Stewart and Stevenson for an Overland Camper?

[Diversified_shenanigans]

Glad to be here guys! I have an array of questions so I can find out whether my desire for a Stewart and Stevenson truck is valid or not.

So here’s the idea I have in my head. I want to use an S&S truck for a camper build. The concept that makes me really draws me in is creating an RV that can essentially go anywhere.

Here are some of the reasons I really like the idea:

1. I want the ability to traverse the Jean Dry Lake bed and find spots few can make it to, primarily for extensive firearm training. Not to mention, the camper will serve well to carry all the guns, accessories, and a couple of friends out for the ride in comfort, especially if we choose to be out there for an extended period of time.
2. I want to travel to certain parts of the country for extended stays and have a kitchen on hand. The fact that most hotel chains don’t provide rooms with kitchens bugs me. If I’m going to have an extended stay in a city, I want the ability to make my own food.
3. Seems like a 2 and half-ton S&S would provide a great platform for a considerable camper. The goal is to have a bit of a tiny home I can take anywhere in the country and be comfortable living in.
4. I’m not completely sure about this idea, but having a bit of a motorcycle bay built into the camper shell sounds appealing. I only say this because if I’m staying in a city for an extended period, I don’t want to drive the truck out of the RV Resort/Park for every task in the city. A motorcycle in a bay sounds more convenient to get around some spots in a city.

Now, I’m completely new to the RV and military truck space so I have a couple of concerns. At this point, if you see any holes in my plan, go ahead and point them out. Anyways, here are some of my questions.

1. Do you guys know anyone or a company that makes a camper compatible with the S&S platforms? At the moment, I'm not good with my hands. I'm looking to get education in CNC Machining down the road in a couple months, but it seems more appealing to delegate this task to someone else.
2. Is the S&S reliable enough to the point that it won’t leave me stranded on the interstate doing a 1000+ mile drive? I hear that the CAT engine and Allison transmission are bulletproof, but how about the other components? Do other aspects of the S&S need constant maintenance?
3. Is it easy to get maintenance, service, and repair for these S&S? Or would I need to find a specialized mechanic in the country? I’m under the impression that if a Private in the Army can operate military trucks, I can learn some surface-level maintenance and know-how, but what is the ease of maintenance overall?
4. Would the 4x4 or 6x6 be better for a camper build?

Like I said, if you see holes in my post, go ahead and point them out so I can figure out if I need to abandon this idea altogether, but if I’m on the right track, I’m ready to dive into a rabbit hole and start planning my goal of a Military Truck Camper that can take me anywhere.

 

[chucky]

Glad to be here guys! I have an array of questions so I can find out whether my desire for a Stewart and Stevenson truck is valid or not.

So here’s the idea I have in my head. I want to use an S&S truck for a camper build. The concept that makes me really draws me in is creating an RV that can essentially go anywhere.

Here are some of the reasons I really like the idea:

1. I want the ability to traverse the Jean Dry Lake bed and find spots few can make it to, primarily for extensive firearm training. Not to mention, the camper will serve well to carry all the guns, accessories, and a couple of friends out for the ride in comfort, especially if we choose to be out there for an extended period of time.
2. I want to travel to certain parts of the country for extended stays and have a kitchen on hand. The fact that most hotel chains don’t provide rooms with kitchens bugs me. If I’m going to have an extended stay in a city, I want the ability to make my own food.
3. Seems like a 2 and half-ton S&S would provide a great platform for a considerable camper. The goal is to have a bit of a tiny home I can take anywhere in the country and be comfortable living in.
4. I’m not completely sure about this idea, but having a bit of a motorcycle bay built into the camper shell sounds appealing. I only say this because if I’m staying in a city for an extended period, I don’t want to drive the truck out of the RV Resort/Park for every task in the city. A motorcycle in a bay sounds more convenient to get around some spots in a city.

Now, I’m completely new to the RV and military truck space so I have a couple of concerns. At this point, if you see any holes in my plan, go ahead and point them out. Anyways, here are some of my questions.

