanks for following along. More truck stuff to come too :) Safe Travels
I could not afford a $180k Volvo, but i did buy at auction a 2015 Pete 579 for less than $3,000, currently fixing emmisions issues, new set of tires etc.
Since you have a HDV now I recommend getting a Cobra 29ltd with a decent antenna and getting the radio peaked and tuned at a cb shop. You are in a whole new class. The CB will save you.
Wow Aaron, fantastic addition to your RV life style. I'm a motor home guy but if ever decide to go 5th wheel I believe I wold go HDT. You guys look great in your new ride. Maggie has a lot of room.
Yeah. Took her a little bit of getting used to it but she really loves the view and the huge bed in the back that she gets to call her own. :) We may end up in a motor home at some point but were loving the HDT and fiver for now :) Safe Travels
Tim did what a salesman should do for you. Nice job Tim. You should take your lovely wife to a Ladies HDT rally and they will get her driving it fearlessly.
Tim was awesome. I need to stop in and say hi to him next time we're in SLC. There is a gentleman from Alaska that is a driving instructor that we met at an HDT rally last year so I am trying to convince her to let him take her out for a drive so I am not intimidating her. In time LOL Safe Travels
Yeah, we actually have to turn our inverter on when plugged in to cause the inverter charger to charge the batteries. The factory inverter is a bit intermittent so I will be changing it out to a Victron system for reliability. Adding solar to the truck as well. :) Safe Travels
@@richardchasse2387 Well thanks for following along,we appreciate it. Thanks for delivering the goods all those years. Truckers keep this country moving. :) Safe Travels
Congrats on your new to you HDT....you will love it going down the road with your big TH'er. Wish we could have met up with you guys at the WCR as this is the first one we've missed because of the closed border between Canada and the US. I got the link to your channel from Chad when we were talking about solar systems the other day, Great setup you have there!!!!! If you have any question on your Volvo don't hesitate to ask. Rick & Carey
Hey Rick. Heard a lot of good things about you at the rally. A ton of folks were bummed you couldn't make it. :( Glad to finally meet you, maybe in person next time, LOL. Thanks for checking out the channel and following along. I'll be sure to let you know if I run across any questions, I appreciate it. :) Look forward to meeting up at some point. Thanks again Safe Travels
When you drop your air suspension , you will lose you suspension action. Since your frame is stiff if any wheel climbs onto a bump it will raise at least one other tire off the ground. Your power divider will lock the power divider between the two axles to make power go to both axles at the same time. However each axle is an open differential. The traction control will use the brakes to slow the spinning wheel to force power to the other wheel on that axle. The one time you want to disconnect the traction control is when it starts fighting itself braking and derating power so much that you run out of power. Running a HDT you might never run into this situation.
Jonesntravel, if you don’t have traction control you would not want to drop your air ride in poor traction situations due to this problem and you would be stuck. Most power dividers now days operate as an open differential until you lock it. SQHD rear ends from the 60’s/70’s drove the rear axle directly and locked the front axle when needed. You can also get locking axles that lock each individual axle which 6x2 or oilfield off-road utilize. I don’t know about Volvos system but our 2015 KW T660 will disengage the power divider and traction control when you shift to the high side of the transmission. I assume you have an ishift and that be about 6th gear. Happy Trucking. I believe the more you know about your truck the better your decisions will be.
I don't know if anyone mentioned letting the engine idle for 2or3 minutes before shutdown, to let the turbo cool down, especially if you have pulling hard, which probably won't happen too often with your fifth wheel.
Hey Doug. We purchased the truck from Tim Smith at Mountain West Truck Center. Best of luck I your search, and thanks for checking out the video. Safe Travels
Ialways hated that gear shift on the seat. Drivers always knock those things off of the seat. That's an expensive part to replace. Volvo actually has a better design with push buttons on the dash.
