Would your 12 foot total composite box fit on this truck? Also forgive my ignorance, how do these trucks do on the highway for cross country travel? Is there a way to cruse at 80 mph with super singles or would I be better leaving the DRW? How much (ball park) would it be to convert to super singles? I can turn a wrench, but I'm a long way from being a mechanic.
12 feet is a good length for these, as is 14 feet. My Total Composite kit for sale is 7 feet wide and as the front fenders of the Kodiaks are 8 feet wide, they can use an 8 foot wide box without sticking out. The camper I have on my truck is 7'6" and the width lines up nicely with the back of the cab. I think they do fine on the highway with plenty of power. 80 mph is 'do-able' (mine is the 8.1 liter Vortec gas engine) BUT you will go through fuel like a B17 with flak holes in it wings. I have done a trip running 70-75 mph the whole time and got about 6 mpg! Cruising at 65 mph it is in the 10 mpg range. Of course, the diesels will have a much different performance/mpg profile. Coming from a Fuso FG and MB1017, I am very happy cruising at 65 and not fearing hills. Tons of room in the cab and plenty of room to install an air suspension seat (recommended)
I run 22.5 super singles and
love them. 20" super singles are better for 'off-road' as you can air them down (40 psi is the lowest psi for 22.5"), but then again, I am starting with a 15" wide footprint. Price-wise it is all over the spectrum. I've found 22.5 super single rims for $100, and I can get 80% used tire (the last ones I got were Toyo 385/65R-22.5) for $150. A set (5) of 20" military 8 lug rims just sold here on the portal for about $1,600 which was a killer deal. But ordering new all the way around can get very pricy. I would say plan on running duals and going at the super single angle very carefully, very well researched, and not in a rush, so you don't go through a bunch of headaches.
I like utility boxes (I had a 'plumber' version on an old Iveco COE), BUT I don't think they are the 'hot-tip' to start with. You have tons of outside storage, BUT at the cost of limited interior space. You can narrow the boxes, but that brings on lots of cutting and welding. Also insulating them is very hard. You either add a 'wall to the inside as it is the easiest and best way, but now you lose even more interior space. Or try and insulated each box, but then you still end up with a cold bridge at every box sidewall.
I think (bias opinion following) the Kodiaks have a huge plus of not worrying about weight, and are very heavy duty, so no worries. You can add super singles without spending a boatload of money raising the suspension, etc, etc while sharing most components with the 'smaller' GM/Chevy trucks (engines, trans, diffs, transfer case, etc) so good parts, upgrades, farkles support. The downside is they are
big trucks, so they will not breeze down trails that are Jeep/Toyota/small truck width. And if you get stuck, you need a similar size 'rescue' vehicle.
If I was building an 'expo-camper' on the about the truck, I would either
Low budget
Pull the utility box and add a 'trailer' camper on the back
example
A trailer like the 'Kodiak Cub'
(see what I did there), with the front fold-out are nice as they have a more vertical front and a premade opening for a passthrough to the cab
Higher budget.
A Total Composite kit from the factory as you could go 8 feet wide and 14 feet long, with it designed to your specs, with perhaps a cabover. I think a small cabover section besides giving you 'free room' makes the cabin blend to the truck much better.
My personal favorite- Kodiak Kamper
But they still look great without the cabover
The above truck was sold a long time ago, so calling the number is not an option