1. Do you guys know anyone or a company that makes a camper compatible with the S&S platforms? At the moment, I'm not good with my hands. I'm looking to get education in CNC Machining down the road in a couple months, but it seems more appealing to delegate this task to someone else.
2. Is the S&S reliable enough to the point that it won’t leave me stranded on the interstate doing a 1000+ mile drive? I hear that the CAT engine and Allison transmission are bulletproof, but how about the other components? Do other aspects of the S&S need constant maintenance?
3. Is it easy to get maintenance, service, and repair for these S&S? Or would I need to find a specialized mechanic in the country? I’m under the impression that if a Private in the Army can operate military trucks, I can learn some surface-level maintenance and know-how, but what is the ease of maintenance overall?
4. Would the 4x4 or 6x6 be better for a camper build?

Like I said, if you see holes in my post, go ahead and point them out so I can figure out if I need to abandon this idea altogether, but if I’m on the right track, I’m ready to dive into a rabbit hole and start planning my goal of a Military Truck Camper that can take me anywhere.

If you want a S&S 2 1/2 ton get you m-1079 from like govplanet from a cali location so its not a long haul to get it home then the sky is the limit on what you can do to build the interior !

 

[flyfishtrailer]

Well, I am nowhere near the expert here but have enjoyed owning a M1078 for about a year now. I am in no way an expert mechanic, but I can follow a TM to troubleshoot some of the common problems I have found so far. I got lucky in that I bought a truck from a private party that was well taken care of and some of the leaks and maintenance were already taken care of, but one thing I will say. If you have enough cash and can read a TM, these are great trucks. You will be dropping a lot of coin up front just to get them serviced (if they are already in running condition) and repairing all kinds of minor leaks, remember these trucks are 15 plus years old and many have been sitting for years. You will be replacing a lot of gaskets, O-rings and rubber products. But they are a great foundation for building a camper like you are talking about (Lots of documentation here and videos on the internet!). Good luck and have fun.

 

[Diversified_shenanigans]

Well, I am nowhere near the expert here but have enjoyed owning a M1078 for about a year now. I am in no way an expert mechanic, but I can follow a TM to troubleshoot some of the common problems I have found so far. I got lucky in that I bought a truck from a private party that was well taken care of and some of the leaks and maintenance were already taken care of, but one thing I will say. If you have enough cash and can read a TM, these are great trucks. You will be dropping a lot of coin up front just to get them serviced (if they are already in running condition) and repairing all kinds of minor leaks, remember these trucks are 15 plus years old and many have been sitting for years. You will be replacing a lot of gaskets, O-rings and rubber products. But they are a great foundation for building a camper like you are talking about (Lots of documentation here and videos on the internet!). Good luck and have fun.

TMs like instruction manuals? I'm bit unfamiliar with the verbiage lol

And when you say private party, do you mean like an individual or from one of the companies that restore these monsters? (Example: Midwest Military Equipment, etc)

 

[Diversified_shenanigans]

Well, I am nowhere near the expert here but have enjoyed owning a M1078 for about a year now. I am in no way an expert mechanic, but I can follow a TM to troubleshoot some of the common problems I have found so far. I got lucky in that I bought a truck from a private party that was well taken care of and some of the leaks and maintenance were already taken care of, but one thing I will say. If you have enough cash and can read a TM, these are great trucks. You will be dropping a lot of coin up front just to get them serviced (if they are already in running condition) and repairing all kinds of minor leaks, remember these trucks are 15 plus years old and many have been sitting for years. You will be replacing a lot of gaskets, O-rings and rubber products. But they are a great foundation for building a camper like you are talking about (Lots of documentation here and videos on the internet!). Good luck and have fun.

Also, while I'm still uncertain, are there any threads discussing 4x4 vs 6x6 (2.5 ton vs 5 ton) for a camper build? (Couldn't find a thread on it via the search bar)

For me, it sounds like the 6x6 will definitely be more maintenance, but it sounds like the more stable option for a camper build, especially if I plan to put a lot of highway miles traveling.

 

[ckouba]

Also, while I'm still uncertain, are there any threads discussing 4x4 vs 6x6 (2.5 ton vs 5 ton) for a camper build? (Couldn't find a thread on it via the search bar)

There might not be a thread directly comparing the two but with a little thought regarding your goals and expectations, you can probably decide for yourself. How much stuff do you want to take with you (and how much does it weigh)? How much space do you want?