Quick question here. You asked him about the shore power plugs for the RV park but what is the amperage rating for those plugs? If it isn't 30 or 50, what do you need for the park power? BTW, THANK YOU for sharing this because you just got the Volvo I'm after.
its a 20 AMP regular extension cord plug. Most RV parks have a 20 amp socket in the panel but if not they also make reducers that will allow you to use one leg of the 50 AMP to power an extension cord :) Looking forward to hearing more about your Volvo. :) Safe Travels
Beautiful truck. I'm in Ca. and believe I would have to have a CDL for that truck. If things keep going south here, I may need one for my RAM 3500 dually lol.
So its about 8 quarts less than the Ford at the same mileage. I like that I only have to do the oil and such once a year in the big truck versus every few months in the dually. :) Safe Travels
I was thinking that every 7500 miles in the Ford would require 13 Quarts which is 4 oil changes in 30k miles compared to the big truck. That means the Ford requires 52 quarts every 30k miles where the big truck only requires 44 quarts. That's where I got the 8 quart savings. :)
Well I'm officially jealous. Green actually. In your first buying video you mentioned the asking price, curious if the final number was close to that and if your deal included all the inspection and dyno and fluid testing. Thanks again for some great content!
Our truck was listed at the end of the year, 2019, and because of Covid it sat for 4 or so months before we found it. Originally they were asking $57k and when they dropped it $10k I started looking more seriously at it. The final price was $47k but that included new tires, new brake shoes, a new belt tensioner and a new belt. We paid almost $1k for all the testing and that was done out of pocket before we agreed to buy it. I figured the testing was a small price to pay to find out if there were any major red flags. There were none so we bought it. Hope that helps. Safe Travels
Congratulations! Nice to see the beginnings of using a HDT. Looking forward to see what your going to do with the bed to haul your 5th wheel. Just got back from my first trip in a 2020 Peterbuilt, wow it rides nice :-) BTW I did get notifications on your channel from Suite Travels.
Hey Martin. Thank you for following along. Thanks for letting us know you heard about us from Suite Travels. They are the most wonderful couple and we definitely appreciate them supporting us. :) I bet the 2020 Pete is nice, I'm gonna have to check one of those out some day. Thanks again and Safe Travels :)
Just curious if you ever considered a MDT like a Ford f550/f650 or GM 5500 etc? Seems like those rigs would have been plenty and a bit easier to get around. Also, I am guessing you had to get a non commercial class A license? driving a big rig does seems cool!!! Good luck in you travels
We did ook at those other trucks but from a cost perspective the HDT is much cheaper, better fuel mileage, and better capacity and stopping power. We are registered in South Dakota as an RV so no special license needed at all. Thanks for following along. Safe Travels.
Only problem with a commercial fifth wheel is that a does not rock from side to side so you may want to look into getting an actual fifth wheel for an RV to mount on your truck
@@JonesN2Travel downhill on cruise works but do not forget that you can put it in manual and down shift to a lower gear to help go down long steep hills. I know you this, so it's just a reminder, also your truck will stop wither or not your if your trailer brakes are working or not. This makes it real easy to overheat your trailer. Safe travels
@@marchalpeck470 Yeah, thanks for the reminder. Its a learning curve for sure but I'll get it. i appreciate all the input from experienced guys like you though :) Safe Travels
You're salesman did a great job going through it with you, but I didn't see him go to the air tank draining. You should drain your air system Occasionally especially when you change climates often .
He did mention it off camera but yes, we've been getting a lot of great advice like this so thank you. We will be sure to empty them often. Thanks for following along. :) Safe Travels
With an air dryer the daily tank draining ritual has become a thing of the past. You do need to replace the air dryer filter once a year on a commercial truck. However depending on your usage on a HDT you might not ever change it.
Hey Don. We traded the ford for the smart car so it worked out perfectly for us. No CDL required, I had already submitted the title to South Dakota before we picked the new truck up. UA-cam TV magic LOL. No CDL required in South Dakota when truck is registered as a RV. :) Safe Travels
We're so used to checking everything is really isn't too bad. We love travelling in it. So comfortable, now we can make that big trip to Florida :) Safe Travels
Nice unit.. I've always gone by the maxim that 'one cannot have too much truck'... LOL. At the same time, did you at any time consider something like an F-650 or similar??