I know someone doing a 6x6 build: https://www.steelsoldiers.com/threads/m1088-camper-conversion.193622/

There are some products out there which are adaptable to the chassis but no one I am aware of makes something specific to the chassis- with the exception of the M1079 which has a box on it. If you are looking to farm out the box build of your project, be prepared to spend fair amounts of cash. It's also quite possible to home build a box with a modest amount of tools and skills, but it will take a bit of effort and dedication. This is what I'm presently working through.

 

[Diversified_shenanigans]

There might not be a thread directly comparing the two but with a little thought regarding your goals and expectations, you can probably decide for yourself. How much stuff do you want to take with you (and how much does it weigh)? How much space do you want?

I know someone doing a 6x6 build: https://www.steelsoldiers.com/threads/m1088-camper-conversion.193622/

There are some products out there which are adaptable to the chassis but no one I am aware of makes something specific to the chassis- with the exception of the M1079 which has a box on it. If you are looking to farm out the box build of your project, be prepared to spend fair amounts of cash. It's also quite possible to home build a box with a modest amount of tools and skills, but it will take a bit of effort and dedication. This is what I'm presently working through.

I see the thread and I'm sure it will become more relevant as I go on my journey more. Now that I have some my initial questions answered, I'll focus first on what size box I'll need, weighing 2.5 ton vs 5 ton pros/cons, and how I'll go about buying a truck.

 

[flyfishtrailer]

TMs like instruction manuals? I'm bit unfamiliar with the verbiage lol

And when you say private party, do you mean like an individual or from one of the companies that restore these monsters? (Example: Midwest Military Equipment, etc)

Yes, Technical Manuals (TM's). They are located free on this website for most vehicles. Private party was a collector, not a business that rebuilds and repairs them. Just a guy who took care of his truck

 

[Mullaney]

Glad to be here guys! I have an array of questions so I can find out whether my desire for a Stewart and Stevenson truck is valid or not.

So here’s the idea I have in my head. I want to use an S&S truck for a camper build. The concept that makes me really draws me in is creating an RV that can essentially go anywhere.

Here are some of the reasons I really like the idea:

1. I want the ability to traverse the Jean Dry Lake bed and find spots few can make it to, primarily for extensive firearm training. Not to mention, the camper will serve well to carry all the guns, accessories, and a couple of friends out for the ride in comfort, especially if we choose to be out there for an extended period of time.
2. I want to travel to certain parts of the country for extended stays and have a kitchen on hand. The fact that most hotel chains don’t provide rooms with kitchens bugs me. If I’m going to have an extended stay in a city, I want the ability to make my own food.
3. Seems like a 2 and half-ton S&S would provide a great platform for a considerable camper. The goal is to have a bit of a tiny home I can take anywhere in the country and be comfortable living in.
4. I’m not completely sure about this idea, but having a bit of a motorcycle bay built into the camper shell sounds appealing. I only say this because if I’m staying in a city for an extended period, I don’t want to drive the truck out of the RV Resort/Park for every task in the city. A motorcycle in a bay sounds more convenient to get around some spots in a city.

Now, I’m completely new to the RV and military truck space so I have a couple of concerns. At this point, if you see any holes in my plan, go ahead and point them out. Anyways, here are some of my questions.

1. Do you guys know anyone or a company that makes a camper compatible with the S&S platforms? At the moment, I'm not good with my hands. I'm looking to get education in CNC Machining down the road in a couple months, but it seems more appealing to delegate this task to someone else.
2. Is the S&S reliable enough to the point that it won’t leave me stranded on the interstate doing a 1000+ mile drive? I hear that the CAT engine and Allison transmission are bulletproof, but how about the other components? Do other aspects of the S&S need constant maintenance?
3. Is it easy to get maintenance, service, and repair for these S&S? Or would I need to find a specialized mechanic in the country? I’m under the impression that if a Private in the Army can operate military trucks, I can learn some surface-level maintenance and know-how, but what is the ease of maintenance overall?
4. Would the 4x4 or 6x6 be better for a camper build?

Like I said, if you see holes in my post, go ahead and point them out so I can figure out if I need to abandon this idea altogether, but if I’m on the right track, I’m ready to dive into a rabbit hole and start planning my goal of a Military Truck Camper that can take me anywhere.

.
Welcome to the Outfit!

There are several guys here that have built or are currently building what you have described. Deciding on 3 axle or 2 axle is a personal thing - or maybe what you can find. Heck, you might find one of the cargo version of the S&S truck and affix an old camper trailer to the bed. All depending on how much personal effort you want to put in it...