Hi Lee. I agree with you 100%. Yes we looked at everything from a new F-350 and up. Besides the added safety of the Volvo a big part of our decision was cost. The Volvo was just the better choice for us all the way around. Thanks for checking out the video. Safe Travels
@@JonesN2Travel Please do a video about what is involved in getting a Semi truck converted to pull a fifth wheel rv. I am seriously looking into going the same route as you guys have done. I already bought a f350 and found out the hard way that it won't pull the size 5'r my wife want to get. I have been a truck driver for 25 years and think I can get a nice semi for alot less than I have put into this old f350.
@@SawltyDawg2009 Would be my pleasure. We wish we had known about HDTs from the beginning too. We would have saved a ton of money. We are getting ready to build our truck bed in the next couple of days so I will be sure to go in depth on the whole process in that truck bed series. Thanks for the video request. Its much more fun doing a video that someone has asked for :) Thanks again Safe Travels
I asked them if they wanted it and they didn't so I took the truck to a recycler and had them lift it off with a magnet. :) Thanks for following along. Safe Travels
I have read that he maximum compiled length for an RV is 65 feet in most states. What is the combined length of your rig and have you had any problems with DOT in any states?
We're right around 73' and we've had zero issues. We are about the same length as a semi truck so hopefully we wont draw too much attention. We've passed a number of open DOT scales but have never been stopped. Hope that helps. Safe Travels :)
I would like to ask did all those pre purchase test come out of your pocket ? And would you share what the costs might be ? And is there any warranty from the dealership even on these used trucks ? One major you could end up in the poor house 🤮 Who paid for the brake job ? Oil and filter services ? Transmission fluid change cost please ? Those new tires ? Was that part of the deal or did you pay again ? I’m sorry to be so nosy ‘ but you have excited the beast in me to do the same.
Do you need a special license for driving that rig I love to get a truck like that when I retire I don’t know if I need a truckers license class a license to drive one
Hi Pedro. Our truck is registered in South Dakota as an RV so no special license needed. You would have to check with your state to see what their requirements are. Hope that helps. Safe Travels
The truck is registered in South Dakota as an RV so no CDL required. The "Not for Hire" stickers are in no way required and some HDTers don't have them on their rig at all. Some say it helps the authorities to understand that you aren't commercial but I really cant say whether it makes much difference or not. Hope that helps. Safe Travels
There was a 2 week gap between when I paid for the truck and when I picked it up so South Dakota already had the Utah title and that piece was processed. Congrats on your 780. Thanks for following along. Safe Travels.
There are going to be places we are too large for but we must have to have plan B. So far it has not at all deterred us from having the truck though :) Hope that helps. Safe Travels
Used and depending on age, mileage and condition they range anywhere from the low $20k to $100k. We paid $47 for ours including new brakes, new tires and all fluids and filters replaced. Hope that helps. :) Safe Travels
Good Videos Bro, Retired USAF. looking at going HDT also. Proud for yall
That switch he showed you is called a power divider switch, it's for you to rotate all 8 rear tires at the same time, "once" your out of your situation from being stuck, return that switch to the off position. Never ever run with that on. Or you will destroy your diffenchill
dont forget to check your brake drums for cracks
Just replaced them all so they are good to go now. Thanks for checking out the video. Safe Travels
Hahahaha.....a tire thumper! Well you know better now don't you! Great series guys. We're so happy for you. See you soon.
You go that right. LOL I love the new tire gauges too ;) Safe Travels guys :)
This should be required viewing for anyone thinking about an HDT for RV use. Nice work, Aaron!
Wow, thanks so much. Safe Travels :)
Dear sir, beautiful buy, in my humble opinion, you are are a real problem solver, great trust, whit this films we can learn something.
Wow, thanks. Safe Travels
Never go low on your DEF fuelled,, always and I mean always keep that full or you will have problems with that. If they ever tell you that you need a whole new DEF, don't Don't , all it is some times are just lines and hoses you just have to replace!
I know your excitement!! I got my Volvo HDT about 3-4 weeks ago. I’ll be speaking with Alicia to get my DRV underway next week. Because of Suite Travels I became aware of HDT’s and found out that I was spending only a bit more than a Duelly. I’m a single, 59 year old woman and will be on my own, so I can’t wait to run into the both of you once I get my DRV, hook it to the HDT and get on the road!!! I can barely sleep, I’m so excited to get things going. Enjoy!!
It will be an exciting day for sure. I still get that feeling when its time to hook up and hit the road. Congrats and keep us posted on your progress :) Safe Travels
Just in case you didn’t know, the Volvo sleeper cab trucks use a steel frame including the sleeper. Most other trucks use fiberglass for the structural support of the sleeper. Your better off with the Volvo safety wise.
That's great to know James. Thanks for that. we definitely feel safe in the Volvo and well, Volvo's safety reputation is pretty darn good. :) Safe Travels
I am very happy for you. Safe travels. Going to watch your other videos.
Hi John. Thanks for following along. Glad to hear you enjoyed the video. Safe Travels
Just a note when thumping drive tires just listen for an echo and there good. This however does not work on steer tires just visually check those. And when its cold weather echo not there unless you just got done driving. But every so often check with tire Guage
Hi John. Thanks so much for checking out the video and thanks for the tip. Safe Travels
You purchased a very great looking truck. Very clean it looks like brand new, inside and outside. Your salesman, Tim, seemed like he really made sure you where knowledgeable about the Volvo. Shame all salesman aren't like that. He wanted to make you both feel comfortable on the road, since it is your first truck. Have a blast with your new truck, and DRV Fullhouse. Hope to see you on the road. Stay Safe.
Thanks David. You are right, we had a great salesman and he was happy to take the time to walk us through everything. Big truck, big decision and slight learning curve LOL. Hope to see you out there as well. Keep in touch and thanks for following along. More truck stuff to come too :) Safe Travels
I could not afford a $180k Volvo, but i did buy at auction a 2015 Pete 579 for less than $3,000, currently fixing emmisions issues, new set of tires etc.
We couldn't afford a new volvo either. Sounds like you found a great deal though. Safe Travels
Since you have a HDV now I recommend getting a Cobra 29ltd with a decent antenna and getting the radio peaked and tuned at a cb shop. You are in a whole new class. The CB will save you.
Great minds think alike. :) Still need to take it to a CB shop but its installed and working great with the factory antennas. :) Safe Travels
@@JonesN2Travel I'm on otr trucker cb is the best tool you can have.
Like a kid on Christmas morning...great videos and thanks again for answering my questions.
Its so awesome. I still get that feeling when its time to hitch up and go. :) No problem at all Chad. More to come :) Safe Travels
Wow Aaron, fantastic addition to your RV life style. I'm a motor home guy but if ever decide to go 5th wheel I believe I wold go HDT. You guys look great in your new ride. Maggie has a lot of room.
Yeah. Took her a little bit of getting used to it but she really loves the view and the huge bed in the back that she gets to call her own. :) We may end up in a motor home at some point but were loving the HDT and fiver for now :) Safe Travels
Awesome congrats on your HDT!
Thank you so much. Thanks for following along. Safe Travels
Tim did what a salesman should do for you. Nice job Tim. You should take your lovely wife to a Ladies HDT rally and they will get her driving it fearlessly.
Tim was awesome. I need to stop in and say hi to him next time we're in SLC. There is a gentleman from Alaska that is a driving instructor that we met at an HDT rally last year so I am trying to convince her to let him take her out for a drive so I am not intimidating her. In time LOL Safe Travels
I binge watch all these HDT youtuber RV ppl how could you not he happier then a pig in shit driving one of them hahahah
It is so cool to drive and so much safer. :) Thanks for watching. Safe Travels
be safe have fun and looking good
Thank you Vincent. Thanks for following along, we appreciate you. :) Safe Travels
Shore power does NOT charge batteries, it only supplies 110v to sleeper outlets.