Another idea is looking here on the site in the CLASSIFIEDS and see if you can find something here that fits your budget. There are folks here on Steel Soldiers that sell trucks that have been looked over and made road worthy. There are also folks who spray green paint on them and call it good. Depends on how much you want to spend.

Whatever you do, ask lots of questions. Go drive whatever it is. Remember the age of what you are buying and that "Bob's Mechanic Shop" might not have the skills to make repairs like they would on a (Ford, Dodge, Chevrolet) truck.

 

[Diversified_shenanigans]

.
Welcome to the Outfit!

There are several guys here that have built or are currently building what you have described. Deciding on 3 axle or 2 axle is a personal thing - or maybe what you can find. Heck, you might find one of the cargo version of the S&S truck and affix an old camper trailer to the bed. All depending on how much personal effort you want to put in it...

Another idea is looking here on the site in the CLASSIFIEDS and see if you can find something here that fits your budget. There are folks here on Steel Soldiers that sell trucks that have been looked over and made road worthy. There are also folks who spray green paint on them and call it good. Depends on how much you want to spend.

Whatever you do, ask lots of questions. Go drive whatever it is. Remember the age of what you are buying and that "Bob's Mechanic Shop" might not have the skills to make repairs like they would on a (Ford, Dodge, Chevrolet) truck.

Close to where I live, there's actually a CAT dealer... Do you think they can service the engine pretty consistently (talking purely convenience andtaking money out of the equation momentarily)?

 

[Mullaney]

Close to where I live, there's actually a CAT dealer... Do you think they can service the engine pretty consistently (talking purely convenience andtaking money out of the equation momentarily)?

.
I know there are CAT dealers that can and will. Most of these 107X and 108X Stewart & Stevenson trucks have a 3116 or 3127 or possibly a C7 power plants. All are CAT repairable but like @TomTime mentioned, some are Truck specific and others are Earth Moving dealerships. There are some that are a combination of both.

There is a guy who works at CAT with a YouTube Channel. He might be a good source for a dealer in your town if you drop him a note. The 3116 rack requires specialty tools and you don't really want "the new guy" at the dealership working on that truck according to Josh "Adept Ape" (the You Tube guy).

 

[TomTime]

Close to where I live, there's actually a CAT dealer... Do you think they can service the engine pretty consistently (talking purely convenience andtaking money out of the equation momentarily)?

Call the CAT dealer to see if they work on road vehicles.
I have a large CAT dealership about 10-12 miles from my house however they only work on off road construction equipment.
But, there is one about 40 miles from my house that still work on road vehicles.
Tom.

 

[eaw46]

Expedition Portal

The global resource for overland and adventure travel.

expeditionportal.com

Lots of info here on doing or using an off road Camper.

 

[Third From Texas]

If you want a S&S 2 1/2 ton get you m-1079 from like govplanet from a cali location so its not a long haul to get it home then the sky is the limit on what you can do to build the interior !

The issue with the M1079's is they aren't as common and when they do drop they fetch way more they they should (they get stupid expensive at auction these days). They do make great platforms, though.

My inspiration, Seth's "Brutus":

Et tu Brutus? Adventure Driven M1079 LMTV Build Out - Overland Bound

A twenty-two thousand pound ex-United States Military M1079 LMTV truck named Brutus does not exactly sound like an anniversary gift that would get a ringing endorsement, right? This is exactly what Kande Jacobson of Adventure Driven asked of her husband Seth, and it’s a thing of beauty.

www.overlandbound.com

This guy spent a ton having this made:

Mine (I'm cheap and lean towards function over form, and want to retain the "military truck" theme for reasons)






Alternatively, get an M1078 and slap a s250 shelter (same company that makes the M1079 box) on it and walk away with much less expense of a M1079. The nice thing about this is you can drop the box and still use the truck for truck stuff.

I LOVE Neil's build. So versatile...

Abel:

Honestly though, the military shelters are not ideal. They are tough as nails, but massive heat sinks that suffer from thermal bridging. You ideally want add another interior barrier of insulation and wall. With that much build out in mind, other options open up that are just as viable.



Another rugged and even more inexpensive habitat solution is an ambulance box. Seen several that have been build this way. But again, that requires a complete buildout. This was my original intent to build when I got my first M1078.