Yeah, we actually have to turn our inverter on when plugged in to cause the inverter charger to charge the batteries. The factory inverter is a bit intermittent so I will be changing it out to a Victron system for reliability. Adding solar to the truck as well. :) Safe Travels
Congratulations very cool. "live long and prosper"
Thank you Richard. Thanks for following along. Safe Travels
@@JonesN2Travel there is nothing like going down the highway in a big truck. I drove for over 15 years.
@@richardchasse2387 Well thanks for following along,we appreciate it. Thanks for delivering the goods all those years. Truckers keep this country moving. :) Safe Travels
Congrats on the new purchase, it'll be a much safer tow vehicle,
Thanks Matt. We are really enjoying travelling in it. So much more comfortable and definitely safer. Safe Travels
Nice rig please be safe out there on the Road congratulations
Thank you Mike. We're having a blast and staying safe. :) Safe Travels
Congrats on your new to you HDT....you will love it going down the road with your big TH'er. Wish we could have met up with you guys at the WCR as this is the first one we've missed because of the closed border between Canada and the US. I got the link to your channel from Chad when we were talking about solar systems the other day, Great setup you have there!!!!! If you have any question on your Volvo don't hesitate to ask. Rick & Carey
Hey Rick. Heard a lot of good things about you at the rally. A ton of folks were bummed you couldn't make it. :( Glad to finally meet you, maybe in person next time, LOL. Thanks for checking out the channel and following along. I'll be sure to let you know if I run across any questions, I appreciate it. :) Look forward to meeting up at some point. Thanks again Safe Travels
Great video you two!! Exciting times!!
Thank you Robin. Safe Travels :)
When you drop your air suspension , you will lose you suspension action. Since your frame is stiff if any wheel climbs onto a bump it will raise at least one other tire off the ground. Your power divider will lock the power divider between the two axles to make power go to both axles at the same time. However each axle is an open differential. The traction control will use the brakes to slow the spinning wheel to force power to the other wheel on that axle.
The one time you want to disconnect the traction control is when it starts fighting itself braking and derating power so much that you run out of power. Running a HDT you might never run into this situation.
Thanks for that insight. I feel like I learn something new about these trucks every day so I appreciate you sharing that. Safe Travels
Jonesntravel, if you don’t have traction control you would not want to drop your air ride in poor traction situations due to this problem and you would be stuck. Most power dividers now days operate as an open differential until you lock it. SQHD rear ends from the 60’s/70’s drove the rear axle directly and locked the front axle when needed. You can also get locking axles that lock each individual axle which 6x2 or oilfield off-road utilize. I don’t know about Volvos system but our 2015 KW T660 will disengage the power divider and traction control when you shift to the high side of the transmission. I assume you have an ishift and that be about 6th gear. Happy Trucking. I believe the more you know about your truck the better your decisions will be.
Very good 👍👍👍
Thank you! Safe Travels
I'm happy for ya...
Thanks Jeff. Thanks for following along we appreciate you :) Safe Travels
I don't know if anyone mentioned letting the engine idle for 2or3 minutes before shutdown, to let the turbo cool down, especially if you have pulling hard, which probably won't happen too often with your fifth wheel.
Great tip. Thanks for watching. Safe Travels
Nice! If you still monitor this channel can you give me the info on where you bought this and the salesman’s info? Thanks. Beautiful Truck.
Hey Doug. We purchased the truck from Tim Smith at Mountain West Truck Center. Best of luck I your search, and thanks for checking out the video. Safe Travels
Ialways hated that gear shift on the seat. Drivers always knock those things off of the seat. That's an expensive part to replace. Volvo actually has a better design with push buttons on the dash.
Hi Keith. Thanks for following along. I always have to make sure its stowed down so I don't do that. Thanks for the tip. Safe Travels
Quick question here. You asked him about the shore power plugs for the RV park but what is the amperage rating for those plugs? If it isn't 30 or 50, what do you need for the park power? BTW, THANK YOU for sharing this because you just got the Volvo I'm after.
its a 20 AMP regular extension cord plug. Most RV parks have a 20 amp socket in the panel but if not they also make reducers that will allow you to use one leg of the 50 AMP to power an extension cord :) Looking forward to hearing more about your Volvo. :) Safe Travels
@@JonesN2Travel Thank you
I love your truck congratulations
Thank you Dennis. :) Safe Travels
That is so cool. It almost makes me want to go out and buy one
You should LOL What an amazing ride. Thanks for following along. Safe Travels
Good Looking Ride !!!!!
Thank you so much. Thanks for following along. Safe Travels
Congrats! Beautiful Truck!
Thank you and thanks for following along. :) Safe Travels
Beautiful truck. I'm in Ca. and believe I would have to have a CDL for that truck. If things keep going south here, I may need one for my RAM 3500 dually lol.
Thanks. I believe you're right. :( Thanks for following along. Safe Travels
13 quarts in the Ford with 7,500 mile average change. Big truck has about 44 quarts and 30,000 mile life.
So its about 8 quarts less than the Ford at the same mileage. I like that I only have to do the oil and such once a year in the big truck versus every few months in the dually. :) Safe Travels
JonesN2Travel. 44 quarts, that’s 11gallons compared to Fords 13 quarts, or 3 1/4 gallons. Huge difference
I was thinking that every 7500 miles in the Ford would require 13 Quarts which is 4 oil changes in 30k miles compared to the big truck. That means the Ford requires 52 quarts every 30k miles where the big truck only requires 44 quarts. That's where I got the 8 quart savings. :)
JonesN2Travel .. never put the math together like that but it makes a lot of sense
Well I'm officially jealous. Green actually. In your first buying video you mentioned the asking price, curious if the final number was close to that and if your deal included all the inspection and dyno and fluid testing. Thanks again for some great content!
Our truck was listed at the end of the year, 2019, and because of Covid it sat for 4 or so months before we found it. Originally they were asking $57k and when they dropped it $10k I started looking more seriously at it. The final price was $47k but that included new tires, new brake shoes, a new belt tensioner and a new belt. We paid almost $1k for all the testing and that was done out of pocket before we agreed to buy it. I figured the testing was a small price to pay to find out if there were any major red flags. There were none so we bought it. Hope that helps. Safe Travels
@@JonesN2Travel Wow, fantastic deal!
Well, I stumbled on your channel. It's now June 2021. What's your thoughts? Thanks for the video.
Hi Rick. I think towing with an HDT is the best decision I've ever made LOL Safe Travels
Congratulations! Nice to see the beginnings of using a HDT. Looking forward to see what your going to do with the bed to haul your 5th wheel. Just got back from my first trip in a 2020 Peterbuilt, wow it rides nice :-) BTW I did get notifications on your channel from Suite Travels.
Hey Martin. Thank you for following along. Thanks for letting us know you heard about us from Suite Travels. They are the most wonderful couple and we definitely appreciate them supporting us. :) I bet the 2020 Pete is nice, I'm gonna have to check one of those out some day. Thanks again and Safe Travels :)
Just curious if you ever considered a MDT like a Ford f550/f650 or GM 5500 etc? Seems like those rigs would have been plenty and a bit easier to get around. Also, I am guessing you had to get a non commercial class A license? driving a big rig does seems cool!!! Good luck in you travels
We did ook at those other trucks but from a cost perspective the HDT is much cheaper, better fuel mileage, and better capacity and stopping power. We are registered in South Dakota as an RV so no special license needed at all. Thanks for following along. Safe Travels.
Only problem with a commercial fifth wheel is that a does not rock from side to side so you may want to look into getting an actual fifth wheel for an RV to mount on your truck
Yeah, that was one of the first things to go. :) Thanks for following along. Safe Travels
@@JonesN2Travel downhill on cruise works but do not forget that you can put it in manual and down shift to a lower gear to help go down long steep hills.