As far as prefab, you can always toss a 14-16 foot camper onto the back of an M1078 (or larger on a 6x6 platform). But you need to reinforce the structure quite a bit if you want it to survive the extremes of off road. A lot of these rigs that just tossed a camper on the back have self destructed. But it can be done right.







Finally, there are the 100% custom habitats. From aluminum to impregnated honeycombs to composites. Empty shells that you build out. You're looking at $10-15k for just a composite box.

A fully built unit, turn key will run $100-200K and new can cost over a million. These guys can build you an LMTV nicely kitted out for about 1.2 million

Global Expedition Vehicles

Adventure Trucks are four season recreational vehicles made for off road travel.

www.globalxvehicles.com

And there is the used market. You see complete overland rigs selling for $80-200k all over the world.

 

[Third From Texas]

Keith's build on here is one of the greats !

Keith's M1078A1 Project Overland

My M1078A1 built in 2003 History, Purchased from GovPlanet September 2015 as a non runner all fluids drained, no batteries and a huge hole in the front left tire. Picked it up from Hurlburt AFB, Florida. I've been working on it ever since. I'm late at starting this project thread but I wanted...

www.steelsoldiers.com

 

[Third From Texas]

Regarding the reliability and maintenance:

These trucks are on par with a semi.. The operating costs, maintenance expense, tools all fall very near that of a big rig.

If you want to know what it cost to run one, that's a good base line to research. Granted, most won't see that sort of mileage.

As mentioned above, if you spend the money going in to bring the rig up to par and maintain it....it's a million mile rig. But it won't be like servicing your glamper van a Quicklube for $39.95 a year. You can easily spend a grand on annual service (more if you just spin into the CAT dealer).

A lot of these trucks started out life being driven by 18 y/o crazy kids. And a lot of what got put out to pasture were trucks that the motorpool guys said "nope, nope, nope.......start pulling parts off this one". So some need more love and attention than others.

 

[Third From Texas]

4x4 vs 6x6

The 4x4 can actually fit in most parking spots. They turn in the same radius as an F350. They fit easier in a standard driveway as well. Advantages if a daily driver. Less maint of course and 2 fewer new tires to purchase.

The 6x6 have several advantages as well. Wee bit harder to get stuck, and a bette driveline angle in the rear (the M1078's are notoriously prone to vibration issues from the sharp down angle of attack the rear drive shaft takes....exception being the A1R 4x4 trucks with were the last of the line and very rare). Supposedly the 6x6 are a bit more thirsty when it comes to fuel (my old M1078 A1 got 7 mpg but my C7 M1079 only gets 5mpg). None of these trucks are cheap to feed going cross country.

 

[Mullaney]

4x4 vs 6x6

The 4x4 can actually fit in most parking spots. They turn in the same radius as an F350. They fit easier in a standard driveway as well. Advantages if a daily driver. Less maint of course and 2 fewer new tires to purchase.

The 6x6 have several advantages as well. Wee bit harder to get stuck, and a bette driveline angle in the rear (the M1078's are notoriously prone to vibration issues from the sharp down angle of attack the rear drive shaft takes....exception being the A1R 4x4 trucks with were the last of the line and very rare). Supposedly the 6x6 are a bit more thirsty when it comes to fuel (my old M1078 A1 got 7 mpg but my C7 M1079 only gets 5mpg). None of these trucks are cheap to feed going cross country.

.
Thanks @Third From Texas

You did a really nice writeup through several posts! I think you covered everything a body would need to know before jumping into the middle of a big green truck. Your numbers comparing a big rig to one of these S&S trucks is pretty much "spot-on", just less on tires and less mileage eating parts like brakes and power plant maintenance.

Just need a short stack of cash and then jump on in.
The water is fine!

.

 

[flyfishtrailer]

.
Thanks @Third From Texas

You did a really nice writeup through several posts! I think you covered everything a body would need to know before jumping into the middle of a big green truck. Your numbers comparing a big rig to one of these S&S trucks is pretty much "spot-on", just less on tires and less mileage eating parts like brakes and power plant maintenance.

Just need a short stack of cash and then jump on in.
The water is fine!

.

And full of sharks if you're not careful!!

 

[Diversified_shenanigans]

I’m honestly overwhelmed by the amount of replies and the friendliness of the community! Surprised me a bit, but in a great way.

Thank you for all the help guys.