I know you this, so it's just a reminder, also your truck will stop wither or not your if your trailer brakes are working or not. This makes it real easy to overheat your trailer. Safe travels
@@marchalpeck470 Yeah, thanks for the reminder. Its a learning curve for sure but I'll get it. i appreciate all the input from experienced guys like you though :) Safe Travels
Love it !
Thank you. We do too LOL Safe Travels
You're salesman did a great job going through it with you, but I didn't see him go to the air tank draining.
You should drain your air system Occasionally especially when you change climates often .
He did mention it off camera but yes, we've been getting a lot of great advice like this so thank you. We will be sure to empty them often. Thanks for following along. :) Safe Travels
With an air dryer the daily tank draining ritual has become a thing of the past. You do need to replace the air dryer filter once a year on a commercial truck. However depending on your usage on a HDT you might not ever change it.
If anyone is looking for a cheap builder. I have a 2009 VNL Volvo for sale.
Is there not a way to check the def level other than the gauge on the dash ?
Yes that is the only way to check it, the gauge on the dash. Thanks for checking out the video. Safe Travels
Awesome. Did they take your other truck in as a trade? I guess you got you CDL. GREAT JOB
DON
Hey Don. We traded the ford for the smart car so it worked out perfectly for us. No CDL required, I had already submitted the title to South Dakota before we picked the new truck up. UA-cam TV magic LOL. No CDL required in South Dakota when truck is registered as a RV. :) Safe Travels
This is a whole new pre-trip checklist to create! I would have to make an A-Z excel list. How is it a month later?
We're so used to checking everything is really isn't too bad. We love travelling in it. So comfortable, now we can make that big trip to Florida :) Safe Travels
@@JonesN2Travel Collins sez k'mon down Maggie! ❤❤❤
Nice unit.. I've always gone by the maxim that 'one cannot have too much truck'... LOL. At the same time, did you at any time consider something like an F-650 or similar??
Hi Lee. I agree with you 100%. Yes we looked at everything from a new F-350 and up. Besides the added safety of the Volvo a big part of our decision was cost. The Volvo was just the better choice for us all the way around. Thanks for checking out the video. Safe Travels
Congratulations
Thank you Mark. :) Safe Travels
@@JonesN2Travel Please do a video about what is involved in getting a Semi truck converted to pull a fifth wheel rv. I am seriously looking into going the same route as you guys have done. I already bought a f350 and found out the hard way that it won't pull the size 5'r my wife want to get. I have been a truck driver for 25 years and think I can get a nice semi for alot less than I have put into this old f350.
@@SawltyDawg2009 Would be my pleasure. We wish we had known about HDTs from the beginning too. We would have saved a ton of money. We are getting ready to build our truck bed in the next couple of days so I will be sure to go in depth on the whole process in that truck bed series. Thanks for the video request. Its much more fun doing a video that someone has asked for :) Thanks again Safe Travels
Cool congrats.
Thanks guys! Stay safe out there. Safe Travels
very cool man. That is so neat to see it step by step.
Thanks Drew. Can't wait to see you in the Q this winter. Safe Travels :)
MERRY CHRISTMAS! :) Congrats guys! Looks awesome!
Thank you. Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary........LOL Safe Travels :)
You know as much as they charge for a HDT they could at least have your fuel and DEF if not full at least half
Yeah it was about a quarter tank lol but I agree with you. Safe Travels
Great video. Did you consider having the dealer remove the commercial fifthwheel for you?
I asked them if they wanted it and they didn't so I took the truck to a recycler and had them lift it off with a magnet. :) Thanks for following along. Safe Travels
I have read that he maximum compiled length for an RV is 65 feet in most states. What is the combined length of your rig and have you had any problems with DOT in any states?
We're right around 73' and we've had zero issues. We are about the same length as a semi truck so hopefully we wont draw too much attention. We've passed a number of open DOT scales but have never been stopped. Hope that helps. Safe Travels :)
I would like to ask did all those pre purchase test come out of your pocket ? And would you share what the costs might be ? And is there any warranty from the dealership even on these used trucks ? One major you could end up in the poor house 🤮
Who paid for the brake job ?
Oil and filter services ?
Transmission fluid change cost please ?
Those new tires ? Was that part of the deal or did you pay again ? I’m sorry to be so nosy ‘ but you have excited the beast in me to do the same.
So once you purchased the truck, they didn't have a problem with you driving off the lot?
Did u find that getting your CDL was difficult?
Hi David. I don't have a CDL. Our truck is registered as a private RV so no CDL required. Thanks for following along. Safe Travels
Good video.
What axle ratio does that truck have ? How many RPMs at 65 MPH?
2.47 gears, runs about 1300 RPM at 65 MPH. :) Safe Travels
Nice truck what did you pay for it?
About $47k. Thanks for following along. Safe Travels.
Great video and all the info you are providing for when buying a heavy duty truck. Do you need to get a CDL to drive this truck when towing your RV?
The truck is registered as a RV in South Dakota so no CDL required but check with your state to see if they have any restrictions. :) Safe Travels
So when you took the test ride, he said you had to have a CDL. Did you get your CDL? Or is it not required if you tag it as an RV?
Do you need a special license for driving that rig I love to get a truck like that when I retire I don’t know if I need a truckers license class a license to drive one
Hi Pedro. Our truck is registered in South Dakota as an RV so no special license needed. You would have to check with your state to see what their requirements are. Hope that helps. Safe Travels
@@JonesN2Travel So driving from state to state as long as your registered in South Dakota you’re covered thank you
@@pedrogoncalves1459 yes, its based on your state of residence.
@@JonesN2Travel thank you
so you need a cdl to tow a rv in a hdt?
Is CDL required for “not for hire” use? Thnx.
The truck is registered in South Dakota as an RV so no CDL required. The "Not for Hire" stickers are in no way required and some HDTers don't have them on their rig at all. Some say it helps the authorities to understand that you aren't commercial but I really cant say whether it makes much difference or not. Hope that helps. Safe Travels
In Virginia CDL is not required if you are not commercial. Ie driving for recreational only
Albee 45 If you like in Texas you need a special license for RV don’t know exactly what if you don’t live there no worry.
I call the last mode kiss the window cause at 70 and you pull and let go you are kissing that window
We just purchased a 780 as well. How were you able to drive it off the lot? We had to arrange transport until the title classification is changed.
There was a 2 week gap between when I paid for the truck and when I picked it up so South Dakota already had the Utah title and that piece was processed. Congrats on your 780. Thanks for following along. Safe Travels.
@@JonesN2Travel ahhhh ya lucky dog. The magic of UA-cam time. Congratulations to you as well. Perhaps our paths will cross on the road. Sae travels!!!
@@PnwFireguy YES, keep in touch and I'm sure we can cross paths at some point :) Safe Travels
What kind of problem do you have in parking and in camp ground i ran o t r for 50 years so driving no problem
There are going to be places we are too large for but we must have to have plan B. So far it has not at all deterred us from having the truck though :) Hope that helps. Safe Travels
Do you have to get an IFTA sticker for fuel tax, or are you exempt?
Exempt. The truck is registered as an RV in South Dakota so not commercial at all. Safe Travels
What’s something like that cost
Used and depending on age, mileage and condition they range anywhere from the low $20k to $100k. We paid $47 for ours including new brakes, new tires and all fluids and filters replaced. Hope that helps. :) Safe Travels
JonesN2Travel how many miles on it
@@skeim5620 503k when we bought it.
JonesN2Travel it don’t look it ,I thought maybe 100,000 miles.thats a very ,very clean truck
@@skeim5620 Yes it was very well taken care of but we looked at more than 2 dozen before we found it. :) Safe Travels
Congratulations
Thank you Howard. Safe Travels :)
Congratulations
Thank you Richard. Thanks for following along. Safe Travels